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E-Commerce · head to head

Mailchimp vs OpenCart

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

E-Commerce

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenCart logo

OpenCart

E-Commerce

Self-hosted open source shopping cart written in PHP, released under the MIT licence

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; OpenCart extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, OpenCart covers MIT licensed source.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and OpenCart actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and OpenCart differ
AttributeMailchimpOpenCart
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20012009

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 Mailchimp

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

Only in OpenCart

  • MIT licensed source
  • Self-hosted PHP and MySQL
  • No transaction fees
  • Multi-store
  • Extension marketplace
  • Multi-currency and multi-language
  • OCMod modification system
  • Full data access

What people use each for

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

Mailchimp

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

OpenCart

  • A merchant with volume high enough that a percentage transaction fee costs more than a developernot Mailchimp
  • An agency building client stores where the client must own the code and the data outrightnot Mailchimp
  • A store with unusual catalogue or pricing logic that a hosted platform will not permitnot Mailchimp
  • Selling in a market where the local payment gateway is not supported by the mainstream SaaS platformsnot 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

OpenCart

  • Extensions modify core behaviour through an XML patching system, so two modules that patch the same file conflict in ways that surface as broken checkout rather than as an installation error, and resolving that requires a developer reading both patches.
  • Major version upgrades have broken third party extension compatibility, so moving between them means re-purchasing or re-commissioning modules and effectively rebuilding parts of the store rather than clicking update.
  • Hosting, patching, backups and PCI scope are all your responsibility, so a security update you postpone is a breach you own, and there is no vendor obligation to notify or protect you.
  • Extension quality on the marketplace is uneven and modules are sold as one-off purchases with no guaranteed maintenance, so a module central to your store can simply stop being updated and leave you holding the code.
  • The core project is maintained by a very small team relative to the platforms it competes with, so security fixes, compatibility with new PHP versions and feature work all arrive at a pace you cannot influence or pay to accelerate.

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

OpenCart

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Free support
    • Extensions available

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 OpenCart if

  • You need mit licensed source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want self-hosted php and mysql.
OpenCart review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or OpenCart better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and OpenCart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or OpenCart?
Mailchimp starts at Free and OpenCart at Free.
Does Mailchimp or OpenCart run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenCart 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 OpenCart is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that OpenCart cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. OpenCart covers MIT licensed source, Self-hosted PHP and MySQL, No transaction fees, Multi-store.

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
OpenCart: Is OpenCart really free?

The software is MIT licensed with no paid edition. The costs are hosting, extensions, and a developer, and for a low volume store those can exceed a SaaS subscription.

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
OpenCart: Does it charge transaction fees?

No. There is no platform cut and no surcharge for using your own payment gateway, which is the main financial argument for self-hosting at volume.

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
OpenCart: How hard is customisation?

Theme changes are ordinary PHP templates and are approachable. Changing behaviour means the OCMod patching system, which conflicts between extensions and needs a developer.

OpenCart: What is the biggest hidden cost?

Upgrades. Version transitions have broken extension compatibility before, so budget for a partial rebuild rather than assuming updates are routine maintenance.

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