Mailchimp is the best-known email marketing platform — campaigns, automations, and a marketing CRM for small business. If it doesn't fit your pricing, workflow, or feature needs, here are 5 alternatives worth comparing — including options with a free plan.
Looking for the original? See the full Mailchimp listing.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free plan | Open source | vs Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creators selling courses, products, or paid content | Freemium · from $25/mo | Creator-focused with visual automations, tagging, and digital product sales — free to 10k subscribers. | |||
 beehiiv | Newsletter creators and independent journalists | Freemium · from $39/mo | Newsletter-first platform with referral programs and an ad network, without per-contact price creep. | ||
| E-commerce brands that grow revenue through email and SMS | Freemium | Deeper e-commerce automation with store-event data that outgrows Mailchimp's journeys. | |||
| Budget-conscious small businesses and creators | Freemium | A budget ESP with a generous free tier covering features Mailchimp charges for. | |||
 AWeber | Solopreneurs and small businesses | Freemium · from $15/mo | Similar small-business focus with phone support and simpler pricing. |
Creator-focused with visual automations, tagging, and digital product sales — free to 10k subscribers.
The creator marketing platform (formerly ConvertKit) — email, automations, and monetization built for creators.
The autonomous B2C CRM — unify customer data and run AI-powered email, SMS, and service across channels.
Kit is the top-listed Mailchimp alternative on this page — creator-focused with visual automations, tagging, and digital product sales — free to 10k subscribers. The right choice depends on your budget, workflow, and required integrations, so compare the table above before deciding.
Yes. Kit offers a free plan, with paid plans from $25/mo. Other listings may also include free tiers — check the Free plan column in the comparison table.
None of the alternatives listed here are open source at the moment. If self-hosting matters to you, check each tool's documentation for deployment options.
Each alternative solves a similar core task and is an active listing in the directory. The one-line difference next to each tool summarizes how it diverges from Mailchimp in pricing, focus, or capability.
