Compare / Brevo vs Mailchimp
Brevo vs Mailchimp
Brevo and Mailchimp count their free plans in opposite ways, and that single difference decides which one fits you. Brevo lets you store a huge list free and limits how many you email per day. Mailchimp limits the list itself, hard.
This breakdown covers how each counts, what you can build, and how the price behaves once you outgrow free.
The short version
If you have a large list you email in batches, Brevo wins easily, store 100,000 contacts free and respect a 300-a-day send cap. Mailchimp free only suits a tiny list you email constantly.
| Brevo | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free contacts | 100,000 contacts | 250 contacts |
| Free sends | 300 emails/day (~9,000/mo) | 1,000 sends/mo, 500/day |
| Counting model | Pay per email, store contacts free | Pay per contact |
| Built-in extras | SMS, basic CRM, transactional email | Basic templates only |
| Automations on free | Basic, capped audience | Single-step only |
| Best when | Big list, batched sends | Tiny list, frequent sends |
What each free tier actually does
The detail that decides it: what you can really do on each free plan, and where it stops.
Brevo free plan
100,000 contacts, 300 emails a day
Brevo's free plan lets you store an entire 40,000-person list at no cost and email a 300-person segment every single day. That suits a big list you message in batches, say a local business emailing one neighborhood at a time. The 300-a-day cap only bites if you need to blast your whole list at once, in which case you would space it out or upgrade.
What you can do
- Store up to 100,000 contacts free
- Send 300 emails a day (around 9,000 a month)
- Use the built-in CRM, SMS, and transactional email
- Build basic automations and signup forms
What you can't
- Email more than 300 people in a single day
- Remove Brevo branding from emails on free
- Run advanced automations across the full list
- Get advanced reporting or A/B testing
Mailchimp free plan
250 contacts, ~1,000 sends a month
Mailchimp's free plan caps the list at 250 contacts. If you email all 250 four times a month you have used your whole send allowance. It works for a tiny, active list, a small club or a side project, but the contact cap means it stops being free the moment your list starts to grow.
What you can do
- Store 250 contacts and send ~1,000 emails a month
- Email your small list as often as the send pool allows
- Use one audience with basic templates and forms
- Send a single-step welcome email
What you can't
- Hold more than 250 contacts without paying
- Run multi-step journeys or A/B tests
- Use SMS or a built-in CRM
- Remove Mailchimp branding
How each one counts (and why it matters)
Mailchimp bills on total contacts, so the free plan stops at 250 and every plan above scales with list size. Brevo bills on emails sent, so you can store up to 100,000 contacts free and only worry about the 300-a-day send cap. If your list grows faster than your send volume, which is true for most newsletters and stores, Brevo's model keeps you free far longer.
What you can build free
Brevo's free plan is broader than an email tool: you get a basic CRM, SMS (pay as you go), transactional email, and signup forms alongside campaigns, so a small business can run contacts, email, and texts from one account. Mailchimp free is email-only with a single audience and basic templates. For an all-in-one starting point, Brevo gives you more surface area at zero cost.
Sending in practice
Brevo's 300-a-day cap is the thing to plan around. Emailing a 300-person segment daily is fine; blasting a 5,000-person list at once is not, you would spread it across days or upgrade. Mailchimp has no daily cap but a hard contact ceiling, so the constraint flips: you can email your whole list whenever you like, as long as that list stays under 250 people.
Pricing as you grow
Brevo's paid plans start around $9/mo and lift the daily cap while keeping the generous contact storage, so cost tracks how much you send. Mailchimp's start around $13/mo for 500 contacts and climb with list size, so a big list gets expensive whether you email it or not. For a large, lightly emailed list, Brevo is usually the cheaper long-term home.
Who should pick which
Pick Brevo if
- You have a large list you email in batches or segments
- You want email, SMS, and a basic CRM in one free account
- You would rather pay for volume sent than for contacts stored
Pick Mailchimp if
- You run a genuinely tiny list (under 250) you email often
- You are already set up in Mailchimp and do not want to move
- You value brand familiarity over free-plan headroom
The verdict
If you have a large list you email in batches, Brevo wins easily. Storing 100,000 contacts free and respecting a 300-a-day cap is far more forgiving than Mailchimp's hard 250-contact ceiling, and you get an SMS channel and CRM thrown in.
Mailchimp's free plan only makes sense for a genuinely tiny list you email constantly, where the monthly send pool matters more than the contact count. For most founders, Brevo's contact-based model is the free plan that lasts longer.
FAQ
Does Brevo really allow 100,000 free contacts?
Yes. Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts stored, so the free plan holds up to 100,000 contacts with a 300-email daily send limit.
Which free plan lasts longer as I grow?
Brevo, in most cases. Its limit is daily sends, not list size, so a growing list stays free as long as you batch your sends. Mailchimp starts charging the moment you pass 250 contacts.
Can I send to my whole list on Brevo's free plan?
Only if it is under 300 people, since the free plan caps you at 300 emails a day. For larger lists you spread sends across days or upgrade.