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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Brevo vs Mailchimp (2027): Pricing by Emails vs by Contacts
Choose Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) if you have a large list and send occasionally: it's free for 300 emails a day and paid plans start at about $9 a month, priced by emails sent rather than contacts, according to 2026 pricing guides. Choose Mailchimp if you want the best-known email platform with a large integration ecosystem: it's free for 250 contacts and 500 emails a month, and Essentials is offered at $13 a month for the first 12 months. The billing model decides which is cheaper for you.
- Brevo: Free 300 emails/day (Brevo branding); Starter from about $9/month *; priced by emails sent; SMS and WhatsApp credits extra.
- Mailchimp: Free 250 contacts, 500 emails/month (max 250 a day); Essentials $13, Standard $20, Premium $350 per month for 12 months (50% off).
- Mailchimp sends: Essentials up to 10× contacts, Standard 12×, Premium 15×; overages apply.
- Large list, rare sends: Brevo usually cheaper. Small list, frequent sends: compare both.
- Mailchimp's introductory prices double after 12 months.
* From 2026 pricing guides; Brevo's own page shows localized prices.
Brevo vs Mailchimp at a glance
| Brevo | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 300 emails/day | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Entry paid price | Starter from about $9/month * | Essentials $13/month (12-month intro) |
| Billing unit | Emails sent | Contacts (with send limits) |
| SMS and WhatsApp | Yes, with credits | SMS as an add-on |
| Introductory discount | No | 50% off for 12 months |
| Best for | Large lists, infrequent sends | Brand recognition and integrations |
How the billing models differ
Mailchimp charges by the number of contacts in your audience. Each plan also limits monthly sends to a multiple of your contacts: 10× on Essentials, 12× on Standard and 15× on Premium. Going over either limit triggers overage charges.
Brevo charges mainly by the number of emails you send each month. You can store a large list and pay only for the volume you send.
| Your situation | Cheaper model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 contacts, one newsletter a month | Brevo | You pay for 5,000 sends, not 5,000 contacts every month |
| 500 contacts, three emails a week | Compare both | Contact-based pricing is low at 500 contacts |
| Seasonal business with big holiday campaigns | Brevo | Pay more only in busy months |
| Steady weekly newsletter to a mid-size list | Compare both | Depends on list size and frequency |
Pricing compared
Free plans
Brevo's free plan allows 300 emails a day, about 9,000 a month if spread evenly, with Brevo branding. Mailchimp's free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month, with a maximum of 250 a day. For a small business with 1,000 contacts, Brevo's free plan is the only one that can reach the whole list, over several days.
Paid plans
Mailchimp Essentials costs $13 a month and Standard $20 a month for the first 12 months, then double. Brevo Starter starts at about $9 a month, rising with email volume. Over two years, Mailchimp's renewal price matters more than its introductory price.
What a real business pays
| Business | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| 200 contacts, monthly newsletter | Free | Free |
| 2,000 contacts, monthly newsletter | Free (spread over 7 days) or Starter * | Paid plan by contact count |
| 5,000 contacts, two newsletters a month | Starter at 10,000 emails * | Standard by contact count |
| 500 contacts, weekly campaigns | Starter * | Essentials $13 (year 1) |
Always confirm with both calculators: Brevo by monthly volume, Mailchimp by contact count.
Features that decide the choice
| If you need… | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Low cost for a large list | Brevo | Billed by emails sent |
| The largest integration ecosystem | Mailchimp | Widely supported |
| SMS and WhatsApp with email | Brevo | Built-in channels with credits |
| Transactional email from your app | Brevo | Transactional email included in its platform |
| Polished templates and a familiar brand | Mailchimp | Mature editor and templates |
| A low first-year price | Mailchimp | 50% intro offer |
Three real-world scenarios
A gym with 3,000 members and a monthly newsletter
Brevo bills for about 3,000 emails a month; Mailchimp bills for 3,000 contacts. Brevo is usually much cheaper here.
A boutique with 400 subscribers sending twice a week
About 3,500 sends a month to a small list. Mailchimp Essentials at $13 (year 1) or Brevo Starter both work; compare year-two prices before choosing.
A SaaS app sending receipts plus a monthly newsletter
Brevo handles both transactional and marketing email in one platform. Mailchimp's transactional email is a separate product.
Start Brevo free → 300 emails a day, free · Affiliate link
Hidden costs to watch
- Mailchimp's introductory price doubles after 12 months.
- Mailchimp overages above contact or send limits.
- Brevo's daily cap on Free: 300 emails a day.
- Brevo branding on free emails.
- SMS credits on both platforms.
Alternatives worth comparing
| Tool | Free plan | Entry paid price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails | Comfort from $12/month | Cheap automation |
| Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Creator $33/month at 1,000 (annual) | Creators |
| GetResponse | Limited free account after trial | Starter about €13/month at 1,000 (annual) | Webinars and funnels |
See Brevo pricing, Mailchimp pricing, Brevo alternatives and Mailchimp alternatives.
How to choose in 5 steps
- Count contacts and monthly sends separately.
- Price Brevo by sends and Mailchimp by contacts.
- Use Mailchimp's year-two price, not the introductory one.
- List must-have integrations and check both marketplaces.
- Send one campaign from each free plan and compare deliverability and reports.
Terms explained
- Contact: a person stored in your audience (Mailchimp's billing unit).
- Email volume: emails sent per month (Brevo's billing unit).
- Send limit: Mailchimp's cap on monthly sends, as a multiple of contacts.
- Overage: charges for exceeding a plan's limits.
- Transactional email: automatic emails such as receipts and password resets.
Deliverability and setup
Both platforms send from shared infrastructure on lower plans, and both ask you to authenticate your sending domain. Deliverability depends far more on your list and your setup than on the tool: verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your domain, import only contacts who agreed to hear from you, and remove people who never open. Brevo's free plan adds its branding to emails, which some brands dislike; Mailchimp's free plan includes its badge too. Our email deliverability guide walks through the steps.
Automation compared
Mailchimp limits automation flows by plan: Essentials allows flows of up to 4 steps and Standard up to 200 automation flows. Brevo includes marketing automation on its plans, with more advanced workflows on higher tiers *. For welcome series and simple follow-ups, both are enough; for complex multi-branch journeys, compare the specific limits of the plan you'd buy.
Our verdict
Brevo is the better value for businesses with large lists that send occasionally, and for teams that want email, SMS and transactional email in one platform. Mailchimp is the better choice for businesses that value its brand, templates and integrations, especially in year one with its 50% introductory offer. Price both with your real numbers, and remember Mailchimp's renewal price.
How we compiled this page
Mailchimp prices and limits come from its official pricing page on October 29, 2026. Brevo's page shows localized prices and calculators, so its paid prices come from 2026 pricing guides and are marked with *. Brevo's free limit and billing model are published by Brevo.
FAQ
Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
Often, for large lists that send infrequently, because Brevo bills by emails sent rather than contacts. For small lists, compare both.
Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?
Yes. Sendinblue renamed itself Brevo in 2023.
Which has a better free plan?
Brevo for reaching larger lists (300 emails a day); Mailchimp is limited to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month.
Does Mailchimp's price go up after a year?
Yes. Its paid plans are advertised at 50% off for the first 12 months.
Can I switch from Mailchimp to Brevo?
Yes. Export your audience from Mailchimp, import it into Brevo and recreate your templates and automations.
Which is better for beginners?
Mailchimp's editor and templates are very beginner-friendly. Brevo is also easy to start with, and its free plan lets beginners reach a larger list.
Sources
mailchimp.com/pricing and brevo.com/pricing (localized), checked October 29, 2026. Brevo paid prices from 2026 pricing guides.
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