# Mailchimp alternatives: what you actually get on a free or cheaper plan

> Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? What Mailchimp's free plan covers, what Kit's free and Creator plans include at verified prices, and how to compare on your own list size.

Updated 2026-10-16 · https://onelesstool.com/guides/mailchimp-alternatives

**What we can say about savings:** Mailchimp shows only "starts at" prices for Essentials, Standard and Premium, and they scale with your contact count, so we don't quote a Mailchimp figure or a saving. Compare your current Mailchimp invoice with these verified options: Kit's Free plan covers up to 10,000 subscribers at $0, and Kit Creator is $390 a year ($32.50/month) at the 1,000-subscriber tier, or $39 billed monthly.

## What each free plan covers

| | Mailchimp | Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Under 250 contacts | Up to 10,000 subscribers, unlimited broadcasts |
| First paid plan | Essentials (price depends on contacts) | Creator, $32.50/month billed yearly at 1,000 subscribers ($39 monthly) |

Kit's prices rise with subscriber count, and its Creator plan adds unlimited visual automations and email sequences. See the [Mailchimp](/tools/mailchimp) and [Kit](/tools/kit) pages for plan details, sources and dates.

## How to compare on your own list

1. Export your contact count, and how many you actually email each month.
2. Clean out unsubscribed and inactive contacts first, since both tools price by list size.
3. Price each option at that size on the vendor's own page, and check which automations you'd need to rebuild.

## When to stay on Mailchimp

Stay if you rely on its ecommerce integrations, multi-audience setup or reporting, and the migration time would cost more than the difference.

## Check your own numbers

The [audit](/audit) is a free stack and savings calculator, and you don't need to sign up. List what you pay for and it shows keep, downgrade or drop line by line, with the arithmetic. OneLessTool has no affiliate links, so no recommendation earns us anything. If you want ongoing checks, the site has a waitlist for an upcoming Verified Savings Plan: "We'll watch your stack's prices and tell you what to drop. Joining the waitlist is free."