Mailchimp is the world's most widely used email marketing platform — used by 12 million+ businesses worldwide. It's the go-to choice for small businesses, bloggers, nonprofits and creators starting with email marketing because of its generous free plan (up to 500 contacts) and ease of use that requires no technical knowledge.
Its AI features include subject line optimisation that suggests high-performing subject lines based on your audience's behaviour, send time optimisation that learns when each subscriber is most likely to open and Content Optimiser that analyses your email copy and design against best practices. These AI features improve open rates and click rates without requiring any marketing expertise.
Mailchimp's automation templates cover the most common email sequences — welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase follow-up and re-engagement campaigns — with pre-built workflows that small businesses can activate in minutes. For businesses ready to grow beyond the free plan, paid tiers add advanced segmentation, A/B testing and multivariate campaigns.
Key Features
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Email Builder
Drag-and-drop email editor with 100+ professionally designed templates — no design skills needed.
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AI Subject Lines
AI suggests subject lines predicted to improve your open rate based on your audience's behaviour.
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Send Time Optimisation
AI learns when each subscriber is most likely to open and sends at the optimal time automatically.
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Automation Templates
Pre-built welcome series, cart abandonment and re-engagement workflows — activate in minutes.
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Analytics
Open rates, click rates, revenue tracking and audience growth reports with clear visualisations.
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Integrations
Connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, WordPress and 300+ other platforms.
Pros & Cons
What we love
Most generous free plan — 500 contacts forever
Easiest email builder for non-technical users
AI subject line and send time optimisation included
300+ integrations with popular platforms
Strong brand recognition — widely trusted by subscribers
Watch out for
Free plan removes Mailchimp branding — paid plans only
Less powerful automation than ActiveCampaign
Pricing jumps steeply as contact list grows
CRM features basic compared to dedicated CRM tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Mailchimp's free plan includes up to 500 contacts and 1,000 email sends per month forever — no credit card required. The free plan includes the email builder, basic automation (1 step), landing pages and basic analytics. Paid plans start at $13/month for up to 500 contacts with advanced features. The free plan is enough for most small businesses starting out.
Mailchimp is better for beginners and small businesses that need simple, beautiful email newsletters. ActiveCampaign is better for businesses that need complex automations, CRM functionality and advanced behavioural segmentation. If you're just starting with email marketing, Mailchimp's free plan is the right first step. If you're running sophisticated lead nurturing campaigns, ActiveCampaign wins.
Yes — Mailchimp includes AI-powered subject line suggestions, send time optimisation (learns the best send time for each subscriber), Content Optimiser (analyses email copy against best practices) and Creative Assistant (generates on-brand design suggestions). These features are available on paid plans and significantly improve email performance without requiring marketing expertise.
The best starting point for email marketing — Mailchimp's free plan covers most small business needs and its AI features improve open rates without requiring marketing expertise.
Quick Facts
Best forSmall businesses, bloggers, nonprofits
PricingFree / From $13/mo
Free planFree — 500 contacts
Founded2001
Try Mailchimp
Mailchimp's AI features automate subject line optimisation, send time prediction and content suggestions — making it the easiest email marketing tool for small businesses to start with.