API Management · head to head
AWS API Gateway vs Mailchimp

AWS API Gateway
API Management
Fully managed API gateway service for creating and managing APIs at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: AWS API Gateway rEST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer; Mailchimp the free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap
- They diverge on capability: AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, Mailchimp covers Email campaigns.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AWS API Gateway and Mailchimp actually diverge.
| Attribute | AWS API Gateway | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | Unknown |
| Platforms | AWS Cloud | Web, iOS, Android |
| Category | API Management | E-commerce |
| Founded | 2006 | 2001 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs
- WebSocket APIs
- HTTP APIs
- Lambda
- EC2
- DynamoDB
- CloudWatch
- IAM
Only in Mailchimp
- Email campaigns
- Marketing automation
- Landing pages
- Forms & popups
- Audience management
- Content studio
- Analytics
- Social media
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AWS API Gateway
- Fronting Lambda functions with an HTTP endpointnot Mailchimp
- REST and HTTP API management with throttling and keysnot Mailchimp
- WebSocket APIs for real-time clientsnot Mailchimp
- Private APIs reachable only inside a VPCnot Mailchimp
- Publishing a developer portal for API consumersnot Mailchimp
Mailchimp
- Email newslettersnot AWS API Gateway
- E-commerce marketingnot AWS API Gateway
- Lead generationnot AWS API Gateway
- Customer engagementnot AWS API Gateway
- Marketing automationnot AWS API Gateway
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AWS API Gateway
- REST APIs cost $3.50 per million calls against $1.00 for HTTP APIs, so the older and more featureful type is three and a half times dearer
- Data transfer out is charged at $0.09 per GB on top of request pricing
- WebSocket APIs bill connection minutes as well as messages, at $0.25 per million minutes
- Private APIs avoid data transfer charges but incur AWS PrivateLink costs instead
- The developer portal is $125 a month, with additional portal products at $12.50 each
- The free tier lasts 12 months rather than being ongoing
Mailchimp
- The free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap
- Price is driven by contact count, so the list growing raises the bill regardless of how much you send
- Send allowances are a multiple of contacts, 10x on Essentials and 12x on Standard, so a large list with heavy sending forces a tier change
- Essentials allows 3 seats and Standard 5; unlimited seats need Premium at $350 a month
- The headline $13 and $20 prices are for 500 contacts, not a flat rate
Pricing, plan by plan
AWS API Gateway
Free- Free TierFree
- 1M requests per month
- Basic API management
- Pay-as-you-go$3.5/per 1M requests
- Unlimited requests
- HTTP APIs
- REST APIs
Mailchimp
Free- FreeFree
- 250 contacts
- 500 sends per month
- Basic email campaigns
- Essentials$13/month
- 500+ contacts
- Email campaigns
- Basic automation
- Standard$20/month
- Advanced automation
- Segmentation
- Landing pages
Which should you pick?
Choose AWS API Gateway if
- You need rest apis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want websocket apis.
Choose Mailchimp if
- You need email campaigns.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want marketing automation.
Questions people ask
- Is AWS API Gateway or Mailchimp better?
- Neither clearly leads. AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Mailchimp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AWS API Gateway or Mailchimp?
- AWS API Gateway starts at Free and Mailchimp at Free.
- Does AWS API Gateway or Mailchimp run on more platforms?
- AWS API Gateway runs on AWS Cloud. Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use AWS API Gateway for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is AWS API Gateway best used for?
- AWS API Gateway is most often used for fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint, rest and http api management with throttling and keys, websocket apis for real-time clients, private apis reachable only inside a vpc. Of those, fronting lambda functions with an http endpoint and rest and http api management with throttling and keys are not what Mailchimp is typically brought in for.
- What can AWS API Gateway do that Mailchimp cannot?
- AWS API Gateway covers REST APIs, WebSocket APIs, HTTP APIs, Lambda. Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Mailchimp: Does Mailchimp offer a free plan?
Yes, Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month with a 250-per-day cap.
SourceMailchimp: What email features does Mailchimp include?
Mailchimp provides email campaign builder, automation sequences, segmentation, contact management, and A/B testing for email marketing.
SourceMailchimp: Can Mailchimp integrate with e-commerce platforms?
Yes, Mailchimp integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and other e-commerce platforms for customer sync and abandoned cart automation.
SourceRelated pages
More on AWS API Gateway
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- Mailchimp vs Appwrite
- Mailchimp vs Hasura
- Mailchimp vs PocketBase
- Mailchimp vs Sanity
- Mailchimp vs Apigee
- Mailchimp vs Bruno
- Mailchimp vs KeystoneJS
- Mailchimp vs Parse Server
- Mailchimp vs Stoplight
- Mailchimp vs Strapi
- Mailchimp vs Swagger/OpenAPI
- Mailchimp vs Thunder Client
- Mailchimp vs WSO2 API Manager
- Mailchimp vs 3scale
- Mailchimp vs Akana
- Mailchimp vs Asyncapi
- Mailchimp vs Microsoft Azure API Management
- Mailchimp vs Backendless
- Mailchimp vs FullStory
- Mailchimp vs Hotjar
- Mailchimp vs Contentful
- Mailchimp vs Algolia
- Mailchimp vs Authorize.net
- Mailchimp vs Bluepark
- Mailchimp vs Braintree
- Mailchimp vs Checkout.com
- Mailchimp vs eBay
- Mailchimp vs Gumroad
- Mailchimp vs Loox
- Mailchimp vs Razorpay
- Mailchimp vs SamCart
- Mailchimp vs Stripe

