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Mailchimp Free plan limits (2026): 250 contacts, 500 emails and what changed
Last verified against official pricing pages · published 20 Oct 2026
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.
Mailchimp Free covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month (no more than 250 a day), with 1 user. Mailchimp branding stays, and its key-features table lists automation flows as not included. Hit a limit and sending pauses; there's no overage bill. Source: Mailchimp pricing, checked 2026-10-20.
The limits at a glance
- Contacts: 250.
- Emails: 500 a month, max 250 a day. That's 2 sends a month to a full list.
- Users: 1.
- Automations: "Not included" in the key-features table.
- Branding: Mailchimp branding stays.
- Over the limit: sending pauses until you upgrade or drop below it.
How the free plan shrank (archived pricing pages)
Mailchimp's free plan used to be roomier. In the archived copies of its pricing page it allowed 500 contacts (last seen 1 Jul 2025) and 1,000 emails a month (last seen 1 Dec 2025). Monthly sends dropped to 500 between the 1 Dec 2025 and 1 Jan 2026 captures, and the contact limit dropped to 250 between the 1 Jul 2025 and 1 Apr 2026 captures (no clear capture in between).
| Captured | Plan | What the official page showed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free up to 500 subscribers | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free up to 500 subscribers | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 1,000 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 500 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 500 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free up to 250 subscribers | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 500 emails/mo | archived copy | |
| Free | free up to 250 subscribers | archived copy | |
| Free | free plan: 500 emails/mo | archived copy |
Read by hand from Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) copies of the official page, kept separate from our own dated checks. All values: how newsletter platform prices changed 2023–2026 · JSON.
What it costs when you outgrow it
At 251 contacts you need Essentials: $13/month for up to 500 contacts. Mailchimp counts stored contacts, so tidying your audience matters.
| Subscribers | Mailchimp, basic | Mailchimp, with automations | Cheapest tracked platform, basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 251 | $13 Essentials | $13 Essentials | beehiiv $0 Free |
| 1,000 | $26.50 Essentials | $26.50 Essentials | beehiiv $0 Free |
| 2,500 | $45 Essentials | $45 Essentials | beehiiv $0 Free |
| 5,000 | $75 Essentials | $75 Essentials | Kit $0 Free |
| 10,000 | $110 Essentials | $110 Essentials | Kit $0 Free |
Per month, monthly billing, cheapest plan that fits, prices verified 20 Oct 2026. "with automations" = the cheapest plan with an automation builder.
Free plans compared
Most free plans now cover more than Mailchimp's 250 contacts:
| Free plan | Covers up to | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Kit | 10,000 | Up to 10,000 subscribers |
| beehiiv | 2,500 | Up to 2,500 subscribers |
| EmailOctopus | 2,500 | 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails a month, up to 3 automation sequences, EmailOctopus branding |
| Sender | 2,500 | 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, 1 seat; email automation, forms, popups and up to 10 landing pages included |
| AWeber | 500 | 500 subscribers and 3,000 sends a month; 1 list, 1 automation, 1 landing page; AWeber branding stays |
| GetResponse | 500 | 500 contacts (unconfirmed and removed contacts count) and 2,500 newsletters a month |
| SendPulse | 500 | 500 subscribers and 15,000 emails a month, with basic automation (5 flows) and 3 sender addresses |
| HubSpot | 500* | 2,000 marketing email sends a month (500 subscribers at 4 sends each), up to 2 users; 1 automated email action |
| Brevo | 300* | Sends up to 300 emails a day (stores up to 100,000 contacts), so we count it as covering 300 subscribers per send |
| MailerLite | 250 | 250 subscribers and 2,500 emails a month, 3 active automations (5 steps each) |
| Mailchimp | 250 | 250 contacts, 500 emails a month (250 a day), 1 user; sending pauses when you hit a limit |
| Klaviyo | 250 | 250 active profiles and 500 emails a month, plus $5 of mobile messages; flows, segmentation and forms included |
| Omnisend | 250 | 250 contacts and 500 emails a month with all features, including automation workflows; the Omnisend badge stays |
| Mailjet | 200* | Sends up to 6,000 emails a month with a maximum of 200 a day (stores up to 1,000 contacts), so we count it as covering 200 subscribers per send |
| Buttondown | 100 | Free for your first 100 subscribers |
* Send-capped plans, converted to subscribers you can email once per send (Brevo, Mailjet) or weekly (HubSpot). Every limit with its source: free newsletter platforms compared.
beehiiv Free: up to 2,500 subscribers (paid link) EmailOctopus Free: up to 2,500 subscribers (paid link)
Links marked (paid link) are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our numbers or the order. Disclosure.
More: how much Mailchimp costs · Mailchimp price increase 2026 · Mailchimp pricing · Mailchimp alternatives · Mailchimp to MailerLite · Mailchimp to beehiiv
FAQ
Is Mailchimp free?
Yes, for up to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month (at most 250 a day), with 1 user. Above that you need a paid plan; Essentials starts at $13/month for 500 contacts.
What happens if I go over the Mailchimp Free limits?
Mailchimp pauses sending until you are back under the limit or upgrade. There is no overage charge on Free.
Did Mailchimp change its free plan?
Yes. Archived copies of Mailchimp's pricing page show the free plan at 500 contacts and 1,000 emails a month in 2024 and 2025. Sends fell to 500 between the 1 Dec 2025 and 1 Jan 2026 captures, and contacts fell to 250 between the 1 Jul 2025 and 1 Apr 2026 captures.
Does Mailchimp Free include automations?
Mailchimp's key-features table lists Marketing Automation Flows as "Not included" on Free (the detailed table says "Free preview"), so we treat Free as having no automation builder.
Related guides: How much does Mailchimp cost? Per month, per year and per contact (2026) · Mailchimp price increase 2026 · MailerLite Free plan (2026) · Brevo Free plan limits (2026) · AWeber Free plan (2026) · Mailchimp to MailerLite migration · How newsletter platform prices changed 2023–2026 (from archived pricing pages) · EmailOctopus Free plan (2026) · all guides
Comparisons: Kit vs MailerLite · Mailchimp vs MailerLite · Brevo vs MailerLite · Brevo vs Mailchimp · Kit vs Mailchimp · Sender vs MailerLite · Sender vs Mailchimp · Sender vs Brevo · Sender vs Kit · Sender vs EmailOctopus · MailerLite vs EmailOctopus · EmailOctopus vs Mailchimp · EmailOctopus vs Brevo · EmailOctopus vs Kit · Kit vs Brevo · Cheapest for 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000 subscribers
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