Email Marketing comparison · 2026
Beehiiv vs Mailchimp (2026 Comparison)
Side-by-side: pricing, features, pros, cons, and our editorial winner for email marketing.
Winner summary
Beehiiv wins overall
Scoring 9/10 vs 8.2/10 in our 2026 review.
Cheaper
Beehiiv
Higher rated
Beehiiv
Better free tier
Tie
Feature comparison
| Dimension | Beehiiv | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| ProductsVerdict score | 9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| User rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Starting price | $0/mo | $13/mo |
| Free trial | Free up to 2.5k subs | Free up to 500 contacts |
| Best for | Newsletter operators | Small businesses |
| Badge | — | — |
Beehiiv key features
- Boosts (paid recommendations)
- Ad network monetization
- Referral program built-in
- Website + newsletter hybrid
- Polls & segmentation
Mailchimp key features
- Drag-drop email builder
- Audience segmentation
- Customer journeys
- Built-in CRM
- 1000+ integrations
Beehiiv — pros & cons
Pros
- Built for newsletter growth & revenue
- Boosts + ad network are unique
Cons
- Not ideal for transactional or e-commerce
- Newer ecosystem
Mailchimp — pros & cons
Pros
- Familiar brand & UI
- Huge integration ecosystem
Cons
- Pricing scales aggressively
- Free tier deliberately limited
When to pick which
Choose Beehiiv if…
- Newsletters
- Media businesses
Choose Mailchimp if…
- Small business email
- E-commerce drip