Softwr

E-commerce · head to head

Mailchimp vs Contentful

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

E-commerce

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Contentful logo

Contentful

E-commerce

The content platform for the digital-first era

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Contentful pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Contentful covers Content modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Contentful actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and Contentful differ
AttributeMailchimpContentful
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API
Founded20012013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Mailchimp

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

Only in Contentful

  • Content modeling
  • RESTful APIs
  • GraphQL API
  • Webhooks
  • Rich text editor
  • Asset management
  • Multi-language support
  • Version control

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • ISO27001

What people use each for

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

Mailchimp

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

Contentful

  • Website content managementnot Mailchimp
  • Mobile app contentnot Mailchimp
  • E-commerce catalogsnot Mailchimp
  • Multi-channel publishingnot Mailchimp
  • Digital experiencesnot 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

Contentful

  • Pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • Limited GraphQL mutations for content management complexity
  • Requires significant technical expertise and developer dependency
  • Uncertainty following Salesforce acquisition announcement in June 2026

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

Contentful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 users
    • 100K API calls per month
    • 1 Space
  • Team$489/month
    • Higher usage limits
    • Additional collaboration features
    • Professional support

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 Contentful if

  • You need content modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want restful apis.
Contentful review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or Contentful better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Contentful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Contentful?
Mailchimp starts at Free and Contentful at Free.
Does Mailchimp or Contentful run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Contentful runs on Web, API.
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 Contentful is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that Contentful cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. Contentful covers Content modeling, RESTful APIs, GraphQL API, Webhooks. Both handle SOC2, ISO27001.

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
Contentful: Does Contentful offer a free tier?

Yes, Contentful has a Free tier with 10 users, 100K API calls per month, and support for 1 Space. This is suitable for small projects and proof-of-concept work.

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
Contentful: What is the difference between Contentful and traditional CMS platforms?

Contentful is a headless CMS that decouples content from presentation, allowing you to deliver the same content across websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and voice assistants without duplication.

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
Contentful: How does Contentful handle multi-locale content?

Contentful supports multi-locale content, though multi-locale costs must be negotiated upfront depending on your pricing tier and requirements.

Source
Contentful: Does Contentful integrate with e-commerce platforms?

Yes, Contentful partners with Commerce Layer, an API-first commerce platform, to enable enterprise-grade e-commerce experiences alongside headless CMS capabilities.

Source
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