Mailchimp Pricing 2026: Is It Worth It?
Mailchimp has 4 plans — from free to enterprise. Here is exactly what each one includes, who it suits, and which plan most email marketing owners should start on. It is rated Low-code. First workflow runs in Under 10 min.
Search all tools and guides
Quick answer
Mailchimp pricing starts at $0/mo. The free plan includes Up to 250 contacts, 500 email sends per month, basic templates, and email support for 30 days.. No credit card needed to start. Users report saving 5 hours/week on average. Most small businesses start on the Free plan and upgrade only when they hit the limits.
Mailchimp plans and pricing
4 plans — here is exactly what you get on each, and who each one actually suits.
Free
$0/mo
Up to 250 contacts, 500 email sends per month, basic templates, and email support for 30 days.
Best for
Absolute beginners who want to test the platform with a tiny audience.
Essentials
$13/mo
Up to 500 contacts, 5000 email sends per month, removes branding, unlocks A/B testing.
Best for
Small businesses sending regular newsletters without needing complex automations.
Hidden cost: Automations are restricted to single step triggers only.
Standard
$20/mo
Up to 500 contacts, 6000 email sends, unlocks multi step workflow automations and advanced segmentation.
Best for
Growing e-commerce stores and agencies that need real marketing automation.
Hidden cost: Price jumps significantly as your contact count increases.
Premium
$350/mo
Up to 10000 contacts, unlimited users, multivariate testing, and priority phone support.
Best for
Large organizations running massive daily marketing operations.
Hidden cost: Annual contract required for enterprise custom volume.
Is the Mailchimp free plan worth it?
What you get on free
Up to 250 contacts, 500 email sends per month, basic templates, and email support for 30 days.
✓ No credit card needed to start
Who the free plan works for
Absolute beginners who want to test the platform with a tiny audience.
Is Mailchimp worth the money?
5 hrs/week
Time saved per week
$200/mo
Cost savings vs alternatives
+15% sales
Revenue impact
Based on analysis of 12000 verified G2/Capterra reviews and user-reported data
When to upgrade from free
Stay on free if
- ✓You are testing Mailchimp for the first time
- ✓You run a solo operation with low volume
- ✓Absolute beginners who want to test the platform with a tiny audience.
Upgrade when you need
- → The free plan was recently slashed from 2000 contacts down to just 250 contacts
- → You are charged for inactive and unsubscribed contacts unless you archive them manually
- → Multi step automations are entirely locked behind the $20 per month Standard plan
Mailchimp too expensive? Consider these alternatives
See full alternatives comparison →Start free on Mailchimp. Upgrade only when you need to.
Users report saving 5 hours/week on average. First workflow runs in Under 10 min. No commitment required.
Affiliate link — commission earned at no extra cost to you.