Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Our top pick is beehiiv — beehiiv covers the same job as Mailchimp, usually at a lower entry price. Below, 19 email tools compared on price, transaction fees, and who they actually suit, plus a calculator to see real costs at your scale.
People usually leave Mailchimp over: expensive as your list grows; contacts counted even when unsubscribed in some tiers; automation gated to standard and up.
Some links below are affiliate links — if you sign up, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings or what we recommend. How this works →
Newsletter platform built for growth, monetization and ads — with 0% take rate on paid subscriptions.
Why it fits: beehiiv covers the same job as Mailchimp, usually at a lower entry price.
Including Mailchimp itself, so you can see exactly what you'd gain or give up.
| Tool | Score | From | Free | Txn fee | Best for | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | $13 | ✓ | 0% | Brands wanting a familiar all-rounder | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Newsletter creators and writers | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Startups on a budget | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Scaling ecommerce and DTC brands | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Solopreneurs and small businesses | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Businesses with big lists, modest send volume | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Ecommerce stores wanting email plus SMS | Visit | |
| | $7 | — | 0% | Cost-conscious small businesses | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% on email plans (Kit Commerce ~3.5% + $0.30 on product sales) | Creators who lead with email and newsletters | Visit | |
| | $15 | — | 0% | Creators and SMBs focused on email automation | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% | Small businesses wanting simple autoresponders | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 0% (email and funnel plans) | Email-led marketers wanting funnels and webinars | Visit | |
| | Free Lowest | ✓ | 10% of paid subscription revenue (+ Stripe fees) | Independent writers and journalists | Visit | |
| | $25 | — | 0% | Creatives, coaches and small brands | Visit | |
| | $12 | — | 0% | Design-conscious brands | Visit | |
| | $9 | — | 0% | Small businesses | Visit | |
| | $39 | — | 0% | Ecommerce and DTC stores | Visit | |
| | $12 | — | 0% | Small businesses and nonprofits | Visit | |
| | $100 | — | 0% | Product-led SaaS teams | Visit | |
| | $14 | — | 0% | Mid-market marketers | Visit |
Score is our composite of independent user ratings, value, and feature breadth — how we score. Prices are entry-tier estimates; verify current pricing on each site.
Drag to your size — we'll sort the tools cheapest-first and show where each one jumps a tier.
Newsletter platform built for growth, monetization and ads — with 0% take rate on paid subscriptions.
Affordable email and SMS marketing with a generous free plan for small businesses and ecommerce.
Data-driven email and SMS for ecommerce with deep analytics, predictive AI and powerful segmentation.
Clean, affordable email marketing with automations, landing pages and a generous-enough free tier.
Pay-per-email platform (formerly Sendinblue) with unlimited contacts, plus SMS, WhatsApp and CRM.
Omnichannel email, SMS and push built for ecommerce, with a free plan and pre-built automations.
Budget-friendly email marketing and automation for small businesses and ecommerce stores watching costs.
Email-first creator platform with landing pages, automations, and product sales.
Advanced email and marketing automation with an optional built-in CRM.
Veteran email autoresponder with a free plan, landing pages and reliable deliverability for small lists.
Email marketing with conversion funnels, landing pages, and built-in webinars.
Free newsletter and publishing platform that takes 10% of paid subscription revenue instead of a fee.
Design-first email tool with gorgeous templates, loved by creatives and small brands.
Design-focused email marketing for agencies and brands wanting polished, on-brand campaigns and automation.
Straightforward email marketing for small businesses and nonprofits wanting simple campaigns with personal support.
Ecommerce-focused email and SMS automation with strong segmentation and revenue tracking.
Beginner-friendly email and event marketing with strong support, social posting and a simple editor.
Behavioral, data-driven messaging automation for product-led teams running email, push and SMS at scale.
Advanced email and SMS marketing for mid-market marketers wanting automation, segmentation and deep reporting.
Our current top pick in this category plus any deal worth taking. One email, no spam.
beehiiv is our top Mailchimp alternative for most people — newsletter platform built for growth, monetization and ads — with 0% take rate on paid subscriptions. The best choice depends on your budget and goals; see the quick-pick list above.
Yes — beehiiv has a genuinely free plan, making it the cheapest Mailchimp alternative to start with.
Common reasons: expensive as your list grows; contacts counted even when unsubscribed in some tiers; automation gated to standard and up. If those aren't dealbreakers for you, Mailchimp may still be the right tool — we list its strengths too.
