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Mailchimp vs Square

Mailchimp logo

Mailchimp

Software

Turn emails into revenue

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square logo

Square

Software

Powering the economy

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; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • They diverge on capability: Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Square covers Payment processing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mailchimp and Square actually diverge.

Attributes where Mailchimp and Square differ
AttributeMailchimpSquare
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidPOS (Mobile app), Web
Founded20012009

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 Square

  • Payment processing
  • Point of sale
  • Invoicing
  • Payroll
  • Banking
  • QuickBooks
  • Wix
  • EMV compliant

Both cover

  • WooCommerce
  • PCI DSS

What people use each for

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

Mailchimp

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

Square

  • Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot Mailchimp
  • Online ordering and basic website creationnot Mailchimp
  • Invoicing and appointment bookingnot Mailchimp
  • Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot 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

Square

  • Plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • Processing fees differ by tier but exact rates not detailed
  • Free plan pricing mentioned but specific features for Plus unclear
  • Text marketing charged at 3¢ per message after first 500 included

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

Square

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Square 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 Square if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on POS (Mobile app), Web.
  • You also want point of sale.
Square review

Questions people ask

Is Mailchimp or Square better?
Neither clearly leads. Mailchimp starts at Free and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Square?
Mailchimp starts at Free and Square at Free.
Does Mailchimp or Square run on more platforms?
Mailchimp runs on Web, iOS, Android. Square runs on POS (Mobile app), 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 Square is typically brought in for.
What can Mailchimp do that Square cannot?
Mailchimp covers Email campaigns, Marketing automation, Landing pages, Forms & popups. Square covers Payment processing, Point of sale, Invoicing, Payroll. Both handle WooCommerce, PCI DSS.

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

More on Mailchimp

More on Square

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