ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are both popular choices in the all-in-one marketing platform space. ActiveCampaign starts at $15/mo billed annually, while Mailchimp starts at $13/mo. Their pricing is not measured the same way, so we don't rank them on price. Mailchimp offers a free plan (250 contacts, 500 emails/month), while ActiveCampaign does not. Both tools work well for ecommerce.
Quick Verdict
ActiveCampaign wins on deliverability, rating, integrations.
Mailchimp wins on free tier.
Best for most users: ActiveCampaign (ecommerce).
ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation that drives growth
ActiveCampaign is widely regarded as having the best marketing automation capabilities in the email marketing space. It combines email marketing with a built-in CRM, making it ideal for businesses that need sophisticated automation workflows and sales pipeline management.
Mailchimp
Turn emails into revenue
Mailchimp is the most widely recognized email marketing platform, used by millions of businesses worldwide. Acquired by Intuit in 2021, it offers a full suite of marketing tools but has become increasingly expensive compared to alternatives.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $15/mo billed annually | $13/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2003 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 250 | 100 |
| Integrations | 900 | 300 |
| Deliverability Rate | 97.5% | 96% |
| Marketing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | Yes | Yes |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes |
| Drag & Drop Editor | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | Yes | Yes |
| Ecommerce Features | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Language | Yes | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | No |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
ActiveCampaign: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Industry-leading automation builder
- + Built-in CRM for sales teams
- + 900+ integrations (largest ecosystem)
- + Excellent deliverability
- + Powerful segmentation and contact scoring
Cons
- − No free plan available
- − Steep learning curve for beginners
- − Gets expensive with higher-tier features
- − Reporting could be more intuitive
- − Landing page builder is basic compared to dedicated tools
Mailchimp: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Most recognized brand in email marketing
- + Excellent drag-and-drop editor
- + 300+ integrations with third-party tools
- + Strong analytics and reporting
- + Good for beginners with guided setup
Cons
- − Free plan severely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends)
- − Premium plan is expensive ($350/mo)
- − Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- − Affiliate marketing restricted
- − Deliverability has declined in recent years
The Verdict
ActiveCampaign edges ahead with a 4.5/5 rating compared to Mailchimp's 4.3/5. The gap comes mainly from support (4.7 vs 4) and deliverability (4.4 vs 4). On deliverability, ActiveCampaign reports 97.5% compared to 96% for Mailchimp — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $15/mo billed annually | $13/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 97.5% Winner | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.5/5 Winner | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 900 Winner | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes Winner |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose ActiveCampaign if…
- + You're a agencies
- + You're a b2b
- + Industry-leading automation builder
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a small businesses
- + You're a beginners