Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, does not get as much attention as Mailchimp, but it deserves a real look. The pricing model is fundamentally different, which makes Brevo dramatically cheaper for some senders and roughly comparable for others. Getting that distinction right saves real money in 2026.
The verdict
Brevo wins on price for large lists with moderate send frequency, and it wins for anyone who also needs SMS or transactional email. Mailchimp wins on polish, ease of use, and ecosystem depth.If you have a big list but do not email them every week, Brevo's pricing model is significantly cheaper. If you want a clean experience and the widest integration support, Mailchimp holds the edge.
| Brevo | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day) | Yes (500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo) |
| Starting paid price | $9/mo (5,000 emails/mo) | $13/mo (500 contacts) |
| Pricing model | By sends per month (contacts are free to store) | By contact count (regardless of send frequency) |
| Best for | Large lists, infrequent senders, multi-channel (SMS + email) | Regular senders wanting polish and integrations |
| Deliverability | Strong (transactional email roots) | Strong |
| Ease of use | Good, slightly busier interface | More polished, faster first campaign |
| SMS marketing | Yes, built in | No |
| Support | Email + phone (paid plans); email (free) | Email + chat (paid); limited on free |
Pricing
This is the most important difference between the two. Mailchimp charges by the number of contacts you store, regardless of how often you email them. Brevo charges by the number of emails you send per month, and contact storage is unlimited even on the free plan.
In practice: if you have 50,000 contacts but only email them twice a month, Brevo costs a fraction of what Mailchimp charges. Mailchimp would price that list at roughly $270 per month on the Essentials plan. Brevo at 100,000 sends per month runs around $65.
If you email your whole list daily, the math shifts toward Mailchimp. Figure out your actual send volume (contacts multiplied by sends per month) and compare the pricing pages directly before deciding.
Ease of use
Mailchimp is more polished. The interface has had years of refinement and the onboarding experience is smooth. Brevo's interface is solid but can feel busier, especially once you see all the channel options (email, SMS, WhatsApp, chat). New senders who just want to write and send a newsletter will have a faster first hour on Mailchimp.
Templates & design
Mailchimp has a larger and more polished template library. Brevo's email editor is capable and covers the common use cases, but the template selection is smaller and the designs are more functional than beautiful. If template variety matters, Mailchimp has the edge.
Automation & segmentation
Both platforms cover standard automation well: welcome sequences, drip flows, behavioral triggers based on email activity. Mailchimp's automation builder has a slight edge on polish and template variety. Brevo's covers the same ground and adds multi-channel options like SMS steps inside a flow, which is useful if you are mixing channels in the same subscriber journey.
Brevo's marketing automation is available on paid plans and includes lead scoring, which Mailchimp does not offer natively.
SMS and multi-channel
Brevo includes SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, and live chat as part of the same platform. Mailchimp is primarily email with no native SMS option. If you want a single tool for email and SMS without adding another subscription, Brevo is the cleaner choice. If you only need email, that multi-channel capability does not matter.
Transactional email
Brevo has strong transactional email (password resets, order confirmations, receipts) built into the same account. Its SMTP reputation is solid, which is why developers and SaaS companies use it. Mailchimp offers transactional email through a separate add-on called Mailchimp Transactional, which is an extra cost on top of your regular plan. If you need both marketing and transactional email, Brevo is the more economical choice.
Deliverability
Both have strong deliverability track records. Brevo's roots in transactional email mean it has invested heavily in sending infrastructure and reputation management. Neither platform is a clear winner here. Your list hygiene and sending consistency matter more than the platform.
Free plan
Brevo's free plan is generous: unlimited contacts with up to 300 emails per day (9,000 per month). The limitation is that free emails include Brevo branding. Mailchimp's free plan allows 500 contacts and 1,000 sends per month. For a large list that sends infrequently, Brevo's free tier is a significant advantage. For a small list just getting started, Mailchimp's free plan is more practical.
Support
Brevo includes phone support on paid plans alongside email and chat, which is unusual for a platform at its price point. Mailchimp is email and chat only. If phone access matters, Brevo has the edge here.
Who should pick which
- Pick Brevo if you have a large contact list but send less frequently, need SMS alongside email, want transactional and marketing email in one account without paying extra, or need phone support.
- Pick Mailchimp if you want the most polished interface, the widest integration ecosystem, and are comfortable paying per contact count for a tool with more design options.
FAQ
Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
Often yes, especially for large lists or infrequent senders. Brevo's pricing is based on email volume, not contact count, so a list of 50,000 contacts that you email twice a month costs far less on Brevo than on Mailchimp. For small lists with frequent sends, the difference is smaller.
Which has better deliverability, Brevo or Mailchimp?
Both are strong. Brevo's background in transactional email gives it deep sending infrastructure. Mailchimp has decades of deliverability investment. Neither is a clear winner for marketing email. Your list quality is what determines inbox placement.
Can I migrate from Mailchimp to Brevo?
Yes. Brevo has a direct Mailchimp import tool that pulls over your contacts, lists, and tags. The process typically takes under an hour for most list sizes. You will need to rebuild your email templates and automations inside Brevo's interface.
Does Brevo have SMS marketing?
Yes. SMS is built directly into Brevo's platform and can be added to automation workflows alongside email. Mailchimp does not have native SMS, so if you want email and SMS in one tool, Brevo is the practical choice.
Is Brevo good for e-commerce?
It works for e-commerce and has integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Prestashop. The automation capabilities cover abandoned cart and post-purchase flows. That said, for stores that want deep behavioral segmentation and product-data-driven automation, Klaviyo is the stronger e-commerce specialist. Brevo is the better all-around choice when you also need transactional email and SMS in the same account.
A third option if you sell B2B: Bobb
Both tools above are built to send email. If the job of your newsletter is to sell (book meetings, surface buyers, move pipeline), that is a different job, and it is the one Bobb was built for. Bobb finds the people in your list most likely to buy, writes and sends for you, and books the meeting when someone raises a hand. You send from a pre-warmed platform domain, so you land in the inbox from day one with no domain to warm.
If your newsletter is purely content or consumer e-commerce, pick the winner above. If it is supposed to generate pipeline, start free and see the difference on your own list.