Head-to-head · Updated July 2026
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp 2026
ActiveCampaign wins for businesses building real automation workflows: branching logic, lead scoring, multi-step nurtures. Mailchimp wins for broadcast email + simple welcome flows where UX matters more than depth. Pricing is roughly comparable at common list sizes; the choice is about how you actually email.
Winner by category
- Automation depth → ActiveCampaign. Branching logic, lead scoring, conditional content.
- Broadcast UX → Mailchimp. Drag-and-drop campaign builder is friendlier for non-marketers.
- CRM features → ActiveCampaign. Plus tier+ includes sales pipelines + deal management.
- Templates / design → Mailchimp. Larger built-in template library + AI-assist design tools.
- SMS → ActiveCampaign Plus+ bundles SMS; Mailchimp adds via integration only.
- Free tier → Mailchimp. Free up to 250 contacts; ActiveCampaign has 14-day trial only.
- Deliverability → Tie. Both have strong sender reputation infrastructure.
Compare the price by list size
Both price by contact count. ActiveCampaign Plus bundles a CRM and SMS; Mailchimp Standard is broadcast-first. Pick a list size to see the monthly gap, then weigh it against the automation depth.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: price by list size
Plus · 10,000 contacts
Includes CRM + SMS. Automation depth is the draw.
ActiveCampaign review →Standard · 10,000 contacts
Broadcast-first. Free tier to 250 contacts.
Mailchimp alternatives →Mailchimp is $104/mo cheaper at 10,000 contacts on these plans.
Estimated monthly list price, billed monthly. Both vendors price through dynamic calculators, so these are cross-checked from published 2026 breakdowns — confirm current rates on each vendor's pricing page. Mailchimp reportedly raised its Standard pricing in April 2026.
Pick ActiveCampaign if…
- You'll build multi-step automation workflows
- You need a CRM alongside email (Plus tier+)
- Email + SMS bundling matters (Plus tier+)
- Your list is 10k+ contacts
Pick Mailchimp if…
- You're mostly sending broadcast email
- You value drag-and-drop simplicity over automation depth
- Free tier matters (up to 250 contacts)
- Template library breadth matters
What to read next
Frequently asked
Is ActiveCampaign more expensive than Mailchimp?
It depends on the plan. On the automation-capable tiers our calculator compares — ActiveCampaign Plus against Mailchimp Standard, billed monthly — Mailchimp is cheaper on headline price at every list size (roughly $135/mo vs $239/mo at 10,000 contacts). ActiveCampaign's automation depth, native CRM, and bundled SMS are what close the gap. If you mainly send broadcasts, Mailchimp wins on cost; if you build workflows, ActiveCampaign earns the premium.
Does Mailchimp have automation like ActiveCampaign?
Mailchimp has automation but it's broadcast-flavored: welcome flows, abandoned-cart, basic segmentation. ActiveCampaign's automation is genuinely workflow-deep: branching logic, lead scoring, multi-step sales workflows, CRM-pipeline triggers. If you'll build complex sequences, AC wins; if you mainly send broadcasts, Mailchimp's simpler UX wins.