Moosend vs Mailchimp: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Moosend is built for budget automation, while Mailchimp suits brand-name familiarity. For most users Moosend is the stronger default, but Mailchimp can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. Mailchimp has the lower entry price.
Moosend versus Mailchimp comes down to which trade-offs you can live with. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Moosend | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Email Marketing | All-in-One Marketing |
| What it's known for | Affordable email marketing and automation with a straightforward editor and good value at scale. | Best-known email marketing brand with audience tools, automations and an all-in-one marketing suite. |
| Pricing | Free trial; Pro from ~$9/mo scaling with subscribers; Enterprise custom. | Free up to ~500 contacts; Essentials, Standard and Premium tiers scaling with contacts. |
| Best audience | Budget-focused SMBs wanting full automation features without paying premium prices. | Brand-conscious beginners and small businesses who want a familiar, polished tool and aren't price-optimizing. |
| Best for | Budget automation, SMBs, Value at higher list sizes | Brand-name familiarity, Small businesses starting out, Agencies (via Mailchimp & Co) |
| Entry price | from $9/mo (500 subs), $16/mo (1,000 subs) | Free |
| Biggest strength | Very cheap with all features (automation included) on every paid plan. | Best-known brand with polished UI and huge integration ecosystem. |
| Main caveat | No permanent free plan (30-day trial only). | Free plan cut to 250 contacts / 500 sends per month in January 2026. |
Features compared
Where they really diverge is in the day-to-day feature set:
Moosend key features
- Drag-and-drop email builder with AI writer
- Marketing automation workflows on every paid plan
- Landing page and subscription form builder
- Behavior-based triggers (opens, clicks, purchases, abandoned cart)
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
Moosend plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | from $9/mo (500 subs), $16/mo (1,000 subs) | unlimited emails, all features, 5 users; ~$88/mo at 10k |
| Moosend+ | custom | Pro plus enterprise add-ons |
| Enterprise | custom | SSO, dedicated IP, account manager |
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 Moosend wins
Cheap, no-feature-gating: marketing automation and all Pro tools included from the lowest paid tier.
- Very cheap with all features (automation included) on every paid plan.
- Good value as list size grows.
That makes it the stronger pick for budget-focused SMBs wanting full automation features without paying premium prices.
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 Moosend if you fit its core audience — budget-focused SMBs wanting full automation features without paying premium prices.
- 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 Moosend better than Mailchimp?
Moosend 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 Moosend and Mailchimp?
Moosend is cheap, no-feature-gating: marketing automation and all Pro tools included from the lowest paid tier. Mailchimp is the household-name email tool: easiest to recognize and start with, though no longer the value leader.
Which is cheaper, Moosend or Mailchimp?
Entry pricing differs: Moosend starts at from $9/mo (500 subs), $16/mo (1,000 subs), 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 Moosend and Mailchimp: