Brevo vs Mailchimp (2026): Honest Head-to-Head Comparison

Mailchimp is one of the most recognized email marketing platforms, while Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) has emerged as a powerful alternative with better pricing and multi-channel capabilities.

Automation Brevo Multi-Channel Brevo only CRM All plans Loyalty With Tajo

Brevo · Automation

Visual Automation Builder

Drag-and-drop workflow editor with multi-channel triggers - email, SMS, and WhatsApp in a single flow. Mailchimp's automation is email-only with no WhatsApp or native SMS workflows.

• Email + SMS + WhatsApp in one workflow
• Behavioural triggers (cart, browse, purchase)
• A/B split within automations
• 20+ pre-built templates

Quick Comparison

Feature	Brevo	Mailchimp
E-commerce Focus	Via integrations	General purpose
Email Marketing	✓ Full-featured	✓ Full-featured
SMS Marketing	✓ Global (200+ countries)	US only, limited
WhatsApp Marketing	✓ Full support	✗ None
Pricing Model	Per-email	Per-contact
Best For	Growing e-commerce	General business

Platform Overview

Brevo (Formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo is a comprehensive marketing platform offering email, SMS, WhatsApp, and marketing automation. It’s designed for businesses that want powerful multi-channel marketing without paying premium prices.

Strengths:

• Per-email pricing (unlimited contacts)
• Full WhatsApp Business API
• Global SMS coverage (200+ countries)
• Excellent transactional email handling
• Cost-effective at scale

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a general-purpose marketing platform serving businesses of all types. While it offers Shopify integration and e-commerce features, it’s designed for broader use cases beyond e-commerce.

Strengths:

• User-friendly interface
• Large template library
• Website builder included
• Social media posting
• Established brand reputation

Feature Comparison

Email Marketing

Brevo:

• Drag-and-drop builder
• Dynamic content blocks
• Advanced personalization
• Transactional emails included
• A/B testing
• 99%+ deliverability
• Unlimited contacts on all plans

Mailchimp:

• Intuitive email builder
• Creative assistant (AI)
• A/B testing
• Content optimizer
• Good deliverability
• Large template library
• Contact limits on all plans

Verdict: Both are capable. Mailchimp is slightly more user-friendly; Brevo offers better value with unlimited contacts and included transactional emails.

SMS Marketing

Brevo:

• Full SMS marketing suite
• Available in 200+ countries
• Automated SMS workflows
• Two-way conversations
• MMS support
• Integrated with email automations
• Competitive pricing

Mailchimp:

• US-only SMS
• Basic SMS campaigns
• Limited automation
• No two-way messaging
• Additional cost
• Separate from email flows

Verdict: Brevo wins significantly on SMS capabilities, especially for international businesses.

WhatsApp Marketing

Brevo:

• WhatsApp Business API
• Automated workflows
• Rich media support
• Interactive messages
• Two-way conversations
• Order notifications
• Integrated with other channels

Mailchimp:

• No WhatsApp support
• Would need third-party tool
• No native integration

Verdict: Brevo offers full WhatsApp capabilities; Mailchimp has none. This is critical for businesses serving markets where WhatsApp is dominant.

E-commerce Integration

Brevo (Native):

• Basic Shopify integration
• Contact sync
• Purchase event tracking
• Limited automation triggers

Mailchimp:

• Shopify app integration
• Product recommendations
• Order notifications
• Abandoned cart emails
• Purchase data
• Revenue tracking

Mailchimp’s integration is functional but surface-level.

Automation Capabilities

Brevo:

• Visual workflow builder
• Multi-channel automations (Email + SMS + WhatsApp)
• Event-triggered flows
• Conditional branching
• A/B testing in automations
• Transactional triggers

Mailchimp:

• Customer journeys (paid plans only)
• Pre-built automations
• Limited free automation
• Email-only automations
• Basic triggers
• Less flexibility on lower tiers

Verdict: Brevo offers more powerful multi-channel automation accessible on all plans. Mailchimp limits automation features significantly on lower tiers.

Loyalty Programs

Mailchimp:

• No native loyalty features
• Requires third-party integration
• Additional subscription costs
• Separate management

Pricing Comparison

Brevo Pricing

Plan	Price	Features
Free	$0	300 emails/day, unlimited contacts
Starter	From $9/mo	5,000 emails/mo
Business	From $18/mo	Advanced features
Enterprise	Custom	Custom limits

Pricing based on: Email volume (not contacts)

Mailchimp Pricing

Plan	Price	Contacts
Free	$0	500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo
Essentials	$13/mo	500 contacts
Standard	$20/mo	500 contacts
Premium	$350/mo	10,000 contacts

Pricing based on: Number of contacts

Cost Comparison Example

Scenario: 5,000 contacts, 40,000 emails/month

Platform	Monthly Cost	Notes
Brevo	~$25/mo	Business plan
Mailchimp Standard	~$75/mo	5,000 contacts

Annual savings with Brevo: ~$600

The Hidden Costs of Mailchimp

Mailchimp charges based on audience size, including:

• Unsubscribed contacts (until you delete them)
• Non-engaged subscribers
• Duplicate entries
• Archived contacts still count

This can inflate costs significantly compared to Brevo’s email-based pricing model.

Ease of Use

Brevo

• Learning curve for advanced features
• Powerful once learned
• Comprehensive documentation
• Good customer support

Mailchimp

• Famous for user-friendliness
• Intuitive interface
• Quick setup
• Gentler learning curve

Verdict: Mailchimp is easier to start with. Brevo requires slightly more initial setup but offers more power and flexibility.

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose Mailchimp If:

1. You’re just starting out

   • Easiest learning curve
   • Simple to get going

2. You need a website builder

   • Included in Mailchimp
   • Simple landing pages

3. You run a non-e-commerce business

   • More general-purpose
   • Not e-commerce specialized

4. You prefer maximum simplicity

   • Single platform
   • Less technical setup

5. You’re US-focused and don’t need SMS/WhatsApp

   • Basic email is sufficient
   • Limited multi-channel needs

Feature Limitations Summary

Mailchimp Limitations for E-commerce

1. SMS only in US - International merchants limited
2. No WhatsApp - Missing key channel for many markets
3. No loyalty programs - Need separate tools and costs
4. Contact-based pricing - Costs grow with list size
5. Limited automation on lower tiers - Need Standard+ for customer journeys
6. Generic platform - Not e-commerce focused
7. Transactional emails extra - Additional cost and separate product

Brevo Considerations

2. Learning curve - Slightly steeper than Mailchimp
3. Interface - Less polished than Mailchimp
4. Smaller brand - Less widely recognized

Migration Guide

Conclusion

Mailchimp is a solid general-purpose email platform, but it wasn’t built for e-commerce. Its limitations in SMS, absence of WhatsApp, contact-based pricing, and lack of loyalty features make it less ideal for growing Shopify stores.

Ready to upgrade from Mailchimp?

Where Tajo fits

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