Platform Comparison

Brevo vs Mailchimp

Comparing Brevo (Sendinblue) and Mailchimp for email marketing. See how these platforms compare on pricing, features, and value for small businesses.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Mailchimp both target small to medium businesses with marketing email platforms. Brevo positions as the budget-friendly alternative; Mailchimp is the established leader. Here's how they actually compare.

Quick Comparison

FeatureBrevoMailchimp
Pricing Modelvolume-basedcontact-based
Starting Price$9/mo$13/mo
Free Tier300500
Transactional Email
Marketing Email
Automated Warmup

Pricing Model

Brevo wins

Brevo uses volume-based pricing:

  • Free: 300 emails/day
  • Starter: $9/month for 5K emails
  • Business: $18/month for 5K emails + features
  • Unlimited contacts on all plans

Mailchimp uses contact-based pricing:

  • Free: 500 contacts, 1K sends
  • Essentials: From $13/month
  • Standard: From $20/month
  • Charges per contact stored

Winner: Brevo

Volume-based pricing means you don't pay more just for having a larger list. If you have many contacts but moderate send frequency, Brevo is significantly cheaper.

Feature Set

Tie

Brevo all-in-one:

  • Email marketing
  • SMS marketing
  • WhatsApp campaigns
  • Chat widget
  • Basic CRM
  • Transactional email
  • Landing pages

Mailchimp marketing-focused:

  • Email marketing
  • Customer journeys
  • Advanced automation
  • Better CRM
  • Landing pages
  • Social posting
  • Postcards (physical mail)

Winner: Tie

Both are comprehensive. Brevo offers more channels (SMS, WhatsApp, chat). Mailchimp has deeper marketing automation. Depends on what you need.

Ease of Use

Mailchimp wins

Brevo interface:

  • Functional but dated
  • Can feel cluttered
  • Lots of options everywhere
  • Adequate email builder
  • Learning curve for features

Mailchimp interface:

  • More polished UI
  • Cleaner design
  • Better email builder
  • Helpful onboarding
  • Easier for beginners

Winner: Mailchimp

Mailchimp invested heavily in UX. Brevo is functional but doesn't match the polish.

Deliverability

Tie

Brevo deliverability:

  • Shared IP pools
  • Dedicated IP at higher tiers
  • Mixed reputation reports
  • Can vary by region

Mailchimp deliverability:

  • Large shared pools
  • Strict content policies
  • Generally reliable
  • Account terminations for violations

Winner: Tie

Both use shared infrastructure with similar trade-offs. Neither offers the reputation isolation that prevents bad neighbors from affecting you.

Customer Support

Tie

Brevo support:

  • Email support on free tier
  • Phone on higher tiers
  • Knowledge base
  • Community forum
  • Response times vary

Mailchimp support:

  • Email only on free (limited)
  • Chat and email on paid
  • Phone on premium only
  • Extensive documentation
  • Large community

Winner: Tie

Both gate their best support behind higher tiers. Neither is known for exceptional support quality.

The Verdict

Choose Brevo if budget is your primary concern and you want multichannel marketing (SMS, WhatsApp) included. Volume-based pricing is a significant advantage for large lists.

Choose Mailchimp if you prioritize ease of use, have a smaller list where contact-based pricing isn't painful, and want the more polished experience.

Consider alternatives if you need better deliverability, developer-focused features, or are scaling beyond what either platform handles cost-effectively.

Consider Transmit

Frustrated with Brevo's dated interface or Mailchimp's expensive contact-based pricing? Transmit offers volume-based pricing like Brevo, but with a modern interface and deliverability features neither has: automated warmup with auto-pause on high bounce rates, and **Multi-tenant Reputation Isolation**. Pay for what you send, not how many contacts you store.

Compare with Transmit

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare on Pricing Model?
**Brevo** uses volume-based pricing: - Free: 300 emails/day - Starter: $9/month for 5K emails - Business: $18/month for 5K emails + features - Unlimited contacts on all plans **Mailchimp** uses contact-based pricing: - Free: 500 contacts, 1K sends - Essentials: From $13/month - Standard: From $20/month - Charges per contact stored **Winner: Brevo** Volume-based pricing means you don't pay more just for having a larger list. If you have many contacts but moderate send frequency, Brevo is significantly cheaper.
How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare on Feature Set?
**Brevo** all-in-one: - Email marketing - SMS marketing - WhatsApp campaigns - Chat widget - Basic CRM - Transactional email - Landing pages **Mailchimp** marketing-focused: - Email marketing - Customer journeys - Advanced automation - Better CRM - Landing pages - Social posting - Postcards (physical mail) **Winner: Tie** Both are comprehensive. Brevo offers more channels (SMS, WhatsApp, chat). Mailchimp has deeper marketing automation. Depends on what you need.
How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare on Ease of Use?
**Brevo** interface: - Functional but dated - Can feel cluttered - Lots of options everywhere - Adequate email builder - Learning curve for features **Mailchimp** interface: - More polished UI - Cleaner design - Better email builder - Helpful onboarding - Easier for beginners **Winner: Mailchimp** Mailchimp invested heavily in UX. Brevo is functional but doesn't match the polish.
How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare on Deliverability?
**Brevo** deliverability: - Shared IP pools - Dedicated IP at higher tiers - Mixed reputation reports - Can vary by region **Mailchimp** deliverability: - Large shared pools - Strict content policies - Generally reliable - Account terminations for violations **Winner: Tie** Both use shared infrastructure with similar trade-offs. Neither offers the reputation isolation that prevents bad neighbors from affecting you.
How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare on Customer Support?
**Brevo** support: - Email support on free tier - Phone on higher tiers - Knowledge base - Community forum - Response times vary **Mailchimp** support: - Email only on free (limited) - Chat and email on paid - Phone on premium only - Extensive documentation - Large community **Winner: Tie** Both gate their best support behind higher tiers. Neither is known for exceptional support quality.
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