Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign vs Brevo (Sendinblue)
These three represent different tiers of the all-in-one email marketing spectrum. Mailchimp is the easy on-ramp, ActiveCampaign is the automation powerhouse, and Brevo splits the difference with solid features and aggressive pricing that includes SMS and transactional email.
Quick Verdict
Best for most users: ActiveCampaign — marketing automation that drives growth.
Mailchimp: Turn emails into revenue
ActiveCampaign: Marketing automation that drives growth
Brevo (Sendinblue): The most approachable CRM suite
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | ActiveCampaign | Brevo (Sendinblue) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Starting Price | $13/mo | $29/mo | $9/mo |
| Free Plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month | No free plan | Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day |
| Founded | 2001 | 2003 | 2012 |
| Email Templates | 100 | 250 | 60 |
| Integrations | 300 | 900 | 60 |
| Deliverability Rate | 96% | 97.5% | 96.5% |
| 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 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
The Verdict
| Criterion | Weight | Mailchimp | ActiveCampaign | Brevo (Sendinblue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $13/mo | $29/mo | $9/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 96% | 97.5% | 96.5% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 300 | 900 | 60 |
| Free Tier | 10% | Yes | No | Yes |
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + Best for beginners
- + Best for nonprofits
- + Most recognized brand in email marketing
Choose ActiveCampaign if…
- + Best for agencies
- + Best for b2b
- + Industry-leading automation builder
Choose Brevo (Sendinblue) if…
- + Lowest starting price ($9/mo)
- + Best for transactional email
- + Best for developers
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
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
Brevo (Sendinblue): Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Unique pricing model based on emails sent, not contacts
- +Free plan allows unlimited contacts
- +Built-in SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat
- +Transactional email support
- +Strong API for developers
Cons
- −Free plan limited to 300 emails per day
- −Fewer email templates than competitors
- −Interface can feel cluttered
- −Automation is less intuitive than specialized tools
- −Some features feel underdeveloped