Head-to-head
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp
Mailchimp is cheaper at most list sizes; ActiveCampaign only comes out ahead around 1,000, 2,500 and 100,000 subscribers. Prices are billed annually; verified July 2026.
ActiveCampaignThe automation and CRM heavyweight — powerful, but priced for teams that use it.
MailchimpThe best-known name — feature-rich, but the priciest as you scale.
| Subscribers | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $15/mo | $13/mo | Mailchimp |
| 1,000 | $15/mo | $27/mo | ActiveCampaign |
| 2,500 | $39/mo | $42/mo | ActiveCampaign |
| 5,000 | $79/mo | $75/mo | Mailchimp |
| 10,000 | $149/mo | $110/mo | Mailchimp |
| 25,000 | $239/mo | $230/mo | Mailchimp |
| 50,000 | $399/mo | $385/mo | Mailchimp |
| 100,000 | $679/mo | Contact sales | ActiveCampaign |
Exact switch points (subscribers)
- 1–500 → Mailchimp
- 501–1,000 → ActiveCampaign
- 1,001–1,500 → Mailchimp
- 1,501–2,500 → ActiveCampaign
- 2,501–50,000 → Mailchimp
- 50,001+ → ActiveCampaign
Computed from tier boundaries, not sampled — see all cost cliffs.
Free tiers: ActiveCampaign — no free plan; Mailchimp — free to 250 subscribers.