MailerLite is the better value at every price point. At 1,000 subscribers, MailerLite costs $10/month vs Mailchimp's $13/month — with more features included at the base tier. MailerLite includes automation, landing pages, and a website builder on all paid plans. Mailchimp gates automation behind higher tiers. For budget-conscious small businesses and creators, MailerLite delivers more for less.
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: The Budget Email Marketing Comparison (2026)
Pricing Comparison (March 2026)
| Subscribers | MailerLite Growing | Mailchimp Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | $10/mo | $13/mo |
| 1,000 | $10/mo | $13/mo |
| 2,500 | $17/mo | $20/mo |
| 5,000 | $32/mo | $50/mo |
| 10,000 | $54/mo | $78/mo |
| 25,000 | $139/mo | $170/mo |
| 50,000 | $239/mo | $299/mo |
| Free tier | 500 subs, 12K emails | 250 contacts, 500 emails |
MailerLite is 20-40% cheaper at every tier with more features included.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | MailerLite | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | All paid plans | Standard+ ($20/mo min) |
| Landing Pages | All plans (including free) | All plans |
| Website Builder | Yes | Yes (basic) |
| A/B Testing | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Segmentation | Growing plan+ | Standard+ |
| Send Time Optimization | No | Standard+ |
| Social Media Tools | No | Yes |
| CRM Features | Basic | Basic |
| Ecommerce Integration | Basic | Better |
| Email Builder | Good (drag & drop) | Good (drag & drop) |
| Newsletter Monetization | Yes (paid subscriptions) | No |
| 30% Nonprofit Discount | Yes | No |
The Verdict
Choose MailerLite if:
- Budget is your primary concern
- You need automation included at the base tier
- You're a creator or small business
- You want a generous free plan to start
- You don't need social media tools or advanced ecommerce
Choose Mailchimp if:
- You need social media posting tools integrated
- You need deeper ecommerce integrations
- Send-time optimization matters to you
- You're already in the Mailchimp ecosystem with years of data
Choose neither if:
- You run serious ecommerce → Klaviyo or Omnisend
- You need advanced B2B automation → ActiveCampaign
- You run a newsletter → Beehiiv or Kit
Practitioner note: Mailchimp's repeated free tier reductions (from 2,000 to 500 to 250 contacts) and pricing increases make MailerLite the obvious choice for budget-conscious senders. MailerLite delivers 80% of Mailchimp's features at 60% of the price.
Practitioner note: For deliverability specifically, both are fine. The bigger risk with Mailchimp: they charge for unsubscribed contacts on some plans. You're paying for addresses that aren't even receiving email. Clean your list aggressively on either platform.
If you want authentication configured correctly on whichever platform you choose, schedule a consultation.
Sources
v1.0 · March 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MailerLite actually cheaper than Mailchimp?
Yes, at every list size. At 5K subscribers: MailerLite Growing $32/mo vs Mailchimp Standard $50/mo. At 10K: MailerLite $54/mo vs Mailchimp $78/mo. At 25K: MailerLite $139/mo vs Mailchimp $170/mo. MailerLite also includes features Mailchimp charges extra for.
Which has better deliverability?
Both are comparable. MailerLite has a strict anti-spam policy and actively monitors sending quality. Mailchimp has a longer track record with ISPs. For most users, deliverability depends more on your list quality and authentication than the platform.
Can MailerLite replace Mailchimp?
For most small businesses and creators, yes. MailerLite has email campaigns, automation, landing pages, signup forms, and a website builder. What it lacks: Mailchimp's social media tools, deeper CRM features, and send-time optimization (available on Mailchimp Standard).
Which has a better free plan?
MailerLite: 1,000 subscribers (reduced from 1,000 to 500 in Sep 2025), 12,000 emails/month. Mailchimp: 250 contacts (gutted from 500 in Jan 2026), 500 emails/month. MailerLite's free tier is dramatically more useful.
What's better for ecommerce, MailerLite or Mailchimp?
Neither is ideal for serious ecommerce — use Klaviyo or Omnisend for deep Shopify integration. Between these two, Mailchimp has slightly better ecommerce integrations. MailerLite's ecommerce features are basic.
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