ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
Complete comparison guide to help you choose the right marketing tool for your needs.
The Winner
Too Close to Call
Both ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are excellent choices. Your decision should be based on specific feature needs and use case.
Quick Comparison
| Criteria |  ActiveCampaign |  Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/mo | Free tier Best |
| User Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Review Count | 18,162 | 53,007 Best |
| Free Trial | 14 days Best | No |
| Annual Discount | 20% Best | N/A |
| Best For | B2B marketers with complex automations | Small businesses needing simplicity |
Feature Breakdown
Feature Comparison
ActiveCampaign Mailchimp ActiveCampaign
- Industry-Leading Automation
- Built-In CRM
- High Deliverability
- Predictive AI
- Learning Curve
- Contact-Based Pricing Scales
- Mixed Support Reviews
Mailchimp
- Best Onboarding Experience
- AI Features That Actually Work
- Genuinely Useful Free Tier
- 260+ Professional Templates
- Pricing Scales Aggressively
- Free Tier Lost Automation
- eCommerce Features Lag Klaviyo
ActiveCampaign Overview
ActiveCampaign excels at marketing automation for growing businesses. Starting at $15/month, it offers visual workflow building, CRM with sales automation, and AI-powered predictive sending. Best for B2B marketers and agencies who need sophisticated automation without Salesforce-level complexity or pricing.
Best For:
- B2B marketers with complex automations
- Small businesses wanting CRM and email marketing combined
- Agencies managing multiple client accounts
Mailchimp Overview
If you're new to email marketing or need a platform that just works, Mailchimp is worth it. The free tier is genuinely useful for small lists (500 contacts), and the Standard plan ($20/month) delivers AI content generation and send-time optimization that rivals enterprise tools. Premium ($350/month) is overkill for most users.
Best For:
- Small businesses needing simplicity
- Beginners with limited email marketing experience
- Businesses under 1,000 contacts with basic automation needs
- Teams wanting established platform stability and extensive templates
- Service-based businesses (non-eCommerce) needing CRM features
- Organizations prioritizing brand recognition and trust
- Users seeking AI-powered content generation and send-time optimization
Our Verdict
Both ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are excellent choices for their respective strengths. ActiveCampaign is ideal for B2B marketers with complex automations, while Mailchimp shines at Small businesses needing simplicity. Your final choice should depend on your specific requirements and budget.