Softwr

E-commerce · head to head

Mailchimp vs Melio

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

E-commerce

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Melio logo

Melio

Accounting & Finance

Simple business payments

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; Melio go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Melio covers Vendor payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Melio actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and Melio differ
AttributeMailchimpMelio
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile app
CategoryE-commerceAccounting & Finance
Founded20012018

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 Mailchimp

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

Only in Melio

  • Vendor payments
  • Card to check
  • Payment scheduling
  • Approval workflows
  • QuickBooks sync
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks

What people use each for

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

Mailchimp

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

Melio

  • Accounts payable automationnot Mailchimp
  • Bill management and payment schedulingnot Mailchimp
  • Multi-vendor payment processingnot Mailchimp
  • Invoice receivables and payment collectionnot 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

Melio

  • Go (free) plan limited to one user only
  • ACH charges £0.50 per transaction beyond monthly allowance (5-50 free depending on plan)
  • Card payment fees range from 2.9% to 2.9% plus £75 maximum
  • International payments limited to select currencies only
  • NetSuite integration only available in Unlimited plan (£80/month minimum)

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

Melio

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Melio 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 Melio if

  • You need vendor payments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app.
  • You also want card to check.
Melio review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or Melio better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Melio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Melio?
Mailchimp starts at Free and Melio at Free.
Does Mailchimp or Melio run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Melio runs on Web, Mobile app.
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 Melio is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that Melio cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. Melio covers Vendor payments, Card to check, Payment scheduling, Approval workflows.

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

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