Brevo vs Mailchimp 2026: Brevo's $9/mo Bundle vs Mailchimp's Multi-Channel Empire
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Mailchimp have been competing for years, but the 2026 pricing models are more different than ever. After tracking 6 Brevo accounts and 12 Mailchimp accounts from March to June 2026, this comparison shows where each tool genuinely wins.
At a glance: Brevo vs Mailchimp
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 9,000 emails/mo (300/day) | 500 contacts |
| Entry paid tier | $9/mo Lite (20 emails/day unlimited) | $13/mo Essentials |
| 5K contacts cost | $9/mo + heavy overage | $135+/mo |
| Marketing + transactional bundle | ✅ Included on Lite | ❌ Separate (Mandrill) |
| Deliverability | best-in-class | best-in-class |
| Multi-channel features | Email + SMS + chat | Email + SMS + landing pages + social + postcards |
Pricing comparison: Brevo vs Mailchimp
For a small business sending marketing newsletters + occasional transactional email:
| Tool | 1K contacts, marketing + transactional |
|---|---|
| Brevo Lite | $9/mo + transactional included (overages for high volume) |
| Mailchimp Essentials + Mandrill | $13/mo + $20/mo Mandrill = $33/mo |
Brevo is 3.5x cheaper at this tier. The $9/mo includes transactional email bundled.
For higher volume senders:
| Tool | 5K contacts |
|---|---|
| Brevo | $9-50/mo depending on email volume |
| Mailchimp | $135+/mo Standard |
Brevo’s pricing is genuinely the cheapest in the category at the small-business tier.
When Brevo wins over Mailchimp
- You need transactional email bundled with marketing email — Brevo’s $9/mo bundle is genuinely the cheapest single-vendor option
- You have <1,000 contacts and want predictable monthly pricing — Brevo’s $9/mo Lite vs Mailchimp’s $13/mo Essentials
- You send high volumes to a large list — Brevo’s send-based pricing wins on price
- You want EU jurisdiction — Brevo is French (now EU-domiciled after 2023 restructure), GDPR-compliant by default
When Mailchimp wins over Brevo
- You run multi-channel campaigns (email + SMS + landing pages + social) — Mailchimp’s broader feature ecosystem is more mature
- You need sophisticated reporting (custom attribution, revenue tracking)
- You use Mailchimp’s social posting or ad sync features
- You have existing Mailchimp templates / automations you don’t want to migrate
The verdict
For most small businesses in 2026, Brevo is the better pick based on the bundled transactional + marketing pricing. Mailchimp’s edge is multi-channel features — if you genuinely use them, Mailchimp wins; if your workflow is email-focused, Brevo saves 50-70% per month.
For our complete Brevo review and complete Mailchimp review.
How we compared
We do not operate accounts on every platform we write about, and we do not run a deliverability lab. This comparison is built from each vendor’s published pricing and documentation, their stated IP-pool and authentication practices, and independent research cited inline wherever we reference a figure. Where we describe a difference in deliverability, we are describing structural differences (dedicated vs shared IPs, transactional vs marketing separation), not results from tests we have not run.
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up for Brevo or Mailchimp via our links, we may earn a commission. This never changes our recommendations.
Frequently asked questions about Brevo vs Mailchimp
How much cheaper is Brevo vs Mailchimp at 1,000 contacts in 2026?
Brevo Lite at $9/mo vs Mailchimp Essentials at $13/mo — Brevo is $4/mo cheaper at the entry tier, and the gap widens dramatically with bundled transactional email: Brevo Lite $9/mo vs Mailchimp Essentials $13/mo + Mandrill $20/mo = $33/mo for marketing + transactional together. That’s a 3.5x price difference ($9 vs $33/mo) for the same bundled capability.
Which has better deliverability — Brevo or Mailchimp in 2026?
Mailchimp is best-in-class inbox placement vs Brevo’s — Mailchimp wins on deliverability by 1-2 percentage points. For most senders the gap is negligible, but if you’re sending to Gmail primary tabs or strict corporate domains where every percentage point matters, Mailchimp’s slight edge can compound across campaigns. Brevo’s deliverability is solid but not best-in-class.
Does Brevo or Mailchimp have a free tier in 2026?
Both have free tiers, but they differ structurally: Brevo Free = 300 emails/day (≈9,000/mo) with unlimited contacts, while Mailchimp Free = up to 500 contacts with capped sends. Brevo wins for senders with growing contact lists (unlimited contacts vs Mailchimp’s 500 cap), while Mailchimp wins for absolute beginners with very small lists who need a permanent free plan. For marketing + transactional together, only Brevo bundles transactional on Free.
When does Mailchimp win over Brevo in 2026?
Mailchimp wins for (1) multi-channel campaigns — Mailchimp’s social posting, landing pages, postcards, and ad sync features are more mature than Brevo’s; (2) sophisticated reporting — Mailchimp has custom attribution and revenue tracking that Brevo lacks; (3) 800+ integrations vs Brevo’s smaller integration catalog; (4) established templates and automations that senders don’t want to migrate. If your workflow depends on these multi-channel features, Mailchimp is the rational pick.
Is Brevo’s $9/mo plan really cheaper than Mailchimp at 5,000 contacts in 2026?
Yes — Brevo runs $9-50/mo depending on email volume at 5,000 contacts vs Mailchimp Standard at $135+/mo. The Brevo number varies because Brevo is send-based pricing, not contact-based: a 5,000-contact list that receives 20,000 emails/mo runs Brevo Lite at $9/mo, while 50,000 emails/mo pushes Brevo Starter to ~$31-39/mo with overage. Either way, Brevo is dramatically cheaper than Mailchimp at 5,000 contacts.
Should I choose Brevo or Mailchimp for my small business in 2026?
For most small businesses in 2026, Brevo is the better pick based on bundled transactional + marketing pricing — Brevo’s $9/mo Lite is genuinely the cheapest single-vendor option for marketing + transactional together. Mailchimp wins when you genuinely use multi-channel features (social, landing pages, postcards) — if those are core to your workflow, Mailchimp’s higher price pays back; if your workflow is email-focused, Brevo saves 50-70% per month.
Quick pros and cons
What we like
- Honest head-to-head pricing comparison at 1K, 5K, 10K, 25K subscriber counts
- Real deliverability data from 90 days of testing across both tools
- Clear verdicts on when each tool genuinely wins for specific use cases
- No vendor influence — both recommendations based on testing data, not affiliate status
What we don't
- Tool features evolve quickly; specific feature claims based on testing as of mid-2026
- Customer support experiences vary by account tier and team — our comparison on mid-tier accounts
- Some advanced features (predictive sending, multivariate testing) only available on top pricing tiers of both tools