Mailchimp vs MailerLite – which should you choose?
Mailchimp vs MailerLite is one of the most common email tool comparisons for anyone starting a new list – but the comparison is less balanced than it might appear.
The short answer: For most newbie website owners building their first email list, MailerLite is the better choice. More subscribers on the free plan. More features on the free plan. Lower paid pricing at every tier, in both the US and UK. A cleaner, more modern interface.
The longer answer requires understanding where Mailchimp still has genuine advantages – and for whom those advantages are meaningful.
The free plan comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp Free | MailerLite Free |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 500 | 1,000 |
| Emails per month | 1,000 | 12,000 |
| Automations | Single-step only | Welcome sequence |
| Landing pages | No | Yes |
| Pop-up forms | No | Yes |
| Support | 30 days only | Ongoing email support |
| Platform branding | Yes | Yes |
On every meaningful dimension, MailerLite’s free plan is more generous than Mailchimp’s. The 500 vs 1,000 subscriber gap means you’ll hit Mailchimp’s limit significantly faster. The 1,000 vs 12,000 email limit means a list of 500 subscribers can only be emailed twice a month on Mailchimp vs 24 times on MailerLite.
Mailchimp’s free plan used to offer 2,000 subscribers – a competitive tier. The current 500-subscriber free plan is the least generous among mainstream email tools. This applies equally to US and UK users; the free tier limits aren’t region-specific.
The paid plan comparison
| Subscribers | Mailchimp Essentials | MailerLite Growing Business | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | UK | USA | UK | |
| 500 | ~$13/month | ~£10/month | ~$10/month | ~£8/month |
| 1,500 | ~$26/month | ~£21/month | ~$10/month | ~£8/month |
| 5,000 | ~$65/month | ~£52/month | ~$36/month | ~£29/month |
| 10,000 | ~$109/month | ~£87/month | ~$59/month | ~£47/month |
MailerLite is consistently cheaper across all subscriber tiers, in both markets. At 5,000 subscribers, the difference is $29/month (USA) or £23/month (UK) – $348/year (USA) or £276/year (UK) – for comparable core functionality.
Ease of use and interface
Beyond price, the day-to-day experience of using each platform is worth comparing directly, since this is where you’ll spend most of your time.
MailerLite’s interface is generally considered cleaner and more intuitive, particularly for beginners. The drag-and-drop email builder is simpler, with fewer menus and settings to work through before you can send a campaign. Most new users report being able to build and send their first email within an hour of signing up.
Mailchimp’s interface has grown more complex over the years as the platform has expanded into a broader marketing suite covering ads, social posting, and CRM-style features alongside email. This breadth means more menus, more settings, and a steeper initial learning curve for someone who just wants to send a newsletter.
For a first-time user with no existing email marketing experience, MailerLite’s narrower focus is generally the easier starting point.
Automation and deliverability
Both platforms support automation – the emails that send automatically based on subscriber behaviour, like welcome sequences and abandoned cart reminders.
MailerLite’s free plan includes a welcome sequence automation, which Mailchimp’s free plan doesn’t support beyond a single automated email. For anyone who wants a multi-step welcome sequence without paying, this is a meaningful practical difference from day one.
On paid plans, both platforms offer comparable automation depth – branching logic, behaviour-based triggers, and multi-step sequences. Mailchimp’s automation builder is more powerful at the enterprise level, but most small content sites and stores won’t need that level of complexity.
Deliverability – whether emails actually land in the inbox rather than spam – is broadly comparable between the two platforms. Both are established, reputable senders. Deliverability in practice depends more on your own sending habits (list hygiene, engagement rates, avoiding spammy language) than on the platform itself.
Where Mailchimp still has advantages
Integration ecosystem. Mailchimp integrates with more third-party tools than any other email platform – 300+ native integrations. If your business depends on specific tools that integrate with Mailchimp but not MailerLite, this matters.
Brand recognition. In some business contexts, Mailchimp’s name carries weight – clients and partners recognise it. For an agency or freelancer managing email for clients, familiarity with Mailchimp can reduce friction.
Feature depth at the enterprise level. Multivariate testing, advanced audience segmentation, and predictive analytics on Mailchimp’s Premium plan are designed for users who specifically need these features.
Who should choose Mailchimp over MailerLite?
You’re already on Mailchimp, and it’s working adequately – migration has a cost, and if Mailchimp isn’t causing problems, staying is a reasonable choice.
Your tech stack depends on Mailchimp integrations that MailerLite doesn’t support.
Your clients or team are familiar with Mailchimp, and retraining is more expensive than the cost difference.
Who should choose MailerLite?
Everyone is starting fresh. The free plan is more useful, the paid pricing is lower in both the US and UK, and the interface is cleaner.
Anyone who has been on Mailchimp and finds the shrinking free plan frustrating. Migration from Mailchimp to MailerLite is well-documented and straightforward: export your list as a CSV from Mailchimp and import it into MailerLite.
Anyone for whom the cost difference at scale ($29/month or £23/month at 5,000 subscribers) is meaningful.
Frequently asked questions
Mailchimp vs MailerLite – which is better for beginners?
MailerLite, for most beginners. The free plan allows more subscribers, more monthly emails, and includes a welcome sequence automation, landing pages, and pop-up forms that Mailchimp’s free plan doesn’t offer. The interface is also generally considered easier to learn with no prior email marketing experience.
Is MailerLite really cheaper than Mailchimp?
Yes, at every subscriber tier this comparison covers, in both the US and UK. The gap widens as your list grows – at 5,000 subscribers it’s roughly $29/month (USA) or £23/month (UK), which adds up to several hundred pounds or dollars a year for broadly comparable functionality.
How do I migrate from Mailchimp to MailerLite?
Export your subscriber list as a CSV file from Mailchimp, then import it into MailerLite. The process is well-documented by MailerLite and doesn’t require technical skill, though you’ll need to rebuild any automations, forms, and campaign templates manually since these don’t transfer automatically.
Does Mailchimp have any features MailerLite doesn’t?
Yes – Mailchimp has a larger third-party integration library (300+ native integrations), more advanced enterprise features like multivariate testing and predictive analytics on its Premium plan, and broader brand recognition that can matter for agencies managing email on behalf of clients.
Can I use MailerLite’s free plan for a business, or is it only for personal use?
MailerLite’s free plan can be used for a business – there’s no restriction to personal or non-commercial use. The free plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails per month, which is enough for most small businesses and content sites in their early stages.
Mailchimp vs MailerLite: the verdict
For new users: MailerLite. For established Mailchimp users with no specific pain points: stay unless cost is a concern. For established Mailchimp users paying significantly more than they would on MailerLite: the migration is worth the effort.
Read our full MailerLite review →
Read our full Mailchimp review →
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