Side-by-Side Pricing
Mailchimp and Kit have different pricing models. Mailchimp charges by contacts and limits sends. Kit charges by subscriber count with unlimited sends on all paid plans.
| Plan | Mailchimp | Kit (ConvertKit) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 — 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo, limited automations | $0 (Newsletter) — 10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends, limited automations |
| Entry paid | Essentials $13/mo — 500 contacts, 5,000 sends/mo | Creator $39/mo — 1,000 subscribers, automations, integrations |
| Mid tier | Standard $20/mo — 500 contacts, 6,000 sends/mo, advanced automations | Creator Pro $79/mo — 1,000 subscribers, advanced reporting, subscriber scoring |
| Top tier | Premium $350/mo — 10,000 contacts, 150,000 sends/mo, phone support | Creator Pro at higher subscriber tiers (price scales with list size) |
Kit's free tier allows 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends — far more generous than Mailchimp's 250 contacts. But Kit Free lacks automations and integrations.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Email editor | Drag-and-drop, templates, rich HTML | Clean, text-first, minimal templates |
| Visual automation | Customer Journey Builder (complex) | Visual automation builder (simpler) |
| Landing pages | Yes — full builder with templates | Yes — simpler, conversion-focused |
| Commerce / digital products | Product recommendations for e-commerce | Built-in commerce for digital products |
| Subscriber model | Contact-based (unsubscribes count toward limit) | Subscriber-centric (one profile across forms) |
| A/B testing | Subject lines, content, send times | Subject lines only |
| E-commerce integrations | Shopify, WooCommerce, Square (deep) | Shopify, WooCommerce (basic via Zapier) |
| Sponsor network | No | Yes — Kit Sponsor Network for creators |
Decision Framework
Choose Mailchimp if:
- ✓You run an e-commerce store with Shopify or WooCommerce
- ✓You need rich HTML email templates
- ✓You want social posting and ads in one tool
- ✓You need postcards and print marketing
- ✓Your list is under 500 and you want free
Choose Kit if:
- ✓You're a creator selling courses, ebooks, or memberships
- ✓You want simple, text-focused emails that feel personal
- ✓You have up to 10,000 subscribers and want free
- ✓You want to sell digital products without a separate tool
- ✓You value a subscriber-centric model over contact lists
What Mailchimp Does Better
E-commerce.Deep Shopify and WooCommerce integrations let Mailchimp pull product data, trigger abandoned cart emails, recommend products based on purchase history, and segment by buying behavior. Kit's e-commerce integrations are surface-level via Zapier.
Template variety.Hundreds of pre-built, visually rich email templates. Kit intentionally keeps emails plain-text-looking because that's what converts for creators — but businesses sending promotional emails with images and layouts need Mailchimp.
All-in-one marketing. Social posting, postcards, ads manager, landing pages, and website builder beyond just email. Kit stays laser-focused on email and digital products.
What Kit Does Better
Creator economics.Kit's built-in commerce lets you sell digital products and memberships with Stripe. No separate storefront needed. The Sponsor Network connects you with brands for newsletter sponsorships. Mailchimp has no equivalent revenue features.
Free tier generosity. Kit Newsletter free tier allows 10,000 subscribers with unlimited sends. Mailchimp free limits you to 250 contacts and 500 sends/mo. For creators building an audience, Kit free is dramatically more useful.
Subscriber management.Kit uses a subscriber-centric model — one person exists once in your account regardless of how many forms they filled out. Mailchimp uses audiences (lists), and the same person on two audiences counts as two contacts against your billing limit.
Annual Cost at Three Subscriber Counts
| Subscribers | Mailchimp (Standard) | Kit (Creator) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $240/yr ($20/mo) | $468/yr ($39/mo) |
| 5,000 | ~$828/yr ($69/mo) | ~$828/yr ($69/mo) |
| 25,000 | ~$3,960/yr ($330/mo) | ~$2,628/yr ($219/mo) |
Mailchimp is cheaper at small list sizes but scales steeply. Kit becomes more cost-effective above ~5,000 subscribers. Mailchimp also counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your billing limit.
Migration Between the Two
Mailchimp to Kit
Effort: Low to medium (1–3 hours for most lists). What transfers: Subscribers via CSV, tags, custom fields. What breaks: Automation workflows (must be rebuilt), email templates (Kit uses a different editor), e-commerce integrations, and audience segments based on Mailchimp-specific data points.
Kit to Mailchimp
Effort: Low (1–2 hours). What transfers: Subscribers via CSV, tags. What breaks: Visual automations, sequences, commerce products, landing pages, and subscriber scoring data. Note that Mailchimp will count every imported contact against your billing limit.
Common Mistakes When Choosing
Choosing Mailchimp because it's the “default”
Mailchimp has the biggest brand name, but creators paying $20/mo for 500 contacts could have 10,000 subscribers on Kit for free. Mailchimp's strengths are e-commerce and all-in-one marketing — not creator email.
Ignoring Mailchimp's contact counting
Mailchimp counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your tier. If you have 500 active subscribers but 800 total contacts, you're paying for 800. Kit only counts active subscribers.
Thinking Kit is too “simple”
Kit's plain-text email style is intentional, not a limitation. For creators, personal-feeling emails consistently outperform designed templates. Kit's visual automation builder is powerful enough for most creator workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kit still called ConvertKit?
Kit rebranded from ConvertKit in 2024. The product is the same. Old ConvertKit links redirect to kit.com. The domain kit.com is now the primary URL.
Which has better deliverability?
Both have solid deliverability. Kit historically has a slight edge because its users send fewer promotional emails and more text-based content, which spam filters prefer. Mailchimp's massive user base means more variance in deliverability quality.
Can I sell products on Mailchimp?
Mailchimp integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Square for physical/digital product sales but doesn't host products natively. Kit lets you create and sell digital products directly within the platform with Stripe payments.
What about beehiiv as an alternative to both?
beehiiv is newsletter-first with a free tier up to 2,500 subscribers, built-in ad network, and referral tools. It's a strong alternative for newsletter businesses but lacks Kit's digital product commerce and Mailchimp's e-commerce depth.
Which free tier is better?
Kit Newsletter free (10,000 subscribers, unlimited sends) is far more generous than Mailchimp free (250 contacts, 500 sends/mo). But Kit free lacks automations and integrations. For audience building, Kit wins. For basic email marketing with automation, neither free tier is ideal.
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