Mailchimp Pricing: Free Plan Limits and What Paid Unlocks
Mailchimp offers a free plan (now limited to 250 contacts), with paid plans starting at $13/month. The platform has evolved from a simple email tool into a broader marketing platform, but pricing has increased significantly along the way. I cover each plan and the cost traps to watch for. Considering a switch?
See my Mailchimp alternatives guide.
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Mailchimp Pricing Analysis
vs. 25 email marketing toolsBelow average for email marketing tools
Cheaper than 82% of email marketing tools on That Marketing Buddy's database. Mailchimp also offers a free plan.
Mailchimp Plans & Pricing
Free
- ✓Contacts limit: 250 contacts
- ✓Email sends: 500 sends per month (250 max per day)
- ✓Users: 1 Seat
- ✓Audiences: 1 audience
- ✓Pre-built Email Templates: Limited
Essentials
- ✓Contacts: 500 contacts included
- ✓Email sends: 10 times your maximum contact count
- ✓Users: 3 Seats
- ✓Pre-built Email Templates: Included
- ✓Remove Mailchimp Branding: Included
Standard
- ✓Contacts: 500 contacts included
- ✓Email sends: 12 times your maximum contact count
- ✓Users: 5 Seats
- ✓Pre-built Email Templates: Included
- ✓Remove Mailchimp Branding: Included
Premium
- ✓Contacts: 10,000 contacts included
- ✓Email sends: 15 times your maximum contact count
- ✓Users: Unlimited
- ✓Pre-built Email Templates: Included
- ✓Remove Mailchimp Branding: Included
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Free £0/month | Essentials £9.68/month | Popular Standard £14.89/month | Premium £260.54/month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts limit | 250 contacts | — | — | — |
| Email sends | 500 sends per month (250 max per day) | 10 times your maximum contact count | 12 times your maximum contact count | 15 times your maximum contact count |
| Users | 1 Seat | 3 Seats | 5 Seats | Unlimited |
| Audiences | 1 audience | — | — | — |
| Pre-built Email Templates | Limited | Included | Included | Included |
| Remove Mailchimp Branding | — | Included | Included | Included |
| Marketing Automation Flows | — | Up to 4 flow steps | Up to 200 flows | Up to 200 flows |
| SMS Marketing | — | SMS add-on | SMS add-on | SMS add-on |
Which Plan Should You Choose?
The free plan supports 250 contacts with basic email marketing features, giving beginners a no-cost introduction to the platform. You can create campaigns, build landing pages, and set up simple automations at this tier. The 250-contact limit is tighter than it used to be, so you may hit the cap faster than expected as your list grows. Upgrade to Essentials when you exceed 250 contacts or need to remove Mailchimp branding from your emails.
Essentials at $13/month removes Mailchimp branding and adds A/B testing, which improves the professionalism and optimization of your campaigns. The plan scales based on contact count, so your costs increase as your list grows. For small businesses running regular campaigns and wanting basic optimization tools, Essentials covers the fundamentals. Move to Standard when you need advanced automations, AI-powered tools, or more sophisticated audience segmentation.
Standard adds AI tools and advanced automation that support ecommerce-specific workflows like product recommendations and behavioral targeting. For online stores where email drives repeat purchases, these features help personalize campaigns at scale. Advanced segmentation lets you target customers based on purchase history and browsing behavior. Upgrade to Premium if you need multiple users or the most advanced analytics and testing capabilities.
Standard's support for multiple users makes it practical for agency teams managing client email campaigns collaboratively. The advanced automation and segmentation tools provide the campaign sophistication that agency clients typically expect. For agencies managing a handful of client accounts, Standard balances capability with cost. Premium is only justified when you need dedicated support, unlimited users, or the most advanced feature set available.
Premium includes dedicated support, unlimited users, and the most advanced features in Mailchimp's lineup. For enterprise teams where email marketing is a critical revenue channel, dedicated support ensures faster issue resolution when problems arise. Unlimited users means no per-seat costs as your marketing team grows or changes. The premium pricing is significant, so confirm that your team's needs genuinely exceed what Standard provides before committing to this tier.
My Take on Mailchimp Pricing
Joonas RotkoMailchimp's biggest strength is its ecosystem. With more third-party integrations than any other email marketing platform, it connects to virtually every tool, CMS, and e-commerce platform. Deliverability rates remain strong, and the Standard plan's AI tools and automation are genuinely useful.
The pricing has become increasingly aggressive. The free plan was reduced from 2,000 to 250 contacts, and Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward your plan limit. That means you are paying for contacts who will never see your emails. Compare with Moosend, which starts at $9/month with fairer contact counting, or MailerLite, which offers a free plan with 500 subscribers.
Mailchimp still makes sense for businesses deeply integrated into its ecosystem or those who need the broadest possible integration library. For new businesses building an email list, more affordable platforms offer comparable features without the pricing gotchas.
Free Plan Details
The free plan includes 250 contacts, 500 monthly emails, and basic email support for your first 30 days.
Available Discounts
Annual Discount
Save 15% when paying annually on all paid plans
Volume Discount
15% discount for first 12 months for customers with 10,000+ contacts
Email Marketing Pricing at a Glance
| Tool | Free Plan | Starts From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MailchimpThis tool | ✓ | $9.68/mo | |
 Moosend | ✓ | $9/mo | View pricing → |
 Mailjet | ✓ | $9/mo | View pricing → |
 Brevo | ✓ | $9/mo | View pricing → |
 MailerLite | ✓ | $10/mo | View pricing → |
Is Mailchimp Worth the Price?
Mailchimp remains one of the most recognized email marketing platforms, but recognition does not always equal best value. The pricing has crept upward while competitors have gotten more generous. The Standard plan at $16.99/month offers the best feature-to-cost ratio if you commit to Mailchimp. Just be aware of how quickly costs scale with contact growth.
Read my full Mailchimp review or compare it with Moosend and MailerLite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your sending will be paused until you upgrade or remove contacts. Overage fees apply on paid plans.
Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. Changes take effect immediately.
No setup fees on any plan. You only pay the monthly or annual subscription cost.
All paid plans come with a 14-day free trial with full access to features.
No credit card required for the free plan. You can start sending emails immediately.
Yes, you can cancel your subscription anytime. No cancellation fees or long-term contracts.
Mailchimp accepts all major credit cards and PayPal for subscription payments.
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