Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign

Two leading email marketing platforms compared. Discover which is better for your business in 2025.

M

Mailchimp

Email marketing made easy

4.3 / 5.0
13 million+ users
VS
AC

ActiveCampaign

Advanced marketing automation

4.6 / 5.0
180,000+ businesses

TL;DR - Quick Answer

Choose Mailchimp if: You're a beginner, need a free tier, or want a simple all-in-one marketing platform with landing pages and social posting.

Choose ActiveCampaign if: You need advanced automation, robust CRM integration, or want powerful segmentation for sophisticated email campaigns.

Bottom line: Mailchimp is easier but limited. ActiveCampaign is more powerful but has a learning curve.

Quick Comparison

FeatureMailchimpActiveCampaign
Starting PriceFree / $13/mo$29/mo (no free)
Free Plan
Email AutomationBasicAdvanced
CRM IncludedBasic
Landing Pages
Lead Scoring
A/B Testing
SMS MarketingAdd-on
Social Posting
Deliverability Rate~88%~93%

Feature Comparison

Mailchimp Strengths

  • Generous Free Plan
    Up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails/month for free. Great for startups.
  • All-in-One Platform
    Websites, social posting, ads, and email all in one. No need for multiple tools.
  • Beautiful Templates
    100+ professionally designed templates. Easy drag-and-drop editor.
  • Beginner Friendly
    Intuitive interface with helpful guides. Quick setup for first campaigns.

ActiveCampaign Strengths

  • Advanced Automation
    Industry-leading automation builder with conditional logic, split actions, and wait conditions.
  • Built-in CRM
    Full CRM with pipelines, deals, and contact scoring. Sales and marketing in one.
  • Superior Deliverability
    ~93% deliverability rate. Emails actually reach inboxes, not spam folders.
  • Lead Scoring
    Automatically score leads based on behavior. Focus on the hottest prospects.

Pricing Comparison (1,000 contacts)

Mailchimp Plans

FREE

Free

$0

  • 500 contacts
  • 1,000 sends/month
  • Basic templates

Essentials

$13/mo

  • 10,000 sends/month
  • A/B testing
  • 24/7 email support

Standard

$20/mo

  • Send time optimization
  • Customer journey builder
  • Retargeting ads

ActiveCampaign Plans

Lite

$29/mo

  • Unlimited email sends
  • Automation builder
  • Inline forms
POPULAR

Plus

$49/mo

  • Landing pages
  • CRM with sales automation
  • Lead scoring

Professional

$149/mo

  • Site messaging
  • Attribution reporting
  • Predictive sending

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Mailchimp if:

  • You're just starting with email marketing
  • You need a free plan to test the waters
  • You want social posting and ads built-in
  • Simple newsletters are your primary use case
  • You're a small e-commerce store (under 500 contacts)

Choose ActiveCampaign if:

  • You need complex automation workflows
  • Email deliverability is critical
  • You want CRM and email in one platform
  • Lead scoring and segmentation are important
  • You're a B2B company or have a sales team

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign better for beginners?

Mailchimp is better for beginners. It has a simpler interface, free plan to learn on, and more intuitive campaign builder. ActiveCampaign has more features but requires time to learn the automation tools.

Which has better email deliverability?

ActiveCampaign has better email deliverability (~93% vs ~88% for Mailchimp). If getting emails to inboxes (not spam) is critical, ActiveCampaign is the better choice.

Can I migrate from Mailchimp to ActiveCampaign?

Yes! ActiveCampaign offers free migration services. They'll transfer your contacts, lists, automations, and email templates. The process usually takes 1-2 weeks depending on complexity.

Which is better for e-commerce?

For small e-commerce stores, Mailchimp's free plan and Shopify integration work well. For larger stores needing advanced abandoned cart sequences, segmentation, and predictive analytics, ActiveCampaign is more powerful.

What about pricing as lists grow?

At 10,000 contacts: Mailchimp Standard is ~$100/mo while ActiveCampaign Plus is ~$139/mo. At 50,000 contacts: Mailchimp is ~$299/mo and ActiveCampaign is ~$339/mo. Pricing is fairly close at scale.

The Verdict

Both platforms excel in different areas, and the right choice depends on your needs:

Mailchimp is the easier, more accessible choice. The free plan makes it risk-free to start, the interface is beginner-friendly, and you get landing pages, social posting, and ads included. Perfect for small businesses, creators, and those just starting with email.

ActiveCampaign is the professional choice for serious email marketing. The automation capabilities are unmatched, deliverability is superior, and the built-in CRM creates a true sales and marketing platform. Worth the investment for B2B, agencies, and businesses with complex funnels.

Our recommendation: Start with Mailchimp if you're new or budget-conscious. Upgrade to ActiveCampaign when automation and deliverability become priorities for growth.

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