Beehiiv vs Mailchimp: Pricing Comparison (2026)
Beehiiv starts at $49/mo. Mailchimp starts at $13/mo. Mailchimp is $36/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Beehiiv.
Newsletter platform for creators positioned as the alternative to Substack, ConvertKit, and Mailchimp. Distinctive for its founder pedigree (Morning Brew's co-founders and early employees) and features that generalist tools lack: built-in referral programs, ad network, and 3D analytics. Priced free-$99/mo up to 100K subscribers. Popular with newsletter operators building media businesses (not personal newsletters).
The original email marketing platform for SMBs, now owned by Intuit ($12B acquisition, 2021). Distinctive for pricing per subscriber rather than per email sent — which surprises teams with large-but-inactive lists. Free tier up to 500 contacts. Paid tiers get expensive fast as your list grows ($350/mo Premium at 10K+ contacts). Losing SMB share to Beehiiv (creators) and Klaviyo (e-commerce) but still the default for non-technical marketers.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | Beehiiv monthly | Beehiiv annual | Mailchimp monthly | Mailchimp annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Launch / Free | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 | Scale / Essentials | 49 | 43 | 13 | — |
| 3 | Max / Standard | 109 | 96 | 20 | — |
| 4 | Enterprise / Premium | custom | custom | 350 | — |
What each is best for
Newsletter platform for creators positioned as the alternative to Substack, ConvertKit, and Mailchimp. Distinctive for its founder pedigree (Morning Brew's co-founders and early employees) and features that generalist tools lack: built-in referral programs, ad network, and 3D analytics. Priced free-$99/mo up to 100K subscribers. Popular with newsletter operators building media businesses (not personal newsletters).
The original email marketing platform for SMBs, now owned by Intuit ($12B acquisition, 2021). Distinctive for pricing per subscriber rather than per email sent — which surprises teams with large-but-inactive lists. Free tier up to 500 contacts. Paid tiers get expensive fast as your list grows ($350/mo Premium at 10K+ contacts). Losing SMB share to Beehiiv (creators) and Klaviyo (e-commerce) but still the default for non-technical marketers.
At a glance
| Beehiiv | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $49/mo | $13/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Usage | Per Usage |
| Last verified | July 27, 2026 | July 28, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified July 28, 2026. Tracked daily.