Constant Contact vs Mailchimp: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Constant Contact is built for small businesses and nonprofits, while Mailchimp suits brand-name familiarity. For most users Constant Contact is the stronger default, but Mailchimp can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. Mailchimp has the lower entry price.
Constant Contact and Mailchimp look similar on the surface; the differences show up in practice. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Constant Contact | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Email Marketing | All-in-One Marketing |
| What it's known for | Beginner-friendly email and event marketing aimed at small businesses and nonprofits. | Best-known email marketing brand with audience tools, automations and an all-in-one marketing suite. |
| Pricing | No free plan (free trial); Lite, Standard and Premium tiers scaling with contacts. | Free up to ~500 contacts; Essentials, Standard and Premium tiers scaling with contacts. |
| Best audience | Small businesses, nonprofits and event organizers who want simplicity and support over advanced automation. | Brand-conscious beginners and small businesses who want a familiar, polished tool and aren't price-optimizing. |
| Best for | Small businesses and nonprofits, Event marketing, Beginners wanting support | Brand-name familiarity, Small businesses starting out, Agencies (via Mailchimp & Co) |
| Entry price | from $12/mo (500 contacts) | Free |
| Biggest strength | Very approachable for non-technical small businesses and nonprofits. | Best-known brand with polished UI and huge integration ecosystem. |
| Main caveat | No free plan (60-day trial only). | Free plan cut to 250 contacts / 500 sends per month in January 2026. |
Features compared
Beyond the spec sheet, these are the capabilities that define each tool:
Constant Contact key features
- Beginner-friendly email editor with large template library
- Event marketing and registration tools
- Segmentation and prebuilt automations (Standard+)
- Social posting and ad manager (Premium)
Mailchimp key features
- Audience management with tags, groups and segmentation
- Email builder with templates and Creative Assistant
- Customer journey/automation builder (Standard+)
- Landing pages, forms, and basic websites
Pricing tiers side by side
Constant Contact plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | from $12/mo (500 contacts) | basic sender, 1 automation trigger, branding, 1 user |
| Standard | from $35/mo (500 contacts) | A/B testing, segmentation, prebuilt automations, 3 users |
| Premium | from $80/mo (500 contacts) | dynamic content, custom automation, SEO, ad manager, 500 SMS, unlimited users |
Mailchimp plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | up to 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo, 250 daily limit (cut Jan 2026) |
| Essentials | from $13/mo (500 contacts) | up to 50k contacts; sends 10x contact limit |
| Standard | from $20/mo (500 contacts) | customer journeys, send-time optimization; sends 12x |
| Premium | from $350/mo (10,000 contacts) | unlimited users, phone support, advanced segmentation |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where Constant Contact wins
A beginner-first platform with unusually strong event/registration marketing for small businesses and nonprofits.
- Very approachable for non-technical small businesses and nonprofits.
- Strong event marketing features.
That makes it the stronger pick for small businesses, nonprofits and event organizers who want simplicity and support over advanced automation.
Where Mailchimp wins
The household-name email tool: easiest to recognize and start with, though no longer the value leader.
- Best-known brand with polished UI and huge integration ecosystem.
- Good for beginners getting started quickly.
That makes it the stronger pick for brand-conscious beginners and small businesses who want a familiar, polished tool and aren't price-optimizing.
Verdict: choose by fit
Both are good at the job, so let your priorities decide.
- Choose Constant Contact if you fit its core audience — small businesses, nonprofits and event organizers who want simplicity and support over advanced automation.
- Choose Mailchimp if you fit its core audience — brand-conscious beginners and small businesses who want a familiar, polished tool and aren't price-optimizing.
FAQ
Is Constant Contact better than Mailchimp?
Constant Contact is the stronger default for most users, but Mailchimp can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Constant Contact and Mailchimp?
Constant Contact is a beginner-first platform with unusually strong event/registration marketing for small businesses and nonprofits. Mailchimp is the household-name email tool: easiest to recognize and start with, though no longer the value leader.
Which is cheaper, Constant Contact or Mailchimp?
Entry pricing differs: Constant Contact starts at from $12/mo (500 contacts), while Mailchimp offers a free tier. Compare the tiers above against your usage.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Constant Contact and Mailchimp: