ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
Both sit in email marketing. Here is how they differ on the things you can actually check.
On price: Mailchimp starts $2 a month cheaper than ActiveCampaign ($13 against $15, 13% less) on its Essentials tier. Where a price could not be read from the vendor's page it is marked indicative below.
ActiveCampaign
activecampaign.com
Best known for its visual automation builder — branching, conditional waits, lead scoring and CRM deals in the same product. Aimed at teams that outgrow simple broadcast tools.
Mailchimp
mailchimp.com
One of the longest-running email marketing platforms. Campaign builder, audience segmentation, landing pages, basic automation journeys and a large template library. Owned by Intuit.
| ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $15/mo | $13/mo |
| Entry plan | — | Essentials |
| Paid annually | — | $13/mo |
| Price checked | not verified | 21 Sept 2026 |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free plan |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Category | Email Marketing | Email Marketing |
| Around since | 2003 | 2001 |
1 of these 2 prices were read from the vendor's own pricing page, most recently on 21 Sept 2026; the rest are indicative. Entry tier only — vendors change pricing without notice.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp, answered
- Is ActiveCampaign cheaper than Mailchimp?
- No — Mailchimp is the cheaper entry point, at $13 a month against ActiveCampaign's $15, 13% less.
- Do ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp have a free plan?
- Mailchimp publishes an ongoing free plan; ActiveCampaign does not.
- What is the difference between ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp?
- ActiveCampaign: Best known for its visual automation builder — branching, conditional waits, lead scoring and CRM deals in the same product. Aimed at teams that outgrow simple broadcast tools. Mailchimp: One of the longest-running email marketing platforms. Campaign builder, audience segmentation, landing pages, basic automation journeys and a large template library. Owned by Intuit.
