Brevo vs Mailchimp: Budget Multi-channel vs Established Leader
Comparing Brevo and Mailchimp for drip campaigns. Budget-friendly multi-channel marketing vs established market leader - which drip platform offers better value?
Overview
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Mailchimp both offer drip email capabilities for small and medium businesses. Brevo positions itself as the budget-friendly alternative with multi-channel support. Mailchimp is the established market leader with broader recognition and ecosystem.
| Feature | Brevo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | By emails sent | By contacts |
| Starting Price | $25/mo (20k emails) | $13/mo (500 contacts) |
| SMS/WhatsApp | Included | Limited |
| Transactional Email | Built-in | Separate (Mandrill) |
| Free CRM | Yes | Basic |
| Integration Ecosystem | Good | Extensive |
Key Differences
Pricing Model
Brevo charges by emails sent, not contacts stored. This benefits businesses with large lists and moderate sending frequency. The free tier includes 300 emails/day.
Mailchimp charges by contacts, which can get expensive as your list grows. The pricing model punishes list growth even if you don't email frequently.
Multi-channel Support
Brevo includes SMS and WhatsApp messaging in the platform, enabling multi-channel drip campaigns. Transactional email is also built-in.
Mailchimp focuses primarily on email. SMS is limited, and transactional email requires the separate Mandrill product.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Brevo if:
- Budget is a primary consideration
- You want SMS/WhatsApp in your drip campaigns
- You have a large list but moderate sending
- Transactional and marketing email in one platform appeals
- You want included CRM at no extra cost
Choose Mailchimp if:
- Brand recognition and ecosystem matter
- You need extensive third-party integrations
- You want website/landing page builders
- Your contact list is small relative to sending volume
- Familiarity reduces training time
For SaaS: Consider Sequenzy
Neither Brevo nor Mailchimp is optimized for SaaS drip campaigns. Sequenzy offers native billing integration and AI drip generation for subscription businesses at $19/mo.
The Bottom Line
Brevo offers better value for most use cases, especially if you want multi-channel drips or have large lists. Mailchimp wins on ecosystem and familiarity.