Mailchimp vs Brevo: Full Comparison (2026)
Quick Answer
Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts — a huge advantage for large lists with moderate send frequency. Mailchimp has more templates and a more polished UI. For budget-conscious senders with big lists, Brevo wins decisively.
Mailchimp vs Brevo at a Glance
| Dimension | Mailchimp | Brevo | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease Of Use | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 | Mailchimp |
| Features | 8.0/10 | 7.5/10 | Mailchimp |
| Overall | 7.5/10 | 8.0/10 | Brevo |
| Pricing | 7.5/10 | 9.0/10 | Brevo |
| Support | 7.0/10 | 7.5/10 | Brevo |
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Enterprise | $Custom/monthly | $Custom/quote per email |
| Essentials / Free | $13/monthly | $Custom/monthly per email |
| Standard / Starter | $20/monthly | $9/monthly per email |
| Premium / Business | $350/monthly | $18/monthly per email |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics/reporting | Yes | Yes |
| AI features | Yes | Yes |
| Automation workflows | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic content | Yes | Yes |
| SMS marketing | Yes (Add-on) | Yes |
| Transactional email | Yes (Transactional via Mandrill) | Yes |
| A/B testing | Yes | Yes |
| CRM/contact management | Yes | Yes |
| Deliverability tools | No | No |
| Email builder (drag-drop) | Yes | Yes |
| Email templates | Yes | Yes |
| Forms/popups | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan available | Yes | Yes |
| Landing pages | Yes | Yes |
| List management | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-user/teams | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Ecommerce integrations | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations marketplace | Yes | Yes |
Ease Of Use: Mailchimp vs Brevo
Mailchimp's UI is more refined and intuitive. Brevo is functional but feels less polished in spots.
Features: Mailchimp vs Brevo
Mailchimp has more templates, a better drag-and-drop builder, and more polished analytics. Brevo counters with built-in SMS, chat, and transactional email — features Mailchimp charges extra for.
Overall: Mailchimp vs Brevo
Brevo is the better value for most small businesses. Mailchimp justifies its premium only if you need its specific templates, integrations, or brand recognition.
Pricing: Mailchimp vs Brevo
Brevo's email-based pricing is a structural advantage. A 10K-contact list on Mailchimp costs $100+/mo; on Brevo, if you send 20K emails/mo, it's $9. The math isn't close for large lists.
Support: Mailchimp vs Brevo
Brevo offers better support on lower-tier plans. Mailchimp's free plan has no human support; Brevo's free plan includes email support.
Our Recommendation
Brevo if you have a large list and want to keep costs down. Mailchimp if you value design quality and don't mind paying more for a polished experience. Brevo's pricing model is genuinely better for most small businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Brevo charge by emails instead of contacts?
Brevo's model benefits users with large lists who don't email frequently. If you have 50K contacts but send 20K emails/mo, Brevo is dramatically cheaper than Mailchimp's per-contact pricing.
Is Brevo as reliable as Mailchimp?
Brevo's deliverability is comparable to Mailchimp's for most users. Both platforms maintain good sender reputations. Brevo also offers transactional email, which Mailchimp outsources to Mandrill.