Best Mailchimp alternatives · newsletter business, not a store ESP
You're here because Mailchimp alternatives lists dump store email tools. That is fine if you run a Shopify shop.
pick this stack
Who wins
Beehiiv wins the leave-Mailchimp newsletter job. Store ESPs win Shopify and abandoned-cart work. Ghost wins indie site plus newsletter. Kit wins creator commerce. Substack wins writer-network discovery.
- Leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter is not a store-email buy.
- Beehiiv: Free $0 up to 2,500 with unlimited sends. Lite from $49 a month billed yearly. Pro from $95 a month billed yearly. 0% cut of paid subscriptions. Stripe about 2.9% plus $0.30.
- Mailchimp free: 1 seat, 1 audience, 250 contacts, 500 sends a month (250 max per day). Standard starts at $20 a month on the card.
- Contact-tier is a send cap. Essentials 10× contacts. Standard 12×. Premium 15×.
- Store ESPs and Ghost, Kit, Substack are role peers. Only Beehiiv gets the partner open.
- Link Beehiiv vs Mailchimp for the head-to-head. Link newsletter platforms for the wider shortlist.
Ranked picks
- #1
Beehiivtop pickBest for: Teams leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter business with a bigger free list, unlimited sends, and a 0% paid-sub cut.
- Free covers 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends. Mailchimp free stops at 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
- 0% platform cut on paid subscriptions.
- Flat SaaS path for a media-style newsletter setup.
Compare
| Tool | Price band | Best for | Dealbreaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Beehiiv | Launch is $0 up to 2,500… | Teams leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter business with a bigger free list, unlimited sends, and a 0% paid-sub cut. | Paid plans start at $49 a month. |
MethodHow we scored these tools▾
Shortlist for Mailchimp leavers who send a newsletter, not store email. Beehiiv is the default we open. Store ESPs and Ghost, Kit, Substack are role peers without partner opens. Floors checked on beehiiv.com/pricing and mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing on 2026-09-30. No invented Essentials or Premium monthly dollar cells.
Who for
buy if
- You are leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter business, not a store.
- You care about free contact caps, unlimited sends, or a 0% paid-sub cut.
- You will check list size before you promise leadership a flat monthly bill.
- You want one shortlist that splits newsletter tools from store email.
skip if
- Skip this if you run a Shopify store and need abandoned-cart flows. Stay with Klaviyo, Drip, MailerLite, Brevo, Constant Contact, or Mailchimp.
- Skip this if you want a head-to-head Beehiiv versus Mailchimp fee fight. See Beehiiv vs Mailchimp.
- Skip this if you want a wider newsletter platform shortlist. See newsletter platforms.
- Skip this if you want a self-hosted CMS first and email second. Look at Ghost.
- Skip this if Notes and writer-network discovery matter more than a flat fee. Look at Substack.
Free caps · 250 people vs 2,500
Mailchimp free stops at 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a 250-per-day max. You also get 1 seat and 1 audience.
Beehiiv Free is $0 up to 2,500 subscribers and does not cap sends.
A weekly newsletter outgrows Mailchimp free long before it outgrows Beehiiv Free. That is the first math to check.
Contact-tier is a send cap
Mailchimp contact-tier pricing is a send limit in disguise. Essentials sends are 10× your contact count. Standard is 12×. Premium is 15×.
Emailing the whole list a few times a week is how teams hit the ceiling.
Beehiiv's pricing cards say unlimited sends on Free, Lite and Pro. Model send volume before you lock a Mailchimp band.
0% cut · still not free at scale
Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe still takes about 2.9% plus $0.30 per card charge.
Paid Beehiiv plans start at $49 a month. Lite is from $49 a month billed yearly. Pro is from $95 a month billed yearly.
Say both. The 0% line is real. The monthly floor and Stripe fees are also real.
Three guides · leave, head-to-head, category
This shortlist answers people leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter.
Beehiiv vs Mailchimp is the one-to-one fee and feature fight.
Newsletter platforms is the wider category shortlist.
Link them. Keep each job on its own URL.
FAQ
What is a Mailchimp alternative if I send a newsletter, not a store?▾
Beehiiv. Free is free up to 2,500 subscribers with unlimited sends. Paid plans start at $49 a month with a 0% cut of paid subscription revenue. Store tools like Klaviyo stay in a different column.
How many contacts are on Mailchimp's free plan?▾
Up to 250 contacts. You also get 1 seat, 1 audience, and up to 500 sends a month with a 250-per-day max.
Does Beehiiv limit how many emails I can send?▾
No. Beehiiv's Free, Lite and Pro plans all list unlimited sends. Free covers up to 2,500 subscribers. Confirm the live plan card before you forecast.
Does Beehiiv take a cut of paid subscriptions?▾
Beehiiv takes 0% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe still takes about 2.9% plus $0.30 per charge. Paid Beehiiv plans start at $49 a month.
When should I stay on an ESP instead of Beehiiv?▾
When the job is a Shopify store, abandoned-cart flows, or classic campaign automations. Stay with Klaviyo, Drip, MailerLite, Brevo, Constant Contact, or Mailchimp for that work.
Mailchimp alternatives vs Beehiiv vs Mailchimp vs newsletter platforms. Which guide am I on?▾
This guide is the leave-Mailchimp shortlist for a newsletter. Beehiiv vs Mailchimp is the head-to-head. Newsletter platforms is the wider category. Link across. Keep each job separate.
next step
Closing
If you are leaving Mailchimp for a newsletter, open Beehiiv. If the job is a store, stay with Klaviyo, Drip, MailerLite, Brevo, Constant Contact, or Mailchimp. If you want the one-to-one fight, read Beehiiv vs Mailchimp. If you want the wider category, read newsletter platforms. Check free caps and send limits before you trust a sticker. Try Beehiiv