Brevo vs Mailchimp: paying per email sent or per contact
Brevo prices by the emails you send, Mailchimp by the contacts you store. What each costs for five real list-and-frequency scenarios.
The short answer
Brevo and Mailchimp charge for different things. Brevo's price is set by how many emails you send a month, and its calculator lists the contacts included with each sending size. Mailchimp's price is set by how many contacts you hold, and each contact tier comes with a monthly send cap. So a long list that you email rarely suits Brevo's model, and a short list you email constantly suits it too, while Mailchimp gets expensive as the list grows whatever you send.
In the five scenarios below, with 4 to 10 emails a month per contact, Brevo Starter is cheaper at list prices in every one: for example 20,000 emails a month to 5,000 contacts is $32 a month on Brevo Starter (monthly billing) against $100 a month on Mailchimp Standard at list price, or $50 during Mailchimp's 12-month offer. The comparison is arithmetic on list prices; the plans include different features, and neither price is a total cost. For the wider picture of email pricing units see our guide to email marketing pricing for online stores and the Klaviyo vs Omnisend comparison.
Brevo: price by emails sent
| Emails a month | Starter, monthly billing | Starter, yearly billing | Standard, monthly | Standard, yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | $9 | $8.08 | $18 | $16.17 |
| 10,000 | $17 | $15.25 | $35 | $31.50 |
| 20,000 | $32 | $28.75 | $69 | $62.08 |
| 50,000 | $56 | $50.42 | $97 | $87.25 |
| 100,000 | $82 | $73.75 | $139 | $125.08 |
The page says the price is based on the number of emails, with no daily sending limit and no expiry on paid plans. The yearly column is the price per month when billed yearly, 10% below monthly billing. The free plan is $0 with a limit of 300 emails a day. The calculator also lists contacts included at each sending size: 500 at 5,000 emails, 1,500 at 10,000, 2,500 at 15,000 and 500,000 from 20,000 emails a month; we report the figures as shown and have not tested them. The Standard calculator also lists one marketing seat and one landing page. Brevo's Professional plan starts at $499 a month for 150,000 emails and is not compared here. Our dated rows are on the Brevo page.
Mailchimp: price by contacts
| Contacts | Essentials, list (offer) | Standard, list (offer) | Standard send cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 501 to 1,500 | $26.50 ($13.25) | $45 ($22.50) | 18,000 |
| 2,501 to 5,000 | $75 ($37.50) | $100 ($50) | 60,000 |
| 5,001 to 10,000 | $110 ($55) | $135 ($67.50) | 120,000 |
| 10,001 to 15,000 | $180 ($90) | $230 ($115) | 180,000 |
| 20,001 to 25,000 | $270 ($135) | $310 ($155) | 300,000 |
| 40,001 to 50,000 | $385 ($192.50) | $450 ($225) | 600,000 |
The page advertises 50% off for 12 months on Standard, even if you change plan, then the list price applies; the figures in brackets are the offer price. Premium starts at $350 a month ($175 with the offer) and is not compared here. Standard's send cap is twelve times the top of the contact tier (6,000 emails at 0 to 500 contacts). A Free plan exists; we did not read its limits. Our dated rows are on the Mailchimp page.
Five scenarios on list prices
| Scenario | Emails a month | Brevo Starter, monthly / yearly | Mailchimp Standard, list (offer) | Mailchimp Essentials, list (offer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 contacts, 4 emails each | 4,000 | $9 / $8.08 | $45 ($22.50) | $26.50 ($13.25) |
| 5,000 contacts, 4 emails each | 20,000 | $32 / $28.75 | $100 ($50) | $75 ($37.50) |
| 10,000 contacts, 5 emails each | 50,000 | $56 / $50.42 | $135 ($67.50) | $110 ($55) |
| 10,000 contacts, 10 emails each | 100,000 | $82 / $73.75 | $135 ($67.50) | $110 ($55), send cap not read |
| 25,000 contacts, 2 emails each | 50,000 | $56 / $50.42 | $310 ($155) | $270 ($135) |
Two things follow from the table. First, the more contacts you hold relative to what you send, the more Brevo's model saves: 25,000 contacts emailed twice a month is 50,000 emails, which is $56 a month on Brevo Starter against $310 on Mailchimp Standard at list price. Second, the gap narrows when you email a mid-sized list often: at 10,000 contacts and 10 emails each, Brevo Starter is $82 against Mailchimp Standard's $135 at list price, and Mailchimp's offer price of $67.50 is lower than Brevo's $82 for the first 12 months. After the offer ends the list price applies.
Over two years the 5,000-contact, 20,000-email scenario adds up to $768 on Brevo Starter on monthly billing ($690 on yearly billing) against $1,800 on Mailchimp Standard ($600 for the first 12 months at the offer price, then $1,200 at list) and $1,350 on Mailchimp Essentials ($450, then $900), assuming the tiers and prices stay as shown.
Side by side: catalogue rates
| Characteristic | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free plan— verified; opens the source in a new tab | Free planSource changed · (past the re-check window) — verified; opens the source in a new tab |
| Official site | Visit site of Brevo(official site, opens in a new tab) | Visit site of Mailchimp(official site, opens in a new tab) |
Catalogue values for both products
Choose by what grows faster: your list or your sending
Brevo's price follows the emails you send, so it favours a large list that is emailed a few times a month and keeps the bill flat as the list grows. Mailchimp's price follows the contacts you hold, so it favours a modest list that you email heavily during its first-year offer, and it carries a send cap at each tier. If you expect the list to grow faster than your sending, price Brevo first; if you expect to email a mid-sized list very often, price both at your real numbers, including what happens after Mailchimp's 12-month offer. This is an editorial summary of published list prices, not a ranking and not based on testing either product.
Editorial opinion
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brevo cheaper than Mailchimp?
At list prices, yes in each of the five scenarios above, because Brevo's entry plans are priced by emails sent while Mailchimp's are priced by contacts. During Mailchimp's 12-month 50% offer the gap closes or reverses when you email a mid-sized list very often, for example 10,000 contacts emailed ten times a month. The plans include different features.
- What does Brevo charge for 20,000 emails a month?
On the pricing page, Starter is $32 a month on monthly billing or $28.75 a month billed yearly, and Standard is $69 or $62.08. The calculator lists 500,000 contacts included at that size.
- What does Mailchimp charge for 5,000 contacts?
In the 2,501 to 5,000 tier Essentials is $75 a month at list price and Standard $100, with a 50% offer for the first 12 months ($37.50 and $50). Standard's send cap in that tier is 60,000 emails a month.
- Do both have a free plan?
Brevo's free plan is $0 with a limit of 300 emails a day. Mailchimp has a Free plan; we did not read its limits, so check them on its pricing page.
- How does Mailchimp count contacts?
Mailchimp's help page on billing counts is the authority; it prices by contacts in your audience, so the number you are billed on is the number of contacts it counts, not the number you email in a given month.
Sources and checks
Sources
Nikita Latyshev is the founder of LATYNEX Labs, an independent publication about business software and infrastructure. LATYNEX Labs is published by Latynex Trade OÜ, Estonia. How the site checks facts, handles sponsorship and earns money is described on its methodology, editorial policy and affiliate disclosure pages.