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ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Choose ActiveCampaign for automation and a CRM. Choose Mailchimp for ease, a free plan, and simple newsletters. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: which is better for agencies in 2026?
ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp are the two email platforms agencies compare most. ActiveCampaign is built for automation and CRM. Mailchimp is built for ease and a free start.
We compared price, automation, security, and reviews.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.4 | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. | Small to enterprise teams |
| Mailchimp | 4.1 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free for 250 contacts. Essentials $13, Standard $20 and Premium $350 a month at the smallest contact tier (500 contacts, 10,000 for Premium); prices rise with contacts. | Small teams to mid-size |
How do ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp compare on price?
ActiveCampaign costs $15, $49, $79, or $145 a month at 1,000 contacts on annual billing. Mailchimp has a free plan and Essentials from $13, Standard from $20, and Premium from $350 a month at its smallest tiers.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | Starter | $15 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 1 user; limited segmentation; 5 actions per automation |
| ActiveCampaign | Plus | $49 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 1 user; unlimited automation actions; landing pages |
| ActiveCampaign | Pro | $79 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 3 users; advanced segmentation; predictive and conditional content; attribution |
| ActiveCampaign | Enterprise | $145 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 5 users; premium segmentation; custom objects; SSO; dedicated account team |
| Mailchimp | Free | $0 per month (monthly billing) | 250 contacts, 500 sends a month, 1 seat, 1 audience, no automation |
| Mailchimp | Essentials | $13 per month (monthly billing) | Starts at 500 contacts; 3 seats, 3 audiences, 24/7 email and chat support, flows up to 4 steps |
| Mailchimp | Standard | $20 per month (monthly billing) | Starts at 500 contacts; 5 seats, 5 audiences, 200 flows with branching, dynamic content, custom reports |
| Mailchimp | Premium | $350 per month (monthly billing) | Starts at 10,000 contacts; unlimited seats and audiences, enterprise SSO, phone support, onboarding specialist |
Which costs less?
Mailchimp to start, since it has a free plan and low entry prices. ActiveCampaign Starter is similar in price at 1,000 contacts, but its useful automation sits on Plus and above.
Both prices rise with contact count, so compare them at your real list size.
For an agency with several client lists, the cheapest tool at one client can become the most expensive across all of them, so total the cost across your whole book.
Which has better automation?
ActiveCampaign, with unlimited automation actions from Plus, 950 or more recipes, and a built-in CRM. Mailchimp offers flows of four steps on Essentials and up to 200 flows with branching on Standard and Premium.
For simple welcome sequences, either works.
Which has stronger security and support?
Both state SOC 2 evidence. Mailchimp adds ISO 27001 and 24/7 email and chat on paid plans but hosts only in the US. ActiveCampaign offers MFA on every account, SSO, and priority support on Pro and Enterprise.
Neither stated agency client accounts.
For an agency, the practical difference is how fast you can build a standard setup. Create one welcome flow and one newsletter template in each trial and time yourself, since that effort repeats for every new client.
Also check list hygiene tools and how each handles unsubscribes and bounces, since a poorly managed list hurts deliverability for every campaign you send afterwards.
How do ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | More than 1,000 integrations and 950+ automation recipes | More than 300 integrations |
| Security | SOC 2 report through the Trust Center; GDPR and HIPAA support stated; MFA on every account (SMS and authenticator apps) and SSO; ISO 27001 and data hosting regions were not stated | SOC 2 reports and ISO 27001 certification, with documents through the Intuit compliance portal; 2FA can be enabled; enterprise SSO on Premium; Servers are in US data centers; GDPR information is available |
| Support | Starter and Plus: basic email and chat; Pro and Enterprise: priority email and chat; Enterprise adds a dedicated account team; Free contact migration, training and a knowledge base; support hours were not stated | Free: email for 30 days; Essentials and Standard: 24/7 email and chat; Premium: priority 24/7 email and chat plus phone in business hours |
| Apps | An ActiveCampaign mobile app is listed; platforms were not stated | A mobile app was not stated |
What are the pros and cons of ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
ActiveCampaign pros
- Plans from $15 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts, with a 14-day trial.
- More than 1,000 integrations and 950+ automation recipes.
- Unlimited automation actions from Plus, plus landing pages and a CRM.
- MFA on every account, SSO, and a SOC 2 report through its Trust Center.
ActiveCampaign cons
- Prices shown are annual at 1,000 contacts; monthly prices were not shown.
- Starter limits automations to 5 actions and includes only 1 user.
- SMS and pipelines are paid add-ons.
- Client accounts for agencies and data hosting regions were not stated.
Mailchimp pros
- A free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
- Entry paid plans from $13 a month for 500 contacts, with 24/7 email and chat support.
- More than 300 integrations and 100+ pre-built templates.
- SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001 and 2FA; enterprise SSO on Premium.
Mailchimp cons
- Prices scale with contacts and the stated figures are for the smallest tier.
- Free has no automation, and Essentials limits flows to 4 steps.
- Premium costs $350 a month from 10,000 contacts.
- Data is hosted in US data centers, and client accounts for agencies were not stated.
What do reviewers say about ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp?
G2 shows ActiveCampaign at 4.4 from 14,813 reviews and Mailchimp at 4.4 from 5,436 reviews. Both score the same, with ActiveCampaign on a larger base.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,813 |
| Mailchimp | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 5,436 |
Reviewer themes for ActiveCampaign
- G2 shows ActiveCampaign at 4.4 from 14,813 reviews.
- G2 data shows 68% of reviewers give five stars and 25% give four.
- Reviewers value automation depth and integrations.
Reviewer themes for Mailchimp
- G2 shows Mailchimp at 4.4 from 5,436 reviews.
- G2 data shows 30% of reviewers give four stars.
- Reviewers value ease of use for campaigns and newsletters.
How does setup differ between ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
ActiveCampaign: Use the 14-day trial to build one welcome automation from a recipe for a real client.
Mailchimp: Start on the free plan with one client list, build a template, and send one campaign.
What should agencies check before choosing between ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy ActiveCampaign
- Price the plan at your contact tier.
- Price SMS and CRM add-ons.
- Count users needed.
- Use the 14-day trial.
Before you buy Mailchimp
- Price your real contact count.
- Check send limits against your list.
- Decide how to separate clients.
- Use the 14-day trial.
How should you test ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in ActiveCampaign versus Mailchimp.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp?
Choose ActiveCampaign for automation and a CRM. Choose Mailchimp for ease, a free plan, and simple newsletters.
Agencies with automation-heavy clients lean toward ActiveCampaign.
Choose ActiveCampaign if
- You build detailed automation journeys.
- You want a CRM alongside email.
- You need 1,000 or more integrations.
Skip ActiveCampaign if
- You want monthly prices shown up front.
- You need many users on a low plan.
- You need agency client accounts.
Choose Mailchimp if
- You run simple newsletters for small clients.
- You want a free plan to start.
- You want 24/7 email and chat support on paid plans.
Skip Mailchimp if
- You need deep automation on a low plan.
- You need EU data hosting.
- You need agency client accounts.
Frequently asked questions
- Is ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp better?
- ActiveCampaign for automation and CRM, Mailchimp for ease and a free plan.
- Which is cheaper?
- Mailchimp to start, and both rise with contacts.
- Which has a free plan?
- Mailchimp.
- Which has a CRM?
- ActiveCampaign.
- Which has more integrations?
- ActiveCampaign lists 1,000 or more and Mailchimp 300 or more.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- ActiveCampaign pricing page
- Mailchimp pricing page
- G2