Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign

A detailed comparison of Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign — features, pricing, pros & cons, and which one is right for you.

Last updated: April 12, 2026
MonthlyAnnual
Mailchimp

Mailchimp

4.2(8,765 reviews)
Free tierFrom $13/mo
ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign

4.5(3,456 reviews)
From $29/mo

Pricing Comparison

PlanMailchimpActiveCampaign
FreeFree$29/mo
Essentials$13/mo$49/mo
Standard$20/mo$149/mo
Premium$350/moCustom

Feature Comparison

FeatureMailchimpActiveCampaign
A/B testing
API access
Analytics
Commerce/payments
Free tier
Landing pages
Segmentation
Templates
Visual automations

Pros & Cons

Mailchimp

Mailchimp

Pros

  • Huge brand recognition
  • Generous free plan
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • No affiliate program
  • Gets expensive
  • Complex pricing
ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign

Pros

  • Best-in-class automations
  • Built-in CRM
  • ML features
  • 900+ integrations

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Gets expensive
  • Complex interface

The Verdict

Overall Winner: Mailchimp

Mailchimp edges ahead with a 4.2 rating and stronger feature set, though ActiveCampaign remains a solid alternative, especially with its free tier.

Best Value

Mailchimp

From $13/mo

Most Features

Mailchimp

9 features

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Thinking of switching?

Read our step-by-step migration guide to switch from Mailchimp to ActiveCampaign (or vice versa) without losing data.

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