Mailchimp vs Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Last verified
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is built for creators who sell through their newsletter, while Mailchimp is a general small-business tool. The biggest practical difference for a new list is the free plan.
| Mailchimp | Kit (formerly ConvertKit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Runs as | Cloud | Cloud |
| Free plan | 250 contacts, 500 sends a month (250 a day) | Up to 10,000 subscribers |
| Paid plans from | £9.83/month (Essentials, 500 contacts) | $39/month (Creator, 1,000 subscribers) Monthly billing; yearly saves 17%. |
| Paid newsletters | Not documented | Yes (3.5% + 30c per transaction) Fee shown on Kit's pricing page for commerce sales. |
| Nonprofit discount | 15% discount for nonprofits and charities | Not documented |
| Billing currency | GBP | USD |
| Hosting | Cloud | Cloud |
| Price | Free: 250 contacts. Essentials £20.03/month at 1,000 contacts mailchimp.com, checked 22 Oct 2026 | Free: up to 10,000 subscribers. Creator $39/month at 1,000 kit.com, checked 22 Oct 2026 |
| Newsletter alternative to | Constant Contact | Mailchimp, Substack, beehiiv |
Key differences
- Kit's free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers. (kit.com/pricing)
- Mailchimp's free plan covers up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. (mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans)
- Kit Creator was $39 a month at 1,000 subscribers and $139 at 10,000, on monthly billing. (kit.com/pricing)
- Mailchimp Essentials was £20.03 a month at 1,000 contacts and £83.15 at 10,000. (mailchimp.com/en-gb/pricing/marketing)
- Kit lists paid newsletters and a recommendations network; it shows a fee of 3.5% + 30c on sales. (kit.com/pricing)
Which should you pick?
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit): Pick Kit if you're a creator growing a list and want a generous free plan, or plan to sell subscriptions and digital products.
- Mailchimp: Pick Mailchimp if you run a small business that needs ecommerce integrations and GBP billing, and your list is small or your budget covers the paid plan.
This verdict is based on the documented facts above, not on hands-on testing.
Read more
Other comparisons
- Mailchimp vs MailerLite
- Mailchimp vs Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)
- Substack vs beehiiv
- Substack vs Ghost
- beehiiv vs Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
- MailerLite vs Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Sources: kit.com/pricing · mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans · mailchimp.com/en-gb/pricing/marketing. “Not available” or “Not documented” means we found no official source for it, not that the feature is missing.