Mailchimp vs. Brevo for Small Businesses
Mailchimp and Brevo are both email marketing platforms, but they take different approaches. Mailchimp is a recognizable email marketing platform with a range of campaign and audience-management features, while Brevo is a customer communication platform that combines email marketing with broader communication and automation capabilities. This guide explains those differences so you can determine which approach better matches your business.
Software features, plans, integrations, and pricing can change. Verify current information with the software provider before making a purchasing decision.
Quick Comparison
A side-by-side overview of how each platform approaches common categories. Use this as a starting point, then dig into the sections that matter most to your business.
| Category | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Email marketing platform | Customer communication platform |
| Email campaigns | Supported | Supported |
| Automation | Marketing automation | Marketing automation |
| Contact management | Audience management | Contact management |
| Transactional email | Limited | Supported |
| SMS & chat | Limited or add-on | Supported |
| Forms | Signup forms & landing pages | Signup forms & landing pages |
| Templates | Pre-built templates | Pre-built templates |
| Reporting | Campaign reporting | Campaign & automation reporting |
| Integrations | Many integrations | Many integrations |
| Typical use cases | Businesses focused on email marketing | Businesses wanting broader communication |
Mailchimp Overview
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform offering campaign creation, audience management, automation, templates, and other marketing capabilities. It is often evaluated by businesses looking for a recognizable email marketing platform with a range of campaign and audience-management features.
Email Campaigns
Create and send email campaigns.
Contact Management
Organize and manage audiences.
Templates
Pre-built email templates.
Marketing Automation
Automated email journeys.
Reporting
Campaign performance reporting.
Integrations
Connects with many business tools.
Forms
Signup forms and landing pages.
Brand Recognition
Widely recognized email platform.
Mailchimp May Be Worth Considering If…
- You want a recognizable email marketing platform.
- Your focus is email campaigns and audience management.
- You value a range of templates and integrations.
- Your team wants an approachable email tool.
- You want marketing automation alongside email.
Brevo Overview
Brevo is a customer communication platform offering email marketing, automation, contact management, and additional communication tools. It is often evaluated by businesses comparing email marketing alongside broader customer communication and automation capabilities.
Email Campaigns
Create and send email campaigns.
Marketing Automation
Automated workflows and journeys.
Contact Management
Organize and manage contacts.
Transactional Email
Transactional communication capabilities.
Forms
Signup forms and landing pages.
Reporting
Campaign and automation reporting.
SMS & Chat
Additional communication channels.
Broader Communication
Email plus other channels.
Brevo May Be Worth Considering If…
- You want email marketing plus broader communication tools.
- You need transactional email capabilities.
- You value SMS or chat alongside email.
- You want marketing automation with email.
- You are comparing broader communication platforms.
Contact Management & Segmentation
How each platform helps you organize and segment contacts.
| Area | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Contact storage | Audience-based | Contact-based |
| Segmentation | Available | Available |
| Tags | Supported | Supported |
| Lists | Multiple audiences | Multiple lists |
Email Campaigns & Templates
How each platform supports creating and sending email.
| Area | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign builder | Drag-and-drop | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates | Pre-built templates | Pre-built templates |
| Personalization | Merge tags | Personalization |
| A/B testing | Available | Available |
Automation
How each platform handles automated workflows and journeys.
| Area | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Automation type | Marketing automation | Marketing automation |
| Triggers | Activity-based triggers | Activity-based triggers |
| Workflows | Email journeys | Multi-step workflows |
| Cross-channel | Primarily email | Email, SMS & chat |
Broader Communication
Where Brevo's broader communication focus differs from Mailchimp's email focus.
| Area | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional email | Limited | Supported |
| SMS | Limited or add-on | Supported |
| Chat | Limited or add-on | Supported |
| Focus | Email marketing | Customer communication |
Understanding Pricing
Software pricing can change, and businesses should verify current prices directly with each provider. Rather than fixed amounts, the factors below shape how total cost is likely to change as your needs grow.
Contacts
Cost often scales with the number of stored contacts.
Email Volume
Sending limits can affect pricing.
Subscription Tier
Higher tiers unlock more features.
Number of Users
Per-seat pricing can increase with team size.
Add-ons
SMS, chat, or transactional features may add cost.
Automation Limits
Advanced automation may require higher tiers.
Which Approach Fits Your Business?
The right fit depends on your workflow, business requirements, and expected usage — not on which platform has the longest feature list.
Consider Mailchimp If…
- You want a recognizable email marketing platform.
- Your focus is email campaigns and audience management.
- You value a range of templates and integrations.
- Your team wants an approachable email tool.
- You want marketing automation alongside email.
Consider Brevo If…
- You want email marketing plus broader communication tools.
- You need transactional email capabilities.
- You value SMS or chat alongside email.
- You want marketing automation with email.
- You are comparing broader communication platforms.
Neither approach is universally right for every business. The fit depends on your workflow, required features, team structure, integrations, and budget.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing
These questions help clarify what you actually need before comparing features.
Do we only need email, or broader communication channels?
Do we need transactional email capabilities?
How important are SMS or chat alongside email?
How many contacts will we store?
How much email will we send per month?
What automation do we need?
Which existing applications must integrate?
Who will manage the platform?
What is our realistic monthly software budget?
Will we use enough of the platform to justify the cost?
Map Your Communication Needs First
Before selecting software, document what needs to happen after someone becomes a lead or customer. Then evaluate which platform supports that workflow.
A practical path
- 1Next
Contact enters the system
- 2Next
Contact is organized
- 3Next
Relevant communication begins
- 4Next
Follow-up occurs
- 5Next
Engagement is measured
- 6
Contact information stays organized
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about choosing between Mailchimp and Brevo.
Related Business Tools Lab Resources
Keep evaluating with related guides and resources. More comparisons will be added here over time.
Email Marketing
Browse the full email marketing tool comparison page.
Explore ComparisonMailchimp vs. ActiveCampaign
Compare Mailchimp with a marketing automation platform.
Read ComparisonBrevo vs. ActiveCampaign
Compare Brevo with a marketing automation platform.
Read GuideHow to Choose Email Marketing Software
A buyer's guide to the capabilities worth looking for before paying.
Read GuidesAll Guides
Browse the full library of comparisons and educational articles.
BrowseAffiliate disclosure. Business Tools Lab may participate in affiliate programs. If you purchase software through certain links on this website, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not determine the educational content or comparisons presented on this site.
Build a Software Stack That Fits Your Business
Explore Business Tools Lab guides and resources to compare software based on your workflow, budget, team, and growth requirements.