MailerLite vs Mailchimp: Which is BEST in 2024
MailerLite vs Mailchimp are both popular marketing platforms for running email campaigns… but which is right for you?
Email marketing is super effective, giving you $38 for every $1 you spend. There are 1.5 billion active Gmail users; all of them could be potential customers for your business.
If you are struggling to decide between mailerlite vs mailchimp,
Worry no more!
I wrote this post for you.
In this review, I’ll be comparing two major email marketing software – MailerLite vs Mailchimp.
I’ll cover their pros and cons of each, key features, and which tool you should choose based on your preferences.
Let’s get started,
MailerLite vs Mailchimp overview:
Both Mailerlite and Mailchimp have emerged as market-leading tools for managing email campaigns.
These tools help small and big businesses take care of their entire email marketing.
Though both are similar, they cater to slightly different audiences. That’s why, in the following, I’ll give you a clear idea of how each tool operates.
But before that, let’s take a quick look at what these tools offer.
What is Mailerlite:
MailerLite is an email marketing software and automation tool that allows businesses and individuals to create and send email campaigns, manage subscriber lists, and track campaign performance.
Over 600,000 customers around the world use MailerLite. They offer flexible tiered plans based on the size of your contact list.
If you have less than 1,000 email subscribers, you can start with their forever-free plan. This plan, although limited, allows you to send up to 12,000 emails per month.
MailerLite is best known for its easy user interface, responsive email designs, and excellent 24/7 phone and email support.
If you decide to upgrade to their $10/month plan, you gain access to all features that can enhance your email marketing strategy, including a landing page builder, embedded forms, and pop-ups.
With MailerLite, you can track your email marketing results effectively. Their features like click maps and opens by location reports help you analyze the performance of your email campaigns.
Some of the most prominent features of Mailerlite are:
- Get 24/7 support through chat and email.
- Create landing pages easily with powerful builders.
- Connect with top ecommerce platforms seamlessly.
- Collect feedback with email surveys.
- Choose from Template Gallery for great designs.
- Enjoy excellent email deliverability with service.
What is Mailchimp:
Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform that offers email marketing, marketing automation, website building, and other digital marketing tools.
MailChimp, a major player in email marketing, offers plans ranging from free to $14.99/month.
With over 1 billion emails sent daily and 14 million customers in 2017, they’re a popular choice. The free plan includes a user-friendly interface, 2,000 subscribers, and 12,000 email sends per month, ideal for small businesses.
Some of the most prominent features of Mailchimp are:
- It features autoresponders,
- transactional emails,
- analytics, and
- third-party integrations.
- There’s also a free Mailchimp app for iPhone and Android.
- Pricing depends on your subscriber count; exceeding 2,000 subscribers puts you in the $30/month plan.
pricing:
Mailerlite :
MailerLite pricing depends on the number of subscribers you have.
Their free plan offers access to features like automation and landing pages but has limitations.
You’ll need to pay if you have more than 1,000 contacts or need to send over 12,000 emails monthly.
Paid users get premium features like email templates, A/B testing, and live chat support.
Mailchimp price:
Mailchimp pricing is determined by both price plans and the number of subscribers.
In Mailchimp’s free plan, 2,000 contacts are included, which is double what MailerLite offers.
It provides simple automations, basic templates, their marketing CRM, and behavioral tagging.
When comparing Mailchimp and MailerLite free plans, most users will find Mailchimp offers more value. However, Mailchimp’s pricing escalates once you move to their paid plans.
Pricing per number of contacts in your database:
| PLAN | MailerLite pricing | Mailchimp pricing |
| Free plans | 1,000 contacts and 12,000 email sends / month | 2,000 contacts and 10,000 email sends / month |
| For 2.5k contacts | $15/mo (or 30% discount paid annually on this and all plans below) | $29.99/mo |
| For 10k contacts | $50/mo | $74.99/mo |
| For 50k contacts | $210/mo | $259/mo |
| For 100k contacts | $360/mo | $499/mo |
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: Pros and Cons
MailerLite:
Pros:
- Affordability: MailerLite is often considered more budget-friendly, especially for small businesses and startups.
- Simplicity: It offers a user-friendly interface, making it easy for beginners to create and send email campaigns.
- Automation: Provides automation features even in the free plan, allowing users to set up basic email sequences.
- Responsive Support: Users often praise MailerLite’s customer support for being responsive and helpful.
- No Forced Double Opt-in: Unlike Mailchimp, MailerLite doesn’t require double opt-in for subscribers, which can lead to higher subscription rates.
Cons:
- Limited Advanced Features: Some advanced features available in competitors might be lacking in MailerLite.
- Learning Curve for Complex Campaigns: While it’s user-friendly, creating complex automation sequences might require a learning curve.
Mailchimp:
Pros:
- Versatility: Mailchimp offers a wide range of features, including advanced automation, A/B testing, and detailed analytics.
- Integration: Integrates with a variety of third-party apps and services, allowing for a seamless workflow.
- Template Variety: Provides a large selection of templates for email campaigns, helping users create visually appealing content.
- Advanced Reporting: Detailed reporting and analytics tools help users track the success of their campaigns.
- Scalability: Can handle larger businesses with complex email marketing needs due to its extensive feature set.
Cons:
- Pricing: While the free plan is generous, the paid plans can become expensive, especially as your subscriber list grows.
- Complexity: The multitude of features can be overwhelming for beginners, leading to a steeper learning curve.
- Limited Automation in Free Plan: The free plan’s automation capabilities are basic, requiring a paid plan for more advanced options.
When choosing between MailerLite and Mailchimp, it ultimately depends on your specific needs, budget, and the level of complexity you require for your email marketing campaigns.
MailerLite vs Mailchimp: WHICH ONE IS BEST ?
1. User Interface and Ease of Use:
Once you get the hang of Mailchimp, it’s easy. However, some tasks, such as managing lists and finding specific data, can be tricky. On the other hand, MailerLite is straightforward and user-friendly, making it one of the simplest email marketing tools to use.
2. List management
Mailchimp lists are siloed and cannot be managed collectively. This can become frustrating if you want to send a message to contacts in both lists but are worried about duplicate contacts across the two lists.
However, MailerLite makes it much easier to tag your contacts by interest groups and create segments. With their automation functionality, you can take tagging and segmentation even further without adding to your workload – such as removing a contact from a group if they join another.
3. Templates :
Mailchimp offers a variety of professional templates that you can customize with their easy drag & drop editor. In comparison, MailerLite’s templates might have fewer options, but they are user-friendly and highly customizable. It’s important to mention that templates aren’t included in MailerLite’s free plan. However, their drag & drop editor is excellent, providing extensive customization options.
4. Forms:
Mailchimp provides various types of forms, which are easy to embed on your website. It also offers native integrations with popular apps like MailOptin for WordPress.
Meanwhile, MailerLite offers appealing pop-up sign-up forms with diverse templates. These forms are simple to set up and can effectively boost lead generation on your website.
5. Email Automation:
Mailchimp lets you create automated email workflows that start simple and get more advanced as you upgrade your plan. Even with the free plan, you can automate basic emails like welcome messages, order notifications, and abandoned cart reminders.
For more advanced automation, you might want to explore Mailchimp’s paid plans.
With Mailchimp’s Standard plan and above, you can design complex automated workflows, such as nurture campaigns and onboarding series.
MailerLite provides automation features, even in their free plan. Users can create basic automations triggered by subscriber actions like joining a group, clicking a form or link, updating a subscriber field, or specific anniversary or date matches.
In summary, MailerLite provides a broader range of automation features at a lower cost (even for free users), while Mailchimp offers the potential for more advanced automations if you choose to upgrade your plan.
6.Analytics and Reporting:
MailerLite provides basic reporting features like email campaign activity, subscriber engagement, device usage, popular links, and opens by location. On the other hand, Mailchimp offers more detailed analytics, including conversion data for calculating ROI, smart recommendations, and send-time optimization, especially with its Standard plan and above.
7.Support:
MailerLite offers 24/7 email support for all plans, including the Free Forever plan. They provide live chat support with all paid plans and support multiple languages like English, French, Spanish, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, and more.
Mailchimp, on the other hand, offers 24/7 email support with Essentials and above plans, phone support only with the Premium plan, and 24/7 live chat support with Essentials and above plans. Mailchimp’s interface is available in English only.
| When to choose mailerlite | When to choose mailchimp |
| If You have a small business | If You want software that does more than email |
| If You want a lightweight tool | If You want more advanced reporting |
| If You’re budget conscious | If Your business isn’t so small anymore |
| If Support matters to you | If You want more speed and reliability |
Wrap up:
I hope this detailed comparison of MailerLite vs Mailchimp
helps you make an informed decision.
Overall, both are robust platforms for email marketing.
If you’re looking for a simple tool that allows you to send email, mailerlite is your best choice.
However, for larger organizations that need a complete email management solution, mailchimp is best. If needed, you can even use the two in combination.
What Email marketing tools do you plan to use? Let me know in the comments.
MOST asked FAQ ABOUT Mailerlite vs Mailchimp
Q1: What is MailerLite?
MailerLite is an email marketing software that allows businesses and individuals to create and send email campaigns, manage subscribers, and track campaign performance. It offers a user-friendly platform for email marketing and automation.
Q2: Is MailerLite free to use?
Yes, MailerLite offers a Free Forever plan that allows users to send emails to a limited number of subscribers each month. It is a great option for small businesses and individuals who are just starting with email marketing.
Q3: Does MailerLite offer automation features? Yes, MailerLite offers automation features that allow you to create personalized email sequences based on subscriber actions. You can set up welcome emails, drip campaigns, and other automated workflows to engage your subscribers.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Mailchimp:
1. What is Mailchimp? Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform that offers email marketing, automation, analytics, and more. It helps businesses create and manage email campaigns, design landing pages, and analyze customer behavior.
2. Is Mailchimp free to use? Yes, Mailchimp offers a free plan that allows users to send a limited number of emails per month to a certain number of subscribers. There are also paid plans with additional features for businesses with larger subscriber lists and more advanced needs.
3. Can I import my existing email list into Mailchimp? Yes, Mailchimp allows you to import existing email lists from various formats, such as CSV files or other email marketing services. However, you need to ensure that your contacts have opted in to receive emails to comply with anti-spam laws.
4. Does Mailchimp provide email templates? Yes, Mailchimp provides a variety of professionally designed email templates that users can customize according to their brand. These templates make it easy to create visually appealing emails without the need for coding skills.
5. Can I schedule emails in advance with Mailchimp? Yes, Mailchimp allows users to schedule emails in advance. You can specify the date and time you want your emails to be sent, ensuring they reach your audience at the most effective times.
6. What kind of analytics and reporting does Mailchimp offer? Mailchimp provides detailed analytics and reports for your email campaigns. You can track open rates, click-through rates, subscriber engagement, and more. These insights help you understand the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions.
7. Does Mailchimp offer integration with other platforms? Yes, Mailchimp offers integrations with a wide range of platforms and services, including e-commerce platforms, CRM systems, social media, and more. These integrations allow you to streamline your marketing efforts and connect Mailchimp with your existing tools.
8. Is Mailchimp user-friendly for beginners? Yes, Mailchimp is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible for beginners. It offers drag-and-drop tools, intuitive navigation, and helpful guides to assist users in creating and managing their email campaigns.
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