Mailchimp and MailerLite are two different services that you can choose from, but there is no denying that Mailchimp is the most popular and widely known of the two.
However, this doesn’t automatically mean that it offers the better service. If you are looking for a new email marketing tool, then these are two options that you have likely heard of.
There are lots of different services on the market that you can choose to use, depending on exactly what you are looking for.
Both Mailchimp and MailerLite are two great options to choose from, but if you are wondering which is the better of the two, then you have come to the right place. We are going to compare these two services here.
In this article, we are going to tell you everything that you need to know about MailerLite and Mailchimp, so you can find out which one would work the best for what you need. You can look at the pros and cons of both of these tools, so you can make a well-informed decision when it comes to choosing between the two.
MailerLite Vs Mailchimp: Everything You Need To Know
MailerLite and Mailchimp are two great email marketing tools that you can use, and we are going to be reviewing each of these services below in detail. We are going to tell you everything that you need to know about how they can be used, what features the services come with, how cost-effective they are, and more.
The first thing that you should know is that both of these platforms offer excellent services for beginners. Although, if you are looking for the most affordable option out of the two, then MailerLite is the plan for you.
However, both of these services offer free plans that have some generous features. If you are looking for the most features for your money, then you can check out some of the higher tier plans that are available. They are daily priced and can offer great value for money. You can find out everything that you need to know below.
Easy to Use
Both Mailchimp and MailerLite market themselves as email marketing software that is easy and simple to use, but which one is the easiest? MailerLite is probably the most user-friendly out of the two. One of the biggest issues that people have with Mailchimp is that some of the functions can be difficult to find.
An example of this is that the opt-in for new sign ups can be a little confusing for beginners to get used to. With Mailchimp, interface updates also don’t tend to make navigation any easier when it comes to using this platform. However, with that being said, both of these options are both well-designed and are relatively easy to navigate.
As well as these, both services are really good at ensuring that you have completed all of the steps that are necessary to start up a new campaign. Overall, both options are really easy to come to terms with, and they don’t take very much time for you to get used to them.
However, MailerLite does have a better designed interface, which means that it is the perfect tool for all levels of experience.
Design
When you are trying to decide which email marketing service that you want to use, it is really important that you check out some of the email templates and design options that are on offer. Some of the things that you should look for are attractive and mobile responsive email templates that are super easy to customize.
If you were to choose Mailchimp, then you can expect to be greeted with more than 100 different templates for you to choose from. All of these options are mobile responsive, and they look pretty great.
You will also be able to sort the available options by category, which will make it much easier for you to find what you are looking for. They are super easy to edit, and you can even save what you have created, so you will be able to use them again in any future campaigns that you run.
Finally, you can create your own HTML temperatures by using code, URL, or a .ZIP file. However, something that you should keep in mind is the fat that the free plan will only come with 8 different templates.
Some people might prefer the designs that are available with MailerLite. However there are not as many different options for you to choose from. In total, there are 62 different templates for you to choose from, and the mobile-responsive templates do look very professional and modern.
You can easily adapt these templates to suit your preferences, depending on what you are looking for. There are also various different content blocks to choose from, and there are plenty of customization options. These can even be sorted by industry.
Although, if you are unable to find what you are looking for, then you can upload your own HTML code via a .ZIP file or a URL. The only thing that you should keep in mind is that there are some email designs that are not included when you get the free plan.
So, instead, you will only have the basic templates to choose from. Both services offer a great selection of templates for you to browse, and there is lots of flexibility in terms of customization.
Managing Lists
One issue that some people find with Mailchimp is with its list management. The lists from Mailchimp are mutually exclusive, which means that you will not be able to include contacts of different lists within the same campaigns.
You will also not be able to create automations, to move subscribers from one list to another list. On the other hand, these are things that you will be able to do with MailerLite.
The way in which Mailchimp charges is dependent upon your level of subscribers, which means that if you were to have the same contact on two different lists, it would count as multiple subscribers.
This means that you have to pay for just one person more than once. This is quite off-putting for a lot of people as it can end up increasing the overall costs by quite a bit.
In addition to this, Mailchimp has made it quite difficult when it comes to the various different options that are available and the naming conventions. There are options like audiences, segments, tags, and groups, and all of these options can become quite confusing.
List management is something that is made much simpler with MailerLite. Segmentation is facilitated by a wide variety of variables, and like we have already mentioned, there is the option to set up an automation. This will allow you to remove subscribers from a certain group when you need to.
No matter how many groups or segments that a subscriber belongs to, they will only ever be counted as one subscriber, which is something that you don’t get with Mailchimp. So, MailerLite is definitely the best option when it comes to list management.
Automated Emails
If you choose to go with Mailchimp, you will be able to make a wide range of automation triggers. You can set up goals, email link actions, and abandoned cart automated emails. Although, you will need to purchase the standard plan or higher in order to benefit from these features.
If you decide to use MailerLite, then you won’t be able to use as many different options. It is really easy to use because of this, and you can create different workflows based on various campaign actions, like opens and links clicked. The only thing that it is really missing is more advanced ecommerce based triggers.
One of the best things about automated emails with MailerLite is that you will be able to use the automation software even when you only have the free plan. Due to the fact that their version is easier to use and it can be used on the free plan, this option is definitely the best for automated emails.
Sign Up Forms
Something else that is really important to consider is how easy or difficult it is to set up a form with either Mailchimp or MailerLite. When it comes to Mailchimp, the first thing that you should know is that it does not appear within the main navigation. It is hidden under the audience tab instead.
If you are wondering about the options that are available to you, you should know that you can create an embedded form, a pop-up form, or a landing page.
However, it can be quite difficult to set these things up, and not every form will be mobile responsive. When new subscribers want to sign up, they will be put on the list that you choose. However, they can only be put on one email list if you don’t want to have to pay for them multiple times.
It is much easier to create a form with MailerLite, and there are lots of different types of forms that are available for you to choose from. You can create pop up forms, embedded forms, and subscribe buttons, and you can even create a landing page if you want to. So, MailerLite is the best option for sign up forms too.
Customer Relationship Manager
Mailchimp’s Customer Relationship Manager, or CRM capabilities, are quite limited, but there are more options available than with MailerLite.
Although, you should know that one thing that Mailchimp does well is ecommerce data. If you connect your account to your own online shop, then you will be able to monitor exactly how much revenue each contact has been able to generate.
Although, with that being said, it is missing some of the key options that are normally available with other softwares, like the ability to upload a file, create your own task, or assign contacts to certain sales agents.
If you are specifically looking for a CRM, then you should definitely check out Mailchimp, as there is no room for this with MailerLite.
Spam Prevention And Design Testing
Both of these services will allow you to test how your email will look and work on both a mobile or desktop. However, this is about as far as you will get with MailerLite. Mailchimp allows you to do this, as well as test how your email will look with different email clients, but this is not a free service.
The Mailchimp paid monthly plans will come with 25 inbox preview tokens that you will be able to use each month. Individual clients that you test will use up one token, and any tokens that you have not used up by the end of the month will be carried over into the next month. You can also opt to buy more tokens if you were to run out.
Mailchimp also provides users with a link check, which can be really useful. Mailchimp is definitely the best option when it comes to spam prevention and design testing.
Reports
MailerLite has various stats for opens, clicks, unsubscribes, devices, and more. It even offers purchase tracking for Shopify and WooCommerce. The only thing that is really missing is the fact that you don’t receive social media and email client statistics
With Mailchimp, you will get reports for all of these things, as well as direct integration with Google Analytics, which will help you to track conversions.
Delivering
It is really important that the email marketing tool you choose has excellent deliverability, as otherwise all of the hard work that you put into your campaign will not be received well. MailerLite has the best deliverability out of these two options, as it performs the best.
Customer Support
When you are relying on another company to provide a service, you will want the peace of mind that they are easy to get in touch with and will respond to any questions that you might have. Both of these providers have similar support channels available like a knowledge base, email address, and live chat support.
However, the amount of access that you have to these channels will depend on the plan that you are subscribed to. With MailerLite, you will be able to access support on both the free and paid plans. Unfortunately, you will only have access to the live chat support on the paid plan.
Mailchimp is slightly more generous when it comes to this. With the free plan, you will only have access to email support for the first 30 days, and then it stops. If you want to be able to access email and chat support, then you will be forced to upgrade to a paid for plan.
Essentially, this means that you will only be able to benefit from the best chat functions for each of these services if you are willing to pay for them.
MailerLite is very helpful and responsive in their customer chat function, and with their live chat, you only have to wait a few minutes for a response. If you want to access the live chat for Mailchimp, then you will first need to go through the knowledge base. This can be very frustrating at times, especially if you need quick answers to your questions.
Prices And What You Can Get
The final comparison that we are going to explore is the pricing of each of these tools. Even though Mailchimp does offer both free and pay as you go plans, it does also charge users for unsubscribed contacts. For people that have not confirmed opt-in, this can make this provider quite expensive.
This is why MailerLite is better than Mailchimp for smaller businesses that may not have higher funds. In comparison to other email marketing tools that are available, Mailchimp is not the most expensive option.
However, when it is compared against MailerLite, it seems a little more pricey. You can see the full price comparison of both Mailchimp and MailerLite below.
Mailchimp
MailerLite
Free Plan
2,000 contacts for free and 10,000 emails per month
1,000 contacts for free and 12,000 emails/month
5000 Subscribers
$52.99500,000 emails
$30Unlimited emails
10,000 Subscribers
$78.99500,000 emails
$50Unlimited emails
50,000 Subscribers
$270500,000 emails
$210Unlimited emails
100,000 Subscribers
$5401,200,000 emails(Standard plan)
$360Unlimited emails
As you can see, there is quite a difference in price between these two providers. Although, it is worth keeping in mind that the free plan that you can get with MailerLite does come with marketing automation, and it allows for unlimited user accounts and lists. Another benefit is the fact that the paid plans also allow you to send an unlimited amount of emails.
If you want to unlock Mailchimps’s automation workflows, you will need to be prepared to upgrade to its standard plan. This means 5000 contacts for $52.99 a month. If you need advanced segmentation, comparative reports, and premium support, then you will need to upgrade to the premium plan, which costs $299 a month for up to 10,000 contacts.
So, even though Mailchimp does offer quite a good free plan, as well as excellent pay as you go options, MailerLite is more beneficial due to the fact that it has much more affordable options.
Summary
Mailchimp is one of the biggest companies that you will find in the email marketing world. Although, this doesn’t always automatically mean that it is superior to any of the other options that are available on the market.
MailerLite is one of the best choices if you are looking for a tool that is easy to use, and there are lots of different features for you to utilize. The prices are very reasonable for what is on offer, and list management is made much easier.
Overall, both of these options are great, and it is up to you to decide which one you think would work the best for what you need. You can compare the two side by side in our review and make a well-informed decision.
Hi, my name is Mark Matthews, and I help to run several businesses through managing their mailing services.
I have a clear and good understanding of what a company or person should consider when choosing between options. I also have a lot of experience when it comes to managing businesses in general, from the best organizational and scheduling apps to use, to teaching owners how to create engaging emails.
