ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
Prices read from both vendors on 2026-10-19. No invented scores.
Short answer: ActiveCampaign starts at $15 per month billed yearly; Mailchimp starts at $13 per month. ActiveCampaign is the better fit for businesses that want serious automation and a crm in one place. Mailchimp is the better fit for small lists that want the brand-name tool, on a plan ladder that grows with contacts.
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Price comparison
| ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | $15/mo billed yearly | $13/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Plans listed | 4 | 4 |
ActiveCampaign plans
| Plan | Monthly | Billed annually | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | not printed | $15/mo | At 1,000 email contacts. Starts at $15/mo, billed annually. 1 user, limited segmentation, 5 actions per automation, Active Intelligence with limits. |
| Plus | not printed | $49/mo | At 1,000 email contacts. Starts at $49/mo, billed annually. 1 user, standard segmentation, unlimited automation actions, landing pages, Active Intelligence with limits. |
| Pro | not printed | $79/mo | At 1,000 email contacts. Starts at $79/mo, billed annually. 3 users, advanced segmentation, unlimited automation actions, landing pages, predictive and conditional content, attribution. ActiveCampaign labels this card Popular. |
| Enterprise | not printed | $145/mo | At 1,000 email contacts. Starts at $145/mo, billed annually. 5 users, premium segmentation, unlimited automation actions, custom objects, single sign-on, a dedicated account team, Active Intelligence. |
Best for: Businesses that want serious automation and a CRM in one place.
Not for: Anyone who needs the price at a list size other than 1,000 email contacts, or a month-to-month dollar. The page we read prints only the annual starting rate at 1,000 contacts.
Mailchimp plans
| Plan | Monthly | Billed annually | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free/mo | Under 250 contacts, core features. Sending pauses if the contact or email-send limit is exceeded. On 2026-10-14 the comparison table's Free column printed Max of 500/mo or 250/day. |
| Essentials | $13 | — | Starts at 0-500 contacts ('starts at' rate). Testing and scheduling features, 14-day free trial. Price rises with contacts. |
| Standard | $20 | — | Starts at 0-500 contacts ('starts at' rate), send up to 6,000 emails each month at that tier. Automations, personalization, optimization tools. 14-day free trial. |
| Premium | $350 | — | Unlimited contacts, advanced tools, priority support. Promo on the page: 15% off the first 12 months for 10,000+ contacts ($297.50/mo for 12 months). |
Best for: Small lists that want the brand-name tool, on a plan ladder that grows with contacts.
Not for: Anyone watching cost as the list grows - every price steps up at each contact tier and the free plan stops at 250 contacts.
How to choose
ActiveCampaign starts at $15 per month billed yearly; Mailchimp starts at $13 per month. ActiveCampaign is the better fit for businesses that want serious automation and a crm in one place. Mailchimp is the better fit for small lists that want the brand-name tool, on a plan ladder that grows with contacts.
Run the 12-month cost calculator →
Sources: https://www.activecampaign.com/pricing, https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/. Checked 2026-10-19.