Email Marketing comparison · 2026
Mailchimp vs MailerLite (2026 Comparison)
Side-by-side: pricing, features, pros, cons, and our editorial winner for email marketing.
Winner summary
MailerLite wins overall
Scoring 8.7/10 vs 8.2/10 in our 2026 review.
Cheaper
MailerLite
Higher rated
MailerLite
Better free tier
Tie
Feature comparison
| Dimension | Mailchimp | MailerLite |
|---|---|---|
| ProductsVerdict score | 8.2/10 | 8.7/10 |
| User rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Starting price | $13/mo | $0/mo |
| Free trial | Free up to 500 contacts | Free up to 1k subs |
| Best for | Small businesses | Small business value |
| Badge | — | Best Value |
Mailchimp key features
- Drag-drop email builder
- Audience segmentation
- Customer journeys
- Built-in CRM
- 1000+ integrations
MailerLite key features
- Drag-drop builder
- Automation workflows
- Landing pages & websites
- AI writing assistant
- Free up to 1k subs
Mailchimp — pros & cons
Pros
- Familiar brand & UI
- Huge integration ecosystem
Cons
- Pricing scales aggressively
- Free tier deliberately limited
MailerLite — pros & cons
Pros
- Best value at the low end
- Cleanest UI in the budget tier
Cons
- Approval process for new accounts can be strict
- Advanced automation behind paid tier
When to pick which
Choose Mailchimp if…
- Small business email
- E-commerce drip
Choose MailerLite if…
- Bloggers
- Small e-commerce
- Service businesses