How to Migrate from Mailchimp to MailerLite
MailerLite is one of the most popular destinations for Mailchimp refugees because it offers a similar feature set at a fraction of the price. After Mailchimp's pricing restructuring, many small businesses found themselves paying significantly more for the same contact counts. MailerLite's interface is cleaner and less cluttered, and the free plan is genuinely usable for small lists. The email editor and automation builder are intuitive enough that most Mailchimp users feel at home quickly.
What Transfers?
Method: CSV export/import
Export Mailchimp audience as CSV. MailerLite accepts CSV imports with field mapping.
MailerLite has its own drag-and-drop editor. Templates must be rebuilt but MailerLite offers many pre-built templates.
Recreate in MailerLite's automation builder. The workflow concepts are similar but not directly portable.
Create new forms in MailerLite and replace embed codes on your site.
Historical data stays in Mailchimp. Export campaign reports before closing your account.
Method: CSV column mapping
Include Mailchimp tags as a column in your CSV export. MailerLite can create groups from these during import.
Step-by-Step Migration Guide
- 1
Export contacts from Mailchimp
Navigate to Audience > All contacts > Export Audience. The CSV includes emails, names, tags, subscription dates, and custom fields.
- 2
Import contacts into MailerLite
In MailerLite, go to Subscribers > Import > CSV upload. Map Mailchimp fields to MailerLite fields. Assign subscribers to groups based on Mailchimp tags.
- 3
Rebuild your email templates
Use MailerLite's drag-and-drop editor to recreate your email designs. MailerLite includes a gallery of free templates that you can customize.
- 4
Recreate automations
Map your Mailchimp automations to MailerLite workflows. MailerLite supports triggers like subscriber joins group, completes form, clicks link, or date-based triggers.
- 5
Set up forms and landing pages
Create new embedded forms, pop-ups, or landing pages in MailerLite. Replace Mailchimp form codes on your website.
- 6
Authenticate your sending domain
Add MailerLite DKIM and SPF DNS records. Verify the domain in MailerLite settings before sending campaigns.
- 7
Test and send first campaign
Send a test campaign to yourself. Check formatting, links, and that tracking works. Then send your first live campaign.
Watch Out For
MailerLite has a strict approval process for new accounts. Your account may be reviewed for 1-2 business days before you can send campaigns. Start the signup process early.
MailerLite's free plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month. If your list exceeds this, you'll need a paid plan from day one.
Mailchimp merge tags (like *|FNAME|*) won't work in MailerLite. Replace them with MailerLite's personalization syntax {$name} in any copied email content.
Ready to switch to MailerLite?
Start with MailerLite's free plan and import your contacts.
What You Get with MailerLite
Pros
- +Excellent value for money — most affordable paid plans
- +Clean, intuitive interface perfect for beginners
- +Built-in website and landing page builder
- +Sell digital products directly
- +Strong drag-and-drop email editor
Cons
- −Free plan limited to 1,000 subscribers
- −No SMS marketing
- −Fewer integrations than competitors
- −Strict approval process for new accounts
- −Limited automation compared to ActiveCampaign