Is Mailchimp's Free Plan Worth It in 2026? Every Limit Explained
Mailchimp's free plan covers 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month — significantly less than free tiers from MailerLite (1,000 contacts, 12,000 emails) and Brevo (unlimited contacts, 9,000 emails). It also excludes automation and customer support, which are available on competing free plans. Here's a full breakdown of every limit, and how it stacks up against the alternatives.
The Real Free Plan Limits
| Limitation | Mailchimp Free | MailerLite Free | Brevo Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | 500 | 1,000 | Unlimited |
| Emails/month | 1,000 | 12,000 | 9,000 |
| Automation | No | Yes | Yes (basic) |
| A/B Testing | No | No | Yes |
| Email branding removed | No | No | No |
| Landing pages | Yes (limited) | Yes | No |
| Customer support | Paid only | Email support | Email support |
Free Plan Limits in Detail
The 501-contact cliff
The moment your list hits 501 contacts, Mailchimp locks you out of sending until you upgrade. There is no grace period. There is no "send this one campaign and we'll sort it out." You upgrade or you stop. The minimum paid plan is around €13/month — and you don't get that money back if you decide to leave.
A business growing its email list from 0 to 1,000 contacts will hit this limit at exactly the point when email marketing is starting to deliver results — which is worth keeping in mind when planning ahead.
No automation on free — at all
Welcome emails, abandoned cart sequences, birthday messages, re-engagement campaigns — none of these work on Mailchimp's free plan. Automation is a paid feature only.
MailerLite includes automation on its free plan. You can set up a welcome sequence for new subscribers from day one, for free, forever (up to 1,000 contacts). This alone makes MailerLite's free plan more useful for growing businesses than Mailchimp's.
The "Mailchimp" badge on every email
Every email you send on Mailchimp's free plan has a "Sent with Mailchimp" footer badge. This is not optional. You cannot hide or remove it without upgrading to a paid plan. For a business trying to look professional, this matters.
Customer support is paywalled
On the free plan, you get access to knowledge base articles and nothing else. No email support, no chat. If something goes wrong — a campaign fails to send, your account gets flagged — you're on your own. Mailchimp's paid plans unlock email and chat support. This is a significant downgrade from MailerLite, which provides email support even on the free tier.
Send limits will catch you
1,000 emails per month. With 500 contacts, that means you can send 2 campaigns per month, maximum. A weekly newsletter to your full list is impossible on the free plan. Most businesses that think they can "get by on free" find out otherwise within weeks.
Who Mailchimp's Free Plan Works For
If you're just starting out and want to send a small number of campaigns while learning how email marketing works, the free plan is a reasonable starting point. Mailchimp's interface is polished and beginner-friendly, and having an easy-to-use tool matters when you're learning. The free tier covers the basics for very small lists — typically under 300 active contacts.
For businesses with more than 500 contacts, or anyone who needs automation from day one, comparing the free tiers across MailerLite and Brevo before committing is worth the time.
Better Free Alternatives
MailerLite: 1,000 contacts, 12,000 emails/month, automation included, EU-hosted. The clear winner for most small businesses starting out. Read our full MailerLite review.
Brevo: Unlimited contacts, 9,000 emails/month (300/day cap), transactional email, EU-hosted. Best for businesses with large lists who send infrequently. Read our full Brevo review.
The Verdict
Mailchimp's free plan works for getting started, but its limits are tighter than the competition at the same price point (free). With a 500-contact cap, 1,000 email limit, no automation, and no customer support, it's on the restrictive end of what free plans offer. If you're comparing free tiers, MailerLite and Brevo offer more generous allowances. If you're already on Mailchimp free and approaching the contact limit, it's a good time to compare paid plans across tools before you upgrade.