Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Features, Pricing and Verdict

Mailchimp and Constant Contact both start near $12-$13 a month at 500 contacts, but they split on free plans, automation and support. Full comparison inside.

By Galactic News Editorial · Published 2026-11-12T04:23:26+00:00 · Updated 2026-11-12T04:23:26+00:00

Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Features, Pricing and Verdict

Mailchimp and Constant Contact are the two best-known names in email marketing for small businesses. Both charge by contact count. Both scale in price as your list grows. But they differ in ways that matter: Mailchimp has a free plan, Constant Contact does not. Mailchimp caps monthly sends, Constant Contact does not cap them the same way. Constant Contact includes phone support on every plan. Mailchimp reserves it for the top plan. This comparison uses the vendors' own pricing pages, checked in November 2026.

Mailchimp vs Constant Contact at a glance

Mailchimp pricing in detail

Mailchimp has four marketing plans. Free covers up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a daily cap of 250. It includes one seat and one audience. It has no automation flows. Support ends after 30 days. The free plan was cut in February 2026, from 500 contacts and 1,000 sends. Older guides quoting 500 contacts are out of date. Essentials starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts. It allows sends at ten times the contact count. It includes 3 seats, 3 audiences, A/B testing, and scheduling. Standard starts at $20 a month for 500 contacts. It allows sends at twelve times the contact count. It includes 5 seats, 5 audiences, up to 200 automation flows, predictive segmentation, and generative AI tools. Premium starts at $350 a month. It allows sends at fifteen times the contact count. It includes unlimited seats and audiences, multivariate testing, and phone support. Prices rise with contact count. At 2,500 contacts, Essentials costs $45 a month and Standard costs $60 a month. At 10,000 contacts, Essentials costs $110 a month and Standard costs $135 a month. Mailchimp counts every contact toward the tier. That includes unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts. Only contacts you archive or delete are excluded. Nonprofits get 15% off any paid plan.

Constant Contact pricing in detail

Constant Contact has three plans and no free tier. It offers a 60-day free trial with no credit card. Lite starts at $12 a month for 500 contacts. It includes 1 user, 1 automation template, 1 custom segment, and basic reporting. Standard starts at $35 a month for 500 contacts. It includes 3 users, 3 automation templates, an AI campaign builder, 10 custom segments, and subject-line A/B testing. It adds the ability to resend campaigns to non-openers. Premium starts at $80 a month for 500 contacts. It includes unlimited users, unlimited automation templates, unlimited custom segments, and advanced reporting with engagement heatmaps. It includes 500 SMS messages a month. Prices rise with contact count. Prepaying annually cuts the price by 15% at every band. On annual billing, Lite costs $10.20 a month, Standard $29.75, and Premium $68 at 500 contacts. At 2,500 contacts on annual billing, Lite costs $34 a month, Standard $63.75, and Premium $127.50. Nonprofits can get up to 30% off by prepaying annually. Constant Contact also includes event management tools on its plans. Mailchimp does not.

Features compared

Automation is the biggest gap. Mailchimp Standard includes up to 200 automation flows. That covers welcome sequences, abandoned carts, and win-back campaigns. Constant Contact Lite has one automation template. Real automation starts at Standard, and custom workflows need Premium. Templates and design are close. Both offer drag-and-drop editors and pre-built templates. Mailchimp adds generative AI writing and design tools on Standard. Constant Contact adds an AI campaign builder on Standard. Segmentation is stronger on Mailchimp at the middle tier. Standard includes predictive segmentation. Constant Contact Standard includes 10 custom segments. Premium removes the cap. Reporting is stronger on Constant Contact at the top. Premium adds engagement heatmaps and revenue reporting. Mailchimp Premium adds comparative reporting and multivariate testing. SMS is split. Constant Contact Premium includes 500 US SMS messages a month. Mailchimp offers SMS outside the US as a separate add-on. Deliverability claims vary by test and date. One independent seed test ranked Constant Contact near the top and Mailchimp near the bottom. Treat any single deliverability ranking as a snapshot, not a verdict.

Ease of use and support

Both tools are built for non-technical users. Constant Contact is the simpler of the two. Its editor and menus have fewer options. That helps a first-time sender. It can frustrate a marketer who wants deeper control. Mailchimp has more features and more settings. That helps a growing sender. It can overwhelm a beginner. Support is a real difference. Constant Contact offers live phone and chat support on every plan, including Lite. Mailchimp offers email and chat support on paid plans. Phone support starts only on Premium. If you want to call a human on a $12 plan, Constant Contact is the only option here. Both offer help centers, guides, and video tutorials. Neither tool needs coding skill for basic campaigns.

Which one should you choose

Choose Mailchimp if you want a free plan to start. Its free tier covers 250 contacts. Choose Mailchimp if you want deeper automation for the money. Standard at $20 a month includes up to 200 automation flows. Constant Contact Standard at $35 a month includes three templates. Choose Mailchimp if your list is small and you send often. Its send caps are generous at small list sizes. Choose Constant Contact if you want phone support on a cheap plan. Choose Constant Contact if you run events. Its event tools are built in. Choose Constant Contact if you want a top tier that starts far lower. Premium starts at $80 a month against $350 for Mailchimp Premium. Check the send limits before you buy. Sources disagree on whether Constant Contact caps sends per plan, so confirm the current limit on its pricing page. Watch the billing model either way. Both prices scale with contacts. Price your actual list size, not the headline rate. And check the free trial terms. Constant Contact gives 60 days. Mailchimp gives a permanent free tier plus a 14-day trial of paid features.

Bottom line

At 500 contacts, the entry prices are nearly identical: $13 a month for Mailchimp Essentials against $12 for Constant Contact Lite. The value splits after that. Mailchimp wins on automation per dollar and on having a free plan. Constant Contact wins on support, event tools, and a far cheaper top tier. For most small businesses starting out, Mailchimp is the better pick. Start free, pay $13 when the list passes 250, and move to Standard at $20 when automation matters. For a business that wants a human on the phone and runs events, Constant Contact is the better pick. Start with the 60-day trial, then Lite at $12 a month. Either way, the right choice is the one that fits your list size, your automation needs, and your tolerance for phone queues.