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E-Commerce · head to head

Big Cartel vs Mailchimp

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

E-Commerce

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

E-Commerce

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Big Cartel custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature; Mailchimp the free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and Mailchimp actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and Mailchimp differ
AttributeBig CartelMailchimp
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2001

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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 Big Cartel

Nothing recorded that Mailchimp does not also cover.

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.

Big Cartel

  • E-commerce store creationnot Mailchimp
  • Physical and digital product salesnot Mailchimp

Mailchimp

  • Email newslettersnot Big Cartel
  • E-commerce marketingnot Big Cartel
  • Lead generationnot Big Cartel
  • Customer engagementnot Big Cartel
  • Marketing automationnot Big Cartel

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Big Cartel

  • Custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature
  • Abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling and Zapier integration are restricted to the top Diamond tier at $30/month
  • Platinum's paid billing starts automatically after a 7-day free trial rather than requiring an active opt-in to convert

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

Big Cartel

Free
  • GoldFree
    • Free tier with limited features
  • Platinum$15/month
    • Custom domains
    • Physical and digital product sales
    • Shipping label printing
  • Diamond$30/month
    • All Platinum features plus abandoned cart recovery
    • Product drop scheduling
    • Password-protected products

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 Big Cartel if

  • You want to start without paying.
Big Cartel review

Choose Mailchimp if

  • You need email campaigns.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want marketing automation.
Mailchimp review

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or Mailchimp better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel 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, Big Cartel or Mailchimp?
Big Cartel starts at Free and Mailchimp at Free.
Does Big Cartel or Mailchimp run on more platforms?
Big Cartel runs on Web. Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Big Cartel for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Big Cartel best used for?
Big Cartel is most often used for e-commerce store creation, physical and digital product sales. Of those, e-commerce store creation and physical and digital product sales are not what Mailchimp is typically brought in for.
What can Big Cartel do that Mailchimp cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Big Cartel: How much does Big Cartel cost?

Big Cartel offers a free Gold plan with limited features. Paid plans start at $15 per month for Platinum and $30 per month for Diamond. Both paid plans include a 7-day free trial and have no commitment.

Source
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.

Source
Big Cartel: What features does the Diamond plan add?

The Diamond plan at $30 per month adds abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling, password-protected products, Zapier integration with 7,000+ apps, and priority human support compared to Platinum.

Source
Mailchimp: What email features does Mailchimp include?

Mailchimp provides email campaign builder, automation sequences, segmentation, contact management, and A/B testing for email marketing.

Source
Big Cartel: Can I cancel Big Cartel anytime?

Yes, Big Cartel explicitly offers no commitment and allows cancellation anytime on paid tiers.

Source
Mailchimp: 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.

Source
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