Brevo vs Mailchimp: The Ultimate Email Marketing Platform Comparison (2025)

We’ve tried both. And, honestly, we ran into the same question you’re probably asking now — should I stick with the familiar name or switch to something more flexible?

So, here’s the thing. Mailchimp is great when you’re just getting started. But once we needed automation, CRM, and more control? We felt stuck.

Brevo felt like a breath of fresh air. It gave us more room to grow, and we didn’t have to pay extra just to add contacts or build real automations. That made a big difference.

If you’re torn between the two, don’t worry. We’re breaking down everything — features, pricing, what surprised us, and what made us switch. Let’s dive in.

Wondering which tool is right for you?

Both Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Mailchimp are email marketing powerhouses with their own loyal followings. Mailchimp is often the first choice for beginners due to its ease of use and wide name recognition. But once you start growing? Many marketers hit a ceiling.

That’s where Brevo comes in — it offers unlimited contact storage (yes, even on the free plan!), advanced automation, built-in CRM, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns, and full transactional email support — all under one roof. If you’re looking for a tool to scale with your business, Brevo might be your new best friend.

Who is Brevo?

Brevo is an all-in-one sales and marketing platform designed to help businesses connect with customers across channels, automate marketing workflows, and manage customer relationships in one place. Founded in 2012 as Sendinblue and rebranded as Brevo in 2023, it serves over 500,000 businesses worldwide.

Brevo shines in its omnichannel capabilities — combining email, SMS, WhatsApp, web push notifications, and chat — all without juggling multiple tools or subscriptions. With unlimited contacts (even on the free plan), deep automation, and real-time customer engagement features, it’s a smart pick for businesses that are serious about long-term growth.

Who is Mailchimp?

Mailchimp launched in 2001 and quickly became the go-to tool for email marketing beginners. Known for its friendly UI, generous free tier (limited to 500 contacts), and wide library of email templates, it’s often the first stop for small businesses dipping their toes into email campaigns.

That said, Mailchimp has gradually shifted toward a more closed ecosystem, with core features like automations, templates, and segmentation hidden behind paywalls. For businesses looking to scale, this means jumping from plan to plan — or switching platforms entirely when the pricing no longer adds up.

How do Brevo and Mailchimp compare?

Let’s break it down by core features to help you decide where to invest your marketing efforts — and budget.

Feature	Brevo	Mailchimp
Email automation	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Robust workflows + SMS	⭐⭐ Basic automation only on paid plans
CRM	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Included, even on free plan	⭐ Basic audience manager
Free plan	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Unlimited contacts	⭐ 500 contacts + 1,000 emails
Deliverability	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Transactional email included	⭐⭐ Marketing-only deliverability
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Easy, clean interface	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very beginner-friendly
Integrations	⭐⭐⭐ 100+ integrations	⭐⭐⭐⭐ 250+ integrations
SMS/WhatsApp	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Built-in	❌ Not available
AI tools	⭐⭐⭐ Content + send-time suggestions	⭐ Subject line recommendations

Automation: advanced tools vs limited triggers

Let’s be blunt — if automation is even slightly important to your marketing, Brevo wins hands down.

Brevo offers a powerful visual workflow builder that allows you to create multi-step automations triggered by things like:

Email opens and link clicks
Form submissions
Website behavior
Purchase history
SMS and WhatsApp interactions
Custom event tracking

And yes, SMS, email, CRM tasks, and webhook actions can all live inside the same automation. This is huge for businesses looking to go beyond just “welcome email” sequences.

Mailchimp, on the other hand, limits automation features to paid plans. On the free plan, you won’t have access to the customer journey builder or multi-step workflows. Even on the Standard plan, automation is largely restricted to email-based actions — no SMS, no CRM triggers, and limited behavioral segmentation.

Brevo’s automation flexibility makes it ideal for eCommerce, service businesses, coaches, and SaaS companies who need deep behavior-based workflows.

Contact management and segmentation: unlimited vs restricted

Brevo and Mailchimp both offer contact tagging, audience segmentation, and custom attributes. But the devil’s in the details.

Brevo allows unlimited contacts on all plans — yes, even free. You only pay for the number of emails sent per month.
Mailchimp charges you per contact and per list, meaning duplicate contacts in different lists count twice. This adds up fast.

Brevo also enables:

Dynamic segmentation (e.g., contacts who opened X but didn’t click Y)
Event tracking-based triggers
Score-based segmentation using lead scoring criteria

Mailchimp’s segmentation is fine for smaller lists, but advanced filters and tags only unlock with higher-tier plans. If audience insights matter to you — and they should — Brevo simply gives you more room to grow.

Email design: professional templates with better flexibility

When it comes to email design, both Brevo and Mailchimp offer drag-and-drop builders and modern templates, but Brevo edges out when it comes to flexibility and access.

Brevo includes 40+ responsive templates across all plans — free included. You can start from scratch, import your own HTML, or tweak pre-built templates with full customization.
Mailchimp offers over 100 templates, but many are locked behind higher-tier plans, meaning free users only get a basic selection. If you want advanced layout options, dynamic content, or brand-styling tools, you’ll need to upgrade.

Brevo’s email builder supports:

Dynamic content blocks based on segmentation
Mobile-friendly editing
Custom branding with Brand Library for logos, colors, and fonts
Real-time preview on desktop & mobile

Both platforms are great for creating beautiful emails, but Brevo provides more flexibility for less money — especially if you’re using dynamic segmentation or multichannel campaigns.

Email builder: easy for beginners, powerful for pros

Mailchimp’s email builder is undeniably intuitive. It’s perfect for beginners or those who just want to send simple campaigns quickly. You get:

Drag-and-drop layout
AI-powered subject lines
A/B testing (Standard plan and up)
Limited conditional content options

Brevo, on the other hand, gives you the same user-friendly drag-and-drop system — plus advanced features like:

Conditional blocks (show/hide content based on contact attributes)
Reusable content sections
HTML code editing + WYSIWYG view
Built-in A/B testing with performance analytics
AI-powered content suggestions

With Brevo, you can build emails just as quickly as with Mailchimp — but with way more control and personalization options. It’s beginner-friendly but scales better as your needs evolve.

Landing page builder: one wins by default

Mailchimp includes a landing page builder on all plans — including free. It’s easy to use, has pre-built templates, and works well for basic use cases like lead capture or event sign-ups.

Brevo doesn’t include a native landing page builder unless you’re on the Business plan or higher, which starts at $65/month. If landing pages are essential to your workflow and you want to stay on a lower budget, Mailchimp has the upper hand here.

That said, Brevo makes it easy to embed forms or use integrations with tools like WordPress, Unbounce, or Instapage. So if you’re already using a dedicated page builder, this limitation may not matter.

Reporting: basic analytics vs deep customer insights

Email marketing without data is like flying blind.

Mailchimp provides standard reports:

Open and click-through rates
Bounce and unsubscribe stats
Simple A/B testing results
Campaign comparisons

Brevo goes further. With Brevo, you get:

Real-time campaign tracking
Engagement heatmaps
Geolocation-based reports
Click maps by device
Custom dashboards and reporting widgets
Full attribution tracking across email, SMS, and WhatsApp

Brevo’s analytics dashboard also makes it easier to tie specific emails to revenue, engagement, or form submissions. If you’re running multi-channel campaigns, Brevo is the better choice for tracking the full customer journey.

Forms: one platform gives more control

Both platforms let you build signup forms, but Brevo’s are a bit more flexible and data-friendly.

With Brevo, you can create:

Embedded, pop-up, or full-page forms
Multi-step forms
GDPR-ready consent checkboxes
Forms that automatically tag contacts and trigger workflows
Forms that collect data into your CRM

Mailchimp also offers embedded forms, pop-ups, and basic contact fields. But advanced form behaviors — like tagging, custom styling, and automation triggers — are limited unless you upgrade.

For marketers focused on lead generation, personalization, and CRM automation, Brevo’s form builder is stronger out of the box.

CRM: one’s real, one’s just labeled that way

Here’s where the difference gets big.

Mailchimp technically advertises a “CRM,” but it’s really just contact management with tagging and segments. You can track who your contacts are and some of what they do, but you won’t get full sales tools like pipelines, tasks, or deals.

Brevo, by contrast, has a true built-in CRM, even on the free plan. With it, you can:

Create and manage sales pipelines
Assign deals to contacts
Track activity history for each lead
Add notes, tasks, and call logs
Trigger automations based on deal stages
Collaborate with team members using shared pipelines

It’s simple enough for small teams, but powerful enough for scaling businesses. Brevo is the clear winner here.

Integrations: quantity vs practicality

Mailchimp integrates with over 250+ apps, including Shopify, Stripe, Squarespace, and Zapier. You can connect to most major marketing tools, but more complex integrations may require third-party bridges or premium plans.

Brevo, while offering fewer integrations (around 100+), focuses on deep, native connections — especially with eCommerce, CRMs, and transactional email platforms. Notably, Brevo supports:

Shopify, WooCommerce, and PrestaShop
WordPress and Elementor
Zapier and Make
Stripe and PayPal
Facebook Ads + Instagram Ads

Brevo’s API is also developer-friendly and ideal if you need a custom setup.

If quantity matters, Mailchimp takes the crown. But if you want native, purposeful integrations with actual business workflows, Brevo delivers a more seamless experience.

Deliverability: close, but one has the edge

EmailToolTester reports show both platforms scoring above 90% deliverability — solid marks for any business. That said:

Mailchimp scored ~92.6%
Brevo consistently lands ~93% and above across inbox placement tests

Why does that matter? Because every email that lands in spam is a wasted opportunity. And Brevo also offers dedicated IPs on higher-tier plans, giving power users more control over deliverability.

If you’re running high-volume campaigns or transactional emails, Brevo’s slightly better track record — and transactional email tools — can make a big difference.

AI features: evolving on both sides

Mailchimp offers:

Subject line recommendations
Smart content suggestions
Predictive demographics and product recommendations
Pre-built AI-powered automation flows

Brevo includes:

AI subject line generator
Smart send-time optimization
AI-powered content blocks
AI-assisted customer journey recommendations

Brevo also has AI-assisted campaign reporting coming soon, giving deeper insights into what’s working and what’s not. Both platforms are integrating AI well — but Brevo is doing more with it across multiple areas.

Pricing: Brevo is transparent and scalable

Mailchimp Pricing (for 500 contacts):

Free: Limited to 1,000 emails/month, no automations
Essentials: $13/month
Standard: $20/month
Premium: $350/month

Note: Mailchimp charges per contact, including duplicates across lists.

Brevo Pricing (unlimited contacts):

Free: 300 emails/day, automation, CRM, SMS
Starter: $25/month (20K emails/mo)
Business: $65/month (20K+ emails/mo + landing pages)
BrevoPlus: Custom pricing for enterprise-scale

Brevo scales based on email volume, not contacts, making it much more cost-efficient for growing businesses. You’re not punished for audience size — just pay for how many emails you send.

Why do people switch from Mailchimp to Brevo?

It’s simple: Brevo gives more flexibility for less money. And unlike Mailchimp, it grows with you — without hiding core features behind expensive plans.

Here’s what real users say:

“We switched to Brevo when Mailchimp got too expensive. Our open rates went up, and the CRM tools gave us the visibility we didn’t know we needed.”
– eCommerce manager, G2

“Brevo helped us automate everything from customer onboarding to re-engagement — and we’re still on the free plan!”
– SaaS founder, Capterra

FAQ

What is Mailchimp best used for?
Mailchimp is great for small businesses, freelancers, and early-stage marketers who want to send email newsletters with minimal setup.

What is Brevo best used for?
Brevo is ideal for businesses that need all-in-one communication: email, SMS, CRM, automation, and transactional emails — especially if you plan to scale.

Does Brevo offer a free plan?
Yes! Brevo’s free plan includes unlimited contacts, basic automation, and up to 300 emails/day. No credit card needed.

Can I migrate from Mailchimp to Brevo easily?
Yes. Brevo offers step-by-step guides and 1:1 onboarding for paid users. Lists, templates, and automations can all be transferred.

Which platform is more affordable long-term?
Brevo — because it doesn’t charge based on contact count, you can grow your audience without growing your bill.