Campaign Monitor vs Mailchimp for Drip Emails (2026)
Detailed comparison of Campaign Monitor and Mailchimp for drip email campaigns. Features, pricing, automation builders, and deliverability compared side by side.
TL;DR verdict
Campaign Monitor excels at beautifully designed drip sequences with a cleaner editor, while Mailchimp offers a broader marketing toolkit with more advanced automation branching. For pure drip email quality and ease of use, Campaign Monitor edges ahead. For an all-in-one platform, Mailchimp wins.
Campaign Monitor
7.6/80
Polished drip emails with elegant design tools, but limited automation depth.
Mailchimp
7.8/80
Versatile marketing platform with solid drip features, though the UI can feel cluttered.
Sequenzy · also consider
8.5/80
Purpose-built for SaaS drip sequences with native billing integration and pre-built flows.
Sequenzy email automation for SaaS → · from $19/month
Both tools have matured significantly over the years. Campaign Monitor remains the choice for teams that care deeply about email design, while Mailchimp has evolved into a broader marketing platform. For SaaS-specific drip campaigns, consider Sequenzy as a focused alternative.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Automation Builder | Yes, linear flow | Yes, branching logic | Yes, pre-built + custom | Mailchimp |
| Drip Sequence Templates | 10+ templates | 15+ templates | 20+ SaaS-specific templates | Sequenzy |
| A/B Testing in Drips | Subject lines only | Subject, content, send time | Subject and content | Mailchimp |
| Behavioral Triggers | Basic (opens, clicks) | Website, purchase, email activity | Billing events, product usage, email activity | Sequenzy |
| Free Plan | No (trial only) | Yes, 500 contacts | No (14-day trial) | Mailchimp |
| Time-Zone Sending | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Dynamic Content | Basic merge tags | Conditional content blocks | Liquid templating | Mailchimp |
Score breakdown
| Category | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drip Campaign Builder | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Email Template Editor | 9 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| Automation Triggers | 6 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Segmentation | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Analytics & Reporting | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Deliverability | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Ease of Use | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| Pricing Value | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| Total | 58 | 60 | 67 | 80 |
Drip feature deep-dive
Sequence Building
| Capability | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow editor | 7/10 — Linear drag-and-drop builder, clean but limited branching | 8/10 — Customer Journey Builder with if/else branching | 9/10 — Pre-built SaaS sequences with customizable steps |
| Multi-step sequences | 7/10 — Supports unlimited steps in a sequence | 8/10 — Unlimited steps with branching paths | 9/10 — Unlimited steps with billing-aware logic |
| Delay configuration | 7/10 — Time delays in hours, days, or weeks | 8/10 — Time delays plus "wait until" conditions | 8/10 — Flexible delays with business-hours awareness |
Personalization
| Capability | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merge fields | 8/10 — Standard merge tags for contact fields | 8/10 — Merge tags with fallback values | 9/10 — Liquid templating with billing and usage data |
| Conditional content | 5/10 — Limited conditional blocks | 7/10 — If/else content blocks in editor | 8/10 — Show/hide blocks based on plan, usage, or custom properties |
| Send time optimization | 6/10 — Time zone sending only | 8/10 — AI-powered send time optimization | 7/10 — Time zone and business hours optimization |
Pricing
Campaign Monitor is slightly cheaper at lower tiers but lacks a free plan. Mailchimp offers a free tier but gets expensive as lists grow. Sequenzy provides a flat-rate SaaS-focused option.
Campaign Monitor free option
No free plan. Free trial available.
From $11/mo for 500 contacts
Mailchimp free option
Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/mo, limited automations.
From $13/mo for 500 contacts
Sequenzy free option
Free tier available; paid from $19/mo (check current limits)
From $19/month
| Tier | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 contacts | $11/mo — Lite plan, basic automations | $13/mo — Essentials plan, 3 audiences | $19/mo — Full features, 15K emails/mo |
| 2,500 contacts | $39/mo — Lite plan with automation | $45/mo — Essentials, email + chat support | $19/mo — Same plan covers up to 15K emails |
| 10,000 contacts | $109/mo — Essential plan required | $110/mo — Standard plan recommended | $49/mo — Growth plan, 50K emails/mo |
| 50,000 contacts | $329/mo — Premier plan | $350/mo — Premium plan | $99/mo — Scale plan, 150K emails/mo |
Sequenzy offers the best value for SaaS companies with its flat-rate pricing and included drip templates. Between the two, Campaign Monitor is slightly cheaper at small scale, but Mailchimp offers more features per dollar.
Note that Mailchimp recently changed its pricing model to charge based on contacts rather than subscribers, which can increase costs if you have many unsubscribed or non-engaged contacts in your audience.
Drip campaign types
Welcome Series
Winner: SequenzyOnboarding new subscribers or users with a sequence of introductory emails
7/10 · Campaign Monitor
Solid template-based welcome flows, 3-5 step sequences
8/10 · Mailchimp
Pre-built welcome journey with branching based on engagement
9/10 · Sequenzy
SaaS-optimized onboarding flows tied to product activation milestones
Sequenzy leads with product-aware onboarding. Mailchimp offers good branching logic.
Trial Conversion
Winner: SequenzyConverting free trial users into paying customers through targeted emails
5/10 · Campaign Monitor
Basic time-based sequences, no billing integration
6/10 · Mailchimp
E-commerce focused conversion, limited SaaS trial support
9/10 · Sequenzy
Native trial tracking with Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy integration, pre-built conversion flows
Sequenzy is purpose-built for trial conversion with native billing hooks.
Re-engagement
Winner: SequenzyWinning back inactive subscribers or lapsed users
6/10 · Campaign Monitor
Segment by last open/click, trigger re-engagement
8/10 · Mailchimp
Predictive segments for inactive contacts, automated cleanup
8/10 · Sequenzy
Usage-based re-engagement triggered by product inactivity
Mailchimp and Sequenzy tie with different strengths: predictive vs. usage-based.
Post-Purchase / Upsell
Winner: SequenzyFollowing up after a purchase or plan change to upsell or cross-sell
5/10 · Campaign Monitor
Basic follow-up sequences triggered by tags
8/10 · Mailchimp
E-commerce purchase triggers, product recommendations
9/10 · Sequenzy
Plan-aware upsell sequences triggered by billing events
Sequenzy handles SaaS upsells natively. Mailchimp is strong for e-commerce.
Educational Drip
Winner: SequenzyNurturing leads with educational content over time
8/10 · Campaign Monitor
Clean, design-focused educational series
8/10 · Mailchimp
Multi-step journeys with content blocks and scheduling
7/10 · Sequenzy
Content drips with usage-aware pacing
Tie between Campaign Monitor and Mailchimp for pure educational content.
For SaaS companies, the biggest gap in both platforms is the lack of native billing integration. Trial conversion and upgrade sequences require manual webhook setups or third-party connectors.
Automation builder & editor
Builder features
| Feature | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | ✓ Clean linear builder | ✓ Journey Builder with canvas | ✓ Streamlined flow editor |
| If/else branching | — Linear paths only | ✓ Full conditional branching | ✓ Branching based on billing and behavior |
| Wait conditions | ✓ Time-based delays only | ✓ Time and event-based waits | ✓ Time, event, and milestone waits |
| Goal tracking | — Not available | ✓ Conversion goals in journeys | ✓ Activation and conversion goals |
| Multi-channel steps | — Email only | ✓ Email, SMS (add-on), webhooks | — Email-focused |
| Webhook triggers | ✓ Via API | ✓ Built-in webhook support | ✓ Webhook and API triggers |
Template editor
| Aspect | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor Type | Drag-and-drop with code access | Drag-and-drop, limited code editing | Block-based with HTML option |
| Template Library | 100+ professionally designed templates | 100+ templates across categories | 20+ SaaS-optimized templates |
| Custom HTML | Full HTML/CSS support | Limited, via code blocks | Full HTML support |
| Mobile Preview | Built-in responsive preview | Mobile preview in editor | Responsive preview included |
| Brand Kit | Brand settings with style guide | Brand assets and color management | Auto-import from website |
Deliverability
| Factor | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Inbox Placement | 93-95% | 85-90% | 93-96% |
| DKIM/SPF Setup | Guided setup | Guided setup | Automated setup |
| Dedicated IP | Available on Premier plan | Available on Premium plan | Not available (shared optimized IPs) |
| Bounce Handling | Automatic suppression | Automatic with cleaning tools | Automatic with health scoring |
| Spam Testing | Built-in spam score checker | Inbox preview (paid add-on) | Built-in deliverability checks |
Campaign Monitor consistently ranks higher in independent deliverability tests. Mailchimp deliverability has declined in recent years due to shared IP pool saturation from high user volume.
Integrations
Campaign Monitor
250+
Mailchimp
300+
Sequenzy
30+
E-commerce
Campaign Monitor
- ✓ Shopify: Native integration
- ✓ WooCommerce: Plugin available
Mailchimp
- ✓ Shopify: Deep native integration
- ✓ WooCommerce: Native plugin
Sequenzy
- — Shopify: Not available
- — WooCommerce: Not available
Payment / Billing
Campaign Monitor
- — Stripe: Via Zapier only
- — Paddle: Not available
Mailchimp
- ✓ Stripe: Basic via Square integration
- — Paddle: Not available
Sequenzy
- ✓ Stripe: Deep native integration
- ✓ Paddle: Deep native integration
CRM
Campaign Monitor
- ✓ Salesforce: Native integration
- ✓ HubSpot: Via Zapier
Mailchimp
- ✓ Salesforce: Native integration
- ✓ HubSpot: Native integration
Sequenzy
- — Salesforce: Not available
- ✓ HubSpot: Via webhook
Analytics & reporting
| Metric | Campaign Monitor | Mailchimp | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rate Tracking | Yes, with time-series view | Yes, with benchmarks | Yes, with trend analysis |
| Click Tracking | Click maps and link tracking | Click maps and URL tracking | Link-level click tracking |
| Revenue Attribution | Basic (e-commerce only) | Yes, with purchase tracking | Yes, native MRR attribution |
| Drip Funnel View | Step-by-step completion rates | Journey performance dashboard | Funnel visualization with conversion rates |
| Cohort Analysis | Not available | Basic audience insights | Cohort performance by signup date |
Only in Campaign Monitor
- Worldview (geographic open maps)
- Client email app reporting
Only in Mailchimp
- Audience benchmarks vs industry
- Predicted demographics
Only in Sequenzy
- MRR impact per sequence
- Trial-to-paid conversion tracking
Pros and cons
Campaign Monitor
Pros
- Superior email template design tools
- High deliverability rates consistently
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Strong agency and team collaboration features
- Excellent branded template management
Cons
- No free plan available
- Limited automation branching (linear only)
- Fewer integrations than competitors
- No built-in SMS or multi-channel
- Pricing gets expensive for larger lists
Mailchimp
Pros
- Free plan for small lists
- Extensive integration marketplace
- Advanced Customer Journey Builder
- Built-in landing pages and forms
- AI-powered content and send time features
Cons
- Deliverability has declined over time
- Interface can feel bloated and confusing
- Charges for unsubscribed contacts on some plans
- Pricing jumps sharply at higher tiers
- Customer support can be slow on lower plans
Best for these scenarios
Design-focused agency
Pick: Campaign MonitorA branding agency creating polished drip campaigns for clients
Campaign Monitor offers superior design tools and agency collaboration features.
Small business just starting
Pick: MailchimpA new business needing basic drip emails on a tight budget
Mailchimp provides a free plan and all-in-one marketing tools to get started.
SaaS trial conversion
Pick: SequenzyA software company converting free trial users to paid plans
Sequenzy has native billing integration and pre-built trial conversion sequences.
E-commerce drip campaigns
Pick: MailchimpAn online store running post-purchase and cart abandonment drips
Mailchimp has deep e-commerce integrations and purchase-based triggers.
High-volume sender
Pick: Campaign MonitorA company sending 100K+ emails per month with strict deliverability needs
Campaign Monitor consistently achieves higher deliverability rates.
Migration plans
Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2-4 hours
Warnings
- Campaign Monitor custom templates may not transfer cleanly
- Automation logic differs significantly between platforms
- Historical engagement data will not migrate
Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 2-4 hours
Warnings
- Mailchimp branching automations cannot be replicated in Campaign Monitor
- Tags and segments need manual recreation
- E-commerce integrations will need reconfiguration
| Direction | Step | Success criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Export subscriber lists from Campaign Monitor as CSV | Moderate |
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Import contacts into Mailchimp audiences | Moderate |
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Recreate drip sequences in Customer Journey Builder | Moderate |
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Rebuild email templates using Mailchimp editor | Moderate |
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Update DNS records for new sending domain | Moderate |
| Campaign Monitor → Mailchimp | Test all automations before going live | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Export contacts from Mailchimp (all audiences) | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Import subscriber lists into Campaign Monitor | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Recreate automations as Campaign Monitor journeys | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Rebuild or import email templates | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Set up domain authentication in Campaign Monitor | Moderate |
| Mailchimp → Campaign Monitor | Run test sends and verify tracking | Moderate |
Frequently asked questions
Which has better drip email templates?
Campaign Monitor offers more polished, design-focused templates. Mailchimp has a larger library but with more generic designs. For SaaS drip sequences, Sequenzy provides purpose-built templates.
Can I run A/B tests in drip sequences?
Mailchimp supports A/B testing for subject lines, content, and send times within automations. Campaign Monitor only supports subject line testing. Sequenzy supports subject and content testing.
Which is better for SaaS companies?
Neither is specifically designed for SaaS. Both are general-purpose email platforms. Sequenzy is purpose-built for SaaS with native Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy integration.
How do deliverability rates compare?
Campaign Monitor typically achieves 93-95% inbox placement. Mailchimp averages 85-90%. Sequenzy achieves 93-96% with optimized shared infrastructure.
Do both support time-zone based sending?
Yes, both Campaign Monitor and Mailchimp support time-zone optimized sending for drip campaigns. Sequenzy also supports this feature.
Which should you choose?
Choose Campaign Monitor if…
- You prioritize email design quality and brand consistency
- You need agency or team collaboration features
- Deliverability is your top concern
- You prefer a focused email tool over an all-in-one platform
Choose Mailchimp if…
- You want a free plan to get started
- You need advanced automation branching
- You want built-in landing pages, forms, and multi-channel
- Your business is e-commerce focused
Also consider Sequenzy
Purpose-built for SaaS drip sequences with native billing integration and pre-built flows. From $19/month with native Stripe, Paddle, and Lemon Squeezy billing events for dunning and trial conversion.
Related comparisons
Browse the full comparison library, the 15-tool shortlist, or the drip strategy guides.