MailerLite vs Mailchimp (2026): Which Suits a Small List?

If your email list still fits comfortably in a spreadsheet, you don't need the most powerful tool. You need the one you'll open every week without a sigh. That's the lens I'd use for MailerLite vs Mailchimp.

Both are email marketing platforms built for small businesses, creators and charities. Both let you collect sign-ups, design newsletters and send automated emails. Mailchimp, owned by Intuit, is the household name, and MailerLite is the leaner challenger. Here's how they compare where it matters for a small sender.

The short version for a small list

With a small list, you're mostly doing four things: collecting sign-ups, sending a regular newsletter, setting up a welcome email, and checking that people open and click. Either tool can do all four.

MailerLite tends to win fans for being clean and quick. You build an email, add a sign-up form, and you're done without hunting through menus. Mailchimp tends to win fans for choice: lots of templates, a big list of integrations with other tools, and more depth when you want to slice your audience up in clever ways.

If you mainly want to send a good-looking newsletter and not think about the software, MailerLite is where I'd begin. If you already know you'll connect a lot of other tools or want detailed audience splits soon, Mailchimp deserves a careful look at the current plans first.

MailerLite and Mailchimp side by side

	MailerLite	Mailchimp
Known for	A clean editor and simple landing pages	Templates, integrations and segmentation
Editor feel	Streamlined and quick	Feature-rich, with many template choices
Landing pages	Simple and easy to publish	Available, as part of a wider toolset
Integrations	Plenty for common tools	A very large list
Segmentation	Good for straightforward groups	More advanced on higher plans
Automations	Visual and easy to follow	Broad, with more depth on higher plans
Free plan	Yes; check current limits	Yes; check current limits
Best for	Small lists and simple sending	Growing lists and complex setups

Editors side by side

The editor is where you'll spend most of your time, so it's worth trying both with a real email. Build the same newsletter in each, with a header, a short story, an image and a button, and see which felt less like work.

MailerLite's editor is built around simple blocks you drag into place. It's quick to learn, and the results look tidy without much fiddling. Mailchimp's editor gives you more starting templates and more design choices, which is helpful if you want variety and a nuisance if you just want to get on with it.

Whichever you choose, send yourself a test on a phone before every campaign. Most of your readers will open it there.

Landing pages and forms

Sign-up forms and landing pages are how a list grows, so look at how each tool handles them. MailerLite is known for simple landing pages that you can set up quickly, with forms that you can place on your website or share as a link. That's a good fit if you want a basic page for a freebie, a waiting list or a workshop.

Mailchimp offers forms and landing pages too, as one part of a wider marketing toolset. If you plan to use more of that wider toolset, such as connecting an online shop or other apps, the extra reach can be a plus. If you only want one clean page, it may feel like more than you need.

A tip for either tool: write one clear sentence about what people get for signing up, put it above the form, and test the form yourself before you share it.

Also think about who sends the emails. If it's just you, either tool is fine. If a colleague or a freelancer will help, have them try the editor too, because a tool that only one person understands becomes a bottleneck the first time that person is on holiday.

Deliverability is worth a thought as well. Both tools handle the technical side of sending, but you still need a clean list, a clear sender name and subject lines that say what's inside. No software can rescue an email that people don't want.

When you'd outgrow each

You'll know you're outgrowing MailerLite when you want very detailed audience logic, or you need a specific integration it doesn't offer. Check the integration list for the tools you rely on before you start, because switching later is a chore.

You'll know you're outgrowing Mailchimp when the number of options starts to slow you down, or when you realise you're paying attention to features you never use. Plans and limits change, so look at the current plan pages for both before you commit, and don't pick the higher tier just in case.

Moving between the two is possible. You can export your contacts and bring them across, but you'll need to rebuild forms, automations and templates, so choose the one you can see yourself using for a couple of years.

If you want to look wider, my MailerLite alternatives guide covers other options, and two related comparisons are Klaviyo vs Mailchimp and Mailchimp vs ConvertKit.

Pick MailerLite if, pick Mailchimp if

Pick MailerLite if:

• you want a clean editor and a quick route to your first send
• a simple landing page covers what you need
• your list is small and your setup is straightforward

Pick Mailchimp if:

• you want a big choice of templates
• you need to connect lots of other tools
• you expect to use more advanced audience segmentation as you grow

Other options worth a look

• Brevo: an email and messaging platform, suited to businesses that also want SMS or transactional email.
• Buttondown: an independent newsletter tool, suited to writers who want something plain and focused.
• Beehiiv: a newsletter platform, suited to creators who want to grow a publication.
• Moosend: an email marketing tool, suited to small shops that want automations without a heavy setup.

Make email marketing tool? See how to get it featured on this list.

Frequently asked questions

Which is easier to use, MailerLite or Mailchimp?

Many people find MailerLite easier because its editor and landing pages are simple. Mailchimp has more options, which helps later but can feel busier at first.

Do MailerLite and Mailchimp both have free plans?

Yes, both have free plans. Limits change, so compare the current plan pages before you commit.

Is Mailchimp better for segmentation?

Mailchimp is known for more advanced segmentation on its higher plans. MailerLite handles simpler groups well, so the difference only matters if you need detailed audience logic.

Can I move my list from Mailchimp to MailerLite?

Yes, you can export your contacts and import them into the other tool. Plan to rebuild your forms, automations and templates, and check consent records carry across.