Brevo vs Mailchimp: Which is Best for Your Email Marketing?
Digital Vibes Marketing Hub
October 12, 2025
Mailchimp is a popular email marketing service offering a more polished interface, advanced templates, and a broader range of integrations. It’s ideal for creators, agencies, and eCommerce brands looking to elevate their marketing campaigns. Both Mailchimp and Brevo are leading email marketing platforms, each with unique strengths for different business needs.
When comparing pricing models, it’s important to note that Mailchimp charges for unsubscribed contacts, which can increase costs for Mailchimp users with large or frequently changing lists. In contrast, Brevo does not count unsubscribed contacts toward your billing, making it a more cost-effective solution for businesses managing active or growing audiences.
Mailchimp’s free plan comes with notable feature restrictions. Mailchimp’s free plan limits automation and contact management, and both free and essentials plans restrict access to advanced creative tools and reporting. Essentials plans unlock core features like templates and editing tools, but advanced capabilities such as multi-step automation workflows, A/B testing, and richer reporting are only available starting from the standard plan. The business plan and premium plan provide even more features, including unlimited landing pages, priority support, and sophisticated segmentation, but these come at a higher cost.
Brevo’s free plan is more beneficial for startups and small businesses, especially those testing email marketing solutions. Brevo’s free plan offers more features at the entry level, such as automation and transactional emails, and allows for higher contact and email limits compared to Mailchimp’s free plan.
In a mailchimp pricing comparison, paid plans for both platforms scale based on list size and features, but Mailchimp’s pricing can become expensive for businesses with large lists due to its billing structure and the inclusion of unsubscribed contacts. Brevo’s paid plans are generally more affordable and transparent, making it a strong mailchimp alternative for cost-conscious users seeking robust email marketing capabilities.
Choose Brevo if you need a cost-effective, compliant, and easy-to-use platform—especially if you are a small business, nonprofit, or eCommerce store looking for multi-channel communication and strong lead generation tools.
Key Features:
- Advanced Email Templates
- Mailchimp provides a wide variety of pre-designed and customizable email templates, offering an extensive email template collection with hundreds of options to choose from. Mailchimp is known for having a better email template collection compared to many competitors, featuring modern, customizable, and mobile responsive designs. These templates are optimized for mobile and desktop, helping your emails look professional across all devices. You can drag and drop elements with Mailchimp’s intuitive email builder, making it user friendly for both beginners and experienced marketers to build campaigns without needing to code.
As comprehensive email marketing software, Mailchimp offers a wide range of features and integrations designed to support all aspects of your email marketing strategy.
- A/B Testing
- With built-in A/B testing, Mailchimp lets you test subject lines, content, send times, and more. This helps you find out what performs best with your audience to improve open and click rates. The data-driven insights give you a clear path to optimize future campaigns.
- Social Media and Ad Integrations
- Mailchimp connects directly with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. You can create and manage ad campaigns or retarget users all from one place. This integration supports a more unified and efficient marketing strategy.
- Landing Page Builder
- Mailchimp includes a simple landing page builder that allows you to create standalone pages for promotions, events, or lead generation. These pages can be customized with your brand’s look and feel. It’s a great way to boost conversions without needing a full website.
- Basic CRM Features
- Mailchimp offers basic CRM functionality to help you organize audience data and segment your contacts. While not as robust as dedicated CRMs, it still lets you track customer interactions and tag contacts for personalized campaigns. It’s a helpful addition for small businesses managing their own marketing.
- eCommerce Tracking
- Mailchimp’s eCommerce tracking features let you monitor purchase behavior and product performance. You can set up automated product recommendations and abandoned cart emails to boost sales. It integrates with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce for seamless data syncing.
Mailchimp provides a smooth user experience and high-quality visuals. Its tools are well-suited for brands with an emphasis on design and integration.
One of the biggest factors in this showdown is cost.
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes (up to 300 emails/day) | Yes (up to 500 contacts) |
| Starting Paid Plan | $25/month (20K emails) | $13/month (500 contacts) |
| Unlimited Contacts | ✅ | ❌ (price increases per contact) |
| Multichannel Support | ✅ (Email, SMS, Whatsapp) | ✅(Limited to Email + Ads) |
| CRM | Built-in | Basic |
What is Brevo?
Brevo is much more affordable for businesses that send large volumes of email or want access to automation and SMS without moving to expensive tiers.
Brevo provides essential metrics such as opens, clicks, and bounce rates without unnecessary clutter. It includes automation performance tracking, heat maps, and engagement data by segment, helping teams make informed decisions. Brevo’s reporting features also allow you to analyze contact data and track how many emails reach subscribers’ inboxes, giving insight into deliverability and campaign effectiveness. While less visually polished, Brevo’s analytics are practical and focused on actionable insights.
Mailchimp is ideal for users who rely heavily on eCommerce data and advanced reporting visuals. Brevo, on the other hand, delivers clean, effective analytics for teams prioritizing performance over design. Both platforms support data-driven marketing, but the choice depends on your reporting needs.
eCommerce Integrations
Mailchimp
Mailchimp integrates seamlessly with major eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and BigCommerce. It also supports Stripe, enabling businesses to track customer spending and link email campaigns to sales data. The drag-and-drop compatibility and deep native integrations make it ideal for online retailers seeking a smooth setup.
Brevo
Brevo supports essential eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, and Magento. While its native integration list is slightly shorter, users can expand functionality through robust API access or Zapier. This gives developers and tech-savvy marketers the flexibility to build custom workflows tied to eCommerce systems.
Mailchimp is better suited for users who want instant, plug-and-play compatibility with top eCommerce tools. Brevo’s integration strength lies in its API and Zapier support, which allows for scalable, tailored solutions. If you prefer a ready-to-go ecosystem, Mailchimp may be the better choice; if customization is key, Brevo delivers.
Analytics and Reporting
Look, we get it—diving into email marketing analytics can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to figure out if your campaigns are actually working or just sending messages into the void. The truth is, being able to track and understand what’s happening with your email campaigns, SMS outreach, and those important transactional messages isn’t just nice to have—it’s what separates the email marketing platforms that truly serve your business from the ones that leave you guessing. Now, both Brevo and Mailchimp understand this challenge and offer solid analytics tools, but here’s the thing: they’re designed for different folks with different comfort levels when it comes to digging into the numbers and making sense of it all.
Deliverability and Spam Filtering
When it comes to email marketing, even the most creative email campaigns won’t succeed if your messages don’t land in your subscribers’ inboxes. That’s why deliverability and spam filtering are essential features to consider when choosing an email marketing platform.
Brevo offers a robust suite of deliverability tools designed to help your emails reach their destination. With a user friendly setup wizard, Brevo guides you through best practices for inbox placement right from the start. For businesses sending high volumes, Brevo offers dedicated IPs, which can significantly boost sender reputation and improve deliverability rates. Advanced visibility tools—like health scores and feedback loop (FBL) data—give you real-time insights into how your emails are performing, so you can quickly address any issues that might affect inbox placement. Brevo’s EU-hosted infrastructure is also a plus for GDPR-sensitive organizations, ensuring compliance and data security. On the spam filtering front, Brevo uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and block spammy content before it’s sent, helping protect your sender reputation and keep your campaigns on track.
Mailchimp is known for its long-standing reputation for excellent deliverability, with independent tests showing an average inbox placement rate of 92.6%. The platform supports advanced authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which are crucial for keeping your emails out of the spam folder. Mailchimp also monitors sender reputation and provides tools to help you maintain high deliverability standards. While Mailchimp’s deliverability features are strong, some advanced features—such as dedicated IPs—are not as readily available as with Brevo, and a few users have reported occasional inbox placement challenges. Mailchimp’s proprietary spam filtering system works behind the scenes to block suspicious emails, helping ensure your campaigns maintain a clean reputation.
Both Brevo and Mailchimp offer free plan options, making it easy for businesses to test deliverability and spam filtering before committing to a paid plan. Brevo’s free plan includes unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails per day, while Mailchimp’s free plan allows up to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month. This flexibility lets you experiment with real campaigns and see which platform best fits your needs.
In summary, both Brevo and Mailchimp provide strong deliverability and spam filtering features, but Brevo’s advanced visibility tools, dedicated IPs, and unlimited contacts give it a slight edge for businesses that prioritize inbox placement and sender reputation. Mailchimp remains a top choice for those who value a user friendly interface and advanced authentication support. Whichever email marketing solution you choose, taking advantage of the free plan is a smart way to ensure your emails reach your audience and your marketing campaigns deliver results.
Pros and Cons
– Brevo Pros
Unlimited contacts
Brevo allows unlimited contact storage across all plans, which is ideal for growing businesses. You don’t get penalized for having large or inactive lists. This makes cost management easier as your database scales.
Affordable automation access
Marketing automation is available even on Brevo’s free and lower-tier plans. Users can create advanced workflows, triggers, and sequences without paying extra. This is especially beneficial for startups and small teams.
Multichannel (SMS, WhatsApp)
Brevo supports multiple communication channels including SMS and WhatsApp. These channels can be integrated into automated workflows for a unified messaging strategy. It provides more flexibility in reaching your audience.
Built-in CRM
Brevo includes a simple CRM that lets you manage contacts, track deals, and sync with marketing workflows. This eliminates the need for third-party CRM tools for basic relationship management. It’s a great value add for small businesses.
– Brevo Cons
Basic template options
Brevo’s email template selection is limited compared to Mailchimp’s. While functional, it lacks design variety and advanced customization. Users with a strong focus on branding may find it restrictive.
Fewer eCommerce integrations
Brevo integrates with major platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, but lacks some native integrations available in Mailchimp. This could require using Zapier or custom APIs for full functionality. eCommerce-heavy businesses may need extra setup time.
– Mailchimp Pros
Superior template design
Mailchimp offers a wide range of professionally designed templates. Its drag-and-drop editor is more refined and flexible, offering deeper customization. This gives brands greater creative control over their emails.
Deep integrations
Mailchimp connects with hundreds of tools, including major eCommerce, analytics, and CMS platforms. These plug-and-play integrations simplify workflows and data sync. It’s a major advantage for complex marketing stacks.
Strong eCommerce features
Mailchimp provides features like product recommendations, purchase-based segmentation, and cart abandonment emails. It’s tightly integrated with platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. These tools help drive more conversions from store visitors.
– Mailchimp Cons
High cost for growing lists
Mailchimp’s pricing is based on the number of contacts, including inactive or unsubscribed ones unless removed manually. As your list grows, so does the cost—often rapidly. This can make it less budget-friendly for scaling operations.
Automation limited on lower plans
Advanced automation features like customer journeys and predictive targeting are only available on higher-tier plans. This limits what smaller businesses can do without upgrading. Basic automation is there, but more sophisticated tools come at a price.
Automation or eCommerce Focused Campaigns
Brevo wins on pricing, automation, and multichannel support. It’s the better choice for small to mid-sized businesses that need scalability without breaking the bank.
Mailchimp stands out for eCommerce brands and marketers who prioritize design, analytics, and platform integrations, but it comes with higher costs and feature limitations on entry-level plans.
If you’re still unsure which platform fits your strategy, let the experts guide you. At Digital Vibes Agency, we help brands set up, manage, and optimize their email marketing — whether you’re on Brevo, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Klayvio, Hubspot or another platform.
Our team helps you build automation flows, increase deliverability, and design email templates that drive results.
Contact Digital Vibes Agency today and take your email marketing to the next level — without wasting time or budget. Start optimizing your marketing plan today with the right tools and expert guidance — your customers are waiting!