Replace Mailchimp with beehiiv + Tally (Save $200+/Year)
Mailchimp Standard costs $20/mo for just 500 contacts — and prices climb steeply from there. If you're running a newsletter and using Mailchimp's forms for signups, beehiiv gives you a better newsletter platform for free (up to 2,500 subscribers) and Tally gives you unlimited forms for free. Here's how to make the switch.
The Math
Mailchimp Standard: $20/mo ($240/yr) for 500 contacts, 6,000 sends/mo.
Replacement: beehiiv Launch $0/mo (2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends) + Tally Free $0/mo (unlimited forms, unlimited submissions).
Savings: $240/yr at 500 contacts. At 2,500 contacts, Mailchimp Standard jumps to ~$39/mo ($468/yr) while beehiiv remains free — saving you $468/yr.
Exact Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Plan | Monthly Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | Standard | $20/mo | 500 contacts, 6,000 sends/mo, advanced automations |
| beehiiv | Launch (Free) | $0/mo | 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, website, custom domain |
| Tally | Free | $0/mo | Unlimited forms, unlimited submissions, conditional logic |
What You Gain vs. What You Lose
| What You Gain | What You Lose |
|---|---|
| $240–$468/yr in savings (depending on list size) | Mailchimp's e-commerce integrations (Shopify product blocks, abandoned cart) |
| 5x higher subscriber limit on the free tier (2,500 vs 250) | Built-in A/B testing on email subject lines (beehiiv Scale required) |
| Built-in referral program, ad network, and paid subscriptions on beehiiv | Advanced audience segmentation (beehiiv segments are simpler) |
| Tally's unlimited forms vs Mailchimp's basic form builder | All-in-one platform convenience (forms + email in one tool) |
| Newsletter-first features: custom website, SEO, growth tools | Mailchimp's social posting and content studio |
Migration Steps
Step 1: Export Your Mailchimp Subscriber List
Go to Audience → All Contacts → Export Audience. Download the CSV. This includes email addresses, tags, signup dates, and custom fields. Also export your email templates by saving them as HTML from the campaign builder.
Step 2: Set Up beehiiv
Create a free beehiiv account (Launch plan: $0/mo, 2,500 subscribers). Import your subscriber CSV. beehiiv handles deduplication automatically. Set up your custom domain, choose a theme, and configure your newsletter settings. Recreate your welcome email sequence.
Step 3: Set Up Tally for Forms
Create a free Tally account. Build your signup forms using Tally's Notion-like editor — it supports conditional logic, file uploads, and hidden fields, all for free. Connect Tally to beehiiv using Zapier, Make, or Tally's native webhook integration so new form submissions automatically add subscribers to your beehiiv list.
Step 4: Update Your Embed Codes
Replace Mailchimp embed forms on your website with either beehiiv native embeds or Tally form embeds. beehiiv provides embeddable signup forms, or you can embed Tally forms that feed into beehiiv. Update any landing pages that link to Mailchimp signup forms.
Step 5: Send a Test Newsletter and Cancel Mailchimp
Send a test newsletter from beehiiv to confirm deliverability and formatting. Check that Tally form submissions flow into beehiiv correctly. Once confirmed, cancel your Mailchimp plan. Keep your Mailchimp account active (free tier) for 30 days as a backup reference.
Who Should NOT Switch
- E-commerce businesses relying on Mailchimp's Shopify integration. beehiiv does not have native e-commerce integrations for product recommendations, abandoned cart emails, or purchase-triggered automations. If you sell products online, Mailchimp (or ActiveCampaign, or Brevo) is a better fit.
- Teams needing complex multi-branch automations. beehiiv's automation features are simpler than Mailchimp's. If you have 10+ automation workflows with conditional branching, beehiiv won't replicate them. Consider ActiveCampaign instead.
- Businesses that use Mailchimp as a CRM. Some small businesses use Mailchimp's audience management as a lightweight CRM. beehiiv is a newsletter platform, not a CRM. If you track customer interactions and purchase history in Mailchimp, you'll need a separate CRM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beehiiv really free?
Yes. beehiiv Launch is genuinely free: 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, and a website builder. The only limitation is beehiiv branding on your emails. beehiiv Scale ($49/mo) removes branding and adds the ad network, referral program, and advanced analytics.
Why Tally instead of beehiiv's built-in forms?
beehiiv has basic signup forms, but Tally offers conditional logic, multi-page forms, file uploads, calculations, and payment collection — all free. If you need anything beyond a simple email capture form, Tally is more capable.
What happens when I pass 2,500 subscribers on beehiiv?
You'll need to upgrade to beehiiv Scale at $49/mo for unlimited subscribers. Even at $49/mo, you're getting a better newsletter platform than Mailchimp Standard — and Mailchimp at 2,500 contacts costs roughly $39/mo with fewer newsletter-specific features.
Can I monetize my newsletter on beehiiv?
Yes. beehiiv has a built-in ad network (you earn revenue from sponsors), paid subscriptions (readers pay you directly via Stripe), and a referral program (readers earn rewards for sharing). None of these exist in Mailchimp at any price tier.
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