Mailchimp to Brevo: The Pay-Per-Send Alternative

Why People Switch from Mailchimp to Brevo

Mailchimp's contact-based pricing punishes list growth.Mailchimp Standard starts at $20/mo for 500 contacts. At 5,000 contacts, it jumps to roughly $75/mo. At 25,000 contacts, you're looking at $230+/mo. Every subscriber you add increases your bill, even unengaged ones you rarely email.

Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts stored. Brevo Free stores up to 100,000 contacts at no cost. You only pay when you send emails. Brevo Starter at $9/mo gives you 5,000 emails/month regardless of how many contacts you have. If you email a 10,000-person list twice a month (20,000 emails), Brevo Standard at $18/mo covers it.

The Mailchimp free tier has shrunk.Mailchimp Free now caps at 250 contacts and 500 sends/month with limited automations. Brevo Free gives you 100,000 contacts and 300 emails/day (roughly 9,000/month). For growing businesses, Brevo's free plan is dramatically more generous.

Multi-channel in one platform. Brevo includes email, SMS marketing, WhatsApp campaigns, and a basic CRM on all plans. Mailchimp focuses on email with limited SMS (separate Mailchimp SMS pricing). For businesses that want email + SMS, Brevo consolidates both.

What You Gain Moving to Brevo

Unlimited contacts on every plan. Store as many contacts as you want (up to 100,000 on Free, unlimited on paid plans). Never pay extra just because your list is growing. This is the fundamental pricing advantage.

Built-in SMS and WhatsApp. Send SMS campaigns and WhatsApp messages from the same platform you use for email. No separate tool needed. Useful for e-commerce, appointment reminders, and time-sensitive promotions.

Included CRM.Brevo bundles a basic CRM (contact management, deals, tasks) at no extra cost. It won't replace Pipedrive or HubSpot, but for small businesses managing contacts and deals alongside email campaigns, it's a useful bonus.

Transactional email included.Brevo handles both marketing and transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets) on the same platform with a shared API. Mailchimp's transactional email (Mandrill) is a separate add-on.

What You Lose Leaving Mailchimp

Template library and email editor polish.Mailchimp's email editor is one of the best in the market. The template library is extensive, the drag-and-drop builder is intuitive, and the design options are broad. Brevo's editor is functional but less polished.

Social media posting.Mailchimp includes social media scheduling and posting on Standard ($20/mo) and above. Brevo doesn't include social media management.

E-commerce integration depth.Mailchimp's Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce integrations offer product recommendations, abandoned cart emails, and purchase-based segmentation. Brevo has e-commerce integrations but they're less mature.

Content optimizer and creative tools. Mailchimp offers a content optimizer that scores your email content, plus integration with Canva for design. Brevo focuses on sending functionality over creative tools.

Brand recognition. Mailchimp is the most recognized email marketing brand. Some businesses prefer the credibility and ecosystem familiarity. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is less well-known.

Cost Comparison at Different Contact Levels

Monthly billing rates, verified March 2026. Mailchimp prices scale with contacts; Brevo prices scale with email volume.

Price source: Mailchimp Standard base is $20/mo for 500 contacts, scaling with contact count. Brevo Standard is $18/mo for 5,000 emails/mo, scaling with email volume. Brevo Starter is $9/mo for 5,000 emails/mo without automation.

When Brevo is NOT cheaper:If you have a small list (under 2,500 contacts) and send frequently, Mailchimp Essentials ($13/mo for 500 contacts) can be competitive. Also, if you email your entire list daily, the email volume with Brevo adds up. Brevo's advantage is strongest with large lists and moderate send frequency.

Who Should NOT Switch to Brevo

E-commerce businesses relying on Mailchimp integrations.If you use Mailchimp's deep Shopify integration for product recommendations, abandoned cart flows, and purchase-based segments, verify Brevo's e-commerce integrations match your needs before switching.

Teams that love Mailchimp's email editor.If your marketing team produces visually rich emails and relies on Mailchimp's template library and design tools, Brevo's editor may feel like a downgrade. Test it before committing.

Small lists with high send frequency.If you have 1,000 contacts and email them daily, you're sending 30,000 emails/month. Mailchimp Essentials for 1,000 contacts is around $27/mo. Brevo Standard for 20,000 emails/mo is $18/mo, but you'd need more volume. The savings are minimal on small lists.

Teams needing social media management.If you use Mailchimp for both email and social posting, you'll need a separate social media tool (Buffer, Hootsuite) after switching to Brevo, adding to your total cost.