Mailchimp vs Constant Contact
Mailchimp is deeper on features, integrations, and automation. Constant Contact is simpler, has phone support on every plan, and covers event management. Both charge per contact and get expensive at scale.
Key takeaways
For most small businesses, this decision comes down to support vs features. Constant Contact's phone support on all plans matters when you get stuck. Mailchimp's free plan and 300+ integrations matter when you need to grow without paying first.
- Mailchimp Standard costs $20/month at 500 contacts; Constant Contact Standard costs $35/month for the same tier
- Mailchimp dropped phone support in 2023; Constant Contact still offers phone support on all plans
- Constant Contact has no free plan — only a 60-day trial; Mailchimp's free plan covers 500 contacts
- Constant Contact is cheaper at 50k contacts (~$250/month vs Mailchimp Standard at ~$339/month)
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Quick Comparison
| Features | Mailchimp | Constant Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 500 contacts | No (60-day trial only) |
| Entry paid price | $13/month (Essentials) | $12/month (Lite) |
| Standard plan price | $20/month (500 contacts) | $35/month (500 contacts) |
| At 50k contacts | ~$339/month (Standard) | ~$250/month (Standard) |
| Phone support | No (removed 2023) | Yes, all plans |
| Automation depth | Advanced (Standard+) | Basic (Standard); Advanced (Premium) |
| Integrations | 300+ | 200+ |
| Event management | No | Yes (registrations, RSVP) |
| A/B testing | ✓ Standard+ | ✓ Standard+ |
| Predictive analytics | ✓ Premium | No |
What Are Mailchimp and Constant Contact?
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the market leader in small business email marketing, with a freemium model, advanced automation on higher plans, and 300+ integrations.
- Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, 500 sends/day — no credit card required
- Essentials: $13/month (500 contacts); Standard: $20/month (500 contacts) with automation and A/B testing
- Premium: $350/month (500 contacts) with predictive analytics and advanced segmentation
- Support: chat and email on paid plans only — phone support was removed in 2023
- 300+ native integrations including Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce, and Zapier
Constant Contact
Constant Contact is one of the oldest email marketing platforms, focused on simplicity, phone support on every plan, and built-in event management tools.
- No free plan — only a 60-day free trial; Lite starts at $12/month (500 contacts)
- Standard: $35/month (500 contacts) with A/B testing, segmentation, and pre-built automations
- Premium: $80/month (500 contacts) with advanced segmentation, dynamic content, and custom automation paths
- Phone support on all plans — a significant differentiator after Mailchimp dropped phone support in 2023
- Unique event management tools: online registrations, RSVP tracking, and event reminder sequences
Pricing Models: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and mailtani
Mailchimp: contact-based tiers
- Free: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month
- Essentials: $13/month (500), scales with contact count
- Standard: $20/month (500), $100/month (5k), $339/month (50k)
- Premium: $350/month — predictive analytics, advanced segmentation
- Phone support removed in 2023; chat/email on paid plans only
Constant Contact: contact-based tiers
- No free plan — 60-day trial only
- Lite: $12/month (500), $30/month (1k), $110/month (5k)
- Standard: $35/month (500), $110/month (5k), ~$250/month (50k)
- Premium: $80/month (500), $200/month (5k)
- Phone support on all plans — a real differentiator
mailtani: one flat price
- €89 one-time — no monthly fees ever
- Unlimited contacts, unlimited emails
- Bring your own AWS SES, Resend, or SMTP key
- Email warmup and inbox rotation included
- Sequences, broadcasts, and deliverability control
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: The Full Breakdown
Mailchimp Standard is more expensive than Constant Contact Standard at entry, but cheaper does not hold at scale. At 500 contacts, Mailchimp Standard costs $20/month vs Constant Contact Standard at $35/month — Mailchimp is cheaper to start. At 50k contacts, Mailchimp Standard costs around $339/month while Constant Contact Standard costs around $250/month — the gap flips. Neither is affordable at large scale.
The support difference is the most meaningful practical gap. Mailchimp removed phone support in 2023 — a move that has driven many non-technical small business owners to Constant Contact. If you get stuck setting up an automation or fixing a deliverability issue and want to call a human being, Constant Contact is the only option of the two. For technically comfortable users who can use help docs and chat, it matters less.
Mailchimp wins decisively on feature depth and integrations. The Standard plan's automation builder, 300+ integrations, social ad management, and predictive segmentation on Premium are all capabilities that Constant Contact offers only in basic form or not at all. For marketers who need a sophisticated toolset — multi-step customer journeys, Shopify integration, or advanced segmentation — Mailchimp is the more capable platform.
Constant Contact's event management tools fill a specific gap. Built-in online registrations, RSVP tracking, and automated event reminder email sequences are native features that event-driven businesses (workshops, classes, community events) need. Mailchimp does not have these natively — you would need an Eventbrite or similar integration. For businesses that run regular events, this single capability can decide the comparison.
Both tools have the same fundamental deliverability limitation for growing senders. Neither Mailchimp nor Constant Contact allows you to connect your own SMTP key or AWS SES. You send from their shared infrastructure, with no control over your sending IP reputation. For businesses that care about inbox placement at scale, both platforms have this ceiling.
How Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and mailtani Compare, Feature by Feature
| Feature | Mailchimp | Constant Contact | mailtani |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan available | |||
| Phone support on all plans | |||
| Advanced automation builder | ✓ Standard+ | ✓ Premium | ✓ sequences |
| Event management tools | |||
| Online event registrations | |||
| 300+ integrations | |||
| Social ad management | |||
| Predictive analytics | ✓ Premium | ||
| A/B testing | ✓ Standard+ | ✓ Standard+ | |
| Landing pages | |||
| Signup forms | |||
| Transactional email | ✓ Mandrill add-on | ||
| Email warmup | |||
| Inbox rotation | |||
| BYOS (own SMTP/SES key) | |||
| Flat one-time pricing | |||
| Unlimited email sends | |||
| Dynamic content blocks | ✓ Standard+ | ✓ Premium | |
| Social posting | |||
| Survey tools |
The Third Option: Why Founders Pick mailtani
- Neither tool gives you deliverability control — both send from shared infrastructure; mailtani lets you connect your own AWS SES or SMTP key
- Email warmup and inbox rotation built in — missing from both Mailchimp and Constant Contact
- One flat price — €89 once instead of per-contact fees that grow with every subscriber you add
- Unlimited emails — no daily send caps, no monthly volume limits
What Each Tool Is Built For
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is built for feature-focused marketers who want integrations
Mailchimp suits small businesses and marketers who want to start free, access a broad integration ecosystem (Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce), and use advanced automation and predictive segmentation as they grow. Its freemium model lowers the barrier to entry. The tradeoff is support quality — chat and email support require paid plans, and phone support is gone entirely since 2023. It is best for technically comfortable users who can self-serve when issues arise.
Constant Contact
Constant Contact is built for non-technical business owners who need human support
Constant Contact suits non-technical small business owners — local businesses, service providers, event organisers — who want reliable email delivery with a human to call when they get stuck. Phone support on every plan is its clearest differentiator in 2026. Its event management tools (online registrations, RSVP tracking) cover a use case Mailchimp does not. The tradeoff is less automation depth, fewer integrations, and no free plan.
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Mailchimp if...
- You want a free plan to start without a credit card or time limit
- You need advanced automation, A/B testing, or predictive segmentation
- You rely on specific integrations — Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce, or 300+ others
- You want social ad management alongside email marketing
- You are comfortable self-serving with help docs and chat support
Choose Constant Contact if...
- You want live phone support and a human to call when you get stuck
- You run events and need built-in RSVP tracking and registration tools
- You want a simpler interface with a shorter learning curve
- Your list is large (50k+) and Constant Contact's lower cost at scale matters
- You prefer no free plan with reliable onboarding support over a free plan with limited help
Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Pros & Cons
Mailchimp
Pros
- Free plan — 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, no credit card required
- 300+ integrations — Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce, and nearly every marketing tool
- Advanced automation on Standard — multi-step customer journeys with conditional logic
- Social ad management — Facebook and Instagram ads managed alongside email
- Predictive analytics on Premium — AI-powered send time and segmentation tools
Cons
- Phone support removed in 2023 — chat and email only on paid plans; email-only on free
- Expensive at 50k contacts — Standard costs ~$339/month vs Constant Contact's ~$250/month
- No event management tools — requires third-party integrations for RSVP and registration
- Interface complexity — has grown with acquisitions and can feel cluttered for beginners
- Free plan is limited — 500 contacts and 500 daily send cap are restrictive for growing lists
Constant Contact
Pros
- Phone support on all plans — the only major ESP with this in 2026
- Event management built in — online registrations, RSVP tracking, and event reminder emails
- Simpler interface — shorter learning curve for non-technical small business owners
- Cheaper at 50k contacts — Standard costs ~$250/month vs Mailchimp's ~$339/month
- 200+ email templates — broad library including event, seasonal, and product designs
Cons
- No free plan — 60-day trial only; you pay from day one after the trial
- Limited automation depth — custom automation paths require the Premium plan ($80/month+)
- Fewer integrations than Mailchimp — 200+ vs Mailchimp's 300+
- No predictive analytics — AI-powered segmentation and send-time tools not available
- More expensive at entry — Standard at $35/month (500 contacts) vs Mailchimp Standard at $20/month
Neither Mailchimp nor Constant Contact right for you?
Mailchimp and Constant Contact both charge monthly per contact — costs compound as your list grows. mailtani is €89 once — connect your own AWS SES or SMTP key, send unlimited emails, and get warmup, inbox rotation, and sequences included. No contact limits. No monthly fees.
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