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beehiiv vs Mailchimp: cost and features compared (2026)
Last verified against official pricing pages · USD, monthly billing, excluding tax
Prices change often. Every price here was checked against the platform's official pricing page on the date shown, but plans, promos and taxes vary. Always confirm on the official site before you buy or switch. Not financial advice.
Quick answer
- Basic newsletter: beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000 and 25,000 subscribers; Mailchimp is cheaper at 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers.
- With automations: beehiiv is cheaper at 25,000 subscribers; Mailchimp is cheaper at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers.
- Paid newsletter: only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked.
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Try beehiiv (paid link) Try Mailchimp
Cost at 1k, 5k, 10k and 25k subscribers
Basic newsletter (no automations)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Mailchimp | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $0 (Free) | $26.50 (Essentials) | beehiiv by $26.50/mo |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $75 (Essentials) | Mailchimp by $34/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $110 (Essentials) | Mailchimp by $29/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $270 (Essentials) | beehiiv by $71/mo |
With automations (welcome sequences, drips)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Mailchimp | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $59 (Lite) | $26.50 (Essentials, limited) | Mailchimp by $32.50/mo |
| 5,000 | $109 (Lite) | $75 (Essentials, limited) | Mailchimp by $34/mo |
| 10,000 | $139 (Lite) | $110 (Essentials, limited) | Mailchimp by $29/mo |
| 25,000 | $199 (Lite) | $270 (Essentials, limited) | beehiiv by $71/mo |
Paid newsletter (5% of subscribers pay $8/mo)
| Subscribers | beehiiv | Mailchimp | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $88.40 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 5,000 | $256 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 10,000 | $433 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
| 25,000 | $934 (Lite) | n/a | beehiiv (only option in our verified data) |
Switching? beehiiv → Mailchimp cost · Mailchimp → beehiiv cost · Best platform for your needs
Cheapest plan on each platform that covers the list size and required features. Paid totals = plan + platform cut + Stripe card fees (2.9% + $0.30 per payment, estimate) + Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on recurring payments where confirmed (beehiiv, MailerLite, Ghost, Buttondown, Substack and AWeber); not added for GetResponse (not confirmed); Kit's 3.5% + $0.30 is all-in. How we model fees. "limited" = feature is capped on that plan. Run your exact numbers →
Key differences
| beehiiv | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | free up to 2,500 subscribers | free up to 250 subscribers |
| Fee on paid subscriptions | 0% platform cut + Stripe fees | not verified (not listed on the official pricing pages) |
| Cheapest plan with automations | Lite (from $59/mo) | Standard (from $20/mo) |
| Cheapest plan with own domain | Lite (from $59/mo) | not verified |
| Cheapest plan without platform branding | Pro (from $109/mo) | Essentials (from $13/mo) |
| Plans | Free, Lite, Pro | Free, Essentials, Standard, Premium |
| Prices verified | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
Who each is best for
beehiiv is best for
Newsletter-first publishers who want built-in growth and monetization tools (ad network, referrals, website) in one place.
- Bundles growth tools beyond email: website builder, ad network and referral program (ad network not on Free). source
- Takes 0% of paid-subscription revenue on paid plans; Stripe fees apply. source
- Raised prices on October 1, 2026 (Scale→Lite, Max→Pro); existing customers move at their first renewal on or after November 1, 2026. source
Mailchimp is best for
Small businesses that want an all-round email marketing tool with automation flows (Standard and up) and are fine with contact-based pricing and overage billing.
- Priced by stored contacts (the peak in each billing period); each tier includes a monthly send limit of 10× (Essentials), 12× (Standard) or 15× (Premium) your contacts. source
- Going over the contact or send limit on a paid plan adds overage charges rather than pausing sending. source
- Free plan: 250 contacts and 500 emails/month (250/day), no automation flows, Mailchimp branding stays. source
- Annual billing is only available through sales (Standard and Premium, 10,000+ contacts). On 2026-10-20 the page offered 15% off the first 12 months at 10,000+ contacts. source
Try beehiiv (paid link) Try Mailchimp
FAQ
Is beehiiv cheaper than Mailchimp?
It depends on your list and needs. In our data (monthly billing, 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 25,000 subscribers): basic newsletter — beehiiv is cheaper at 1,000 and 25,000 subscribers; Mailchimp is cheaper at 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. With automations — beehiiv is cheaper at 25,000 subscribers; Mailchimp is cheaper at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers. Paid newsletter — only beehiiv has a verified option at every size we checked. Prices verified 2026-10-20.
Which has the bigger free plan, beehiiv or Mailchimp?
beehiiv: free up to 2,500 subscribers. Mailchimp: free up to 250 subscribers. Free plans have feature limits — see the comparison table.
Do beehiiv and Mailchimp take a cut of paid subscriptions?
beehiiv: 0% platform cut + Stripe fees. Mailchimp: not verified (not listed on the official pricing pages).
What do beehiiv and Mailchimp cost at 10,000 subscribers?
On monthly billing, a basic newsletter costs $139/mo on beehiiv Lite and $110/mo on Mailchimp Essentials. With automations: $139/mo (beehiiv Lite) vs $110/mo (Mailchimp Essentials).
Sources
- beehiiv pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- beehiiv: beehiiv.com/blog/beehiiv-pricing-2026
- Mailchimp pricing (checked 2026-10-20)
- Mailchimp: mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/
- Mailchimp: mailchimp.com/help/about-additional-charges/
- Stripe pricing (card-fee estimate)
- Stripe Billing pricing (0.7% on recurring payments)
More comparisons: beehiiv vs Kit · beehiiv vs Substack · Kit vs MailerLite · beehiiv vs MailerLite · Substack vs Ghost · Mailchimp vs MailerLite · Brevo vs MailerLite · Brevo vs Mailchimp · AWeber vs MailerLite · AWeber vs Mailchimp · AWeber vs Kit · Constant Contact vs Mailchimp · Constant Contact vs MailerLite · AWeber vs Constant Contact · ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp · GetResponse vs Mailchimp · ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse · GetResponse vs MailerLite · beehiiv vs Ghost · Kit vs Substack · Kit vs Mailchimp · Kit vs Ghost · Substack vs MailerLite · Ghost vs MailerLite · beehiiv vs AWeber · Substack vs Mailchimp · AWeber vs Substack · AWeber vs Ghost · Ghost vs Mailchimp · all comparisons · Cheapest for 500, 1k, 2.5k, 5k, 10k, 25k subscribers · Best for: paid newsletters, beginners, small business, creators, nonprofits · Alternatives to Substack, Mailchimp, beehiiv, Kit
Guides: Is beehiiv worth it in 2026 · Substack to beehiiv migration · beehiiv Free plan (2026) · AWeber Free plan (2026)
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Recently flagged: Kit: 25% off the first year of Pro on annual billing (limited-time offer) (20 Oct 2026) · beehiiv renames plans and raises prices (Scale → Lite, Max → Pro) (1 Oct 2026)