Brevo vs Mailchimp: Which Email Automation Service is Better?

Overview

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and Mailchimp are both established email marketing platforms competing for small and medium business customers. Brevo positions itself as a more affordable alternative with built-in multichannel capabilities. Mailchimp is the household name with broader brand recognition and a more polished user experience.

The choice often comes down to budget, feature requirements, and whether you value affordability or ecosystem maturity.

Key Differences

Pricing Model

Brevo charges based on emails sent, not contacts stored. You can have unlimited contacts and only pay for what you send. This is advantageous for businesses with large lists but moderate send frequency.

Mailchimp charges based on contacts. The more subscribers you have, the more you pay - regardless of how often you email them. This can get expensive as lists grow.

Multichannel Capabilities

Brevo includes SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional email in the same platform. You manage all channels from one place with unified contact profiles. This consolidation can simplify operations and reduce tool sprawl.

Mailchimp added SMS but treats it as an add-on. WhatsApp isn't available, and transactional email is a separate product (Mandrill). Managing multiple channels requires more coordination.

Built-in CRM

Brevo includes a CRM with deal pipelines, task management, and sales automation. It's not as powerful as dedicated CRMs but provides basic sales functionality without additional cost.

Mailchimp has basic contact management but lacks true CRM features. Businesses needing deal tracking or sales pipelines will need a separate tool.

User Experience

Mailchimp has invested heavily in user experience. The interface is polished, templates are beautiful, and the onboarding is smooth. It's the more refined product overall.

Brevo is functional but less polished. The interface gets the job done but lacks Mailchimp's visual appeal. If user experience is a priority, Mailchimp has the edge.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Brevo if:

• Budget is a primary constraint
• You have a large list but send infrequently
• You need SMS and WhatsApp in one platform
• Transactional email is part of your requirements
• You want basic CRM without additional tools
• You're okay with a less polished interface

Choose Mailchimp if:

• User experience and design quality matter
• You want the most polished templates and editor
• Brand recognition and ecosystem integrations are valuable
• You prefer a more established, refined product
• E-commerce features (basic) are needed

Consider Sequenzy for SaaS

For SaaS and subscription businesses, neither Brevo nor Mailchimp is optimized. Sequenzy at $19/mo offers native Stripe integration, MRR tracking, AI workflow generation, and billing-based automation - features specifically designed for subscription businesses that general-purpose platforms lack.