Pick / avoid summary (fast)
Skim these triggers to pick a default, then validate with the quick checks and constraints below.
- ✓ Your contact list is 10,000+ and you want to cut costs by switching to send-based billing
- ✓ You have a large dormant list—Brevo stores unlimited contacts for free on all plans
- ✓ Multi-channel (SMS + WhatsApp + chat) matters alongside email
- ✓ Email template design quality and visual brand consistency are top priorities
- ✓ You need the broadest integration ecosystem with 300+ plug-and-play connectors
- ✓ Your list is small (<10,000) and Mailchimp's pricing is comparable
- × Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- × Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- × Contact-based pricing escalates rapidly: 10,000 contacts on Standard is $100/mo; 50,000 contacts is $299/mo
- × Automation depth is limited compared to ActiveCampaign—no conditional branching, limited triggers
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At 50,000 contactsBrevo $25/mo vs Mailchimp $299/mo—a 12x cost difference for similar features
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The trade-offmassive cost savings at scale vs superior templates and brand trust
At-a-glance comparison
Brevo
Multi-channel marketing platform (formerly Sendinblue) with send-based pricing, unlimited contacts, and email + SMS + WhatsApp + chat. Free tier: 300 emails/day; Starter at $25/mo for 20,000 emails.
- ✓ Send-based pricing: unlimited contacts on all plans—pay only for emails sent, not contacts stored
- ✓ Free tier: 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts—most generous for large dormant lists
- ✓ Starter at $25/mo for 20,000 emails/mo; Business at $65/mo for marketing automation and A/B testing
Mailchimp
The most widely adopted email marketing platform with intuitive drag-and-drop builder, basic automation, landing pages, and 300+ integrations. Free for 500 contacts; Standard $13.99/mo.
- ✓ Easiest email builder in the market: drag-and-drop with 100+ professionally designed templates
- ✓ Free tier includes up to 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/mo, and basic automation—good for testing
- ✓ Standard plan ($13.99/mo for 500 contacts) unlocks automation, A/B testing, and custom templates
What breaks first (decision checks)
These checks reflect the common constraints that decide between Brevo and Mailchimp in this category.
If you only read one section, read this — these are the checks that force redesigns or budget surprises.
- Real trade-off: Send-based pricing with unlimited contacts versus contact-based pricing with superior email template design and brand trust.
- Email Simplicity vs Automation Depth: Map your current automation needs: simple drip sequences vs multi-branch conditional flows
- Contact-Based vs Send-Based Pricing: Calculate total contacts vs average monthly sends to model cost on both pricing models
- E-commerce Native vs General Purpose: Determine if revenue-per-email and order-level attribution are must-have metrics
Implementation gotchas
These are the practical downsides teams tend to discover during setup, rollout, or scaling.
Where Brevo surprises teams
- Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- Deliverability has historically lagged Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign in third-party tests
Where Mailchimp surprises teams
- Contact-based pricing escalates rapidly: 10,000 contacts on Standard is $100/mo; 50,000 contacts is $299/mo
- Automation depth is limited compared to ActiveCampaign—no conditional branching, limited triggers
- Premium tier ($299/mo) required for advanced segmentation, comparative reporting, and multivariate testing
Where each product pulls ahead
These are the distinctive advantages that matter most in this comparison.
Brevo advantages
- ✓ Send-based pricing: 50,000-contact list at $25/mo vs Mailchimp's $299/mo
- ✓ Unlimited contacts on free tier—store your entire database at no cost
- ✓ Email + SMS + WhatsApp + live chat in one platform without separate channel fees
Mailchimp advantages
- ✓ 100+ professionally designed email templates with best-in-class drag-and-drop builder
- ✓ Strongest brand recognition and trust in email marketing (13M+ users)
- ✓ 300+ plug-and-play integrations for the broadest ecosystem compatibility
Pros and cons
Brevo
Pros
- + Your contact list is 10,000+ and you want to cut costs by switching to send-based billing
- + You have a large dormant list—Brevo stores unlimited contacts for free on all plans
- + Multi-channel (SMS + WhatsApp + chat) matters alongside email
- + GDPR compliance and EU data hosting are requirements
- + Transactional email needs to be on the same platform as marketing email
Cons
- − Automation depth is shallower than ActiveCampaign—fewer conditional triggers and branching options
- − Email template design quality behind Mailchimp—functional but less visually refined
- − Deliverability has historically lagged Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign in third-party tests
- − No native e-commerce revenue attribution—Klaviyo and Omnisend are better for Shopify ROI tracking
- − Advanced segmentation and reporting require Business tier ($65/mo)—limited on Starter
- − No built-in CRM for sales pipelines; basic contact management only (Sales platform is separate product)
- − SMS and WhatsApp credits are usage-based and purchased separately from email pricing
Mailchimp
Pros
- + Email template design quality and visual brand consistency are top priorities
- + You need the broadest integration ecosystem with 300+ plug-and-play connectors
- + Your list is small (<10,000) and Mailchimp's pricing is comparable
- + Brand trust and recognition matter for stakeholder buy-in
- + You need content creation tools (Content Studio, social posting) alongside email
Cons
- − Contact-based pricing escalates rapidly: 10,000 contacts on Standard is $100/mo; 50,000 contacts is $299/mo
- − Automation depth is limited compared to ActiveCampaign—no conditional branching, limited triggers
- − Premium tier ($299/mo) required for advanced segmentation, comparative reporting, and multivariate testing
- − Affiliate marketing content restricted—Mailchimp's terms prohibit many affiliate-heavy use cases
- − No built-in CRM for sales pipeline management—separate tool needed for lead scoring
- − E-commerce integration exists but revenue attribution is basic compared to Klaviyo's per-email ROI
- − Intuit acquisition shifted pricing upward: legacy free tier (2,000 contacts) reduced to 500 contacts
Keep exploring this category
If you’re close to a decision, the fastest next step is to read 1–2 more head-to-head briefs, then confirm pricing limits in the product detail pages.
FAQ
How do you choose between Brevo and Mailchimp?
Brevo wins on cost: send-based pricing saves 3-10x for large lists with moderate engagement. Mailchimp wins on design: better templates, more polished UX, and stronger brand trust. The decision is purely economics vs aesthetics at scale.
When should you pick Brevo?
Pick Brevo when: Your contact list is 10,000+ and you want to cut costs by switching to send-based billing; You have a large dormant list—Brevo stores unlimited contacts for free on all plans; Multi-channel (SMS + WhatsApp + chat) matters alongside email; GDPR compliance and EU data hosting are requirements.
When should you pick Mailchimp?
Pick Mailchimp when: Email template design quality and visual brand consistency are top priorities; You need the broadest integration ecosystem with 300+ plug-and-play connectors; Your list is small (<10,000) and Mailchimp's pricing is comparable; Brand trust and recognition matter for stakeholder buy-in.
What’s the real trade-off between Brevo and Mailchimp?
Send-based pricing with unlimited contacts versus contact-based pricing with superior email template design and brand trust.
What’s the most common mistake buyers make in this comparison?
Paying Mailchimp's contact-based pricing on a 50,000+ list when 80% of contacts are dormant—Brevo stores them free.
What’s the fastest elimination rule?
Pick Brevo if your list is 10,000+ and send-based pricing cuts your costs by 50-80%
What breaks first with Brevo?
Automation ceiling: teams needing conditional branching hit Brevo's limits within 6 months. Deliverability on shared IPs: high-volume senders may need to upgrade to dedicated IP (Enterprise). Reporting depth: teams wanting attribution beyond basic campaign metrics need Business tier or external tools.
What are the hidden constraints of Brevo?
Daily sending limit on Free tier (300/day) means you can't batch-send to a large list in one day. SMS and WhatsApp credits purchased separately—per-message pricing varies by country. Shared IP deliverability on lower tiers can be affected by other senders on the same pool.
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Sources & verification
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