Mailchimp is still the best-known name in email marketing, but being well known and being the right fit for your store are two different things. Its free plan is small, the paid plans are priced in tiers that are easy to outgrow, and the page that lists them does not show what you pay after the first year. If you are comparing options, you are asking the right question.
At Ecommerce Paradise, I build email programs for high-ticket stores and affiliate sites, so I have tested most of these tools. This guide compares seven Mailchimp alternatives on price, free-plan limits and fit. Every number comes from the vendor’s own pricing page, checked in October 2026, and where a page does not show a number I say so instead of guessing.
If you are still deciding what to sell, start with my guide to what high-ticket dropshipping is before you commit to an email platform. Some links below are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
Start With an Email Platform Built for Online Stores
Omnisend has a free plan with 250 contacts and 500 emails a month, and every feature is included on it, according to its pricing page. You can test your abandoned cart flow before you pay anything.
The Seven Best Mailchimp Alternatives at a Glance
Here is how the seven platforms compare on entry price, free plan and best use. Prices are in US dollars, and “not shown” means the vendor’s pricing page did not display a number when I checked.
| Platform | Free plan | Lowest paid price shown | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnisend | 250 contacts, 500 emails a month | Standard at $11.20 a month (promo) | Online stores that want email and SMS together |
| Kit | Up to 10,000 subscribers | Creator at $33 a month for 1,000 subscribers | Creators, newsletters and digital products |
| GetResponse | No free plan shown, free trial available | Starter at $19 a month ($15.58 annual) | Webinars, funnels and landing pages |
| MailerLite | 250 subscribers, 2,500 emails a month | Comfort from $12 a month | Simple newsletters on a small budget |
| Klaviyo | 250 profiles, 500 emails a month | Not shown | Larger stores with deep data needs |
| Brevo | Up to 300 emails a day | Not shown | Email plus SMS on usage-based pricing |
| HubSpot | 2,000 sends a month, HubSpot branding | Starter from $7 per seat a month | Teams that want a CRM and email together |
For most online stores I would start with the first row and test it on a free plan. The rest of this guide explains why, and who should pick something else.
What Mailchimp Charges Today
You need a baseline before you can judge an alternative. According to the Mailchimp pricing page, the Free plan is $0 a month with 250 contacts, one seat and one audience, and sending is limited to 500 emails a month or 250 a day. The page does not list automations on the Free plan.
Essentials is shown at $13 a month for 12 months, with three seats, three audiences and up to four flow steps. Standard is shown at $20 a month for 12 months, with five seats and up to 200 flows. Premium is shown at $350 a month for 12 months, with unlimited seats and audiences.
Two things are missing from that page. It does not say which contact tier the displayed prices apply to, and it does not show the price after the first 12 months. Both matter, because an email bill grows with your list, and a promotional price is not the price you will live with.
Why Store Owners Look for a Mailchimp Alternative
The first reason is the free plan. Capping a free account at 250 contacts and 500 sends a month means a store with a modest list runs into the limit quickly. Several alternatives below give you far more room to test before you pay.
The second reason is fit. Mailchimp is a general-purpose tool, and an online store has specific jobs: abandoned cart emails, post-purchase flows and product recommendations. I explain how those flows work in my guide to ecommerce email marketing flows, and a platform built around them saves a lot of setup time.
The third reason is price predictability. When a pricing page shows a promotional rate and no renewal rate, you cannot plan a budget. I would rather choose a platform where I can read the number and the limit side by side.
1. Omnisend: The Best Fit for Online Stores
Omnisend is the platform I recommend first to store owners. According to the Omnisend pricing page, the Free plan costs $0 and includes 250 contacts, 500 emails a month and 500 web push notifications a month. The FAQ on that page says the Free plan includes all features, with the email and contact limits as the only restrictions.
Paid plans are Standard at $11.20 a month and Pro at $41.30 a month as displayed, with a 30% promotion shown on the page. The plan cards list 500 contacts for Standard and 2,500 for Pro, but the page does not say which contact tier the prices apply to. A Custom plan is offered for accounts above 150,000 active profiles.
Standard allows 6,000 emails a month, which the comparison table describes as 12 times your list. Pro lists unlimited emails with a fair-use note of up to 60 times your list, and SMS starting at $0.007 per message with bonus SMS credits. I break down the billing model and SMS costs in my Omnisend pricing guide.
If you want a head-to-head, read my Omnisend vs Mailchimp comparison.
Best for: Shopify and WooCommerce stores that want email, SMS and push notifications in one login.
2. Kit: The Most Generous Free Plan
Kit is the right pick if you sell digital products, run a newsletter or build an audience around a personal brand. Its pricing page lists a Free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers with unlimited email broadcasts, landing pages and forms.
Creator is $33 a month at 1,000 subscribers, or $390 billed yearly. It adds Visual Automations, unlimited email sequences, A/B testing of subject lines, removal of Kit branding and SMS marketing. Pro is $66 a month at list price, shown at $50 a month during a first-year promotion, and the page says the discount applies only to year one.
The page shows prices for the 1,000-subscriber tier only, so check the slider for your own list size. My Kit pricing guide walks through the tiers. For the head-to-head, read my Kit vs Mailchimp comparison.
Best for: creators and course sellers who want a large free list and simple automations.
3. GetResponse: Funnels, Webinars and Landing Pages
GetResponse is more than an email tool. Its pricing page shows Starter at $19 a month billed monthly, or $15.58 a month billed annually. Starter includes unlimited monthly email sends, a landing page builder, signup forms, one custom automation workflow and three users.
Marketer is $59 a month, or $48.38 annually, and adds unlimited automation workflows, advanced segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels and promo codes. Creator is $69 a month, or $56.58 annually, and adds webinars, a website builder and a course creator for up to 500 students.
The page shows a free trial button but does not show the trial length or terms, so confirm those before you sign up. For plan-by-plan detail, see my GetResponse pricing guide.
Best for: sellers who want email, landing pages and webinars under one subscription.
4. MailerLite: The Simple, Low-Cost Option
MailerLite is the tool I suggest when someone wants clean newsletters and does not need ecommerce depth. Its pricing page lists a Free plan with 250 subscribers, 2,500 monthly emails, two user seats, three active forms and three active automations of up to five steps each.
Comfort starts at $12 a month and Power at $25 a month, according to the page FAQ. The price at a specific subscriber tier was not displayed when I checked, and yearly billing is described as saving 10%. Comfort allows 50 active automations and Power allows unlimited ones.
I compare it with another small-list favorite in my Kit vs MailerLite guide.
Best for: small lists, simple campaigns and owners who want a low entry price.
5. Klaviyo: Deep Data for Larger Stores
Klaviyo is built around customer data, and it is the name most agencies mention for established ecommerce brands. Its pricing page shows a free plan for up to 250 profiles with 500 emails a month and $5 of mobile messages a month.
The page I could read did not display a paid starting price or the profile count that goes with it, so I will not quote one. My Klaviyo pricing guide explains how its profile-based billing behaves as a list grows.
If you want to see how it stacks up against the platform you are leaving, read my Klaviyo vs Mailchimp comparison. For a lower-cost route to similar flows, many stores I talk to end up preferring Omnisend.
Best for: larger stores with a data team or an agency to run segmentation.
6. Brevo: Email and SMS on Usage-Based Pricing
Brevo suits owners who send in bursts and prefer to pay by volume. Its pricing page describes a free plan with sending capped at 300 emails a day once the account is approved. The paid plans listed are Starter, Standard and Professional, plus an Enterprise tier.
Monthly prices were not shown on the page I could read. What it does state is that Starter begins at 5,000 emails a month, Standard adds unlimited automated workflows and A/B testing, and Professional starts at 150,000 emails a month with 10 seats and phone support. SMS is sold separately.
For a direct comparison, see my Brevo vs Mailchimp guide.
Best for: stores with uneven send volume and a need for email and SMS from one vendor.
7. HubSpot: When Your CRM and Email Should Live Together
HubSpot makes sense when your sales process matters as much as your newsletter. The HubSpot email pricing page shows a free plan for up to two users with 2,000 email sends a month and HubSpot branding, plus one automated action.
Starter is shown as starting at $7 per seat a month, with another figure of $20 per seat a month, and the page does not label which applies to monthly or annual billing. It includes 1,000 marketing contacts, removal of HubSpot branding and up to 10 automated actions. Professional starts at $800 a month, includes 2,000 marketing contacts and carries a one-time $3,000 onboarding fee.
That jump from Starter to Professional is steep, so most small stores stay on HubSpot Free or Starter. My HubSpot vs Mailchimp comparison covers who should make the move.
Best for: businesses that sell through a team and want contact records, deals and email in one place.
Skip the Plan Maze and Test a Store-First Platform
Omnisend lists a free plan, a Standard plan and a Pro plan with SMS credits. Start free, build one abandoned cart flow, and see the result before you upgrade.
Free Plan Limits Side by Side
The free plan is where most people start, so here is what each vendor lets you do without paying. I used only the limits shown on each pricing page.
| Platform | Contacts on free | Sending limit on free |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 250 | 500 a month or 250 a day |
| Omnisend | 250 | 500 a month |
| Kit | Up to 10,000 | Unlimited broadcasts |
| MailerLite | 250 | 2,500 a month |
| Klaviyo | 250 profiles | 500 a month |
| Brevo | Not shown | 300 a day |
| HubSpot | Not shown | 2,000 a month, branded |
Kit stands out for list size, and MailerLite stands out for monthly sends on a small list. Omnisend matches Mailchimp’s contact cap but gives you every feature on it, which is why it works as a proper test environment.
How to Choose the Right Alternative
Start with what you sell. If you run a store with a catalog and a checkout, pick a platform that reads your products and orders, because that is what drives abandoned cart and post-purchase revenue. If you sell courses, coaching or a newsletter, Kit or MailerLite will feel more natural.
Next, count your list honestly. A free plan is only free while you stay under its limit, so find the contact tier where each platform starts charging and compare them at the list size you will have in a year, not today.
Then check the extras you will really use. SMS, web push, landing pages, webinars and CRM features are priced differently on each platform, and a feature you never open is wasted money.
Finally, test one real flow before you migrate everything. Build a welcome email and an abandoned cart sequence on the free plan, and see how long it takes. Setup time is a cost, and it is the one that rarely shows up on a pricing page.
How to Switch Without Losing Subscribers
Export your contacts and keep the consent record. The FTC’s CAN-SPAM compliance guide explains the rules on opt-outs and sender identity, and they apply to every platform on this list. I also cover the basics in my guide to CAN-SPAM and GDPR for email.
Rebuild your three most valuable automations first: the welcome series, the abandoned cart reminder and the post-purchase thank-you. My walkthrough of an abandoned cart email sequence shows the timing I use.
Run the old and new platforms side by side for a week if you can. Send the same campaign to a small slice from each, compare delivery and clicks, and then cut over. A careful switch costs you a few hours. A rushed one can cost you a month of lost flows.
Common Mistakes When Leaving Mailchimp
The first mistake is picking on price alone. A $13 plan that cannot run your abandoned cart flow costs you more in lost orders than a $30 plan that can.
The second is ignoring the renewal price. Promotional rates, like the 12-month prices on Mailchimp’s page, tell you little about month 13. Ask what the standard rate is before you commit.
The third is moving everything at once. Migrate your highest-earning flows first, confirm they work, and then move the rest.
The fourth is forgetting your store connection. Reconnect your Shopify or WooCommerce integration and confirm that order and product data flow through before you switch the sending domain.
Where Email Fits in Your High-Ticket Store
High-ticket buyers take longer to decide, so email does more of the selling than it does for a $20 product. A buyer who browses a $3,000 item will often need several touches before ordering, and your platform has to keep their cart and browsing history intact across those messages.
Before you build the program, make sure the foundation is right. Choose a profitable category with my high-ticket niches list. Then line up reliable fulfillment with my guide to finding dropshipping suppliers.
Set the company up properly with my business formation guide. When you are ready to build the store itself, Shopify is the platform I point people to, and every email tool above connects to it.
The US Census Bureau publishes a quarterly e-commerce report that shows how much of retail now happens online, which is a useful reminder of how much repeat business sits in your customer list.
If you’re brand new, start with my free mini course. When you’re ready to go deeper, the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass covers the full model.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Mailchimp?
It depends on what you need. Kit offers a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, MailerLite allows 2,500 emails a month on 250 subscribers, and Omnisend includes every feature on its free plan with 250 contacts and 500 emails a month. For a store, I would test Omnisend first.
Is Mailchimp still worth using?
It can be, especially if you already have a list and simple needs. Its pricing page shows plans from $0 to $350 a month, but it does not show the price after the first 12 months, so check the renewal rate before you commit.
Which Mailchimp alternative is best for ecommerce?
Omnisend and Klaviyo are the two built around online stores. I prefer Omnisend for most small and mid-sized stores because it bundles email, SMS and push, and it lists a free plan with every feature included.
Can I move my list from Mailchimp without losing subscribers?
Yes. Export your contacts, keep your consent records, and rebuild your key automations before you cut over. Follow the sender and opt-out rules in the FTC’s CAN-SPAM guidance throughout.
Do I need a paid email platform at the start?
Not on day one. A free plan is enough to build a welcome series and an abandoned cart flow and to see real results. Upgrade when you hit a contact or sending limit that costs you sales.
Ready to Pick Your Email Platform?
Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers, which makes it a low-risk way to start a list before you add a store.
Want me to build the whole store for you? Check out my done-for-you store service → and skip the platform setup work entirely. Prefer to build it yourself with a guide? Join my coaching program →.
Related Articles
If you found this useful, these guides go deeper on related topics:
- 6 Best Email Marketing Platforms for Ecommerce Stores in 2026
- 10 Best Omnisend Alternatives in 2026: Email Marketing Platforms with Better Pricing, Stronger Niche Features, and Cleaner Use-Case Fit
- Klaviyo vs Mailchimp in 2026: Ecommerce-Native vs General Email, Which Fits Your Store?
- Omnisend Pricing in 2026: Complete Plan Breakdown, Contact Billing Model, SMS Costs, and Hidden Fees
- Klaviyo Pricing in 2026: What It Really Costs for Your Ecommerce Store
Trevor Fenner is an ecommerce entrepreneur and world traveler from Seattle, Washington, and the founder of Ecommerce Paradise, a platform focused on helping entrepreneurs build and scale profitable high-ticket ecommerce and dropshipping businesses. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Trevor specializes in high-ticket dropshipping strategy, niche and product selection, supplier recruiting and onboarding, Google & Bing Shopping ads, ecommerce SEO, and systems-driven automation and scaling. Through Ecommerce Paradise, he provides free education via in-depth guides like How to Start High-Ticket Dropshipping, advanced training through the High-Ticket Dropshipping Masterclass, and fully done-for-you turnkey ecommerce services for entrepreneurs who want a faster, more hands-off path to growth. Trevor is known for emphasizing sustainable, real-world ecommerce models over hype-driven tactics, helping store owners build scalable, sellable, and location-independent brands.
He maintains homes in Seattle and Bali, spends most of the year overseas, and usually returns to Seattle for about a month each summer.
