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It's a split decision.
Choose Mailchimp for cross-channel email/SMS campaigns, behavioral data and larger teams; its paid plans start at $13/month on a 12-month promotion. Choose MailPoet for WordPress newsletters, blog updates and a lower-cost paid entry: $7/month billed annually, or free up to 500 subscribers. Mailchimp's free tier caps at 250 contacts and 500 emails monthly. Your choice turns on whether you need a broader marketing platform or a WordPress-first email tool.
01Side by side
| Mailchimp | MailPoet | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free; paid plans from $13/month on a 12-month promotion | Free; paid plans from $7/month billed annually |
| Free plan | 250 contacts; 500 emails monthly or 250 daily | 500 subscribers; 5,000 monthly emails via MailPoet Sending Service |
| Best for | Businesses needing email, SMS, automation and audience segmentation | WordPress sites sending newsletters and blog updates |
| Core strength | Email and SMS campaigns with behavioral data and automation | WordPress-native newsletters, onboarding and post updates |
| Learning curve | More tools; the pricing page lists AI and automation features | WordPress plugin; templates can be customized without coding |
| Integrations/data | Uses real-time behavioral data for segmentation and re-engagement | Pulls content and images from the WordPress media library |
| Team/seat costs | Free has one seat; Essentials has three; Premium has unlimited users | Plans cover one site; Agency covers up to 50 |
| Support | Paid plans list 24/7 email and chat; Premium adds phone support | Support details are not published on the vendor's site |
Mailchimp Choose Mailchimp if
- Choose Mailchimp if you need email and SMS in one platform.
- Choose Mailchimp if you want behavioral data and predictive segmentation.
- Choose Mailchimp if your team needs more seats or phone support.
MailPoet Choose MailPoet if
- Choose MailPoet if your newsletters live on a WordPress site.
- Choose MailPoet if you want automatic updates about new blog posts.
- Choose MailPoet if 500 free subscribers and 5,000 emails suffice.
02Pricing compared
MailPoet has the lower paid entry price: its Creator plan is $7/month billed annually, or $8 month to month. That plan covers one website and uses your host or a third-party SMTP service to send. Business costs $9/month billed annually or $10 monthly and includes MailPoet sending with unlimited monthly sends. Its free Starter plan allows 500 subscribers and 5,000 monthly emails, with MailPoet branding.
Mailchimp Free is narrower: 250 contacts, 500 emails per month, one seat and one audience. Essentials starts at $13/month on a 12-month promotion, with a 14-day trial; Standard is listed at $20/month on promotion. Those rates are billed for 12 months, and standard month-to-month prices may be higher. Mailchimp’s free plan also limits email support to the first 30 days.
03Features and depth
Mailchimp is the broader marketing platform. Its homepage describes email and SMS campaigns, automations driven by customer data, behavioral data for re-engaging subscribers, and AI-assisted tools that flag opportunities such as winning back inactive customers. The pricing information lists A/B and multivariate testing and predictive segmentation under Premium. SMS is not included in Free, and the published plan details list SMS add-ons for paid tiers.
MailPoet is built around WordPress email. It offers customizable newsletter templates, automated welcome emails, and scheduled blog-post updates, with content and images available from the WordPress media library. It also supports email previews and subscriber management. That makes it a more focused fit for newsletters and site updates, rather than a substitute for every cross-channel feature Mailchimp offers.
The trade-off is scope: choose Mailchimp if you need email and SMS plus behavioral marketing tools. Choose MailPoet if your email program is tied to a WordPress site and those newsletter workflows cover the job.
04Ease of use and learning curve
MailPoet’s WordPress focus should suit teams that want to create newsletters and blog updates from their site’s content. Its templates, previews and automated welcome emails keep the described workflow centered on email. Creator requires you to arrange sending through your host or a third-party SMTP provider; Business includes MailPoet sending.
Mailchimp brings more tools into one platform, including automations, audience segmentation and email/SMS campaigns. That breadth may mean more to configure, especially if you only need to send WordPress newsletters. The published reviews rate MailPoet higher for ease of use (8 versus Mailchimp’s 6.5), but those scores are not a guarantee for every team. Check the subscriber, send and seat limits before switching.
Questions people ask
Why are people leaving Mailchimp?
The published review notes that ecommerce users on Reddit keep considering Klaviyo and Omnisend instead, but that is anecdotal—not proof of a general exodus. Mailchimp’s free plan is limited to 250 contacts and 500 emails monthly, so teams may also reassess when their needs or audience grow.
Who is Mailchimp's biggest competitor?
The published material does not identify one biggest competitor. It mentions Klaviyo and Omnisend as alternatives ecommerce users discuss on Reddit, while MailPoet is a more specific alternative for WordPress newsletters and blog updates. The right comparison depends on whether you need a broader marketing platform or WordPress email.
Is MailPoet any good?
The published review rates MailPoet 7.2 overall, with an 8 for ease of use and 7.5 for features. It describes the product as a good WordPress fit for straightforward email. Check the limits: Starter allows 500 subscribers and 5,000 monthly emails, while sending and branding differ by plan.
How much does MailPoet cost?
MailPoet’s Starter plan is free for up to 500 subscribers and 5,000 monthly emails, with branding in email footers. Paid plans start at $7/month billed annually for Creator ($8 monthly). Business is $9 annually billed per month ($10 monthly); Agency starts at $26 per site/month billed annually.