Mailchimp vs beehiiv: Which Email Platform Fits You? (2026)
Updated October 20, 2026 · Email marketing
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
| Feature | Mailchimp | beehiiv |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free plan for under 250 contacts; sending pauses if contact or send limits are exceeded | Free forever, up to 2,500 subscribers, unlimited email sends, 1 team seat |
| Paid plans | Essentials, Standard, Premium (price depends on contact count; check current pricing) | Lite, Pro, Enterprise (custom). Lite and Pro prices depend on subscriber count |
| Entry paid price | Check current pricing for your contact tier | Lite from $49/mo and Pro from $95/mo, shown for 1,000 subscribers on yearly billing (yearly saves up to 20%) |
| Email send limits | Standard: up to 6,000 emails/month. Premium: up to 150,000/month. Overages apply if limits are exceeded | Unlimited sends on every plan |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of Standard | Free trial of Lite and Pro, no credit card required |
| Automations | Enhanced automations on Standard; enhanced automation flows on Premium | Automations start on Lite |
| A/B testing | Multivariate and A/B testing on Premium | A/B testing starts on Lite |
| Paid subscriptions and products | Check current pricing and features | Paid subscriptions and digital products; 0% beehiiv take rate (Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction still applies) |
| Ecommerce and integrations | 300+ integrations including Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Wix, Squarespace, Stripe and Zapier | API and integrations on all plans; check current integration list for your store platform |
| SMS | Email & SMS options offered; check current pricing | Not listed; check current features |
| Support | Phone and priority support and dedicated onboarding on Premium | 24/7 priority support on Pro; concierge onboarding on Enterprise |
| Remove platform branding | Check current plan details | Pro and above |
| Website, podcast, community | Check current features | Included on every plan |
| Discounts | 15% off Standard for the first 12 months with 10,000+ contacts | Yearly billing saves up to 20% versus monthly |
How the pricing models differ
Mailchimp prices by contact count and also caps monthly email sends: Standard allows up to 6,000 emails a month and Premium up to 150,000, with overages if you go past a limit. That cap matters if you email your list often, so work out your sends (list size × emails per month) before choosing a tier. beehiiv prices by subscriber count and puts no cap on sends: every plan includes unlimited emails. The $49 (Lite) and $95 (Pro) figures are shown at 1,000 subscribers on yearly billing and rise with list size, so check current pricing for your number. beehiiv counts unique email addresses, and Lite covers up to 100,000 subscribers.
Free plans: who gets more room
beehiiv's free plan is free forever for up to 2,500 subscribers, with unlimited sends, landing pages, templates, the recommendation network and API access. Limits include 1 team seat, a 30-day analytics lookback and beehiiv branding. Mailchimp's free plan is aimed at lists under 250 contacts, and sending pauses if you exceed the contact or send limits. If you're starting out with a larger list, beehiiv's free tier gives you far more room.
Monetizing a creator audience
beehiiv is built around monetization. Paid subscriptions start on Lite, with 0% beehiiv take rate on subscription and digital product revenue (Stripe's standard fee still applies). Digital products, website, podcast and community tools are available on every plan, and the Pro plan adds webinars and coaching, advanced analytics and dynamic content. Mailchimp focuses on marketing: audience growth insights, popup forms, predictive segmentation and multivariate testing on Premium. If you want to sell paid memberships through the email tool itself, check Mailchimp's current features first.
Running a small online store
Mailchimp lists 300+ integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Wix, Squarespace and Stripe, and offers email and SMS options plus transactional email. That breadth suits stores that want one place for campaigns, automations and popups. beehiiv supports digital products with 0% commission and offers an API and integrations. Before choosing it for a store that sells physical goods, check current pricing and integration details for your platform (product syncing, cart-based automations and the like), since those specifics aren't confirmed here.
Support and growth path
On Mailchimp, phone and priority support, dedicated onboarding and expert help migrating your data are exclusive to Premium, which is the priciest tier. Lists over 10,000 contacts get 15% off Standard for the first 12 months, and very large lists get custom pricing via sales. On beehiiv, Lite and Pro are self-serve; Pro adds 24/7 priority support, 10 team seats, 10 publications and unlimited analytics history. Enterprise adds SSO/SAML, dedicated IPs and a customer success manager.
Pick Mailchimp if…
- You run a small online store and want to connect Shopify, WooCommerce, Square or a similar tool among 300+ integrations
- You want email and SMS options from one vendor
- You want multivariate testing, predictive segmentation or phone support on a higher tier (Premium)
- You have a small list (under 250 contacts) and want a basic free start
- Your sending volume fits within the monthly email caps of your tier
Pick beehiiv if…
- You're a creator, writer or publisher building and monetizing a newsletter
- You want unlimited email sends on every plan
- You plan to sell paid subscriptions or digital products and want 0% platform commission (Stripe fees still apply)
- You want a free plan that supports up to 2,500 subscribers
- You want a website, podcast, community and digital products included on every plan
FAQ
Prices and features change — always confirm on each vendor's site.