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E-Commerce · head to head

Mailchimp vs Retail Pro

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

E-Commerce

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Retail Pro logo

Retail Pro

E-Commerce

Comprehensive retail management software

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; Retail Pro pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Retail Pro covers Point of sale.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Retail Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and Retail Pro differ
AttributeMailchimpRetail Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Windows
Founded20011988

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Retail Pro

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Customer database
  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics
  • Promotion management
  • Multi-store support
  • Reporting tools

What people use each for

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

Mailchimp

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

Retail Pro

  • Multi-location retail POS operations (1 to 250+ stores)not Mailchimp
  • Inventory management with serialized product trackingnot Mailchimp
  • Customer loyalty programs via AppCard integrationnot 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

Retail Pro

  • Pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • No published technical requirements or system specifications
  • International deployment requires fiscal/tax compliance consultation per region

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

Retail Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Retail Pro 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 Retail Pro if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want inventory management.
Retail Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or Retail Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Retail Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Retail Pro?
Mailchimp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mailchimp and On request for Retail Pro.
Does Mailchimp or Retail Pro run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Retail Pro runs on iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use Mailchimp for free?
Yes. Mailchimp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Retail Pro 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 Retail Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that Retail Pro cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. Retail Pro covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer database, Employee management.

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
Retail Pro: How much does Retail Pro cost?

Retail Pro does not publish specific pricing on its website. The company describes a 'Pay As You Grow' model but directs interested retailers to request a consultation or brochure to obtain actual pricing quotes customized to their business needs.

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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