ConvertKit rebranded to Kit in 2024, but most people still search for the old name. Whatever you call it, it is the platform that creators, bloggers, and course sellers tend to land on when Mailchimp feels like the wrong fit. Here is an honest look at where each one pulls ahead in 2026.
The verdict
ConvertKit is built for creators. Mailchimp is built for small businesses. If you write a newsletter, sell a course, or run a podcast and want clean sequences and a simple subscriber experience, ConvertKit fits better. If you run a retail shop or a service business and want more templates, reporting depth, and a familiar brand, Mailchimp is the safer default.
| ConvertKit (Kit) | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (1,000 subscribers, no automation) | Yes (500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo) |
| Starting paid price | $25/mo (1,000 subscribers) | $13/mo (500 contacts) |
| Best for | Creators, bloggers, course sellers, podcasters | Small businesses, retail, general newsletters |
| Deliverability | Strong | Strong |
| Ease of use | Simple, minimal, stripped down by design | Easy to moderate, more options in the editor |
| Automation | Visual builder, tag-based, excellent for sequences | Good for standard flows, more template variety |
| Templates | Minimal – text-first by default | Large designed template library |
| Support | Email + chat (paid); community forums | Email + chat (paid); limited on free |
Pricing
ConvertKit's free plan covers up to 1,000 subscribers, which is more generous than Mailchimp's 500-contact free tier. The catch is that ConvertKit's free plan locks you out of automations and sequences, which are the main reason most creators choose it. Paid plans start at $25 per month for 1,000 subscribers and climb from there.
Mailchimp's Essentials plan starts at $13 per month for up to 500 contacts. At mid-size lists in the 5,000 to 10,000 range, both platforms land in a similar monthly range. At ConvertKit's Creator Pro tier, which adds advanced reporting and a newsletter referral network, pricing goes higher. Neither is the cheapest option on the market.
Ease of use
ConvertKit is stripped down by design. There are fewer templates, fewer options in the editor, and fewer places to click. That is intentional. The product philosophy is that creators should focus on writing, not designing emails. Mailchimp has a much larger template library and more design controls, which helps businesses that want polished, graphically designed emails.
If you want a simple "write and send" experience, ConvertKit is faster to use day-to-day. If you want control over email design, Mailchimp gives you more to work with.
Templates & design
Mailchimp wins here clearly. Its template library is large, covers many industries, and includes drag-and-drop design blocks. ConvertKit's templates lean heavily toward plain text or minimal HTML, which performs well for open rates but looks sparse if you need a branded, designed newsletter. The design philosophy is a real difference, not just a feature gap.
Automation & segmentation
ConvertKit's visual automation builder is genuinely good. You can map out an entire subscriber journey with forks, tags, and delays in a single canvas. It is built around sequences, which are the kind of time-based email courses, welcome flows, and onboarding drips that creators rely on. The tag-based system makes it easy to see what each subscriber has and has not received.
Mailchimp has automation and covers the basics well. But the builder is less intuitive for long sequences, and the platform was not designed with the creator use case at its center. For simple campaigns and standard follow-up flows, Mailchimp works fine. For complex creator-style journeys with multiple products and audience segments, ConvertKit is more natural.
Deliverability
Both platforms have strong deliverability records. Deliverability is not a meaningful differentiator between the two. List quality, sending frequency, and engagement rates matter more than the platform itself.
Free plan
ConvertKit's free tier supports up to 1,000 subscribers with no automation. Mailchimp's free tier supports 500 contacts with single-step automations. If you want a larger free starting point, ConvertKit wins. If you want automation on the free plan, Mailchimp is the only option between these two, though it is limited.
Support
Both offer email and live chat on paid plans. ConvertKit has built a strong creator community and documentation focused on the newsletter and course creator use case. Mailchimp has broader documentation simply because it has been around longer and has a larger user base. Neither offers phone support.
Who should pick which
- Pick ConvertKit if you are a creator, newsletter writer, course seller, or podcaster who wants clean sequences and a tag-based subscriber system without visual clutter.
- Pick Mailchimp if you run a small business that wants more design options, a bigger template library, or tighter e-commerce integrations.
FAQ
Is ConvertKit cheaper than Mailchimp?
For small lists, no. ConvertKit's paid plans start at $25 per month for 1,000 subscribers versus Mailchimp's $13 for 500 contacts. At larger list sizes in the 10,000+ range, pricing is more comparable. ConvertKit's free plan supports more subscribers (1,000 vs 500) but lacks automation.
Which has better automation, ConvertKit or Mailchimp?
ConvertKit, for creator-style workflows. The visual automation canvas and tag-based system make it easier to build subscriber journeys tied to content, products, and signup source. Mailchimp has solid automation for standard business use cases but was not designed around the creator workflow.
Can I migrate from Mailchimp to ConvertKit?
Yes. ConvertKit accepts CSV exports from Mailchimp, including tags and custom fields. ConvertKit's migration guide walks through the import process step by step. Rebuilding your automations inside ConvertKit takes more time than the import itself.
Does ConvertKit have a landing page builder?
Yes. ConvertKit includes landing pages and opt-in forms on all plans, including the free tier. The landing page builder is simple but functional, and it integrates directly with your subscriber list and sequences.
Is ConvertKit good for small businesses?
It depends on the type of business. ConvertKit is excellent for knowledge businesses, content creators, and course sellers. For retail businesses, restaurants, or service companies that need designed templates and basic campaigns, Mailchimp is usually a better fit because of its design tools and integrations.
A third option if you sell B2B: Bobb
Both tools above are built to send email. If the job of your newsletter is to sell (book meetings, surface buyers, move pipeline), that is a different job, and it is the one Bobb was built for. Bobb finds the people in your list most likely to buy, writes and sends for you, and books the meeting when someone raises a hand. You send from a pre-warmed platform domain, so you land in the inbox from day one with no domain to warm.
If your newsletter is purely content or consumer e-commerce, pick the winner above. If it is supposed to generate pipeline, start free and see the difference on your own list.