Mailchimp vs Kit: Which Email Tool Fits Creators & Stores?
Updated October 20, 2026 · Email marketing
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| Feature | Mailchimp | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes. Mailchimp's pricing page says that under 250 contacts it's free. Sending pauses if the contact or send limit is exceeded. | Check current pricing |
| Paid plan tiers | Essentials, Standard and Premium, on top of the Free plan | Check current pricing |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the Standard plan | Check current pricing |
| Starting price | Standard is shown starting at about $20/month. Premium is shown at about $350/month. Prices change with contact count, so confirm on the pricing page. | Check current pricing |
| Monthly email sends | Standard: up to 6,000. Premium: up to 150,000. Overages apply if limits are exceeded. | Check current pricing |
| Discount | 15% off the first 12 months for businesses with 10,000+ contacts on Standard or Premium (see offer terms) | Check current pricing |
| Automations | Enhanced automations on Standard. Enhanced automation flows on Premium. | Check current pricing |
| A/B and multivariate testing | Multivariate and A/B testing listed on Premium | Check current pricing |
| Segmentation and insights | Audience growth and conversion funnel insights on Standard. Predictive segmentation on Premium. | Check current pricing |
| Templates and forms | Custom-coded email templates and customizable popup forms on Standard | Check current pricing |
| AI features | Generative AI features on Standard | Check current pricing |
| Support and onboarding | Personalized onboarding on Standard. Premium adds phone and priority support, dedicated onboarding and expert help migrating your data. | Check current pricing |
| Integrations | 300+, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Canva, Zapier, Square, Wix, Squarespace and Stripe | Check current pricing |
| SMS and transactional email | Mailchimp's pricing page lists Email & SMS and Transactional options. Check current pricing for each. | Check current pricing |
Pricing: compare at your real list size
Mailchimp prices by contact count. Its tiers run from 0-500 contacts up to 1,000,000+, with custom plans above that. Standard is shown starting at about $20/month and Premium at about $350/month, but your actual price depends on your contact band. Standard caps sends at 6,000 emails a month and Premium at 150,000. Overages apply if you exceed contact or send limits. On the Free plan, sending is paused instead. For Kit, check current pricing at kit.com/pricing. Enter your actual subscriber count and compare the monthly total with Mailchimp's figure for the same list. Also note what is gated by plan: automations, testing, support and migration help.
Where Mailchimp is strong for small stores
Mailchimp lists integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Stripe, Wix and Squarespace, among 300+ in total. If your store runs on one of those, you can check whether the connection covers what you need. It also offers Zapier and Canva integrations, plus SMS and transactional email options, which you may want as the store grows. You can start on the Free plan (under 250 contacts), try Standard free for 14 days, and downgrade to Essentials or Free later. That lowers the risk of testing it with a real list.
Where Mailchimp is strong for creators
Standard includes generative AI features, customizable popup forms, enhanced automations, custom-coded templates and audience growth insights. Premium adds multivariate and A/B testing, predictive segmentation and phone and priority support. That helps once you're running sequences and want to test subject lines and offers. The catch is that the more advanced tools sit in Premium, which is shown starting around $350/month. A small creator will probably stay on Standard or lower.
How to evaluate Kit fairly
Kit's plan limits, feature gating and trial terms can change, so check current pricing before deciding. Compare it with Mailchimp on a short list: price at your list size, free plan or trial availability, automation and segmentation tools, how you sell (digital products, subscriptions, physical goods), integrations with your store or site, and support. Run a small real campaign or automation in each tool before migrating. That tells you more than a feature checklist.
Pick Mailchimp if…
- You want a free plan (under 250 contacts) and a 14-day Standard trial to test before paying.
- Your store runs on Shopify, WooCommerce, Square, Wix or Squarespace and you want a listed integration.
- You want a clear upgrade path to A/B testing, predictive segmentation and phone support on Premium.
- You have 10,000+ contacts and want the 15% first-year discount (see offer terms).
- You might need SMS or transactional email alongside marketing email.
Pick Kit if…
- Kit's current pricing at your list size comes in lower than Mailchimp's, once you confirm what each plan includes.
- Kit's current plans include the automation, segmentation and selling tools your creator business needs. Check its pricing page.
- Your testing shows Kit's workflow suits how you publish, sell and email your audience.
- Kit connects to the tools you already use. Check its integrations list.
FAQ
Does Mailchimp have a free plan?
Yes. Mailchimp's pricing page says that under 250 contacts it's free. If you exceed the contact or send limit on the Free plan, sending is paused.
How many emails can I send on Mailchimp's paid plans?
Standard allows up to 6,000 emails per month and Premium up to 150,000. Overages apply if you exceed contact or send limits, so check current pricing and terms.
Is there a Mailchimp free trial?
Yes, Standard has a 14-day free trial. You can cancel or downgrade to Essentials or Free at any time.
Which Mailchimp plan includes A/B testing?
Multivariate and A/B testing are listed under Premium. Premium also includes predictive segmentation, phone and priority support.
Prices and features change — always confirm on each vendor's site.