If you’re comparing Mailchimp vs MailerLite, you’re not alone, choosing an email platform today can feel surprisingly complicated. I’ve used all three tools for real projects over the years, from growing newsletters to automating client campaigns, and even switched from Mailchimp to MailerLite at one point. Based on that experience, the differences between these platforms are far more meaningful than they appear at first glance.
In this guide, I break down everything that actually matters when using these tools day-to-day: email marketing workflows, automation options, templates, segmentation, landing pages, pricing, and overall usability. You’ll see where Mailchimp’s power really shines, and where MailerLite simply makes life easier.
Here’s exactly what you’ll learn.
Outline:
-
- What Is Mailchimp and How Does This Email Marketing Platform Work?
- What Is MailerLite and Why Do Many Creators Switch From Mailchimp to MailerLite?
- Mailchimp vs MailerLite Comparison: Which Email Marketing Platform Is Best in 2025?
- Is MailerLite vs Mailchimp Still a Fair Fight, or Has One Clearly Won?
- Mailchimp’s Free Plan vs MailerLite’s Free Plan: Which One Gives You More Value?
- Which Email Builder Is Better: Mailchimp’s Drag-and-Drop Email Editor or MailerLite’s Simpler Layout?
- How Good Are the Email Templates and Template Library in Mailchimp and MailerLite?
- Email Automation Showdown: Does Mailchimp or MailerLite Offer Better Workflows?
- Segmentation and Targeting: Mailchimp vs MailerLite for Subscriber Management
- Landing Page Tools: Which Platform Helps You Build Better Pages Faster?
- Integration Options: Does Mailerlite or Mailchimp Provide More Third-Party Connections?
- Ease of Use: Is Mailchimp Too Complex or Is MailerLite Too Simple?
- Advanced Features: Which Email Platform Gives You More Growth Power?
- Pricing Breakdown: Are Mailchimp’s Paid Plans Worth It Compared to MailerLite’s Paid Plan?
- Customer Support Review: Does Mailchimp or MailerLite Offer Better Email and Chat Support?
- Deliverability Test: Which Service Gets Your Email Campaign Into the Inbox More Reliably?
- Newsletter Creation: Which Tool Makes Email Creation Faster and More Professional?
- Mailchimp Review 2025: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Real-World Performance
- MailerLite Review 2025: Why MailerLite Is Simple, User-Friendly, and Creator-Focused
- Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs MailerLite: Which Email Service Should You Choose?
- Why Many Users Migrate from Mailchimp to MailerLite (My Personal Experience)
- Mailchimp Offers a Lot, but Does That Make It Better Than MailerLite?
- When Should You Go With Mailchimp, and When Should You Choose MailerLite?
- Mailchimp Alternatives: Is MailerLite One of the Best Free Mailchimp Replacements?
- Final Verdict: Does Mailerlite Win, or Does Mailchimp Have a Slight Edge?
1. What Is Mailchimp and How Does This Email Marketing Platform Work?
Mailchimp is one of the most well-known email marketing tools in the world, and honestly, it’s still the platform most beginners have heard of first. But that also means people expect it to be the easiest, which isn’t always true.
Mailchimp started as a simple email newsletter service but slowly evolved into a massive email marketing platform with automation, segmentation, a large template library, landing pages, ads, and ecommerce features. This growth is impressive, but it also made Mailchimp more complex for new users. I remember my first time using Mailchimp years ago: powerful, yes, but not exactly “easy to use.”
Still, Mailchimp offers a lot. Its email builder, integrations, and reporting tools make it attractive for businesses that want more than just newsletters. And as expected, Mailchimp offers a lot of advanced features that many small creators may not even fully use.
If you want an all-in-one email marketing service, Mailchimp is a big name for a reason.
2. What Is MailerLite and Why Do Many Creators Switch From Mailchimp to MailerLite?
MailerLite is often described as a simpler, cleaner, and more modern alternative to Mailchimp. And honestly? That’s true, especially for creators, bloggers, and small businesses.
One reason people move from Mailchimp to MailerLite is simplicity. MailerLite is simple, Mailerlite is simpler, and mailerlite is a user-friendly option for people who only want powerful email automation, landing pages, and newsletters without the overwhelming dashboards.
When I personally switched from Mailchimp to MailerLite, the difference was instantly noticeable. Everything felt cleaner, faster, and more intuitive. You can get started with MailerLite immediately without tutorial videos, which says a lot.
Plus, MailerLite offers unlimited monthly email on some plans, a generous free plan, and great tools for creators such as beautiful landing pages, simple workflows, and highly customizable templates.
In short: if Mailchimp is a “big corporate platform,” MailerLite feels like a “creator-first platform.”
3. Mailchimp vs MailerLite Comparison: Which Email Marketing Platform Is Best in 2025?
The Mailchimp vs MailerLite debate depends heavily on your needs.
Mailchimp is better if you want:
- A large integration ecosystem
- Highly advanced features
- More robust analytics
- A “big business” dashboard
MailerLite wins if you want:
- Clean, intuitive design
- An easier email builder
- A more generous free plan
- Simpler automation
- Better landing pages
Many popular email marketing platforms try to be everything at once, but MailerLite focuses on strong essentials, which is why people ask if MailerLite or Mailchimp is better for beginners.
In many cases? The slight edge goes to MailerLite for simplicity and cost. But for heavy automations and ecommerce, mailchimp has a slight edge.
4. Is MailerLite vs Mailchimp Still a Fair Fight, or Has One Clearly Won?
In 2025, this comparison is no longer 50/50.
From my experience and the broader creator community, MailerLite is one of the most recommended tools for beginners and small businesses. Meanwhile, Mailchimp remains powerful but feels heavier and more expensive.
However, “better” depends on your specific goals:
- For email automation and deep segmentation → Mailchimp has an advantage.
- For landing pages, ease of use, and clean UI → the win often goes to MailerLite.
- For affordability → MailerLite almost always wins.
- For enterprise-level growth → go with Mailchimp.
Both platforms are still strong, but I wouldn’t call it a tie. The winner depends on who YOU are.
5. Mailchimp’s Free Plan vs MailerLite’s Free Plan: Which One Gives You More Value?
The free plan differences are one of the biggest reasons users compare these platforms.
Mailchimp’s Free Plan
Mailchimp’s free plan used to be generous, but today it feels more limited. Lower monthly email limits, fewer templates, and restricted automation make it less appealing for beginners who want to grow fast.
MailerLite’s Free Plan
MailerLite’s free plan is widely considered the best free starter option in the industry. The free plan allows landing pages, automation, and access to the template library, features you usually only get on paid plans with other tools.
Simply put:
MailerLite’s free plan is more practical.
Mailchimp’s free plan is more restrictive.
If your goal is to get started with MailerLite, you can do that comfortably without upgrading immediately.
6. Which Email Builder Is Better: Mailchimp’s Drag-and-Drop Email Editor or MailerLite’s Simpler Layout?
Both platforms use a drag-and-drop email builder, but their philosophy is different.
Mailchimp’s email builder
Mailchimp’s builder is very flexible, but sometimes too flexible for beginners. More settings, more blocks, and more menus can slow people down. Still, the email editor is powerful, you can build beautiful newsletters if you know what you’re doing.
MailerLite’s email builder
MailerLite provides a faster, cleaner, and more intuitive builder. It’s one of the reasons creators prefer using MailerLite for quick email creation. The minimal interface helps you focus on the message.
If you want maximum control → Mailchimp.
If you want maximum speed → MailerLite.
7. How Good Are the Email Templates and Template Library in Mailchimp and MailerLite?
Both tools include a strong email template library.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp provides a wide range of templates, holiday emails, ecommerce layouts, modern designs, and more. However, many advanced templates require a paid plan, which surprises new users.
MailerLite
MailerLite also includes a solid template library, and many professional designs are available even on the free plan.
In terms of ease and flexibility, I found MailerLite’s templates easier to customize without breaking layout elements (a common Mailchimp frustration).
If you want the most professional templates, Mailchimp wins.
If you want the easiest editing experience, MailerLite wins.
8. Email Automation Showdown: Does Mailchimp or MailerLite Offer Better Workflows?
Automation is where Mailchimp has historically dominated.
Mailchimp automation
Mailchimp offers advanced workflows, branching logic, behavior triggers, and detailed reporting. For ecommerce stores, Mailchimp is especially strong.
MailerLite automation
MailerLite also includes automation, but it keeps things simple. It focuses on visual clarity and easy triggers. For people who don’t need super-complex flows, MailerLite is enough.
If your business needs heavy automation → Mailchimp.
If you want simple, clear, fast automation → MailerLite.
9. Segmentation and Targeting: Mailchimp vs MailerLite for Subscriber Management
Segmentation affects how well you target each subscriber.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is extremely strong here. You can build advanced segments based on user activity, ecommerce behavior, tags, and more.
MailerLite
MailerLite has segmentation as well, especially tag-based, but not as deeply layered as Mailchimp.
For basic targeting, both are great.
For advanced data-driven segmentation, Mailchimp is the winner.
10. Landing Page Tools: Which Platform Helps You Build Better Pages Faster?
Both Mailchimp and MailerLite include landing page builders, but the user experience is very different.
Mailchimp landing pages
Mailchimp’s landing page feature works well but feels like an extension built on top of something much larger. The editor is similar to the email builder: flexible but sometimes overwhelming. If you’re trying to build a simple signup page or a free-download page, Mailchimp gets the job done, but the process is a bit slower than you’d hope.
MailerLite landing pages
MailerLite shines here. Their landing page builder is fast, clean, and extremely easy to use. In fact, many creators use MailerLite specifically for its landing pages, even if they still run automation elsewhere. With MailerLite, you can create visually stunning pages with minimal effort.
Because the designs are so modern and conversion-focused, I often recommend MailerLite to people who need landing pages without wanting to hire a designer.
If landing pages matter deeply to you → The win goes to MailerLite.
11. Integration Options: Does MailerLite or Mailchimp Provide More Third-Party Connections?
This is where Mailchimp is still king.
Mailchimp integrations
Mailchimp’s ecosystem is unmatched. Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier, Typeform, WordPress, Stripe, Squarespace, the list is endless. If your stack includes many tools, chances are Mailchimp provides a direct integration that works smoothly.
MailerLite integrations
MailerLite also integrates with most major tools, but its ecosystem is smaller. It relies more heavily on Zapier. Still, for most creators, the essential integrations are there.
My personal experience:
If you run a full ecommerce business → Mailchimp is better.
If you have a simple creator stack (WordPress, Stripe, Gumroad) → MailerLite is enough.
For “integration power,” Mailchimp wins, but many users don’t need that level of depth.
12. Ease of Use: Is Mailchimp Too Complex or Is MailerLite Too Simple?
Ease of use is one of the biggest differentiators in the mailerlite vs mailchimp comparison.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is extremely powerful, but many people feel it isn’t easy to use anymore. New users often get lost in deep menus like “audience,” “tags,” and “campaigns.” It’s not bad, just more complex.
MailerLite
MailerLite is simpler, cleaner, and more intuitive overall. It’s the platform where you log in and immediately understand what to do. This is why beginners, creators, and small businesses often stick with MailerLite.
MailerLite is not “too simple”, it has enough advanced features for most use cases. But Mailchimp is clearly more enterprise-oriented.
If you value a clean UI and quick setup → MailerLite is simple and wins.
If you value maximum control → Mailchimp is better.
13. Advanced Features: Which Email Platform Gives You More Growth Power?
Both tools offer advanced features, but they focus on different types of users.
Mailchimp’s advanced features
- Advanced behavioral segmentation
- Predictive analytics
- Product recommendations for ecommerce
- More complex workflow options
- Retargeting ads
Mailchimp is a full marketing suite, not just an email marketing software.
MailerLite’s advanced features
MailerLite’s advanced tools focus on creators:
- Paid newsletters
- Subscription sites
- Digital product pages
- Modern landing pages
- Clean email automation builder
MailerLite doesn’t try to be everything, and that’s actually an advantage for many.
If you want a “growth engine” for ecommerce → Mailchimp is better.
If you want a modern creator toolbox → MailerLite is better.
14. Pricing Breakdown: Are Mailchimp’s Paid Plans Worth It Compared to MailerLite’s Paid Plan?
Pricing is where things get interesting, and frustrating for some Mailchimp users.
Mailchimp paid plan
Mailchimp’s paid plan is expensive. Once you pass a few thousand subscribers, pricing jumps significantly. However, you do get enterprise-like features in return, especially if you need unlimited segmentation, deep analytics, and ecommerce tools.
MailerLite plan
MailerLite’s pricing is much more forgiving. Even as your subscriber count grows, the cost remains fair. This makes MailerLite one of the best budget-friendly tools in the industry.
From my experience:
If you plan to scale aggressively, Mailchimp becomes pricey fast.
MailerLite is more efficient and gives you more value per subscriber.
This is the reason many users type “mailchimp alternative” into Google, and discover that MailerLite is simpler, cheaper, and more user-friendly.
15. Customer Support Review: Does Mailchimp or MailerLite Offer Better Email and Chat Support?
Mailchimp support
Mailchimp provides email support for 30 days on the free tier, after that, support requires upgrading. Support quality is good but not personal.
MailerLite support
MailerLite gives access to email and chat support on many tiers. Their team is friendly, fast, and familiar with creator workflows. This makes troubleshooting far easier.
MailerLite also offers onboarding help without pressure to upgrade, which I appreciate.
Mailchimp also has strong documentation but is less personal.
If customer support matters → MailerLite wins easily.
16. Deliverability Test: Which Service Gets Your Email Campaign Into the Inbox More Reliably?
Deliverability is underrated, yet it’s one of the most important components of any email marketing tool.
My personal results
Over the past years, I’ve tested multiple campaigns on both platforms. Here’s what I’ve found:
- Mailchimp generally has slightly stronger deliverability for large lists.
- MailerLite performs extremely well for smaller lists of engaged subscribers.
Both do well, but Mailchimp’s long-established infrastructure gives it a tiny advantage in hardcore deliverability tests.
Still, deliverability mostly depends on YOU, your content, your domain reputation, and how frequently you send.
17. Newsletter Creation: Which Tool Makes Email Creation Faster and More Professional?
Creating a newsletter should be fast, enjoyable, and stress-free.
Mailchimp newsletter creation
Mailchimp has more fine-grained controls, which is great but time-consuming. If you want ultra-custom designs, Mailchimp is fantastic.
MailerLite newsletter creation
MailerLite focuses on speed. In 15 minutes, you can have a polished email campaign ready to go. The editor feels like it was designed for humans, not engineers.
If you send newsletters often, simplicity matters more than fancy features.
In my experience, creators prefer MailerLite for newsletters; agencies prefer Mailchimp.
18. Mailchimp Review 2025: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Real-World Performance
Here’s the honest breakdown:
Mailchimp strengths
- Massive integration ecosystem
- Robust automation features
- Deep segmentation
- Strong deliverability
- Great analytics
- A trusted brand in popular email marketing circles
Mailchimp weaknesses
- Pricing increases quickly
- Not very easy to use
- Limited free plan
- Some features require upgrading sooner than expected
My verdict
Mailchimp is a “big” platform. Mailchimp is a big solution with everything you could possibly need, but many people don’t actually need that much.
If you want enterprise-level email marketing → Go with Mailchimp.
19. MailerLite Review 2025: Why MailerLite Is Simple, User-Friendly, and Creator-Focused
MailerLite continues to grow rapidly because it serves a very specific type of user extremely well: creators, solopreneurs, coaches, small businesses, and content-driven brands.
What MailerLite gets right
MailerLite is simple, fast, and highly intuitive. You don’t get lost in endless menus, and every feature feels like it was designed with clarity first. Their clean interface improves your workflow, especially when you create newsletters, landing pages, or quick automations. Mailerlite offers unlimited monthly email on some tiers, making it affordable for growing lists.
Why creators prefer MailerLite
From my experience, people who write newsletters, sell digital products, or need simple automations love how MailerLite feels. It is not bloated, not overbuilt, and it doesn’t force you into high-tier plans just to use basic tools.
MailerLite is one of the few email marketing platforms I can confidently recommend to beginners because it actually makes email fun.
20. Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs MailerLite: Which Email Service Should You Choose?
Many people comparing mailchimp vs mailerlite are also looking at ConvertKit, so here’s the quick breakdown:
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is designed for creators who want clean automations, tagging, and simple landing pages. It’s extremely clean but expensive once your subscriber list grows.
ConvertKit is best if your business revolves around:
- Weekly newsletters
- Funnels
- Creator-specific features (creator network, tips, digital products)
MailerLite
MailerLite offers 80% of ConvertKit’s features but at a much friendlier price. For most creators, MailerLite is the smarter choice unless you rely heavily on advanced tagging systems.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the most powerful of the three, especially for ecommerce. But it’s also the most complex and sometimes the most expensive.
My short verdict
If you’re an ecommerce store → Mailchimp
If you’re a creator on a budget → MailerLite
If you’re a creator who wants the cleanest automation builder → ConvertKit
But for 70% of beginners, MailerLite or Mailchimp will be more than enough.
21. Why Many Users Migrate From Mailchimp to MailerLite (My Personal Experience)
A growing number of users search for “mailchimp alternative”, and one of the biggest reasons is that Mailchimp’s interface has outgrown its original simplicity.
I personally switched from Mailchimp to MailerLite for three key reasons:
1. The UI became too heavy
I remember logging into Mailchimp after a major update and feeling overwhelmed. Tabs, analytics dashboards, new features, it felt like a full enterprise suite.
2. Automations were hidden behind higher plans
MailerLite gives you useful automation tools much earlier. For small creators, that matters.
3. Price jumps
Mailchimp’s pricing grows quickly as your subscriber count increases. MailerLite’s structure is far easier to manage for new businesses.
Was it the right decision?
Absolutely, for my use case at the time. For ecommerce clients, I still often recommend Mailchimp. But for creators, I usually say: “Start lean. MailerLite is a user-friendly choice.”
22. Mailchimp Offers a Lot, but Does That Make It Better Than MailerLite?
Mailchimp offers a lot, maybe too much for some users.
When “more features” becomes a downside
If you only need newsletters, automations, segmentation, and landing pages, Mailchimp’s ecosystem might feel like overkill. Feature overload can slow you down, especially if you’re not using half of the tools.
When more features are an advantage
If you’re scaling aggressively, running multiple audiences, building deep funnels, or working with ecommerce, Mailchimp’s “everything in one place” model is a huge benefit.
Mailchimp is better for large organizations, agencies, and high-volume marketers.
MailerLite is better for lean businesses and creators.
So yes, Mailchimp offers a lot. But “a lot” is not always “better.”
23. When Should You Go With Mailchimp, and When Should You Choose MailerLite?
Here’s the simplest way to decide between mailerlite or mailchimp:
Choose Mailchimp if you:
- Run an online store
- Need deep segmentation
- Want complex automations
- Need powerful integrations
- Don’t mind a higher price for more advanced features
Choose MailerLite if you:
- Want simplicity
- Want a generous free plan
- Prefer clean landing pages
- Write newsletters frequently
- Don’t need heavy ecommerce tools
- Want a modern, peaceful interface
Both platforms are excellent. The question is who YOU are, not which tool is theoretically better.
24. Mailchimp Alternatives: Is MailerLite One of the Best Free Mailchimp Replacements?
Yes, MailerLite is one of the best mailerlite alternatives and free mailchimp replacements available today.
Why MailerLite stands out
- Generous free tier
- Excellent templates
- Strong landing pages
- Easy newsletter creation
- Smooth automations
- Affordable scaling
- Clear UI
- Access to the template library even for free users
Many people look for “mailchimp alternatives” because Mailchimp keeps pushing essential features behind paid tiers. MailerLite avoids that trap and gives you what you need to grow.
If you want powerful email marketing without complexity → MailerLite is one of the best email marketing platforms to choose.
25. Final Verdict: Does MailerLite Win, or Does Mailchimp Have a Slight Edge?
Here’s the honest answer:
MailerLite wins for most creators, small businesses, and newsletter-focused brands.
Mailchimp has a slight edge for enterprise users, ecommerce-focused businesses, and people who need deep automation + segmentation + integration ecosystems.
Both platforms are excellent, but:
- MailerLite is simpler
- Mailchimp is more powerful
- MailerLite is cheaper
- Mailchimp is more scalable
- MailerLite is one of the easiest tools for beginners
- Mailchimp is a long-term, all-in-one solution
If you’re not sure where to start, the safe choice for beginners is:
Sign up for a free MailerLite account and test the workflow first.
If you are also interested in reading our Constant Contact vs Mailchimp comparison, feel free to do so on our website!
Bullet-Point Summary: Key Things to Remember
- Mailchimp is a big, powerful email suite with deep segmentation and advanced automation.
- MailerLite is simpler, cheaper, cleaner, and more intuitive.
- Mailchimp’s free plan is limited; MailerLite’s free plan is generous.
- MailerLite offers the easiest newsletter and landing page builder.
- Mailchimp provides more integrations and ecommerce features.
- MailerLite is best for creators; Mailchimp is best for larger businesses.
- Deliverability is strong on both platforms.
- Most beginners prefer MailerLite; advanced marketers often choose Mailchimp.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Mailchimp vs MailerLite: Which email marketing platform is best for beginners?
MailerLite is usually the best for beginners because it’s simpler, more intuitive, and has a generous free plan. Mailchimp is more powerful but has a steeper learning curve.
2. Is Mailchimp better than MailerLite for ecommerce stores?
Yes. Mailchimp integrates deeply with ecommerce tools like Shopify and WooCommerce, offering better segmentation and advanced automation for online stores.
3. Does MailerLite really offer unlimited monthly email on paid plans?
Yes, MailerLite offers unlimited monthly email on several paid tiers, making it cost-effective for large lists.
4. Which platform has better email automation features?
Mailchimp has more complex automation and workflow logic. MailerLite has clean, simple automation ideal for creators and small businesses.
5. Is Mailchimp’s free plan still worth using in 2025?
Mailchimp’s free plan is limited compared to MailerLite’s free plan. It’s still usable, but many people outgrow it quickly.
6. Which tool has better landing page templates?
MailerLite usually wins. Their landing page designs are more modern, easier to build, and better suited for creators.
7. Should I switch from Mailchimp to MailerLite?
If you want a cleaner interface, lower pricing, and simpler workflows, then yes, many users migrate from Mailchimp to MailerLite for exactly those reasons.
8. What is the best Mailchimp alternative for 2025?
MailerLite is one of the best Mailchimp alternatives due to its pricing, ease of use, landing pages, and generous free plan. ConvertKit is also strong for creator-focused users.
