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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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Mailchimp Pricing 2027: Intro Offers, Real Costs and Send Limits
Mailchimp is free for up to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month. Paid plans are advertised at $13 (Essentials), $20 (Standard) and $350 (Premium) per month, but these are 50%-off introductory prices for the first 12 months. After a year, the price rises to the regular rate, roughly double. Plans are priced by contacts, and each plan caps monthly sends at a multiple of your contact count.
- Free: up to 250 contacts, 500 emails/month (max 250 per day).
- Essentials: $13/month for 12 months (50% off), sends up to 10× your contacts.
- Standard: $20/month for 12 months (50% off), sends up to 12× your contacts, up to 200 automation flows.
- Premium: $350/month for 12 months (50% off), sends up to 15× your contacts.
- Overage charges apply above your contact or send limit.
Mailchimp plans compared
| Plan | Advertised price (first 12 months) | Regular price implied by "50% off" | Monthly sends | Automation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 500 (250/day) | Not included |
| Essentials | $13 | about $26 | 10× contacts | Up to 4 flow steps |
| Standard | $20 | about $40 | 12× contacts | Up to 200 flows |
| Premium | $350 | about $700 | 15× contacts | Up to 200 flows |
The headline prices are the entry tier; your price depends on your contact count. Check the price at your exact list size on Mailchimp's calculator.
The intro-price trap
Mailchimp's advertised prices last 12 months. If the "50% off" applies to the full price, your bill doubles in month 13:
| Plan | Year 1 (intro) | Year 2 (regular) | 2-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $156 | about $312 | about $468 |
| Standard | $240 | about $480 | about $720 |
Plan your budget on the regular price, not the first-year offer.
Send limits: what "10× contacts" means
| Contacts | Essentials (10×) | Standard (12×) | Premium (15×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 5,000 emails/month | 6,000 | 7,500 |
| 1,000 | 10,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| 5,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 75,000 |
If you email your list twice a week (about 8 to 9 times a month), Essentials' 10× limit is enough. If you send daily, you will hit the cap.
Mailchimp vs alternatives on price
| Tool | Free plan | Entry paid price | Automation on entry plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts, 500 emails | $13/month (intro, 12 months) | Up to 4 flow steps |
| Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers | $33/month at 1,000 (Creator, annual) | Unlimited visual automations |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails | from $12/month | 50 active automations |
| Brevo | 300 emails/day | from about $9/month * | Included |
| GetResponse | Limited after trial | about €13/month at 1,000 (annual) | 1 workflow |
* From 2026 pricing guides. Kit's free plan covers 40 times more subscribers than Mailchimp's.
Compare with MailerLite free → No 12-month intro price: Comfort from $12 · Affiliate link
Which plan fits your situation?
- Testing email marketing with a tiny list: Free, while you stay under 250 contacts.
- A small business sending a weekly newsletter: Essentials, but budget for the regular price after year one.
- A business that needs automations: Standard, for up to 200 flows; or compare with MailerLite and Kit, which include more automation at entry level.
- A large marketing team: Premium, after comparing with ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo.
Hidden costs to watch
- Intro pricing. The advertised price lasts 12 months.
- Contact-based tiers. Unsubscribed or inactive contacts you keep can count toward your tier; clean your list.
- Overage charges. Exceeding your contact or send limit costs extra.
- Automation limits on Essentials. Flows are limited to 4 steps.
How to pay less for Mailchimp
- Archive or remove inactive contacts before your plan renews.
- Check your send frequency against the 10×, 12× or 15× cap.
- Compare the regular price, not the intro price, with alternatives.
- If you are a creator, Kit's free plan may replace Mailchimp entirely.
Questions to ask before you buy
- How many contacts will you have in 12 months?
- How many emails a month will you send?
- What will you pay in month 13?
- Which automations do you need, and how many steps?
Mailchimp terms explained
- Contact: a person in your audience; plans are priced by contact count.
- Send limit: the maximum number of emails per month, as a multiple of your contacts.
- Flow (customer journey): an automated email sequence.
- Overage: an extra charge when you exceed your plan's limits.
Three real-world scenarios
A local business with 400 contacts
The business is above the free plan's 250 contacts, so it needs a paid plan. Essentials at the advertised $13 a month costs $156 in year one, then about $312 a year once the intro offer ends. MailerLite's free plan stops at 250 subscribers too, but its paid plans start at $12 a month with 50 automations, so the business should compare both at 400 contacts before choosing.
A creator with 3,000 subscribers
On Mailchimp, 3,000 contacts means a paid tier priced by contacts. On Kit, the same list is free (up to 10,000 subscribers) without automations, or $33 a month at 1,000 subscribers on Creator with unlimited automations; Kit's price at 3,000 is higher, so check the calculator. For creators, Kit's free plan alone can save the whole Mailchimp bill for years.
An online store sending 3 emails a week
Three emails a week is about 13 sends per contact a month. Essentials allows 10 times your contacts and Standard 12 times, so this store would exceed both and pay overages. It needs Premium (15×) or a tool with higher send limits, such as Omnisend Pro with unlimited emails under fair use.
Common mistakes when buying Mailchimp
- Budgeting on the intro price. Plan for month 13.
- Keeping unsubscribed and inactive contacts. They can push you into a higher tier.
- Ignoring send caps. Frequent senders hit 10× or 12× quickly.
- Using Essentials for automation. Flows are limited to 4 steps.
- Not comparing free plans. Kit's free plan covers 40 times more subscribers.
How to budget for Mailchimp in 5 steps
- Count your contacts today and estimate them in 12 months.
- Count your sends per month: campaigns per month × contacts.
- Check which plan's send cap fits: 10× (Essentials), 12× (Standard) or 15× (Premium).
- Price year 2 at the regular rate, about double the intro price.
- Compare the 2-year total with Kit, MailerLite and Brevo at the same list size.
Who should still choose Mailchimp
Mailchimp is still the right choice if you depend on an integration only it offers, if your team already knows it well, or if you value its templates and reporting enough to pay the regular price. In those cases, the switching cost (rebuilding templates, flows and integrations) can outweigh the savings of a cheaper tool.
Our verdict
Mailchimp remains a capable, well-integrated email platform, but its pricing works against small senders: the free plan stops at 250 contacts, intro prices double after a year, and Essentials limits automation. If you need its integrations, budget on the regular price. If you are a creator or a small business watching costs, Kit's free plan or MailerLite will usually cost less for the same results.
FAQ
How much does Mailchimp cost?
Free for 250 contacts. Paid plans are advertised at $13, $20 and $350 per month for the first 12 months (50% off), then rise to the regular price.
Is Mailchimp free?
Yes, for up to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month (250 per day).
Why did my Mailchimp bill go up?
Usually because the 12-month introductory price ended, or because your contact count moved you into a higher tier.
What is the best alternative to Mailchimp?
Kit for creators (free up to 10,000 subscribers), MailerLite for small budgets, and ActiveCampaign for automation. See our Mailchimp alternatives.
What happens after Mailchimp's intro offer ends?
Your plan renews at the regular price, which the "50% off" wording suggests is about double the advertised rate.
Can I pause Mailchimp?
Check Mailchimp's account options; downgrading to Free is possible if your list fits its limits.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Clean your audience regularly and check how Mailchimp counts contacts on your plan, since contact count sets your price.
Sources
mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing, kit.com/pricing, mailerlite.com/pricing and getresponse.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026. Regular Mailchimp prices are estimated from the "50% off for 12 months" wording.
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