ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: ActiveCampaign starts at $15/mo and Mailchimp starts at Custom pricing. Compare all 53 pricing tiers side by side.
Last updated: August 3, 2026
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/mo | Custom pricing |
| Number of Plans | 7 | 46 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are both priced at $15/mo, making them equally accessible Email Marketing tools. Together they offer 53 pricing plans with 110 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.
Mailchimp stands out with a free plan for getting started.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Email Marketing needs.
| Pricing Plans |  ActiveCampaign Try freeAffiliate |  Mailchimp Try free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Enterprise $145/monthCheapest Includes
| Main Menu Custom pricing |
| Tier 2 | ProPopular $79/month Includes
| Try our Standard plan for free.Popular $0/monthCheapest |
| Tier 3 | Plus $49/monthCheapest Includes
| Get 15% off our Standard plan Custom pricing |
| Tier 4 | Starter $15/monthCheapest Includes
| StandardPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 5 | Premium $218/monthCheapest Includes
| Save 15% on the ultimate expert-assisted platform for growthPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 6 | AdvancedPopular $99/monthCheapest Includes
| Phone & Priority SupportPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 7 | Core $99/monthCheapest Includes
| Custom-Coded and Pre-built Email TemplatesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 8 | - | Multivariate & A/B TestingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 9 | - | Enhanced marketing automation flowsPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 10 | - | Dedicated Personalized OnboardingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 11 | - | Predictive SegmentationPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 12 | - | PremiumPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 13 | - | Customize plans & offersPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 14 | - | Not sure how to choose? Custom pricing |
| Tier 15 | - | Here are your results Custom pricing |
| Tier 16 | - | Under 250 contacts? It's free.Popular $0/monthCheapest |
| Tier 17 | - | Essentials Custom pricing |
| Tier 18 | - | FreePopular $0/monthCheapest |
| Tier 19 | - | Custom pricing for large businessesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 20 | - | Compare plan featuresPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 21 | - | SMS MarketingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 22 | - | Automated Customer FlowsPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 23 | - | Intuit Assist with MailchimpPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 24 | - | Custom-Coded TemplatesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 25 | - | Premium Migration ServicesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 26 | - | Monthly Email SendsPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 27 | - | UsersPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 28 | - | AudiencesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 29 | - | Role-based AccessPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 30 | - | Customer SupportPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 31 | - | 300+ IntegrationsPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 32 | - | Personalized OnboardingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 33 | - | Dedicated Onboarding SpecialistPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 34 | - | Popup FormsPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 35 | - | Pre-built Email TemplatesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 36 | - | Email SchedulingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 37 | - | Remove Mailchimp BrandingPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 38 | - | Branded TemplatesPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 39 | - | Dynamic ContentPopular Custom pricing |
| Tier 40 | - | Work with a trusted industry leader Custom pricing |
| Tier 41 | - | Get started easily with a personalized product tour Custom pricing |
| Tier 42 | - | Rates for nonprofits and charities Custom pricing |
| Tier 43 | - | Prefer to pay as you go? Custom pricing |
| Tier 44 | - | Basic plans for smaller businesses Custom pricing |
| Tier 45 | - | FAQs Custom pricing |
| Tier 46 | - | Why do we use cookies and other tracking technologies? Custom pricing |
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ActiveCampaign
Email marketing, automation, and CRM for customer experience
View all ActiveCampaign plansWhat Reviewers Say
Which Should You Choose?
Choose ActiveCampaign if:
- •You need advanced marketing automation with conditional workflows, lead scoring, and CRM integration
- •Your email strategy involves behavior-triggered sequences - abandoned cart, lead nurture, re-engagement campaigns
- •ActiveCampaign's built-in CRM with sales automation connects marketing and sales in one platform
- •Site tracking, event tracking, and predictive sending optimize email delivery based on subscriber behavior
Choose Mailchimp if:
- •You want an easy-to-use email platform with drag-and-drop design and a massive template library
- •Mailchimp Free supports up to 500 contacts with basic email campaigns and landing pages
- •Your needs are primarily email newsletters and basic automation without complex workflow logic
- •Mailchimp's broad integration ecosystem (300+ apps) connects to virtually every business tool
ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are the most common email marketing comparison, and the answer depends on automation complexity. Mailchimp is the default starting point: Free for 500 contacts, Essentials at $13/month for 500 contacts, Standard at $20/month for 500 contacts with automations and A/B testing, Premium at $350/month with advanced segmentation. ActiveCampaign starts higher: Starter at $15/month for 1,000 contacts, Plus at $49/month with CRM and lead scoring, Professional at $79/month with predictive sending and attribution. No free tier. Mailchimp's strength is accessibility. The drag-and-drop email builder, template library, and simple automation (welcome series, birthday emails) get you sending professional emails in minutes. For small businesses sending newsletters and basic campaigns, Mailchimp does everything needed. ActiveCampaign's strength is automation depth. Conditional workflows with if/then branching, lead scoring that triggers sales outreach, site tracking that personalizes content based on page visits - these capabilities transform email from a broadcast channel into an automated revenue engine. The built-in CRM means sales reps see every email interaction alongside deal data. For businesses sending newsletters and basic campaigns, Mailchimp's ease of use and free tier make it the natural starting point. For businesses running sophisticated automated campaigns that drive revenue, ActiveCampaign's automation engine justifies the premium.
Frequently Asked Questions: ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
How many pricing plans does ActiveCampaign have vs Mailchimp?
Does ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp offer a free plan?
What is the most popular ActiveCampaign plan?
What is the most popular Mailchimp plan?
Does ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp compare for Email Marketing?
Sources
- ActiveCampaign Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- Mailchimp Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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