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Kit vs Mailchimp · Kit Free sends to 10,000 subscribers at $0, Mailchimp Standard runs automations for less on a small list

Notes from GTM teamsWritten by people who run outboundWe use the tools we recommend.

The short answer

Pick Kit if you want to start free: its Free plan sends broadcasts to up to 10,000 subscribers at $0 a month. Pick Mailchimp if you want automations on a small list for less than Kit Creator. Kit’s Free plan costs $0 a month for up to 10,000 subscribers. It sends unlimited broadcasts but has no visual automations and no automated email sequences; those start on Creator. Creator costs $39 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers, or $33 a month billed yearly for the same count. Pro costs $79 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers. Billed yearly, it costs $50 a month as a first-year promo ($593 for the first year), then the standard $66 a month billed yearly. Mailchimp bills by contact-tier pricing. That is a price that rises with the number of contacts, people on your list, you store. It does not rise with the number of emails you send. Its Free plan costs $0 a month billed monthly for up to 250 contacts. It also includes 1 seat, one login to the account, and 1 audience, Mailchimp’s name for one mailing list. Sends are capped at 500 a month and 250 a day on that plan. Essentials, Standard, and Premium each price at the 500-contact and 10,000-contact positions on Mailchimp’s own price slider, a dial you drag to pick your contact count. Each plan carries a promo price for the first 12 months and a regular price after that. Pick the free plan that fits the list you have, then move up once the list grows.

our pick

Our pick

Pick Kit if you are starting out: Kit’s Free plan sends unlimited broadcasts at $0 a month for up to 10,000 subscribers, against 250 contacts on Mailchimp’s Free plan. Automations start on Kit Creator at $39 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers. Pick Mailchimp for automations on a small list for less: Standard costs $13.25 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts, or $6.63 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months on the current promo, with automation flows of up to 200 steps. Mailchimp states no price at exactly 1,000 contacts. At 10,000 contacts, Mailchimp Premium costs $265.03 a month billed monthly, or $132.51 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months.

What each tool does

How the two tools compare

KitMailchimp · Kit Free sends to 10,000 subscribers at $0, Mailchimp Standard runs automations for less on a small list
Free planKit’s Free plan costs $0 a month billed monthly for up to 10,000 subscribers.Mailchimp’s Free plan costs $0 a month billed monthly for up to 250 contacts, people on the list. It includes 1 seat, one login to the account, and 1 audience, Mailchimp’s name for one mailing list. Sends are capped at 500 a month, 250 a day.
Entry paid planCreator costs $39 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers, or $33 a month billed yearly for the same count.Mailchimp’s Essentials plan costs $8.85 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts. A promo brings it to $4.42 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months at the same 500 contacts. Monthly sends are capped at 10 times the contact count. It carries 3 seats and 3 audiences.
Mid paid planPro costs $79 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers. Its yearly plan starts at a first-year promo price of $50 a month ($593 for the first year), then renews at the standard yearly rate of $66 a month billed yearly. It includes unlimited users.Mailchimp’s Standard plan costs $13.25 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts. A promo brings it to $6.63 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months at the same 500 contacts. Monthly sends are capped at 12 times the contact count. It carries 5 seats and 5 audiences.
Pricing at a bigger listAt a bigger list, for example 5,000 subscribers, Kit Creator costs $89 a month billed monthly. Pro costs $139 a month billed monthly at that list size too.Mailchimp’s Premium plan costs $265.03 a month billed monthly at 10,000 contacts. A promo brings it to $132.51 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months at the same 10,000 contacts. Monthly sends are capped at 15 times the contact count. Seats and audiences are both unlimited.
Automation depthKit’s Free plan has no Visual Automations, the drag-and-drop series of emails that send on their own, and no automated email sequences. Creator adds unlimited Visual Automations and sequences.Mailchimp’s Essentials plan allows up to 4 steps in one automation flow. Standard and Premium allow up to 200 steps and more than one branch point.
Nonprofit and high-volume accountsKit lists no nonprofit rate and no high-volume tier.Mailchimp gives a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities. Accounts over 200,000 contacts move to a custom high-volume plan.
Price basisKit’s Free plan costs $0 a month billed monthly. Creator and Pro each rise in price as the subscriber count grows: $39 to $89 a month billed monthly for Creator, and $79 to $139 a month billed monthly for Pro.Mailchimp states a dollar figure at the 500-contact and 10,000-contact positions on its price slider. It states no number at exactly 1,000 contacts.

How to pick one if you only have 10 seconds

  • The math: Mailchimp’s Standard plan costs $13.25 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts. $13.25 × 12 = $159.00 a year billed monthly. Its promo price at the same 500 contacts is $6.63 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months. $6.63 × 12 = $79.56 for that year. $79.56 + $79.44 = $159.00. So the promo saves $79.44 across the first year, before the regular price resumes.
  • Kit’s Free plan costs $0 a month billed monthly for up to 10,000 subscribers. Creator costs $39 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers, or $33 a month billed yearly for the same count. Pro costs $79 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers, or a first-year promo price of $50 a month billed yearly that renews at the standard rate of $66 a month billed yearly.
  • At a bigger list, for example 5,000 subscribers, Kit Creator costs $89 a month billed monthly.
  • Mailchimp bills by total contact count. It does not bill by the number of contacts that open an email. One Hacker News user wrote about being billed for contacts that had not opened an email in months.
  • Mailchimp gives a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities. Accounts over 200,000 contacts move to a custom high-volume plan.

Who should buy each one

Pick Kit if

  • You want to send broadcasts now at $0 to up to 10,000 subscribers, or you want the 14-day free trial with no card required on Creator and Pro.
  • You want unlimited Visual Automations, a drag-and-drop series of emails that send on their own, once you move past the free plan.
  • Your list could pass 250 contacts, the cap on Mailchimp’s Free plan.

Pick Mailchimp · Kit Free sends to 10,000 subscribers at $0, Mailchimp Standard runs automations for less on a small list if

  • You want automations on a list near 500 contacts for less than Kit Creator. Standard costs $13.25 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts, or $6.63 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months on the current promo.
  • Your list fits inside 250 contacts, 1 seat, and 1 audience on the Free plan, with a 500-send-a-month cap.
  • You want seats spelled out: 3 on Essentials, 5 on Standard, unlimited on Premium.

Common questions

Is Kit cheaper than Mailchimp?▾

For sending only, yes. Kit’s Free plan costs $0 a month for up to 10,000 subscribers, and Mailchimp’s Free plan stops at 250 contacts. For paid plans on a small list, no. Mailchimp’s Essentials plan starts at $8.85 a month billed monthly at 500 contacts, or $4.42 a month billed monthly for the first 12 months on the current promo. Kit Creator starts at $39 a month billed monthly for 1,000 subscribers.

What does Mailchimp’s Free plan include?▾

$0 a month billed monthly for up to 250 contacts, 1 seat, and 1 audience. Sends are capped at 500 a month, 250 a day.

What is the subscriber cap on Kit’s free plan?▾

Up to 10,000 subscribers.

Does Mailchimp charge for contacts that never open an email?▾

Mailchimp bills by total contact count. It does not bill by the number of contacts that open an email. One Hacker News user wrote about being billed for contacts that had not opened an email in months.

Which plan should a creator just starting out pick?▾

Kit’s Free plan. It costs $0 a month for up to 10,000 subscribers, against 250 contacts on Mailchimp’s Free plan.

How much does Kit cost at 1,000 subscribers?▾

$39 a month billed monthly for Creator, or $79 a month billed monthly for Pro, at 1,000 subscribers.

what to do next

What to do next

Start on Kit’s Free plan to send broadcasts at $0 a month for up to 10,000 subscribers. Move to Creator or Pro once you need Visual Automations, or Pro’s unlimited users. Pick Mailchimp Standard instead if you need automations on a list near 500 contacts, at $13.25 a month billed monthly. To start free, tap Try Kit. Try Kit

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