Last updated: October 2026 | Mailchimp prices checked on its pricing page; Brevo prices from Brevo’s pricing page and independent reviews validated in September 2026
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Brevo (the company formerly called Sendinblue) and Mailchimp are both all-round email marketing tools for small businesses. Their biggest difference is how they charge. Brevo prices mainly by how many emails you send. Mailchimp prices by how many contacts you store. If you have a large list that you email occasionally, that difference can save you a lot.
Brevo vs Mailchimp at a glance
| Brevo | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing basis | Mainly emails sent per month | Contacts in your account |
| Free plan | 300 emails a day, up to 100,000 stored contacts, Brevo logo | 500 emails a month, up to 250 contacts |
| Entry paid plan | Starter, from $9/mo (5,000 emails) | Essentials, from $13/mo |
| Automation | Standard plan (from $18/mo) | Standard plan (from $20/mo) |
| Branding removal | Add-on on Starter; included from Standard | Paid plans |
| Also includes | SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email, CRM | Strong templates, e-commerce integrations |
| Best for | Big lists, occasional sends, transactional email | Design-led campaigns and smaller lists |
Brevo pricing in 2026
| Brevo plan | Starting price | Emails | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 300 a day | Up to 100,000 stored contacts; Brevo logo on emails |
| Starter | From $9/mo | 5,000 a month | No daily cap; logo removal is a paid add-on |
| Standard | From $18/mo | 5,000 a month | Automation, A/B testing, logo removed, up to 3 users |
| Professional | From $499/mo | 150,000 a month | WhatsApp, 10 seats, phone support |
At the smallest tiers, Brevo also caps how many contacts you can store (for example, 500 contacts at 5,000 emails), according to independent reviews. Higher email tiers raise the cap.
Mailchimp pricing in 2026
| Mailchimp plan | Starting price | Monthly sends | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 500 (250 a day), up to 250 contacts | 1 |
| Essentials | From $13/mo | 10× contacts | 3 |
| Standard | From $20/mo | 12× contacts | 5 |
| Premium | From $350/mo | 15× contacts | Unlimited |
Mailchimp’s prices rise with your contact count; the figures above are for the lowest tier.
Which is cheaper?
- Small list, frequent emails: the two are close. A small business with a few hundred contacts emailing weekly will pay a similar amount on either paid plan.
- Large list, occasional emails: Brevo usually wins, because you pay for the emails you send rather than every contact you store. The free plan alone lets you store up to 100,000 contacts and send 300 emails a day.
- Free plan: Brevo’s free plan is far more generous on contacts and volume (up to about 9,000 emails a month at 300 a day), but every email carries Brevo’s logo.
Features compared
Email design
Mailchimp’s template library and drag-and-drop editor are among the best for small businesses. Brevo’s editor is solid and simpler.
Automation
Both put real automation on their Standard plans. Mailchimp’s Essentials plan allows only short flows; Brevo’s Starter plan focuses on campaigns.
Beyond email
Brevo bundles SMS, WhatsApp campaigns (on higher plans), transactional email for receipts and password resets, and a basic sales CRM. That can replace several tools for a small business. Mailchimp focuses on marketing email, with e-commerce features and an SMS add-on.
Deliverability and reputation
Both are established senders with good deliverability when you follow best practices: confirmed opt-ins, regular list cleaning and authenticated sending domains.
Pros and cons
Brevo
Pros
- Pricing by emails, not contacts
- Very generous free plan for storing contacts
- SMS, WhatsApp and transactional email in one platform
Cons
- Brevo logo on Free and (without add-on) Starter
- Contact caps on the smallest paid tiers
- Fewer design templates than Mailchimp
Mailchimp
Pros
- Excellent templates and design tools
- Easy to use
- Strong e-commerce integrations
Cons
- You pay for every stored contact
- Free plan limited to 250 contacts
- Automation needs Standard
Which should you choose?
Choose Brevo if you have a large list you email occasionally, want transactional email and SMS in the same tool, or need a free plan that holds lots of contacts.
Choose Mailchimp if you send polished, design-heavy campaigns to a smaller list and value ease of use over the lowest price.
Three real-world scenarios
A local gym with 20,000 past members on file but only 2,000 active ones. It emails the active members once a month. On Mailchimp, every stored contact counts toward the bill unless the gym archives old members. On Brevo, the bill is driven mainly by the 2,000 emails a month, although Brevo’s smallest Starter tiers also cap stored contacts, so the gym should pick the tier that fits both numbers or clean its list.
An online course creator who sends weekly emails to 800 subscribers. About 3,200 emails a month. Both tools are affordable here; Mailchimp’s templates and automation on Standard may be worth the small difference.
A SaaS startup that needs receipts and password reset emails. Brevo’s transactional email lets the startup send product emails and marketing campaigns from one account. With Mailchimp, transactional email is a separate product.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- How many contacts do you store, and how often do you email them? This decides which pricing model is cheaper.
- Do you mind the Brevo logo on emails? It’s on Free and on Starter unless you pay to remove it.
- Do you need transactional email or SMS? Brevo includes both.
- How important is design? Mailchimp’s editor and templates are stronger.
- How many people need access? Check seats on each plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does Brevo have a daily sending limit?
Only on the Free plan, which allows 300 emails a day. Paid plans have monthly volumes with no daily cap.
Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?
Yes. Sendinblue rebranded as Brevo.
Is Brevo really free?
Yes. The free plan sends up to 300 emails a day and stores up to 100,000 contacts, with Brevo branding on emails.
Does Mailchimp charge for unsubscribed contacts?
Mailchimp bills on the contacts in your account, so archive unsubscribed and inactive contacts to avoid paying for them.
Which is better for transactional emails?
Brevo, because it includes transactional email (receipts, notifications, password resets) alongside marketing email.
The bottom line
Brevo is the better value for large lists and businesses that want email, SMS and transactional messages in one place. Mailchimp is the better designer and the simpler tool for smaller lists. Compare both using your real list size and how often you send.
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