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1. Brevo
Brevo Best Overall
Brevo solves Mailchimp's biggest pain: per-contact pricing. All plans include unlimited contacts - you only pay by email volume.
- Pricing: Free (300 emails/day); Starter $25/mo; Business $65/mo
- Pros: Unlimited contacts, SMS + email + chat, transactional email
- Cons: Email builder less polished, fewer templates
- Best for: SMBs wanting unlimited contacts without per-subscriber pricing
2. ConvertKit
ConvertKit Best for Creators
ConvertKit is purpose-built for creators. Tag-based subscriber management, visual automation, and built-in digital commerce for content-first businesses.
- Pricing: Newsletter free (10K subs); Creator $25/mo; Creator Pro $50/mo
- Pros: Built for creators, visual automations, landing pages, commerce
- Cons: Limited design options, no A/B for landing pages
- Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, and creators building audiences
3. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign Best Automation
ActiveCampaign's automation builder is leagues ahead of Mailchimp. Conditional splits, predictive sending, and event-based triggers enable workflows Mailchimp cannot replicate.
- Pricing: Lite $29/mo; Plus $49/mo; Professional $149/mo
- Pros: Most powerful automation builder, predictive sending, CRM included
- Cons: No free tier, steeper learning curve
- Best for: Teams needing sophisticated email automation workflows
4. GetResponse
GetResponse Best for Webinars
GetResponse combines email marketing with webinar hosting and landing pages. If webinars drive your pipeline, it replaces Mailchimp plus your webinar platform.
- Pricing: Email Marketing $19/mo; Automation $59/mo; E-commerce $119/mo
- Pros: Built-in webinars, conversion funnels, AI email generator
- Cons: Webinar quality not best-in-class, UI cluttered
- Best for: Businesses using webinars for lead generation
5. MailerLite
MailerLite Best Free Tier
MailerLite offers the cleanest free email marketing experience. Drag-and-drop editor, landing pages, and basic automation handle everything a small business needs.
- Pricing: Free (1K subs); Growing $10/mo; Advanced $20/mo
- Pros: Generous free tier, clean interface, drag-and-drop, paid newsletters
- Cons: Limited automation on free, fewer integrations
- Best for: Startups and small businesses on a tight budget
6. Constant Contact
Constant Contact Best for Events
Constant Contact excels at event-driven email marketing with built-in event management, registration pages, and post-event follow-ups.
- Pricing: Lite $12/mo; Standard $35/mo; Premium $80/mo
- Pros: Event management built-in, social posting, high deliverability
- Cons: Automation less advanced, templates dated
- Best for: Local businesses and organizations that run events
7. Klaviyo
Klaviyo Best E-commerce
Klaviyo turns email into a revenue channel with per-email revenue tracking, predictive analytics, and pre-built e-commerce flows.
- Pricing: Free (250 contacts); Email $20/mo; Email + SMS $35/mo
- Pros: Deep Shopify integration, revenue attribution, predictive analytics
- Cons: Expensive at scale, e-commerce focused
- Best for: E-commerce stores wanting revenue-attributed email marketing
8. Drip
Drip Best E-commerce Automation
Drip is built exclusively for e-commerce. Pre-built workflows for cart abandonment, post-purchase, and win-back get revenue campaigns live in minutes.
- Pricing: From $39/mo (2,500 contacts)
- Pros: E-commerce workflow templates, revenue dashboards, visual builder
- Cons: No free tier, expensive for small lists
- Best for: DTC brands wanting advanced e-commerce email automation
9. AWeber
AWeber Best Simplicity
AWeber has delivered email marketing since 1998. What it lacks in flashy features it makes up for in deliverability and simplicity.
- Pricing: Free (500 subs); Lite $15/mo; Plus $30/mo
- Pros: Easy to use, reliable deliverability, AMP email support
- Cons: Automation less advanced, traditional interface
- Best for: Small businesses wanting reliable email without complexity
10. Moosend
Moosend Best Budget Automation
Moosend delivers automation capabilities rivaling platforms costing 3-4x more. Product recommendations, cart abandonment, and weather-based triggers come standard.
- Pricing: Free trial; Pro $9/mo; Enterprise custom
- Pros: Affordable automation, landing pages, e-commerce AI, clean UI
- Cons: Smaller company, fewer integrations
- Best for: Budget teams wanting automation without premium pricing
Finding the right software is just the start.
LeadSpark helps you discover, compare, and choose the best business tools - backed by real data, not sponsored rankings.
Explore LeadSparkQuick Comparison
| Platform | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Brevo | Free (300 emails/day) | SMBs wanting unlimited contacts without per-subscriber pricing |
| ConvertKit | Newsletter free (10K subs) | Bloggers, YouTubers, and creators building audiences |
| ActiveCampaign | Lite $29/mo | Teams needing sophisticated email automation workflows |
| GetResponse | Email Marketing $19/mo | Businesses using webinars for lead generation |
| MailerLite | Free (1K subs) | Startups and small businesses on a tight budget |
| Constant Contact | Lite $12/mo | Local businesses and organizations that run events |
| Klaviyo | Free (250 contacts) | E-commerce stores wanting revenue-attributed email marketing |
| Drip | From $39/mo (2,500 contacts) | DTC brands wanting advanced e-commerce email automation |
| AWeber | Free (500 subs) | Small businesses wanting reliable email without complexity |
| Moosend | Free trial | Budget teams wanting automation without premium pricing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are people leaving Mailchimp?
Per-contact pricing that scales poorly, reduced free tier (from 2,000 to 500), limited automation on lower tiers, and changes since the Intuit acquisition.
What is the cheapest Mailchimp alternative?
MailerLite (free for 1,000 subscribers), Brevo (free unlimited contacts), and Moosend ($9/mo) offer the best entry-level value.
Which has the best deliverability?
ActiveCampaign, AWeber, and Brevo consistently rank highest in independent deliverability tests.
Can I import Mailchimp subscribers?
Yes. All major platforms accept CSV imports. ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and MailerLite also offer direct Mailchimp import tools.