Battle Card
Brevo vs Mailchimp 2026: Compared
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the better choice for businesses that want affordable multi-channel marketing (email, SMS, WhatsApp) with unlimited contacts on every plan. Mailchimp is the better choice for businesses that want a broader marketing platform with landing pages, social media scheduling, and a more established brand. Brevo charges by emails sent. Mailchimp charges by contacts. Here is the full breakdown.
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Brevo: unlimited contacts, SMS + WhatsApp included, charges by email volume
- ✓ Mailchimp: broader platform, better templates, charges by contact count
- ✓ At 25,000+ contacts, Brevo costs 70-80% less than Mailchimp
- ✓ Pricing model (volume vs contacts) is the deciding factor for most businesses
Quick Verdict
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Budget multi-channel (email + SMS + WhatsApp) | All-in-one marketing platform |
| Pricing | Free (300 emails/day). Starter $9/mo | Free (500 contacts). Essentials $13/mo |
| Key strength | Unlimited contacts, SMS + WhatsApp | Larger template library, broader platform |
| Key weakness | Fewer templates, less polished UI | Expensive at scale, charges per contact |
| Pricing model | By emails sent | By contacts |
| SMS/WhatsApp | All plans | SMS on Premium only ($350/mo) |
| CRM | Built-in (free) | Basic (paid plans) |
| Free plan | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts | 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/mo |
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Head-to-Head
Pricing Model
Brevo wins for large lists with moderate sending. Brevo charges by email volume (how many you send), not contact count. A business with 50,000 contacts that sends 2 emails/month pays for 100,000 sends, not 50,000 contacts. Mailchimp charges by contact count regardless of sending frequency. For businesses with large lists and infrequent campaigns, Brevo is significantly cheaper.
Multi-Channel (SMS + WhatsApp)
Brevo wins. SMS and WhatsApp messaging available on all plans (pay-per-message). Mailchimp limits SMS to its Premium plan ($350/month). For businesses that want email + SMS as complementary channels, Brevo is the clear choice.
Email Editor and Templates
Mailchimp wins. Larger template library, more design flexibility, and a more polished drag-and-drop editor. Brevo's editor is functional but has fewer templates and less visual customization.
Automation
Tie at entry level. Both offer marketing automation with triggers, conditions, and multi-step workflows. Mailchimp's Customer Journey Builder is slightly more visual. Brevo's automation is included on the Standard plan ($18/mo). For more advanced automation, see our Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign comparison at /blog/mailchimp-vs-activecampaign-2026.
Pricing at Scale
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| 500 contacts / 5K sends | $9/mo (Starter) | $0 (Free) |
| 5K contacts / 20K sends | $18/mo (Standard) | $59/mo (Standard) |
| 25K contacts / 50K sends | $35/mo (Business) | $299/mo (Standard) |
| 100K contacts / 150K sends | $65/mo (Business) | $605/mo (Standard) |
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Brevo's volume-based pricing is dramatically cheaper at scale. A business with 100,000 contacts pays $65/month on Brevo vs $605/month on Mailchimp.
Who Should Choose Brevo?
- Large contact list with moderate sending frequency
- You want SMS and WhatsApp alongside email
- Budget is the primary factor
- Built-in CRM is valuable. For more CRM-focused alternatives, see our HubSpot Alternatives guide at /blog/hubspot-alternatives-2026
Who Should Choose Mailchimp?
- You want the broadest marketing platform (email + landing pages + social + ads)
- Template quality and design flexibility matter
- Free tier for small lists (under 500 contacts) is sufficient
- Brand recognition and ecosystem integrations matter. See our Mailchimp vs Constant Contact comparison at /blog/mailchimp-vs-constant-contact-2026
The Bottom Line
Brevo for cost-effective multi-channel. Mailchimp for broader platform features. The pricing model difference (volume vs contacts) is the deciding factor for most businesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brevo better than Mailchimp?
For cost-effective multi-channel marketing (email + SMS + WhatsApp), yes. Mailchimp is better for broader marketing features and template quality. Brevo's volume-based pricing is dramatically cheaper at scale.
How much does Brevo cost vs Mailchimp?
Brevo: Free (300 emails/day), Starter $9/mo, Standard $18/mo. Mailchimp: Free (500 contacts), Essentials $13/mo, Standard $20/mo. At 25,000+ contacts, Brevo costs 70-80% less than Mailchimp.
Can Brevo replace Mailchimp?
For email and SMS campaigns, yes. Brevo lacks Mailchimp's social media scheduling, ad management, and broader marketing platform features.
Does Brevo have a free plan?
Yes. 300 emails per day (roughly 9,000/month) with unlimited contacts. More generous than Mailchimp's free plan (500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month) for businesses with larger lists.
Which is better for ecommerce?
Mailchimp has more ecommerce integrations and product recommendation features. For ecommerce-specific email marketing, consider Klaviyo or Omnisend as alternatives to both.
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