Best Mailchimp alternatives in 2026
Which Mailchimp alternative fits your newsletter?
SendFox is an option for creators who want straightforward newsletters and a free or one-time-payment starting point. Its free plan includes 1,000 contacts and 3,000 monthly sends. The $29 Lifetime plan includes 5,000 contacts and 300,000 total sends.
Compare each tool using both your subscriber count and how often you send. A lifetime sending allowance and a monthly allowance cover different needs.
This guide is written by SendFox. Below, we explain each alternative's strengths, limits, and who it suits.
What each costs per month
| Tool (plan) | 5,000 | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 | 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SendFox | $29 once | $39 | $79 | $79 | $149 |
| Mailchimp (Standard) | $100 | n/a | n/a | $450 | $800 |
| Kit (Creator) | $89 | $139 | $199 | $379 | $679 |
| beehiiv (Scale) | $89 | $109 | $169 | $249 | $329 |
| MailerLite (Comfort) | $49 | $89 | $179 | $319 | $439 |
| EmailOctopus (Pro) | $31.50 | $44.50 | $94.50 | $178 | $345 |
| AWeber (Lite) | $60 | $100 | $210 | $375 | $600 |
| ActiveCampaign (Plus (annual)) | $145 | $189 | $389 | $609 | n/a |
| Substack (Free + 10% of paid subs) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Monthly price by number of subscribers, monthly billing unless noted, read from each vendor's pricing page in September 2026. n/a means the vendor does not publish a price at that list size (custom quote or no tier there). SendFox: $29 once covers 5,000 contacts and 300,000 total sends; above that, Pro plans are monthly.
Why people leave Mailchimp
- Price climbs with your list. $100/month at 5,000 contacts, $450 at 50,000, $800 at 100,000 on Standard.
- Send caps. Standard allows 12x your contact count in sends per month.
- Custom quotes past 100,000. Standard stops there and Premium is quoted.
The alternatives
1. SendFox: simple newsletters with a lifetime option
Free for 1,000 contacts. $29 once covers 5,000 contacts and 300,000 total sends. Pro starts at $19/month and adds paid newsletters, branding removal, and the full HTML editor. Check the plan comparison for feature availability and sending limits. SendFox includes Smart Pages, RSS-to-email Smart Campaigns, and a subscriber referral program. Imports straight from Mailchimp.
Not for: ecommerce stores that need product-level automations or teams that need a CRM.
2. Kit (formerly ConvertKit): creator growth tools
Free plan to 10,000 subscribers without automations. Creator is $89/month at 5,000. Strong recommendations network and sequences. Kit takes 3.5% + 30¢ on digital product and paid newsletter sales. See SendFox vs Kit.
3. beehiiv: newsletter publishing
Scale is $89/month at 5,000 and $329 at 100,000. Built-in web publishing and an ad network.
4. MailerLite: Mailchimp-style builder, cheaper
Comfort is $49/month at 5,000. Drag-and-drop editor, landing pages and automations.
5. EmailOctopus: cheapest monthly option
Pro is $31.50/month at 5,000 and $345 at 100,000. Simple and inexpensive.
6. ActiveCampaign: sales and CRM automation
Plus is $145/month at 5,000 (billed annually). Lead scoring, deal pipelines and predictive sending. If you need those, it is the better tool.
7. Substack: free to send, takes a cut
No monthly fee. Takes 10% of paid subscriptions. Discovery inside the Substack app is the real advantage.
How to switch
- Create a free SendFox account.
- Connect Mailchimp and import your audience, or upload a CSV.
- Replace your signup form with a SendFox form or Smart Page.
- Send your next email.
FAQ
What is the cheapest alternative to Mailchimp?
At 5,000 subscribers, Mailchimp Standard is $100 a month. SendFox is $29 once for 5,000 contacts, or free up to 1,000 contacts. EmailOctopus Pro is $31.50 a month at the same size.
Is there a free alternative to Mailchimp?
Yes. SendFox is free for 1,000 contacts and 3,000 sends a month. Substack is free to send but takes 10% of paid subscriptions.
Can I move my Mailchimp list to another tool?
Yes. SendFox connects to Mailchimp and imports your audience directly, or you can upload a CSV export.
Start free. Pay once if you grow.
Free for 1,000 contacts. $29 once for 5,000. Import from Mailchimp, Kit or a CSV in minutes.
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