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Mailchimp vs Constant Contact
Both are long-established email tools for small businesses. Mailchimp has a free plan and starts at about $13 a month; Constant Contact has no free plan and starts at about $12 a month. The real differences are in automation, send limits and who each tool is built for.
Mailchimp is the better pick for most online businesses thanks to its free plan, stronger automation on Standard and huge integration list. Constant Contact suits local businesses and nonprofits that value simplicity, events and phone support.
Choose Mailchimp if…
you want a free plan to start, more automation as you grow, and integrations with e-commerce and other apps.
Choose Constant Contact if…
you run a local business or nonprofit, want a straightforward editor and event tools, and prefer a vendor known for hands-on support.
At a glance
Mailchimp
Constant Contact
Best for
Small businesses that want a familiar, easy email tool with many integrations
Small local businesses and nonprofits that want simple email and events
Starting price
Free plan; paid from $13/mo
From $12/mo
Free plan
Yes
No
Trial
Free plan (250 contacts, 500 emails a month)
Free trial available
Fees
No transaction fees; price depends on contact count.
Extra sends above the allowance are charged per email; SMS is a paid add-on.
Prices in USD from each provider's pricing page, checked November 2, 2026. Plans and prices change; confirm before you buy.
US starting prices for 500 contacts (Premium starts at 10,000 contacts), compiled from several pricing trackers because Mailchimp shows local currency. Prices rise with list size.
US starting prices for 500 contacts, compiled from several pricing trackers (the official page blocks automated checks). Prices rise with list size; annual billing saves up to about 15%.
Lite
$12/month
✓From 500 contacts
✓Email campaigns and templates
✓Sends about 10× contacts a month
Standard
$35/month
✓Automations and segmentation
✓Sends about 12× contacts a month
Premium
$80/month
✓Dynamic content
✓Advanced automation paths
✓Sends about 24× contacts a month
Pricing compared
At the entry level the two cost almost the same, about $12–$13 a month for a few hundred contacts. The difference shows up as you add automation:
Need
Mailchimp
Constant Contact
Free plan
Yes, 250 contacts
No
Basic newsletters
Essentials, from about $13
Lite, from about $12
Automation and segmentation
Standard, from about $20
Standard, from about $35
Advanced features
Premium, from about $350 (10,000 contacts)
Premium, from about $80
For automation on a small list, Mailchimp Standard is about $15 a month cheaper than Constant Contact Standard, roughly $180 a year. Both raise prices as your list grows.
Key differences
Free start. Mailchimp's free plan (250 contacts, 500 emails a month) lets you test before paying. Constant Contact offers a free trial only.
Automation. Mailchimp Standard includes up to 200 automation flows. Constant Contact adds automation and segmentation on Standard and advanced paths on Premium.
Sending allowance. Both cap monthly sends as a multiple of your contacts. Constant Contact's Premium allowance is the higher multiple.
Audience. Mailchimp leans towards online and e-commerce businesses; Constant Contact has long focused on local businesses, nonprofits and events.
Which should you choose?
If you are starting from zero or selling online, start with Mailchimp's free plan. If you need simple newsletters plus events and want a vendor oriented to small local organisations, Constant Contact is a comfortable fit. If your main goal is selling products, consider a tool that combines email with checkout. See Mailchimp alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailchimp cheaper than Constant Contact?+
At the very bottom they are similar (about $13 vs $12 a month), but Mailchimp is cheaper once you need automation: about $20 vs $35 a month on Standard for a small list.
Does Constant Contact have a free plan?+
No. It offers a free trial. Mailchimp has a free plan for up to 250 contacts.
Which is better for nonprofits?+
Constant Contact has long served nonprofits and offers nonprofit discounts; Mailchimp also offers a nonprofit discount. Compare current offers on both sites.
Which has better automation?+
Mailchimp Standard includes up to 200 automation flows at a lower price than Constant Contact's automation plan.
This comparison is based on each provider's official pricing page, documentation and published features, checked on November 2, 2026.
Where a provider shows prices in local currency or loads them dynamically, US prices were cross-checked against several pricing trackers and are labelled as such.
See how we review software.