If you're a cost-conscious European SMB and want an all-in-one with email, SMS and CRM, Brevo wins: it charges per emails sent (not per contact), keeps data in the EU and has a more generous free plan. If you value templates, branding, a polished mobile app and a giant ecosystem of integrations, Mailchimp is still a solid choice. The key is how your list grows: if you have many contacts but send little, Brevo saves you money; if you live off branding and design ease, Mailchimp fits.
Mailchimp and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) are two of the most used email marketing platforms, and choosing between them genuinely shapes your monthly bill and your way of working. Mailchimp is the historic name in the sector: beautiful templates, a recognizable brand and a huge ecosystem of integrations. Brevo has grown as the European alternative focused on cost and on being an all-in-one (email, SMS, WhatsApp, CRM and chat). In this head-to-head we pit them on what really decides the purchase: price, free plan, automation, deliverability and GDPR compliance.
The big underlying difference is how they bill you. Mailchimp bills per number of contacts stored, even those who never open your emails; Brevo bills per emails sent, with no contact limit. That single pricing-model decision completely changes which one suits you depending on the size and activity of your list. Let's break it down so you can choose wisely and avoid surprises on the next invoice.
| Criterion | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per emails sent | Per number of contacts |
| Free plan | 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts | ~500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month |
| Paid plan from | From ~9 EUR/month | From ~13 EUR/month |
| SMS and WhatsApp | Yes, integrated | Limited SMS / not native |
| CRM included | Yes, CRM and chat | Basic (Audience) |
| Automation | Yes, visual flows | Yes, Customer Journeys |
| Templates and editor | Good, solid editor | Excellent, design leader |
| Transactional email | Yes, strong (SMTP/API) | Via Mandrill (paid) |
| Data in EU / GDPR | Yes, European company | US, contractual safeguards |
| Best for | SMBs watching cost wanting all-in-one | Branding, templates and integrations |
| Rating | ★★★★★ 4.6/5 | ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 |
| Visit site → | Visit site → |
This is the heart of the decision. Mailchimp charges per contact stored in your audience, whether or not they open your emails; that means a large but inactive list costs you money every month even if you send nothing. Brevo charges per emails sent, so you can have tens of thousands of contacts and only pay based on how much you send. For most SMBs with growing lists, Brevo's model works out noticeably cheaper in the medium term.
On the free plan the difference is also clear: Brevo allows up to 300 emails per day with unlimited contacts, while Mailchimp limits to about 500 contacts and 1,000 sends per month and includes its branding in the emails. If you're starting out and have many subscribers but a moderate send volume, Brevo's free plan lasts much longer before forcing you to pay. That said, always check the cost as your list grows: simulate with your real number of contacts and monthly sends before deciding. For the full picture of the sector, check our best email marketing guide.
Mailchimp shines in templates and design: its editor is one of the most polished and its template library is enormous. If your priority is flawless-looking emails without touching code and tapping into a giant ecosystem of integrations (e-commerce, CRMs, apps), Mailchimp has the edge. Its Customer Journeys let you build powerful automations, though the most advanced features live on the pricier plans.
Brevo bets on being an all-in-one: besides email, it integrates SMS, WhatsApp, CRM and live chat in the same platform, something you'd cover with external tools in Mailchimp. Its visual automation flows are solid and its transactional email (receipts, confirmations, cart recovery via SMTP/API) is one of its strong points for online stores. If you manage acquisition and support across several channels, Brevo saves you loose tools and subscriptions. For your store, pair it with a good website builder or a CRM for SMBs.
On deliverability both play at a good level as long as you do your homework: authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, keep a clean list with double opt-in and craft content that doesn't land in spam. Mailchimp has very mature infrastructure and a solid reputation; Brevo offers a dedicated IP on higher plans and very fine control of transactional sending. The reality is that deliverability depends more on your practices than on the platform's brand.
Where Brevo gains ground for the European market is on GDPR: being a company headquartered in France and processing data in the EU, it simplifies compliance for European businesses and avoids the noise of international data transfers. Mailchimp, being US-based, offers contractual safeguards but requires more legal attention if you care about keeping data in Europe. For a privacy-sensitive European SMB, this is a strong argument in favor of Brevo. To strengthen the protection of your team's accounts, don't forget a good password manager.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the European bet on an affordable all-in-one marketing platform. Its biggest strength is pay-per-email pricing and the inclusion of SMS, WhatsApp, CRM and chat in the same account, which cuts the number of tools you need. Its transactional email is very capable for stores and its free plan is generous for getting started without paying.
Mailchimp is the classic of email marketing and remains a leader in design and branding. Its template editor and mobile app are very polished, and its integrations ecosystem is one of the broadest on the market. It's a comfortable choice for those who want flawless emails without fuss and already work with tools that integrate with Mailchimp out of the box.
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Choose Brevo if you're a European SMB watching costs, you have (or will have) a large list, you want an all-in-one with SMS and CRM and you care about data staying in the EU: you'll pay less as you grow and unify channels in a single platform. Choose Mailchimp if your priority is templates, branding and integrations, your list is small but you send very often, or you already have your whole stack built around Mailchimp. For most cost- and privacy-focused businesses, Brevo is our main recommendation; for those who live off design and brand, Mailchimp is still worth it. See also our SaaS & tools section to complete your stack.