Kit vs Mailchimp (2026): Which Email Platform Should You Choose?

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Updated October 29, 2026. Prices below were checked against each company’s own pricing page between October 26 and 29, 2026.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) and Mailchimp are two of the most popular email platforms, but they’re built for different people. Kit is designed for creators and anyone growing a newsletter. Mailchimp is the familiar all-purpose tool many small businesses start with.

The biggest difference is the free plan: Kit is free for up to 10,000 subscribers, while Mailchimp’s free plan stops at fewer than 250 contacts. Here’s how they compare, based on each company’s pricing page.

The short answer

• Choose Kit if you’re building a newsletter or audience, want a free plan that grows with you, or sell digital products and paid subscriptions.
• Choose Mailchimp if you want the most familiar tool, run a small list, or want templates aimed at stores and local businesses.

Kit vs Mailchimp at a glance

	Kit	Mailchimp
Best for	Creators and newsletters	Familiar, all-purpose email
Free plan	Up to 10,000 subscribers	Under 250 contacts
Paid plans from	$33/mo (Creator, 1,000 subscribers)	$13/mo (Essentials)
Automations	Unlimited on Creator	Higher plans
Free trial	14 days, no card	14 days of Standard
Prices rise with	Subscribers	Contacts

Prices checked against each company’s pricing page. Both rise as your list grows.

Pricing compared

Kit

Free for up to 10,000 subscribers. Creator, which adds unlimited automations and sequences, is $33 a month for 1,000 subscribers ($390 billed yearly). Pro is $66 a month for 1,000 subscribers. Kit was offering a first-year discount when we checked, and paid plans have a 14-day free trial with no credit card.

Mailchimp

Free for businesses with fewer than 250 contacts. Essentials starts at $13 a month and Standard at $20 a month, with a 14-day free trial of Standard. Prices increase with your contact count, and Mailchimp offers 15% off for lists of 5,000 or more contacts.

Where Kit wins

• A free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, about 40 times Mailchimp’s free limit
• Unlimited automations and email sequences on Creator
• Built for newsletters, landing pages and selling digital products

Where Mailchimp wins

• A lower entry price for very small paid lists ($13 vs $33)
• Familiar interface with lots of tutorials
• Templates and features aimed at stores and local businesses

Our verdict

If you’re growing a newsletter, a personal brand or any audience you want to email regularly, Kit is the stronger choice: you can reach 10,000 subscribers before paying anything, and its paid plans focus on automation. Mailchimp still makes sense for a small business with a short customer list that wants a familiar tool and store-style templates.

Also considering MailerLite? Read Kit vs MailerLite, or see the full Kit pricing breakdown.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kit free?

Yes. Kit’s free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. Paid plans add automations, sequences and more.

Can I move my list from Mailchimp to Kit?

Yes. Export your contacts from Mailchimp and import them into Kit, then rebuild your forms and automations.

Is Kit only for creators?

It’s designed around creators and newsletters, but any business that grows an email audience can use it. Local stores that want ecommerce-style templates may prefer Mailchimp or MailerLite.

See six email tools compared in our guide to the best email marketing software, or our picks for creators and newsletters.