Brevo vs Mailchimp
They differ on 2 of the 13 things buyers in this category actually ask about. Here is where, and what each one asks you to give up.
Brevo
UsageSend-volume pricing plus SMS, chat and a light CRM, hosted in the EU.
Strongest argument
Priced on emails sent, not contacts stored — a large saving for big lists
Biggest objection
Automation depth trails the specialists
Breadth over depth — each module is capable rather than best in class.
Mailchimp
UsageThe best-known all-rounder for broadcasts and basic automation.
Strongest argument
Templates and a builder anyone in marketing can use immediately
Biggest objection
You pay for unengaged contacts unless you prune the list yourself
Cost scales on total contacts, including people who never open anything.
The differences that matter
Where they actually diverge
Only the rows where the two disagree. Everything they both do is listed below.
Cost
What each costs at 50 people
List price only. It ignores add-ons, seat minimums and the cost of the move itself — all of which routinely dwarf the difference below.
Prices are unverified estimates — useful for comparing orders of magnitude, not for budgeting. Confirm the current figure with the vendor before you commit to anything.
Common ground
What both of them do
These will not help you choose — which is exactly why they are worth knowing about before a vendor pitches one as a differentiator.
- AutomationSimple sequences
- ChannelsEmail, SMS
- Ecommerce integrationYes
- Transactional sendingYes
- Marketer-usable builderYes
- SAML single sign-onNo
- SOC 2Yes
- Self-hostableNo
- Open sourceNo
- Public APIYes
- Native mobile appsNo
In full
Every pro and con, both sides
Brevo
- Priced on emails sent, not contacts stored — a large saving for big lists
- EU-hosted with GDPR posture as a selling point
- Marketing, transactional, SMS and CRM under one bill
- Automation depth trails the specialists
- Interface is less refined than Mailchimp or Kit
- Support response times are a recurring complaint on lower tiers
Mailchimp
- Templates and a builder anyone in marketing can use immediately
- Broad integration list across ecommerce and CRM
- Reporting is clear without configuration
- You pay for unengaged contacts unless you prune the list yourself
- Automation is shallow next to purpose-built lifecycle tools
- Price increases at each contact tier have pushed many teams to leave
Questions
Brevo vs Mailchimp, answered
Brevo or Mailchimp — which is better?
Neither, in the abstract. Brevo suits you if priced on emails sent, not contacts stored — a large saving for big lists matters most; Mailchimp if templates and a builder anyone in marketing can use immediately does. The honest trade-offs are: Brevo — Breadth over depth — each module is capable rather than best in class. Mailchimp — Cost scales on total contacts, including people who never open anything.
Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
At least one of them is priced on usage rather than headcount, so there is no honest like-for-like figure. Model both against your own volume — contacts, events or tickets — before comparing, because the headline numbers measure different things.
Can we migrate from Brevo to Mailchimp?
Usually yes, and the difficulty depends on history, integrations and headcount far more than on the two products. Data export quality is the thing to check first: ask both vendors what you can take with you before you commit to either. Our questionnaire produces a scoped estimate for the move.
What else should we consider besides Brevo and Mailchimp?
In email marketing the other credible options are Kit (ConvertKit), Klaviyo, Resend. Narrowing to two before you have written down your requirements is the most common way to end up with the wrong one.
Do not stop at two