VETTED SAAS
Alternatives · Email

Best Mailchimp alternatives

The email tools we would weigh against Mailchimp when contact counting, cost or shallow automation start to bite.

Mailchimp is the easiest place to start in email, and for many teams that is enough. Buyers most often look elsewhere for one of three reasons: the contact counting that inflates the bill, the price jumps as a list grows, and automation that trails the specialists. The four below cover the usual exits, from a cheaper editor first tool to a send based pricing model to a deeper automation engine. Each carries our editorial score and a verified entry price so you can match the tradeoff to your team.

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Reviewed by ·Updated JUNE 2026·How we vet
The shortlist

Four email tools we would weigh first

Email 90 MailerLite A nicer editor and far lower prices for value first senders. Read verdict → Email 89 Brevo Pay by email sent, not contacts stored, with SMS built in. Read verdict → Email 92 ActiveCampaign Deeper automation when you outgrow Mailchimp's flows. Read verdict → Email 84 GetResponse Email plus webinars and funnels in a single login. Read verdict →
At a glance

How they compare

Scores are editorial assessments against our email marketing rubric. Price from as of June 2026; check the vendor for current pricing.

Tool Best for Price from Score
ActiveCampaign Deep automation and segmentation $15 92
MailerLite Value first editor and low prices Free / $10 90
Brevo Send based pricing with SMS Free / $9 89
GetResponse All in one with webinars and funnels Free / $19 84
Decision framework

Which one fits you

MailerLite you want a lovely drag and drop editor and much lower prices, and you can accept slightly less automation depth than the leaders.
Brevo you mail a list less often than its size suggests and want to pay by emails sent rather than contacts stored, with SMS and chat in the box.
ActiveCampaign automation is the point, and you want the deepest visual workflows and segmentation, with the setup time that depth requires.
GetResponse you want email plus webinars, funnels and landing pages under one login, and a fair price for that breadth.
Common questions

Mailchimp alternatives FAQ

What is the best Mailchimp alternative?

It depends on why you are leaving. MailerLite is the best value editor first pick, Brevo the best for send based pricing, ActiveCampaign the deepest for automation, and GetResponse the broadest all in one. Scores are editorial; pricing verified June 2026.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Mailchimp?

Yes. Brevo starts free then from $9 and bills by emails sent, MailerLite is free then $10 and prices by subscribers, and GetResponse is free then $19. Mailchimp counts all contact types, so a cheaper model often lowers the real bill. Verified June 2026.

Which Mailchimp alternative has the best automation?

ActiveCampaign is the clear leader on automation depth and segmentation, which is the most common reason teams outgrow Mailchimp. Brevo and GetResponse offer capable automation at a lower price, while MailerLite keeps it approachable.

Do Mailchimp alternatives count contacts the same way?

Not always. Brevo bills by emails sent rather than contacts stored, which suits lists you mail infrequently. MailerLite, GetResponse and ActiveCampaign price by subscribers or contacts, but generally do not count unsubscribed contacts the way Mailchimp can.

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