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Software · head to head

Mailchimp vs Authorize.net

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

Software

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
A

Authorize.net

Software

We help make it easy to get paid

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mailchimp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mailchimp the free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap; Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Authorize.net actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and Authorize.net differ
AttributeMailchimpAuthorize.net
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Mailchimp

  • Email campaigns
  • Marketing automation
  • Landing pages
  • Forms & popups
  • Audience management
  • Content studio
  • Analytics
  • Social media

Only in Authorize.net

Nothing recorded that Mailchimp does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Mailchimp

  • Email newslettersnot Authorize.net
  • E-commerce marketingnot Authorize.net
  • Lead generationnot Authorize.net
  • Customer engagementnot Authorize.net
  • Marketing automationnot Authorize.net

Authorize.net

No use cases recorded yet. See the Authorize.net review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Authorize.net

  • All-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it
  • eCheck processing carries its own $10 monthly minimum fee separate from the card processing charges

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Authorize.net

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Authorize.net review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Authorize.net if

Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from Mailchimp on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Authorize.net review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or Authorize.net better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Authorize.net at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Authorize.net?
Mailchimp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mailchimp and On request for Authorize.net.
Does Mailchimp or Authorize.net run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Authorize.net runs on Web.
Can I use Mailchimp for free?
Yes. Mailchimp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Authorize.net starts at On request.
What is Mailchimp best used for?
Mailchimp is most often used for email newsletters, e-commerce marketing, lead generation, customer engagement. Of those, email newsletters and e-commerce marketing are not what Authorize.net is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that Authorize.net cannot?
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.

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
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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Related pages

More on Mailchimp

More on Authorize.net

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