Brevo vs Mailchimp (2026): Which Email Marketing Platform Is Better?

Pricing model difference

The most fundamental difference between Brevo and Mailchimp is how they charge:

Brevo charges by emails sent per month — all plans include unlimited contacts. If you have 100,000 contacts but only email your most engaged 10,000 monthly, you pay based on 10,000 sends.

Mailchimp charges by contact count — all contacts in your account count toward your plan tier, regardless of how frequently you email them. A 100,000-contact list places you in a high pricing tier even if you only email them quarterly.

This pricing model difference is significant for: - Brands that batch clean their lists but retain older subscribers - Seasonal businesses that email infrequently - B2B businesses with large prospect lists but low send frequency - Any brand where list size exceeds active send volume significantly

Feature comparison

Brevo's transactional email built into the same platform (no separate Mandrill product required) is a meaningful advantage for businesses using both marketing and transactional email.

Deliverability

Both Brevo and Mailchimp have strong deliverability when accounts are properly configured (DKIM, SPF, DMARC records). Mailchimp has a longer track record and stronger brand reputation among email recipients, which can marginally benefit sender reputation. Brevo's deliverability is solid for a platform of its size and age.

Deliverability is more affected by list hygiene practices, content quality, and sender reputation than by platform choice in most cases.

Pricing comparison

At equivalent send volumes, pricing is similar. The difference emerges when contact count and send volume diverge: a brand with 50,000 contacts sending 10,000 emails/month pays Brevo's free/starter price versus Mailchimp's 50,000-contact tier pricing.

Verdict

Brevo for brands with large contact lists relative to monthly send volume, businesses that also need transactional email on the same platform, and teams that want WhatsApp marketing or built-in CRM features.

Mailchimp for brands that want the most polished design experience, a larger template library, and the most widely recognised email platform with extensive third-party integrations and documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue?

Yes. Sendinblue rebranded to Brevo in 2023. The platform, features, and pricing model are the same — just under a new name. Existing Sendinblue customers were migrated automatically. Historical documentation and tutorials written about Sendinblue are generally applicable to the current Brevo platform.

Can I migrate from Mailchimp to Brevo?

Yes. Brevo has an import tool for Mailchimp migrations that transfers contacts with their properties and tags. Automation sequences and campaign templates must be recreated in Brevo's interface. The contact migration itself is straightforward. Most brands complete the migration in a few hours to one business day depending on list complexity.

Does Brevo have a free plan?

Yes. Brevo's free plan includes 300 emails per day (9,000/month) with unlimited contacts. The free plan includes Brevo branding in emails and no access to advanced features. For very early-stage businesses or low-volume senders, Brevo's free plan is highly competitive — more contacts than Mailchimp's free plan at equivalent send volumes.

Which platform has better ecommerce automation?

Both platforms have ecommerce automation (abandoned cart, post-purchase sequences, browse abandonment). For Shopify stores specifically, Klaviyo's ecommerce integrations are significantly deeper than both Brevo and Mailchimp. Between Brevo and Mailchimp, their ecommerce automation depth is comparable. For serious ecommerce email automation, most DTC brands choose Klaviyo over both.

Is Brevo GDPR compliant?

Yes. Brevo (Sendinblue) is a European company (headquartered in Paris) and has been built with GDPR compliance as a core principle. All subscriber data is stored on EU servers. GDPR-compliant opt-in processes, consent tracking, and data deletion are built into the platform. This is a genuine advantage for European businesses or brands with significant EU customer bases.