Benchmark Email vs Mailchimp
Benchmark Email is a email marketing platform while Mailchimp is a all-in-one marketing platform. Mailchimp is the more affordable option at $13/mo — that's $24 less per month than Benchmark Email's $37/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Mailchimp has the edge with SMS marketing, ecommerce integrations. Both tools work well for beginners and small businesses.
Quick Verdict
Benchmark Email wins on integrations.
Mailchimp wins on price, deliverability.
Best for most users: Mailchimp (small businesses).
Benchmark Email
Straightforward email marketing with all features on every plan
Benchmark Email is a multilingual email marketing platform founded in 2004 that takes an all-features-included approach, giving every user access to automation, A/B testing, and analytics regardless of plan tier. Available in 9 languages with global support, it appeals to international teams and nonprofits, though its significantly below-average deliverability rate (47.1% in third-party testing) is a serious concern that undermines its otherwise user-friendly design.
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 | Benchmark Email | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $37/mo | $13/mo |
| Free Plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 user | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2004 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 200 | 100 |
| Integrations | 1,500 | 300 |
| Deliverability Rate | 47.1% | 96% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✕ | ✓ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✕ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ |
| Live Chat | ✓ | ✕ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
Benchmark Email: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +All features included on every plan including free -- no feature gating between tiers
- +Available in 9 languages with live customer support in each, making it ideal for international teams
- +Intuitive drag-and-drop editor with mobile-optimized templates and device previews
- +Generous free plan with 500 contacts and 2,500 emails per month including AI content generation
- +Simple contact-based pricing that scales predictably without hidden charges for features
Cons
- −Extremely poor deliverability rate of 47.1% in EmailToolTester's January 2024 independent test, consistently ranking near the bottom
- −Segmentation is limited to within individual lists only -- cannot create cross-list segments for flexible targeting
- −Fewer than 30 pre-designed email templates despite marketing claims of 200+, limiting design variety
- −Slow product development cycle with features lagging behind competitors in automation and ecommerce capabilities
- −No migration support for non-enterprise customers when switching from another email platform
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
Benchmark Email and Mailchimp are closely matched — both score within 0.0 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, Mailchimp reports 96% compared to 47.1% for Benchmark Email — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Benchmark Email | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $37/mo | $13/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 47.1% | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 1500 | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Benchmark Email if…
- + You're a multilingual teams
- + You're a budget conscious marketers
- + All features included on every plan including free -- no feature gating between tiers
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($13/mo)
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You're a ecommerce