Software · head to head
Mailchimp vs Beehiiv
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Mailchimp the free plan allows 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250 daily cap; Beehiiv platform lacks native SMS support; requires third-party integrations via API or webhooks
- They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Beehiiv actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Beehiiv
- Newsletter creation
- Email automation
- Subscriber management
- Monetization tools
- Analytics dashboard
- Referral program
- A/B testing
- Spam checking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mailchimp
- Email newslettersnot Beehiiv
- E-commerce marketingnot Beehiiv
- Lead generationnot Beehiiv
- Customer engagementnot Beehiiv
- Marketing automationnot Beehiiv
Beehiiv
- Newsletter creation and hosting with monetizationnot Mailchimp
- Content creator monetisation through ad networks and paid subscriptionsnot Mailchimp
- Podcast hosting and distributionnot Mailchimp
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
Beehiiv
- Platform lacks native SMS support; requires third-party integrations via API or webhooks
- Free Launch plan offers only read-only AI capabilities
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
Beehiiv
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Beehiiv 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.
Choose Beehiiv if
- You need newsletter creation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want email automation.
Questions people ask
- Is Mailchimp or Beehiiv better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Beehiiv at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Beehiiv?
- Mailchimp starts at Free and Beehiiv at Free.
- Does Mailchimp or Beehiiv run on more platforms?
- Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Beehiiv runs on Web.
- Can I use Mailchimp for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Beehiiv is typically brought in for.
- What can Mailchimp do that Beehiiv cannot?
- Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. Beehiiv covers Newsletter creation, Email automation, Subscriber management, Monetization tools.
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.
Source