Beehiiv vs Mailchimp: Which Should You Choose?
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Compare Beehiiv and Mailchimp for Your Team
Beehiiv is built around newsletters and publications: its free Launch plan covers up to 2,500 subscribers with a custom email builder and API access included, and paid tiers add automations, A/B testing, landing pages, and AI content tools starting at $43/month with support for multiple publications. Mailchimp is a broader marketing platform, with automation, A/B testing, and SMS add-ons available from its $13/month Essentials plan, and generative AI content assistance included at no extra cost on Standard ($20/month) and Premium ($350/month). If you're running a newsletter-first business and want a generous free tier plus multi-publication support, Beehiiv fits better. If you need multi-channel marketing (email plus SMS) with automation and AI writing help bundled into a mid-tier plan, and don't need a large free-subscriber allowance, Mailchimp is the stronger fit. Budget-conscious teams under 250 contacts should compare both free tiers directly against their subscriber count.
Review pricing tiers and feature availability for automation, A/B testing, and AI content tools before you commit to a plan.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Beehiiv | Mailchimp | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing automation workflows | 3/5 | 4/5 | Beehiiv: automations are unavailable on the free Launch plan and only unlock from Scale ($43/month) and above. Mailchimp: automation is available starting on Essentials ($13/month) but capped at 4 flow steps; Standard and Premium ($20+/month) support up to 200 flows. |
| A/B testing | 3/5 | 4/5 | Beehiiv: A/B testing is not available on Launch (free) and only unlocks from Scale ($43/month) and above. Mailchimp: testing and scheduling features are highlighted starting on Essentials ($13/month). |
| AI content assistant | 3/5 | 3/5 | Beehiiv: a basic AI Assistant is available on all plans with daily AI credit limits (10-100/day), but the full 'beehiiv AI' feature requires Scale ($43/month) and above. Mailchimp: generative AI content features are not included on Essentials but are offered at no additional cost on Standard and Premium ($20+/month). |
| Free forever plan | 5/5 | 4/5 | Beehiiv's Launch plan is free forever for up to 2,500 subscribers with core features like the email builder and API access included. Mailchimp's Free plan is limited to under 250 contacts with core features only. |
Frequently asked questions
How does Beehiiv pricing compare to Mailchimp pricing?
Beehiiv's paid tiers start at $43/month (Scale, up to 100,000 subscribers) and go to $96/month (Max) or custom Enterprise pricing. Mailchimp's paid tiers start at $13/month (Essentials) after a 14-day free trial, rising to $20/month (Standard) and $350/month (Premium, with a listed promo of $297.50/month for 12 months).
Does Beehiiv or Mailchimp have a free plan?
Both do. Beehiiv's Launch plan is free forever for up to 2,500 subscribers. Mailchimp's Free plan is available for accounts under 250 contacts and includes core features only.
Can I switch from Mailchimp to Beehiiv or vice versa?
The provided data does not list any specific migration tools or import processes between the two platforms, so check current vendor documentation for migration support before switching.
Who is Beehiiv best suited for?
Based on the listed features, Beehiiv is oriented toward newsletter and publication-focused senders, with support for multiple publications (up to 3 on Scale, up to 10 on Max) and a free plan covering up to 2,500 subscribers.
Who is Mailchimp best suited for?
Mailchimp's feature set, including SMS/MMS add-ons and generative AI included on Standard and Premium at no extra cost, points to broader multi-channel marketing use cases beyond just email newsletters.
Does either platform include AI content tools for free?
Beehiiv includes a basic AI Assistant with daily credit limits (10-100/day) on all plans, including the free Launch plan, though the full 'beehiiv AI' feature requires Scale and above. Mailchimp's generative AI features are not on its Essentials or Free plans and are included only on Standard and Premium.