Keap vs Mailchimp
Keap and Mailchimp are both popular choices in the all-in-one marketing platform space. Mailchimp is the more affordable option at $13/mo, which is $286 less than Keap's $299/mo entry point. Mailchimp offers a free plan (250 contacts, 500 emails/month), while Keap does not.
Quick Verdict
Keap wins on integrations.
Mailchimp wins on price, deliverability, rating, free tier.
Best for most users: Mailchimp (small businesses).
Keap
CRM-powered sales and marketing automation for small businesses
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft, founded 2001, acquired by Thryv in 2024) is a premium all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform built for sales-driven small businesses that need contact management, email sequences, SMS marketing, invoicing, and appointment scheduling in a single tool. Its strength lies in powerful automation workflows and a dedicated Customer Success Manager, but the $299/month starting price for just 1,500 contacts makes it one of the most expensive options in its category.
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 | Keap | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $299/mo | $13/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2001 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 70 | 100 |
| Integrations | 5,000 | 300 |
| Deliverability Rate | 93% | 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 | No | Yes |
| Web Push Notifications | No | No |
| Live Chat | Yes | No |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
Keap: Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Powerful drag-and-drop automation builder that handles complex multi-step sales workflows with conditional triggers
- + True all-in-one platform combining CRM, email, SMS, invoicing, payments, and appointment scheduling
- + Dedicated Customer Success Manager included with every plan for hands-on onboarding and support
- + Deep contact management with tagging, segmentation, and centralized views that reduce manual data entry
- + Built-in text marketing with tiered messaging plans and voice minutes integrated directly into automations
Cons
- − Extremely expensive at $299/month for only 1,500 contacts, with costs escalating quickly for additional contacts and users
- − Steep learning curve with complex campaign builder layouts and no undo button, causing frustration during setup
- − Email marketing capabilities feel half-baked compared to dedicated email platforms despite the premium pricing
- − Invoicing feature is rigid and does not support hourly billing or flexible customization
- − Dated mobile experience and slow feature development compared to more agile competitors like GoHighLevel
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
Keap and Mailchimp are closely matched — both score within 0.1 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 93% for Keap — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Keap | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $299/mo | $13/mo Winner |
| Deliverability | 25% | 93% | 96% Winner |
| Rating | 25% | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 Winner |
| Integrations | 10% | 5000 Winner | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes Winner |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Keap if…
- + You're a sales driven small businesses
- + You're a service based businesses
- + Powerful drag-and-drop automation builder that handles complex multi-step sales workflows with conditional triggers
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($13/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You're a small businesses
- + You're a beginners