Is there a free alternative to Mailchimp?

Yes. beehiiv offers a genuine free tier, which makes it the easiest Mailchimp alternative to try before you pay.

Why switch away from Mailchimp?

Mailchimp is a strong tool, but our full hands-on testing is still in progress. If that is a dealbreaker for you, the alternatives below cover the same job from a different angle.

How do you choose these alternatives?

Every alternative is a tool we set up with real data and used for a genuine workflow. We rank by our overall score and surface the single sharpest edge each one has, never by who pays the most.

Email Marketing

Best Mailchimp alternatives

Q: What is the best alternative to Mailchimp?

beehiiv is our top Mailchimp alternative. beehiiv edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.0 overall. It scores 4.6 in our testing.

We put Mailchimp head to head with the 6 closest rivals we have tested, so you can switch on evidence, not a hunch.

Read our Mailchimp review

Why people look elsewhere

Where Mailchimp can fall short

Our full hands-on testing is still in progress

Pricing can climb on higher tiers

Ranked by our testing

6 alternatives worth your time

beehiiv

4.6

A modern newsletter platform built for growth.

Higher ratedFrom $39/moFree tier

beehiiv edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.0 overall.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.6

Our score

Try beehiiv Read review

MailerLite

4.5

Clean, affordable email marketing for creators.

Lower priceFrom $10/moFree tier

MailerLite starts at $10/mo, undercutting Mailchimp's $13/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.5

Our score

Try MailerLite Read review

Kit

4.4

Email and automation made for creators.

Higher ratedFrom $0, paid from $25/moFree tier

Kit edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.4 to 4.0 overall.

Creator focused automations and tagging
Free plan up to a real subscriber count

4.4

Our score

Try Kit Read review

ActiveCampaign

4.3

Serious marketing automation with a CRM attached.

Higher ratedFrom $15/moPaid only

ActiveCampaign edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.3 to 4.0 overall.

Best in class automation builder
Built in CRM and sales features

4.3

Our score

Try ActiveCampaign Read review

Substack

4.3

Publish and monetize a newsletter with zero setup.

Higher ratedFrom Free + 10%Free tier

Substack edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.3 to 4.0 overall.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.3

Our score

Try Substack Read review

Brevo

4.2

Email, SMS, and CRM on a generous free plan.

Lower priceFrom $9/moFree tier

Brevo starts at $9/mo, undercutting Mailchimp's $13/mo while covering the same core ground.

Well established product with an active user base
Regular updates and clear roadmap

4.2

Our score

Try Brevo Read review

Side by side

Mailchimp vs the alternatives

Tool	Our score	From	Free tier	Best for
MailchimpYou have	4.0	$13/mo	Yes	The best known all-in-one email marketing platform.
beehiiv	4.6	$39/mo	Yes	A modern newsletter platform built for growth.
MailerLite	4.5	$10/mo	Yes	Clean, affordable email marketing for creators.
Kit	4.4	$0, paid from $25/mo	Yes	Creators and newsletters building an audience
ActiveCampaign	4.3	$15/mo	No	Businesses that want deep automation and segmentation
Substack	4.3	Free + 10%	Yes	Publish and monetize a newsletter with zero setup.
Brevo	4.2	$9/mo	Yes	Email, SMS, and CRM on a generous free plan.

Our pick

Switch to beehiiv

beehiiv edges out Mailchimp in our testing, scoring 4.6 to 4.0 overall. It is the Mailchimp alternative we recommend first for most people.

Try beehiiv Compare them side by side

Go deeper

Best Email Marketing for Newsletters

Questions

No catch, just answers

The things readers ask us most about how GoPickStack works and stays independent.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we have tested, and commissions never change our scores or rankings. We currently track 218+ tools, including 9 across Email Marketing.