How to Switch From Mailchimp to Brevo: Migration Steps and Gotchas
Brevo's Mailchimp integration moves contacts automatically, but automations, templates, and tags do not transfer. Follow these steps and avoid the gotchas.
By Galactic News Editorial · Published 2026-11-13T10:21:37+00:00 · Updated 2026-11-13T10:21:37+00:00
How to Switch From Mailchimp to Brevo: Migration Steps and Gotchas
You can switch from Mailchimp to Brevo without exporting a single CSV file. Brevo has a native Mailchimp integration that pulls your contacts over automatically, on a schedule you control. The contact move itself takes minutes. The real work is everything around it: cleaning your list, authenticating your domain, rebuilding automations and templates, and replacing your signup forms. Done in order, most small businesses finish the move in one to two weeks. This guide walks through each step, then covers the gotchas that catch people out.
Why people make the move
The main reason is price structure. Mailchimp bills by contact count. Essentials starts at $13 a month for 500 contacts, and Standard starts at $20. The bill rises as your list grows, even if you rarely email those contacts. Mailchimp also counts unsubscribed contacts toward your total, unless you archive or delete them. Brevo bills by emails sent. Starter starts at $9 a month for 5,000 emails, and contact storage is generous at every tier. A large list emailed once a month usually costs less on Brevo. The second reason is channels. Brevo adds SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional email in the same account. That matters if you want more than newsletters.
What transfers and what does not
Know this before you start. It sets the whole plan.
| Item | Transfers? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts and email addresses | Yes | Syncs through the native integration |
| Contact fields (name and custom fields) | Yes | Map each field to its equivalent on the new platform |
| Audience lists | Yes | Imported as lists on the new platform |
| Mailchimp tags | No | Recreate as Brevo lists or custom attributes |
| Address fields | No | The old platform stores addresses as one combined field; export and import manually if needed |
| Automation sequences | No | Rebuild as workflows on the new platform |
| Email templates | No | Recreate on the new platform, or export the HTML and import it |
| Signup forms | No | Replace with forms from the new platform on your site |
| Campaign history and reports | No | Export key reports from the old platform first |
How to switch from Mailchimp to Brevo in 8 steps
- Audit your Mailchimp account. List every audience, automation, template, form, and integration. Note which ones are live and which are dead. Screenshot your key automations so you can rebuild them later.
- Clean your contact list. Remove bounces, unsubscribes, and people who never opted in. Only contacts who consented to receive updates from you in the last two years can be imported. If the integration is not an option, export each audience as CSV files instead. The export arrives as a ZIP with one file per contact status, so import only the subscribed file. A clean list also protects your deliverability on the new platform.
- Create your Brevo account. Start on the free plan, which covers 300 emails a day. You can upgrade to Starter at $9 a month when you are ready to send at volume. Set up your contact attributes before you import anything.
- Connect the Mailchimp integration. In the new platform, open your account menu and go to Plugins and Integrations. Search for the old platform and open the integration. Give it a name, then log in to your old account to authorize the connection.
- Map your fields and pick your lists. Match each Mailchimp field to its Brevo equivalent, such as first name to FIRSTNAME. Email is the only mandatory field. Choose which lists to sync, and pick an existing list or create a new one.
- Set the sync frequency and confirm consent. Existing contacts sync at once when you activate the integration. New contacts sync automatically at the interval you choose. You can also trigger a manual sync, but leave at least 6 hours between manual syncs. Check the box confirming that you only sync contacts who opted in. Campaigns sent to contacts who never consented can be suspended.
- Authenticate your domain. Add your sending domain under Senders, Domains, and Dedicated IPs. You get DNS records to publish, including DKIM records and a verification record. Publish them, then click authenticate. Also publish a DMARC record. Mail to Microsoft addresses can be marked as spam or rejected without DMARC. Do this before your first send, not after.
- Rebuild, test, then cut over. Recreate your automations as Brevo workflows. Rebuild your templates and forms. Send a test campaign to a small engaged segment first. Watch opens, bounces, and spam complaints. When the test looks clean, send to the full list and stop your old billing.
Rebuild your automations first, not last
Automations are the biggest hidden cost of the move. A welcome series, an abandoned cart flow, and a post-purchase sequence all need rebuilding by hand. The automation builder on the new platform works differently from Mailchimp's Customer Journeys. Start with the automation that earns the most money, usually the welcome series. Rebuild it and test it before you touch the rest. Templates are easier. You can export a template as HTML and import it, or rebuild it in the drag-and-drop editor. Either way, check every link and image after the move. Signup forms need replacing on your website. Swap the old embed for a new form, and test a signup end to end.
Gotchas that catch people out
- Tags do not transfer. If your segments depend on tags, plan replacements before you sync. Use lists or custom contact attributes instead.
- Address fields do not map. Mailchimp stores street, ZIP code, and city as one combined field. Brevo cannot split it automatically. Export addresses separately if you need them.
- Only recent consent counts. Contacts who opted in more than two years ago cannot be imported. Leave them behind or run a re-permission campaign on the old platform first. The official help pages describe the re-permission route: export the audience, unsubscribe the stale contacts in bulk, then send them a message with a signup link.
- Phone numbers must have 6 to 16 digits. Contacts with phone numbers outside that format will not import.
- Contacts in a compliance state are blocked. The old platform blocks syncing for contacts flagged for compliance reasons. Check your list for these before you start.
- Your first send sets your reputation. Do not blast your full list on day one. Warm up with your most engaged subscribers, then expand.
- Transactional email needs its own move. If you used Mailchimp Transactional, formerly Mandrill, you must recreate those templates and swap the SMTP or API credentials in your app. Test every message type.
- Deactivating the integration does not delete synced data. Contacts already moved stay there. That is useful, but it means a bad sync needs manual cleanup.
Cost after the move
At 500 contacts, Mailchimp Essentials costs $13 a month and Standard costs $20. Brevo Starter costs $9 a month and covers 5,000 sends. At 5,000 contacts, Essentials rises to about $75 a month and Standard to about $100. Starter at 5,000 sends still costs $9 a month, because the bill follows sends, not contacts. The gap widens as your list grows. The exception is a sender with a small list and very high volume. If you email 5,000 contacts weekly, send-based pricing climbs too. Run your own numbers on monthly sends before you commit.
Bottom line
The move is straightforward, with a manual middle. Contacts transfer automatically through the native integration. Tags, addresses, automations, templates, and forms do not. Clean your list, confirm consent, authenticate your domain with DKIM and DMARC, rebuild your key automations first, and warm up with engaged subscribers. Budget one to two weeks for a small account, longer if you run many automations. The payoff is a bill based on sends instead of contacts, plus SMS and WhatsApp in the same account.