Choosing between Mailchimp and ConvertKit is one of the most common dilemmas in email marketing. Both are excellent platforms — but they're built for very different users.
Mailchimp is the world's most recognised email tool, loved for its free plan and all-in-one marketing features. ConvertKit was purpose-built for creators — bloggers, podcasters, and course sellers who need to grow and monetise an audience.
In this comparison, we pit them head-to-head across pricing, features, ease of use, deliverability and affiliate commission so you can pick the right one.
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Free Plan ConvertKit free plan is far more generous |
Yes — 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo | Yes — up to 10,000 subscribers | ConvertK |
| Starting Price (Paid) | $13/month | $25/month | Mailchim |
|
Email Builder Mailchimp has richer design options |
Drag-and-drop + HTML | Plain text & simple templates | Mailchim |
|
Automation ConvertKit automations are more powerful |
Basic automation | Advanced visual automations | ConvertK |
|
Subscriber Management Tags are far more flexible for segmentation |
List-based | Tag-based | ConvertK |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Digital Products / Commerce | Limited | Built-in | ConvertK |
| Deliverability | Good (~88%) | Excellent (~99%) | ConvertK |
| Integrations | 300+ | 100+ | Mailchim |
|
Affiliate Commission ConvertKit pays recurring for twice as long |
30% for 12 months | 30% for 24 months | ConvertK |
| Best For | Small businesses, e-commerce | Bloggers, creators, course sellers | Tie |
Mailchimp offers a free plan for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 email sends per month. Paid plans start at $13/month. However, pricing scales steeply — at 10,000 contacts you're paying $110/month.
ConvertKit's free plan allows up to 10,000 subscribers at no cost. Paid plans start at $25/month for 300 subscribers, but unlock automations, sequences, and remove Kit branding.
Mailchimp's automation is functional but basic — welcome sequences, birthday emails, and simple behaviour triggers. ConvertKit's visual automation builder is genuinely excellent: branching workflows based on tags, purchases, link clicks, or time delays. If automation is central to your strategy, ConvertKit wins.
Independent tests consistently show ConvertKit leading with inbox rates around 99%, compared to Mailchimp's 88–92%. This difference alone can justify switching if list engagement is critical to your revenue.
Both offer 30% recurring commissions, but ConvertKit pays for 24 months vs Mailchimp's 12 months. On a $100/month plan, that's the difference between earning $360 and $720 per referred customer.
Mailchimp for businesses and beginners; ConvertKit for creators and audience builders.
Both platforms are excellent — but they serve different audiences. Mailchimp wins if you're a small business, e-commerce brand, or beginner who needs an all-in-one free tool. ConvertKit wins if you're a creator building an audience with automations and digital product sales at the core of your strategy.
Try both free tiers and see which interface clicks for you — most users know within the first 30 minutes.
Based on features, pricing, value and overall performance.
Try ConvertKit →| Mailchimp | ConvertKit | |
| Score | 7.8/10 | 8.4/10 |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Commission | 30% recurring for 12 months | 30% recurring for 24 months |
