Last Updated: March 19, 2026 | Quick Answer: Mailchimp is best for Small business owners and beginners who want an all-in-one marketing platform with minimal learning curve, while Constant Contact excels for Small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations new to email marketing. Both are strong email marketing options — your choice depends on your specific needs and budget.
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At a Glance
| Mailchimp | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small business owners and beginners who want an all-in-one marketing platform with minimal learning curve | Small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations new to email marketing |
| Starting Price | Free — $350/mo (scales with contacts and features) | $12/mo (Lite, 500 contacts) / $35/mo (Standard) / $80/mo (Premium) |
| Free Plan | Check website | Check website |
| Our Rating | 7.5/10 | 7/10 |
| Key Strength | Best-in-class email template editor and drag-and-drop design tools | Easiest onboarding experience in email marketing — genuinely beginner-friendly with live coaching |
Mailchimp Overview
Mailchimp is an email marketing and marketing automation platform founded in 2001 by Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius in Atlanta, Georgia. What started as a side project for a web design agency grew into one of the most recognized brands in SaaS. In September 2021, Intuit acquired Mailchimp for approxim
Top Features:
- Drag-and-Drop Email Editor
- Marketing Automation (Customer Journeys)
- Audience Segmentation and CRM
- AI-Powered Content and Send-Time Optimization
Read our full Mailchimp review
Constant Contact Overview
Constant Contact is an email marketing and digital marketing platform founded in 1995. It’s one of the oldest email marketing companies in the industry, serving over 600,000 customers — primarily small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations.
Top Features:
- Email Editor
- Contact Management
- Automation
- Event Management
Read our full Constant Contact review
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-Drop Email Editor | Yes | Similar |
| Marketing Automation (Customer Journeys) | Yes | Similar |
| Audience Segmentation and CRM | Yes | Similar |
| AI-Powered Content and Send-Time Optimization | Yes | Similar |
| Integrations and E-Commerce Tools | Yes | Similar |
| What We Like | Yes | Similar |
| Email Editor | Similar | Yes |
| Contact Management | Similar | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
| Mailchimp | Constant Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free — $350/mo (scales with contacts and features) | $12/mo (Lite, 500 contacts) / $35/mo (Standard) / $80/mo (Premium) |
| Free Plan/Trial | Check website | Check website |
Pros and Cons
Mailchimp
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop email editor is the most intuitive and design-rich in the market
- Brand recognition and trust — recipients are less likely to flag Mailchimp-sent emails as spam
- Over 300 integrations with e-commerce platforms, CRMs, and productivity tools
- AI content and design tools are improving rapidly under Intuit’s investment
Cons:
- Advanced marketers who need deep automation branching and conditional logic (try ActiveCampaign)
- Solo content creators who value tag-based subscriber management over lists (try Kit)
- High-volume senders who prefer pay-per-email pricing over contact-based billing (try Brevo)
Constant Contact
Pros:
- Easiest email marketing platform to learn — true beginner-friendly UX
- Live phone support (rare in this category) plus chat and email
- Built-in event management with registration, ticketing, and payments
- 200+ email templates that look professional on mobile
Cons:
- Expensive for the feature set — ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp offer more for less
- Automation is basic — no conditional branching, lead scoring, or complex workflows
- Contact pricing scales steeply — gets very expensive above 10,000 contacts
When to Choose Mailchimp
- You need best-in-class email template editor and drag-and-drop design tools
- Your primary focus is small business owners and beginners who want an all-in-one marketing platform with minimal learning curve
- You want a platform rated 7.5/10 by our team
When to Choose Constant Contact
- You need easiest onboarding experience in email marketing — genuinely beginner-friendly with live coaching
- Your primary focus is small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations new to email marketing
- You want a platform rated 7/10 by our team
FAQ
Is Mailchimp better than Constant Contact?
It depends on your needs. Mailchimp is better for small business owners and beginners who want an all-in-one marketing platform with minimal learning curve, while Constant Contact is stronger for small businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations new to email marketing. We rated Mailchimp 7.5/10 and Constant Contact 7/10.
Can I use both Mailchimp and Constant Contact?
Yes, many teams use both tools together. Mailchimp and Constant Contact can complement each other depending on your workflow requirements.
Which is cheaper, Mailchimp or Constant Contact?
Mailchimp starts at Free — $350/mo (scales with contacts and features), while Constant Contact starts at $12/mo (Lite, 500 contacts) / $35/mo (Standard) / $80/mo (Premium). Both offer different tiers, so compare plans based on the features you actually need.
Our Verdict
Both Mailchimp and Constant Contact are solid choices in their respective categories. Choose Mailchimp if you prioritize best-in-class email template editor and drag-and-drop design tools. Choose Constant Contact if easiest onboarding experience in email marketing — genuinely beginner-friendly with live coaching matters more to your workflow. Either way, both tools offer free trials or plans so you can test before committing.
Read our full Mailchimp review | Read our full Constant Contact review
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