Brevo vs Mailchimp: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Two email marketing tools, compared feature by feature — pricing, ratings, strengths, and the use case each one wins.
The Short Answer
Brevo bundles what Mailchimp charges extra for or does not offer: SMS and WhatsApp are included rather than an add-on, and it has a built-in CRM with contact scoring and dedicated deliverability tools. It also prices by emails sent rather than contacts stored, which favours large lists that mail infrequently, and its free plan allows 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts. Mailchimp scores higher (88 against 85) and is more mature. Brevo's own listed drawbacks are slow customer support and paying extra to remove its branding.
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Entry Score | 93/100 | 98/100 |
| Starting Price | $9/mo (from $8.08/mo billed annually) | Free / $13/mo |
| Free Tier | ||
| Best For Stage | early-traction, growing | early-traction, growing |
| Primary use | Email + SMS + CRM | General email marketing |
| SMS / multichannel | Add-on | |
| Landing pages & forms | — | |
| Paid subscriptions | — | — |
| Built-in CRM | — | |
| Deliverability tools | — |
Brevo
Pros
- Free plan is genuinely usable: 300 emails/day with unlimited contacts, drag-and-drop editor, and templates
- Pricing scales by emails sent rather than contacts stored, which is cheaper for large-but-low-frequency lists
- True all-in-one: email, SMS, WhatsApp, marketing automation, forms, landing pages, and a built-in CRM
- Starter paid plan is cheap at $9/mo and removes the daily send cap
- AI features included (content generator, send-time optimization, plus AI segmentation and Data Analyst on higher tiers)
Cons
- Customer support draws frequent complaints (slow replies, canned responses) on lower tiers
- Removing the 'Sent with Brevo' branding costs an extra $9/mo on the Starter plan
- Account suspensions/deliverability reviews are a recurring pain point for some users
- Large jump between Standard ($18) and Professional ($499) tiers
- SMS credits are sold separately, not included in plan price
- Templates and advanced automation can feel limited or require a learning curve
Mailchimp
Pros
- Mature, feature-rich all-in-one platform
- Generative AI content and design tools
- Free plan to get started
- A/B testing, scheduling and custom reports
Cons
- Pricing escalates sharply at higher tiers
- Free and entry plans have tight send and seat limits
- Can feel complex for simple needs
- SMS only via paid add-on
What Users Say
Brevo
“Brevo helps us send emails to customers, and has a fantastic editor for creating automations.”
— Lior Grossman (@liorgrossman) · Product Hunt source
Mailchimp
“Super clean interface, tons of ready-to-use templates, and the automation flows are a lifesaver...looks professional when it lands in the inbox.”
— Faisal Karkoh (@faisalkarkoh) · Product Hunt source
Compare on this site: Brevo · Mailchimp · Email Marketing