Flodesk vs Mailchimp: A Complete 2025 Comparison for Email Marketing Success

Choosing an email platform? Oh boy, we’ve been there. It’s way harder than it should be. We’ve used both Flodesk and Mailchimp—and yeah, they each have their thing. One’s sleek and simple, the other’s powerful but kinda clunky. If you’re like us, you want something easy, affordable, and, well…pretty. But you also don’t want to outgrow it in three months. Let’s break down Flodesk vs Mailchimp from our own experience—so you can skip the overwhelm and find your perfect fit.

Who is Flodesk?

Flodesk is an email marketing platform that made a splash by putting aesthetics first. Designed with creators and small business owners in mind, Flodesk helps users build stunning, visually engaging emails with zero coding required. Its standout feature? Every plan includes unlimited subscribers and unlimited emails—something rare in the email marketing world.

Created in 2019, Flodesk is still relatively new to the game but has quickly attracted a loyal following for its simplicity, minimal learning curve, and beautiful templates.

If you’re a creative entrepreneur who values design and ease-of-use over deep customization, Flodesk might be your perfect match.

Who is Mailchimp?

Mailchimp has been around since 2001 and is one of the most recognizable names in email marketing. With a generous free plan, dozens of integrations, and a strong set of tools, it’s long been a go-to for beginners and small businesses.

But here’s the catch: as your business grows, Mailchimp’s pricing and limitations on automation, design flexibility, and segmentation often start to feel restrictive. It’s a great platform to get started, but many users eventually look for alternatives when they hit those ceilings.

If you’re looking for something robust, Mailchimp delivers—especially for data-focused teams. But if you’re prioritizing brand visuals, simplicity, and flat pricing, Flodesk is a real contender.

How do Flodesk and Mailchimp compare?

This is where things get interesting. Flodesk and Mailchimp both serve the same core purpose—email marketing—but they go about it in completely different ways.

At a glance: Mailchimp is better for data-driven marketers who want advanced tools. Flodesk is better for creatives who want beautiful emails without all the tech fuss.

Automation: Creative simplicity vs. technical depth

When it comes to automation, Mailchimp definitely comes out ahead in terms of features. Its Customer Journey Builder lets you map out detailed sequences based on user behavior—like abandoned carts, purchases, and email opens. You can build complex workflows with branches, conditions, and triggers.

But all of that comes at a price: complexity. And if you’re on Mailchimp’s free plan, your automation options are almost nonexistent.

Flodesk, on the other hand, offers automation that’s beautifully simple. Think welcome sequences, lead magnet delivery, and basic email funnels. If you need advanced segmentation or complex logic, Flodesk might fall short. But if you want to build a clean, engaging onboarding sequence in minutes—without needing a manual—Flodesk wins on ease.

What automation looks like in Flodesk:

• Clean, drag-and-drop workflow builder
• Set triggers like “subscriber joins segment”
• Add time delays, conditions, and email sequences
• Use pre-designed workflows for common needs (welcome, nurture, promo)

What automation looks like in Mailchimp:

• Build from scratch or use templates
• Add logic: IF/THEN branches, time delays, tagging, and more
• Trigger based on site behavior, purchase history, or contact data
• Available only on paid plans

Bottom line: Mailchimp’s automation is deeper, but Flodesk’s is more approachable. If you’re a creative just starting out, Flodesk will feel less intimidating. If you need marketing logic that rivals enterprise tools, Mailchimp’s the better bet.

Email Templates and Design: Style vs. Variety

Flodesk was built by designers—and it shows. Their email templates are stunning, minimalist, and effortlessly modern. Every template is responsive, clean, and brandable. You can easily customize fonts, colors, spacing, and layouts to match your aesthetic.

You won’t find hundreds of templates like you would in Mailchimp, but that’s intentional. Flodesk’s curation means you don’t waste time digging for a decent starting point.

Mailchimp offers over 100 templates (more on paid plans), but the visual appeal varies. While it’s great for those who want quantity, many templates can feel outdated or require a bit of tweaking to look polished.

Design features in Flodesk:

• Visually stunning templates
• Brand kit (upload fonts, colors, logos)
• Pre-made layouts for everything from sales to newsletters
• All plans include full access

Design features in Mailchimp:

• 100+ templates, depending on your plan
• Drag-and-drop layout editor
• Limited customization on free plan
• Some templates require manual tweaking for brand alignment

Bottom line: If design matters more than flexibility, Flodesk shines. If you want more template options and don’t mind tweaking them, Mailchimp has the edge.

Email Builder: Drag-and-drop, but with different goals

Both platforms offer drag-and-drop email builders—but the experience and flexibility differ.

Flodesk’s builder focuses on elegance and simplicity. You can create gorgeous emails without needing any design experience. Layouts snap into place, and everything looks good by default. There’s no access to custom HTML, which might be a dealbreaker for some—but it also keeps things super clean and beginner-friendly.

Mailchimp’s builder gives you more control, including custom HTML blocks for code-savvy users. You can create more complex layouts, but the tradeoff is a steeper learning curve and slightly clunkier interface.

Key features in Flodesk:

• Minimalist drag-and-drop builder
• Built-in brand styling (auto-applies fonts/colors)
• Easy preview mode across desktop + mobile
• Perfect for creators and small biz owners

Key features in Mailchimp:

• Drag-and-drop builder with more advanced options
• HTML block available for developers
• Dynamic content blocks on higher plans
• Templates and saved sections for quick reuse

Verdict: If you want a quick, beautiful newsletter with zero stress—Flodesk. If you want customization and don’t mind more setup time—Mailchimp.

Segmentation: Simpler tags vs. deep contact filters

Mailchimp leads the way in segmentation. You can slice and dice your audience based on dozens of factors—purchase behavior, campaign activity, demographics, custom fields, and more. It’s built for marketers who need precision targeting.

Flodesk is simpler. You create “segments” based on subscriber behavior (like clicked a link, opened an email, or joined a form), and tag subscribers manually or through workflows. It’s less complex, but enough for creators who want to run a few automated flows without tech overwhelm.

Flodesk segmentation lets you:

• Add subscribers to segments when they opt-in
• Trigger automations based on list activity
• Use conditions like email opened/clicked
• Use tags sparingly (no full CRM-style segmentation)

Mailchimp segmentation includes:

• Predictive segments (like high-value buyers)
• Engagement-based targeting
• Combine multiple conditions and logic
• Prebuilt segments and behavioral filters

Bottom line: Mailchimp’s segmentation is better for larger lists and advanced targeting. Flodesk is great for creators running lightweight email funnels and simple list management.

Forms: Lead capture, simplified

You need a good form to grow your list—and both platforms offer that, just in different ways.

Flodesk has beautifully designed forms that match your brand right out of the gate. You can choose from inline, popup, or full-page forms, all styled with your brand fonts and colors. They embed easily on websites or can be shared as standalone pages. However, customization options beyond visual tweaks are limited.

Mailchimp’s forms are more utilitarian. You get solid functionality—multi-step forms, conditional logic (on higher tiers), and better form field control. But design-wise, they may require CSS help to look good on your site.

What Flodesk forms include:

• Clean, modern design that fits your brand
• Inline, popup, or full-page formats
• Simple integrations with workflows
• Easy to embed on Squarespace, Showit, Shopify, and more

What Mailchimp forms include:

• Custom fields and conditional logic
• Embedded and popup forms
• More control over inputs and styling
• Works well with Mailchimp landing pages and automations

Best for creators and bloggers: Flodesk
Best for marketers and e-commerce stores: Mailchimp

Analytics & Reporting: Visuals vs. data depth

If you’re into detailed analytics, Mailchimp will feel more robust. It offers campaign performance tracking, click maps, A/B test reporting, and e-commerce tracking (on paid plans). You’ll get a deeper view of how your audience interacts with your content.

Flodesk’s analytics are simple and visual. You can track open rates, click rates, and subscriber growth. It’s enough for basic insights, but not built for data-driven decisions.

Flodesk analytics include:

• Email opens, clicks, and bounces
• Subscriber growth and opt-in form stats
• Visual reports with no clutter
• Easy-to-read charts and percentages

Mailchimp analytics include:

• Email performance, link clicks, bounces
• A/B test performance
• Sales attribution (with store integration)
• Segmentation insights and campaign comparison

Bottom line: If you want visual, lightweight reporting—Flodesk. If you want to dig deep into data—Mailchimp.

CRM & Integrations: All-in-one vs. patchwork

Mailchimp is trying to be a full CRM. You can tag contacts, add custom fields, track activity, and build customer journeys. For small teams and marketers, this is a plus—everything lives in one place.

Flodesk isn’t a CRM and doesn’t pretend to be. It’s focused solely on email and lead generation. You’ll need to integrate it with your CRM or e-commerce platform, but it plays nicely with tools like Shopify, Zapier, and Stripe.

Flodesk CRM integrations (via Zapier or natively):

• Shopify
• Zapier
• Squarespace
• Kajabi
• Dubsado

Mailchimp CRM tools:

• Tagging and segmentation
• Contact activity history
• Behavioral triggers
• Email + ad retargeting automation

Choose Flodesk if you already have a CRM and want simple email workflows.
Choose Mailchimp if you need your CRM and email marketing under one roof.

Email Deliverability: Who gets into the inbox more?

Let’s be real—your emails are useless if they don’t get delivered.

Mailchimp has been around for a long time, and their infrastructure generally ensures solid deliverability. In independent tests, they typically score between 91–93%, which is respectable and consistent.

Flodesk doesn’t publish its deliverability rates and has a more limited track record since it’s newer to the scene. Most creators report reliable inboxing for basic campaigns—but it may not have the same level of infrastructure or spam filtering as Mailchimp, especially for high-volume or cold lists.

If inbox placement is critical (and especially if you’re doing cold outreach or high-volume B2B sends)—Mailchimp is more trustworthy. But for regular newsletters and product launches to warm lists? Flodesk usually performs just fine.

Pricing: Unlimited vs. usage-based

This is where things get interesting.

Flodesk pricing:

• Flat $38/month for everything
• Unlimited subscribers
• Unlimited email sends
• All features included
• 30-day free trial (no credit card)

That’s right. Whether you have 50 or 50,000 subscribers, the price stays the same. For creators and small businesses with growing lists, this is a huge win.

Mailchimp pricing (as of 2025):

• Free plan: Up to 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month (limited features)
• Essentials: Starts at $13/month (500 contacts, 5,000 emails/month)
• Standard: Starts at $20/month (advanced automation + templates)
• Premium: Starts at $350/month (10k+ contacts + full features)

Mailchimp charges you per contact—so if your list grows, your bill does too. And remember: contacts on multiple lists count more than once.

Bottom line: Flodesk’s flat pricing is unbeatable if your list is growing. Mailchimp’s pay-as-you-grow model works if you want to start free, but costs add up quickly.

Why Creators Switch from Mailchimp to Flodesk

Many users start with Mailchimp because it’s the obvious choice. But as they grow, things change.

They hit the free plan’s limits. The templates feel outdated. The interface starts to feel clunky. And they’re paying more every month just to send basic emails.

Here’s what creators say when they switch to Flodesk:

“I couldn’t believe how much easier it was. My emails finally look like my brand.”
— Wedding Photographer

“Mailchimp felt like using a spreadsheet. Flodesk feels like using Canva.”
— Etsy Seller

“I saved over $100/month and didn’t lose anything I actually used.”
— Small Business Coach

Final Verdict: Flodesk or Mailchimp?

Both platforms are solid. But they’re built for different types of users.

Flodesk makes email marketing feel fun again—especially for creatives. Mailchimp gives you more control, but more complexity too.

Real User Reviews

“Flodesk’s design is 10/10. I no longer dread writing my newsletters.”
— Lifestyle Blogger

“Mailchimp is robust, but overkill for what I needed. Flodesk was exactly right.”
— Nutrition Coach

“Flodesk lacks some advanced features, but I’ve never needed them.”
— Handmade Business Owner

“Mailchimp’s segmentation is great—but once I passed 5k subscribers, it got expensive fast.”
— E-commerce Brand

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flodesk good for beginners?

Yes! Flodesk is beginner-friendly, especially for creatives who want beautiful emails without a steep learning curve.

Can I switch from Mailchimp to Flodesk?

Absolutely. You can export your contacts from Mailchimp and import them into Flodesk in just a few clicks.

What’s the biggest difference?

Mailchimp offers more advanced tools like CRM, detailed automation, and segmentation. Flodesk offers beautiful design, simpler workflows, and flat pricing.

Is Flodesk or Mailchimp better for e-commerce?

Mailchimp is generally better for larger e-commerce brands that need complex automations and predictive analytics. Flodesk is great for small shops and digital products.

Ready to try Flodesk?

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