ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: email marketing pricing compared
Updated 2026-11-10 · listed A to Z, not ranked
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform. Price depends on the plan and your number of contacts; every plan includes Active Intelligence credits.
Mailchimp is an email and SMS marketing platform. Paid plan prices start at the amounts below and rise with the number of contacts you have.
Listed A to Z, from activecampaign.com and mailchimp.com. Every figure below is quoted from those pages.
- Main price table
- Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise
- Free option
- None in the published plan table
- Published prices
- Starter $15/mo, Plus $49/mo, Pro $79/mo, Enterprise $145/mo.
- Main price table
- Free, Essentials, Standard, Premium
- Free option
- Free plan for under 250 contacts
- Published prices
- Free under 250 contacts, Essentials from $13/mo, Standard from $20/mo, Premium from $350/mo; price rises with contacts.
How we checked: Prices quoted from each official pricing page: ActiveCampaign checked Nov 10, 2026, Mailchimp checked Nov 10, 2026. Taxes, usage overages and promotions can change what you pay; confirm with each provider before you buy.
How they compare
- Main price table. ActiveCampaign lists 4 entries (Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise); Mailchimp lists 4 (Free, Essentials, Standard, Premium).
- Lowest listed paid tier. ActiveCampaign: Starter $15/month (yearly, 1,000 contacts). Mailchimp: Essentials $13/mo. Billing terms differ (per user or flat, monthly or annual), so check what each tier includes below.
- Free option. ActiveCampaign: none in the published plan table. Mailchimp: Free plan for under 250 contacts.
- How prices are quoted. ActiveCampaign: “Plans (1,000 contacts, billed yearly)”. Mailchimp: “Plans (USD)”.
ActiveCampaign plans and prices
| Plan | Starts at | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/month | 10,000 email sends/month, 1 user seat, multi-step automation, 250+ templates, 15 active business goals |
| Plus | $49/month | 10,000 email sends/month, 1 user seat, cross-channel marketing, generative AI, landing pages, 25 active business goals |
| Pro | $79/month | 12,000 email sends/month, 3 user seats, predictive sending, conditional content, advanced segmentation, attribution, 200 active business goals |
| Enterprise | $145/month | 15,000 email sends/month, 5 user seats, SSO and HIPAA support, custom objects, premium CRM integrations, dedicated account team, uptime SLA |
The page lets you pick 1,000 to more than 50,000 contacts; prices rise with contacts. ActiveCampaign offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on results.
From activecampaign.com, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: ActiveCampaign pricing.
Mailchimp plans and prices
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Under 250 contacts; sending is paused if the contact or email send limit is exceeded |
| Essentials | Starts at $13/month | Free for 14 days; testing and scheduling features |
| Standard | Starts at $20/month | Free for 14 days; automations, personalization and optimization tools |
| Premium | Starts at $350/month | Offer shown: $297.50 per month for 12 months; unlimited contacts and priority support |
"Save 15% on 5,000+ contacts" is shown on the paid plans. Overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded. SMS is an add-on to paid plans in select countries. For more than 250,000 contacts, Mailchimp says to contact sales.
From mailchimp.com, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: Mailchimp pricing.
FAQ
How much does ActiveCampaign cost?
Starter $15/mo, Plus $49/mo, Pro $79/mo, Enterprise $145/mo. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
How much does Mailchimp cost?
Free under 250 contacts, Essentials from $13/mo, Standard from $20/mo, Premium from $350/mo; price rises with contacts. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
Do ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp have a free option?
ActiveCampaign: none in the published plan table. Mailchimp: Free plan for under 250 contacts.
What is the cheapest paid plan, ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp?
Lowest listed paid tier: ActiveCampaign Starter $15/month (yearly, 1,000 contacts); Mailchimp Essentials $13/mo (as quoted on each pricing page). Billing units differ, so compare what each includes.
Which is better, ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp?
We do not pick a winner. The two price and package their products differently; the tables above quote each official pricing page so you can match a plan to your own usage.
Where do these prices come from?
Each vendor's own pricing page: activecampaign.com (checked Nov 10, 2026) and mailchimp.com (checked Nov 10, 2026). Prices change; confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Sources (official pages, read 2026-11-10)
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