The Best Mailchimp Alternatives in 2026
- Admin
- Feb 1
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
Mailchimp used to be the default choice for email marketing. If you needed to send emails, you used Mailchimp. That was true for years, and for a while, it made sense.
It doesn't anymore.
Over the past few years, Mailchimp has raised its prices, removed features from lower-tier plans, and made the interface more complicated, not less. A lot of businesses that signed up years ago are now looking around and realizing they're paying more than they need to for a tool that's gotten harder to use.
The good news: the alternatives have gotten significantly better. The three tools below do everything Mailchimp does, and in most cases, do it better, at a fraction of the cost. If you're thinking about switching, this is where to start.
Why People Are Leaving Mailchimp
It's not one thing. It's a pattern. Mailchimp moved its automation features to paid-only plans, increased prices across the board, and started counting unsubscribed contacts toward your billing limit, meaning you're paying for contacts who will never engage again. The interface, which used to be one of the tool's strengths, has gotten cluttered and inconsistent.
None of that is a dealbreaker on its own. But together, it adds up to a tool that no longer feels like the obvious choice. Especially when the alternatives are this good.
Quick Comparison
MailerLite | ActiveCampaign | HubSpot | |
Free plan | Yes, up to 500 contacts | No | Yes, includes CRM |
Paid plans start at | $10/month | $15/month | $20/month |
Automation | Strong | Best in class | Strong |
CRM included | No | No | Yes |
Best for | Simple, clean email marketing | Complex automation workflows | Email + CRM in one place |
1. MailerLite: The Cleanest Interface, The Best Free Plan
MailerLite is the most straightforward swap if you're coming from Mailchimp. The interface is clean, the setup is fast, and the free plan is genuinely useful, not a stripped-down teaser designed to push you toward paid.
The automation builder is visual and intuitive. You drag and drop steps, set conditions, and the sequences run on their own. For most businesses running standard email campaigns, welcome flows, nurture sequences, promotional sends, MailerLite does everything you need without any bloat.
Deliverability is strong. MailerLite consistently ranks among the top performers in deliverability tests, which means your emails actually land in inboxes. That's the one thing that matters most, and MailerLite gets it right.
The free plan covers up to 500 contacts with automation, landing pages, and a website builder included. When you're ready to grow, paid plans start at $10/month, and they stay affordable as your list scales.
Best for: Businesses that want a clean, no-nonsense email tool without paying for features they don't use. If Mailchimp feels bloated and overpriced, MailerLite is the most direct alternative. |
2. ActiveCampaign: The Best Automation
If automation is the reason you're looking at alternatives, ActiveCampaign is the clear winner. The automation builder is the most powerful in the space, and it's visual, so you don't need to be technical to use it.
You can build workflows that branch based on email behavior, site activity, deal stage, or custom attributes. Multiple triggers per automation. Conditional logic that responds in real time. Lead scoring that tracks engagement across email and your website and surfaces the contacts most likely to convert. Mailchimp's automation doesn't come close.
ActiveCampaign also does segmentation well. You can split your list by any combination of attributes and behavior, and send each segment something relevant. Generic blasts go away. Every message feels targeted.
There's no free plan, but paid plans start at $15/month, and at that price, you're getting automation depth that most tools charge $100+/month for.
Best for: Businesses that need serious automation: multi-step sequences, behavioral triggers, lead scoring. If you're outgrowing Mailchimp's automation capabilities, ActiveCampaign is the upgrade. |
3. HubSpot: Email Marketing and CRM in One Place
HubSpot is the pick if you need more than just email. It combines a full CRM, email marketing, and automation in one platform. No separate tools to manage, no syncing contacts between apps. Everything is connected from the start.
The CRM tracks every contact automatically: where they came from, what they've done, where they are in your pipeline. Email campaigns and automation sequences trigger off that same data. Someone fills out a form, they enter your CRM and start a nurture flow at the same time. No manual steps.
The free plan is the most generous in the space. You get a real CRM, basic email marketing, and simple automation, all for $0. It's not a demo. It's a fully functional tool you can use from day one.
For businesses that are currently using Mailchimp for email and a separate tool for CRM, HubSpot is the most logical consolidation. One platform. One place for all your marketing and sales data. And it scales. Paid plans add more automation, reporting, and team features as you grow.
Best for: Businesses that need a CRM alongside their email marketing, or that want to consolidate multiple tools into one platform. If you're paying for Mailchimp and a CRM separately, HubSpot is worth a hard look. |
The Bottom Line
Mailchimp was the default for a long time. It doesn't have to be anymore.
MailerLite is the best swap if you want something clean and affordable. ActiveCampaign is the best swap if automation is the priority. HubSpot is the best swap if you want email and CRM in one place.
All three are cheaper than Mailchimp. All three are easier to use. All three have free plans or trials so you can test before you commit. There's no reason to stay on a platform that's gotten worse when the alternatives have gotten this good.
Disclosure: Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide participates in affiliate programs and may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps us keep this site free.
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