Mailchimp provides four primary pricing plans—Free, Essentials, Standard, and Premium—each designed to accommodate businesses at different stages of growth, from startups to large enterprises. The Free plan supports up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends, making it ideal for beginners testing basic email marketing tools ^[1][4]. The Essentials plan starts at $13/month for 500 contacts and includes core features like email scheduling and A/B testing, while the Standard plan, beginning at $20/month, adds advanced automation and analytics for growing businesses ^[3][6]. For enterprises requiring unlimited contacts and priority support, the Premium plan starts at $350/month for 10,000 contacts, offering comprehensive tools like personalized onboarding and sophisticated reporting ^[1][7].

Key considerations when selecting a plan:

• Free plan is limited to 500 contacts and lacks automation or advanced analytics ^[1][5]
• Essentials plan introduces basic automation and A/B testing at $13/month, scaling with contact growth ^[3][6]
• Standard plan is the most recommended for its balance of cost and features, including multi-step automations and send-time optimization ^[8]
• Premium plan targets enterprises with unlimited audiences and advanced reporting, starting at $350/month ^[1][10]

Businesses should evaluate their contact list size, required features, and budget, as costs escalate with additional contacts and advanced functionalities. Mailchimp also offers a 14-day free trial for Essentials and Standard plans, allowing users to test features before committing ^[1].

Mailchimp Pricing Plans for Different Business Needs

Small Businesses and Startups: Free and Essentials Plans

Small businesses and startups with limited budgets and modest contact lists can begin with Mailchimp’s Free or Essentials plans. The Free plan supports up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends, providing access to basic email marketing tools like templates, audience segmentation, and simple analytics ^[1][4]. However, this plan lacks automation, A/B testing, and advanced reporting, which may restrict scalability for growing businesses ^[5][7].

The Essentials plan, starting at $13/month for 500 contacts, introduces critical features for small businesses ready to expand their marketing efforts:

• A/B testing to optimize email performance ^[6]
• Email scheduling for better campaign timing ^[3]
• Basic automation for simple workflows like welcome emails ^[4]
• 24/7 email and chat support for troubleshooting ^[1]

Pricing scales with contact growth, reaching approximately $45/month for 2,500 contacts and $75/month for 5,000 contacts ^[6]. This plan is best suited for businesses with up to 5,000 contacts needing foundational automation without the complexity of advanced tools. Users should note that Mailchimp now charges for all contacts, including unsubscribed ones, which may increase costs unexpectedly ^[5].

Growing Businesses: Standard Plan for Advanced Features

The Standard plan, starting at $20/month for 500 contacts, is Mailchimp’s most recommended tier for businesses experiencing growth. It includes all Essentials features while adding advanced automation, deeper analytics, and enhanced customization options ^[1][8]. This plan supports up to 100,000 contacts, making it scalable for mid-sized businesses with expanding audiences ^[4].

Key advantages of the Standard plan include:

• Multi-step automation for complex customer journeys, such as abandoned cart sequences or post-purchase follow-ups ^[8]
• Send-time optimization to maximize open rates by delivering emails at optimal times ^[1]
• Advanced segmentation for targeted campaigns based on customer behavior and demographics ^[7]
• Social post scheduling to integrate email and social media marketing ^[8]
• Comparative reporting to track performance across campaigns ^[6]

Pricing increases incrementally with contact volume, reaching $175/month for 10,000 contacts and $320/month for 25,000 contacts ^[3]. Businesses should evaluate whether the additional features justify the cost, as alternatives like MailerLite or Brevo may offer similar functionality at lower price points for smaller lists ^[5]. Mailchimp’s Standard plan is ideal for companies prioritizing automation and data-driven decision-making but may become costly as contact lists grow.