In-depth two-product comparison
Mailchimp vs Brevo
In-depth comparison of Mailchimp and Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) for B2B SaaS companies. We analyze features, pricing, deliverability, API quality, automation, and real-world use cases.
Last updated: 2026-03-15. Verify current features, pricing, limits, and integrations on official vendor pages.
Short answer
Mailchimp wins for brand recognition, template design, and broadest all-in-one marketing. Brevo wins for budget-conscious teams wanting email, CRM, chat, and SMS at a fraction of Mailchimp cost. Sequenzy is the strongest choice for SaaS lifecycle email with native billing integration. Neither Mailchimp nor Brevo was designed for SaaS-specific workflows like dunning, trial conversion, or billing-triggered automation.
Mailchimp
The all-in-one marketing platform with the biggest brand name
Brevo
The affordable all-in-one suite with CRM, chat, and SMS included
Quick comparison
| Decision area | Mailchimp | Brevo | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Brand recognition and all-in-one marketing | Budget-friendly all-in-one with CRM | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Starting Price | Free (500 contacts, 1K sends/mo) | Free (300 emails/day, unlimited contacts) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Marketing Emails | Polished editor with 100+ templates | Good editor with 60+ templates | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Transactional Email | Mandrill add-on ($20/mo) | Built-in SMTP relay and API | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Automation | Basic customer journeys | Visual automation with recipes | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Built-in CRM | Basic audience management | Free CRM with deal pipelines | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Live Chat | Not included | Included on all plans | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| User Segmentation | Tag and behavior-based | Attribute and engagement-based | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Payment Integration | Stripe via Zapier | Stripe via Zapier | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| API Quality | Marketing API v3 (dated) | v3 REST API with multi-language SDKs | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Dunning Emails | Not designed for dunning | Not designed for dunning | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
| Dedicated IP | Add-on on Standard+ plans | Available on Business plan ($18/mo) | Test this with representative data and the next realistic usage tier. |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | 9/10 Polished editor with 100+ responsive templates | 8/10 Good editor with 60+ templates |
| Campaign scheduling | 8/10 Schedule with send-time optimization | 8/10 ML-based send-time optimization |
| A/B testing | 7/10 Subject, content, send time testing | 7/10 Subject and content split testing |
| Newsletter support | 9/10 Best newsletter tools with RSS-to-email | 8/10 Good newsletter workflow with forms |
| Template library | 9/10 100+ professionally designed templates | 8/10 60+ responsive templates |
| Visual workflow builder | 6/10 Customer Journey builder, limited branching | 7/10 Visual builder with pre-built recipes |
| Event-based triggers | 5/10 Basic signup and purchase triggers | 6/10 Triggers from attributes and engagement |
| Drip sequences | 6/10 Basic drip with limited branching | 7/10 Drip campaigns with time delays |
| Conditional logic | 5/10 Simple yes/no branching | 6/10 Basic if/else branching |
| Wait steps | 6/10 Time delays in journeys | 7/10 Time-based delays |
| Contact management | 7/10 Audience management with tags | 7/10 Contact database with CRM integration |
| Segmentation | 7/10 Tags, engagement, purchase behavior | 7/10 Attributes, engagement, purchase history |
| Custom properties | 6/10 Merge tags and custom fields | 7/10 Custom contact attributes |
| Event tracking | 5/10 Basic behavioral tracking | 5/10 Limited to email and site engagement |
| Import/export | 8/10 CSV import, integrations | 8/10 CSV, API, integrations |
| API design | 6/10 Marketing API v3, shows its age | 7/10 v3 REST API with good structure |
| SDK support | 6/10 Official and community libraries | 8/10 Official SDKs for 6 languages |
| SMTP relay | 6/10 Via Mandrill add-on only | 9/10 Built-in SMTP relay for easy transactional |
| Webhook system | 5/10 Basic webhooks | 7/10 Delivery and engagement webhooks |
| Documentation quality | 6/10 Extensive but sometimes outdated | 7/10 Good API docs with examples |
| Shared IP reputation | 7/10 Massive pools, variable reputation | 7/10 Large pools, variable due to diverse senders |
| Dedicated IP | 7/10 Add-on on Standard+ plans | 8/10 Available on Business plan ($18/mo) |
| Domain authentication | 7/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC guides | 8/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC guided setup |
| Bounce handling | 7/10 Standard bounce handling | 7/10 Bounce handling with list hygiene |
| Sending speed | 7/10 Throttled on lower plans | 7/10 Good throughput on Business plan |
Pricing and operating cost
Mailchimp
Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month
Inactive contacts still count toward limit Mandrill transactional email is $20/mo extra Post-Intuit pricing increases Advanced features on expensive Premium plan
Brevo
Free plan: 300 emails/day, unlimited contacts
Brevo branding on free plan emails Advanced automation only on Business plan Landing pages limited on lower plans Phone support only on Business+ plans
| Tier or usage case | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $13/mo 500 contacts, basic automation, email support | $9/mo 5,000 emails/month, unlimited contacts, basic analytics |
| Growth | $60/mo 5,000 contacts, journeys, A/B testing | $18/mo 20,000 emails/month, automation, A/B testing |
| Scale | $175+/mo 25,000+ contacts, advanced segmentation, multivariate testing | $65+/mo 100,000+ emails, dedicated IP, phone support |
Pros and cons
Mailchimp
Pros
- Most recognized email marketing brand
- Best template editor and design tools
- Free plan for getting started
- All-in-one: email, landing pages, social posting
- Industry benchmark comparisons
- Large third-party integration ecosystem
- Easy to learn for beginners
- Content optimizer with AI suggestions
Cons
- Pricing increased significantly post-Intuit acquisition
- Automation is basic compared to alternatives
- Charges for inactive and unsubscribed contacts
- Transactional email requires Mandrill add-on
- No native billing integration for SaaS
- API shows its age
- No built-in CRM with deal pipelines
- Deliverability can vary on shared IPs
Brevo
Pros
- Extremely affordable with unlimited contacts
- All-in-one: email, SMS, WhatsApp, chat, CRM
- Built-in SMTP relay for transactional email
- Affordable dedicated IP ($18/mo)
- SDKs in 6 languages
- Generous free plan
- ML-based send-time optimization
- Profitable company (lower shutdown risk)
Cons
- Not designed for SaaS workflows
- Limited event tracking
- Shared IP reputation varies due to large base
- Automation less powerful than ActiveCampaign
- No native billing integration
- Brevo branding on free plan
- Analytics are basic
- Rate limits on lower plans
Who should choose what?
Pre-PMF with fewer than 1,000 users.
Recommendation: Brevo
You want the most features for the least money.
Recommendation: Brevo
Self-serve signups needing billing-aware lifecycle email.
Recommendation: Brevo
Template design quality is your top priority.
Recommendation: Mailchimp
Dunning, churn prevention, and trial conversion are priorities.
Recommendation: Brevo
You need an easy SMTP relay for password resets and receipts.
Recommendation: Brevo
Newsletters and content marketing are your primary strategy.
Recommendation: Mailchimp
Your team is global and needs multi-language support.
Recommendation: Brevo
Final verdict
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FAQ
Is Brevo better than Mailchimp?
Brevo offers better value with unlimited contacts, built-in CRM, chat, and SMTP relay at a fraction of Mailchimp cost. Mailchimp has a better editor, more templates, and stronger brand recognition. For B2B SaaS, neither is ideal. Sequenzy offers purpose-built SaaS features at $19/mo.
Why did Sendinblue rebrand to Brevo?
Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in 2023 to reflect its expansion beyond email into a full business suite (CRM, chat, meetings). The rebrand did not change core features.
Is Mailchimp too expensive now?
Mailchimp pricing increased after the Intuit acquisition. For the same contact count, Brevo is 3-5x cheaper. Sequenzy at $19/mo offers more SaaS-specific value than either.
Which has better deliverability?
Both have similar deliverability on shared IPs, which can vary due to large user bases. Brevo offers the most affordable dedicated IP at $18/mo. Sequenzy SaaS-only pools tend to maintain better reputation.
Can either platform handle SaaS dunning emails?
Neither Mailchimp nor Brevo was designed for dunning. Both lack native billing integration. Sequenzy offers pre-built dunning sequences triggered automatically by Stripe or Paddle payment failures.
Does Brevo have a CRM?
Yes, Brevo includes a free CRM with deal pipelines. Mailchimp has basic audience management but no CRM with deals. Sequenzy does not include a CRM.
Can I use Brevo for transactional email without Mandrill?
Yes. Brevo includes SMTP relay and transactional API on all plans. This is a major advantage over Mailchimp, which requires the separate Mandrill add-on ($20/mo) for transactional email.
Which is better for non-technical users?
Both are designed for non-technical users. Mailchimp has a slightly more intuitive interface. Brevo is equally user-friendly with more built-in features. Sequenzy pre-built SaaS templates also reduce the need for technical setup.
Can I migrate from Mailchimp to Brevo easily?
Yes. Both platforms support CSV import/export. Migration typically takes 3-5 days. The main adjustment is learning Brevo interface and converting merge tag syntax.
Which should a SaaS startup choose?
For SaaS-specific needs (onboarding, trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention), Sequenzy is the best choice at $19/mo. For general marketing at the lowest price, Brevo. For the best visual design tools, Mailchimp.
Related reading: B2B email marketing guide, alternatives hub, and B2B SaaS tool stack.