Email marketing software is essential for any business that wants to communicate effectively with its customers. These tools simplify the process of crafting and sending emails to subscribers, ultimately helping to drive business growth. Without such software, you would have to manually enter the email addresses of hundreds of subscribers each time you want to send an email, which is inefficient.
There are many email marketing tools available, with two of the most popular being MailChimp and ActiveCampaign. MailChimp is the leading email marketing platform worldwide, boasting over 13 million customers. ActiveCampaign serves as a strong competitor to MailChimp, although it is not as widely used.
We want to see how MailChimp and ActiveCampaign weigh against each other. We’ll compare them based on critical factors like features, pricing, and customer support. You can also see our previous MailChimp review and ActiveCampaign review for more information.
Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: features
Mailchimp is a web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. There’s a free version with essential features and premium tiers that unlock more advanced features. MailChimp lets you send emails to hundreds to thousands or millions of subscribers at the click of a button. After signing up, you can import an existing subscriber list or build a new one. If you’re importing the list, ensure they contain addresses you have obtained explicit consent from to send emails – otherwise, it constitutes spam, and MailChimp can block you.
If you want to build a new email list, MailChimp can help you do that. For instance, you can use a form builder for subscriptions and embed them on your website or social media pages. Any address on the form will automatically be added to your email list. Afterward, you can deliver emails to all your subscribers at the click of a button.
ActiveCampaign functions similarly to MailChimp, importing an existing subscriber list or creating a new one using embedded forms. Once your list is set up, you can easily send email campaigns to all your subscribers or specific segments with just a click of a button.
ActiveCampaign and MailChimp offer visually appealing email templates that help you design effective emails. Additionally, you can use a drag-and-drop builder to create your own templates from scratch.
One of the standout features of ActiveCampaign is its advanced marketing automation capabilities, which MailChimp does not offer. For instance, ActiveCampaign allows you to send SMS and web messages in addition to email campaigns. While MailChimp can achieve similar functionality through integrated third-party apps, it does not provide these features directly like ActiveCampaign.
Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: performance
MailChimp provides powerful tools for sending and managing email campaigns. For instance, you can generate detailed reports on the success of your campaigns, enabling you to identify areas for improvement and aspects of your strategy to maintain. You can also target your email messages based on subscribers' behavior on your website, such as the items they frequently purchase if you run an online store.
While MailChimp is primarily a web-based tool, it does offer mobile apps for iOS and Android. These apps allow you to manage your email campaigns on the go, although they do not include the complete range of features available on MailChimp’s web interface.
ActiveCampaign boasts many advanced features but is designed to be easy to navigate. Notably, ActiveCampaign offers one of the best drag-and-drop tools for designing emails from scratch. The app also integrates with numerous third-party tools, such as Salesforce and Facebook, providing additional functionality.
However, in terms of performance and usability, MailChimp is the superior tool. It features a more user-friendly interface and is optimized for faster performance than ActiveCampaign.
Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: support
MailChimp provides direct support through email, live chat, and telephone, with the options available depending on the plan you choose. Two of the three premium pricing tiers include email and live chat support, while only the highest tier offers phone support. Fortunately, free users receive email support for the first 30 days of their use.
Additionally, MailChimp has an official help center where users can access a comprehensive array of tutorials and user guides covering all the platform’s features. There is also an official marketplace where you can hire vetted MailChimp experts to assist your brand.
ActiveCampaign also offers support via email, live chat, and telephone. Every paying subscriber can access support through all channels, unlike MailChimp. However, ActiveCampaign does not provide direct support to free users.
Free users can still access the ActiveCampaign support center for valuable resources, such as user guides and tutorials. There is also an official community forum where you can interact with other ActiveCampaign users and seek help when needed.
Overall, MailChimp and ActiveCampaign offer similar types of support, so we consider them equal in this category.
Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: pricing
Mailchimp offers a variety of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets. As of February 2025, their options include a Free plan, which is ideal for beginners and small businesses with basic email marketing needs, allowing users to send up to 1,000 emails per month to a maximum of 500 contacts. However, this plan includes Mailchimp branding on emails and has limited features. For small businesses looking for more advanced functionality, the Essentials plan starts at $13 per month and includes features like A/B testing, custom branding, and 24/7 support for 500 contacts and 5,000 monthly email sends.
The Standard plan, suitable for growing businesses, starts at $20 per month and provides marketing automation and enhanced analytics, including behavioral targeting and custom templates, allowing for 500 contacts and 6,000 monthly email sends. The Premium plan, tailored for large businesses, starts at $350 per month and offers comprehensive marketing tools, including advanced segmentation and priority support for 10,000 contacts and 150,000 monthly email sends.
In addition to email marketing plans, Mailchimp also provides website and e-commerce plans with varying features and pricing. The Free plan allows for the creation of a basic website with limited features, while the Core plan, starting at $10 per month, offers more advanced website functionalities, including custom domains and e-commerce capabilities. For businesses needing to send transactional emails, such as order confirmations and password resets, Mailchimp has a separate service available at a pay-as-you-go pricing model, costing $20 per month for 25,000 emails.
ActiveCampaign provides a comprehensive tiered pricing structure tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses, whether they are just starting or have well-established operations. Their plans include the Starter, Plus, Professional, and Enterprise tiers, each designed to offer progressively richer features and capabilities.
The Starter plan ($15 per month) is specifically designed for small businesses and individuals new to email marketing and basic automation. It includes essential features that allow users to create effective email campaigns and streamline their outreach efforts using automation tools.
Moving up, the Plus plan ($49 per month) introduces a range of advanced functionalities such as customizable landing pages, deeper segmentation capabilities, and an enhanced reporting dashboard. This plan is ideal for growing businesses that aim to refine their marketing strategies with more sophisticated tools, helping them target their messaging more effectively.
The Professional plan ($79 per month) is geared towards businesses with complex marketing needs that require robust automation and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) functionalities. This tier includes advanced features such as conditional content, which personalizes the user’s experience based on their behaviors or preferences, and detailed analytics and reporting tools that provide actionable insights into campaign performance.
At the top of the hierarchy, the Enterprise plan (starting at $145 per month) is tailored for large organizations with intricate and scalable requirements. This plan offers custom reporting options, dedicated account support, and higher sending limits to accommodate substantial contact databases. It also provides features that ensure regulatory compliance and facilitate advanced user management to cater to larger teams.
Pricing for each plan is primarily dictated by the number of contacts in your database, making it scalable as your business grows. As your contact list expands, costs will increase, aligning with the added value of expanded features and capabilities.
Additionally, ActiveCampaign enhances its offerings with various add-ons and integrations, allowing businesses to customize and extend the platform’s functionality further. These integrations can connect with CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and other marketing tools, ensuring users can tailor the platform to their specific workflows and marketing ecosystems. This flexibility makes ActiveCampaign a compelling choice for businesses seeking to optimize email marketing and automation efforts.
Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: verdict
MailChimp and ActiveCampaign are both highly regarded email marketing platforms, each bringing a unique set of features to the table that can help businesses effectively manage their email campaigns. When comparing the two, it's clear that they excel in different areas.
MailChimp stands out for its exceptional performance and user-friendly interface. It provides a robust suite of tools that simplify the process of designing and launching campaigns, making it an ideal choice for small brands that have anywhere from dozens to a few thousand subscribers. Its intuitive drag-and-drop email builder, along with a wide range of templates, allows users to create visually appealing emails without needing extensive design skills. Additionally, MailChimp’s advanced analytics and reporting features enable users to track engagement metrics effectively, ensuring that campaigns can be optimized for better results.
On the other hand, ActiveCampaign is known for its affordability and powerful automation capabilities. It offers a more budget-friendly solution for businesses that need to scale, particularly those with larger subscriber lists that may reach into the tens of thousands. ActiveCampaign's advanced segmentation and automation features allow users to create more personalized and targeted campaigns, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
In summary, while MailChimp is often seen as the better option for smaller brands focusing on usability and design, ActiveCampaign offers greater value for larger organizations looking for comprehensive automation and cost-effectiveness as they grow. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on the specific needs and goals of your business.
