Mailchimp vs Sender
Mailchimp is a all-in-one marketing platform while Sender is a email marketing platform. Mailchimp has been around since 2001, giving it a 11-year head start over Sender (founded 2012). Sender is the more affordable option at $10/mo — that's $3 less than Mailchimp's $13/mo entry point. Both offer free plans to get started. Mailchimp has the edge with advanced analytics. Both tools work well for small businesses and beginners.
Quick Verdict
Mailchimp wins on integrations.
Sender wins on price, deliverability, rating.
Best for most users: Sender (small businesses).
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.
Sender
Affordable email and SMS marketing
Sender offers one of the most generous free plans in email marketing, combined with built-in SMS capabilities. It's an excellent choice for budget-conscious businesses that need both email and SMS marketing without breaking the bank.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Sender |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Starting Price | $13/mo | $10/mo |
| Free Plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month | 2,500 subscribers |
| Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 100 | 50 |
| Integrations | 300 | 50 |
| Deliverability Rate | 96% | 97% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✕ |
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
Sender: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Extremely generous free plan (2,500 subs, 15,000 emails)
- +Built-in SMS marketing on all plans
- +Very affordable paid plans
- +Ecommerce integrations for abandoned cart
- +No credit card required for free plan
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No landing page builder
- −Smaller integration ecosystem
- −Less well-known brand
- −Limited advanced features
The Verdict
Sender edges ahead with a 4.7/5 rating compared to Mailchimp's 4.3/5. The gap comes mainly from support (4.8 vs 4) and deliverability (4.6 vs 4). On deliverability, Sender reports 97% compared to 96% for Mailchimp — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Mailchimp | Sender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $13/mo | $10/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 96% | 97% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 300 | 50 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a nonprofits
- + Most recognized brand in email marketing
Choose Sender if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($10/mo)
- + You're a startups
- + You're a indie and bootstrapped