Brevo suits businesses that want to send more on a free plan and add SMS, WhatsApp and automation as they grow, since its free plan is capped by daily sends rather than a small contact count. Mailchimp suits people who want a familiar, polished editor and are happy to start small, because its free plan stops at 250 contacts. If your list is already past 250, Brevo's free plan goes further.
I've spent years helping people grow email lists, and the first tool question is nearly always this one. Both are well-known, both have a free plan, and both look friendly. The difference is in how each free plan is limited. I read Brevo's plans page and Mailchimp's plans help article, and the facts below are what they publish.
Free plans and next steps compared
| Brevo | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, free forever, no card | Yes, Free plan |
| How free is limited | Up to 300 emails a day once approved | Up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month |
| Daily send cap on free | 300 emails | 250 sends |
| Audiences and seats on free | Not covered on the plans page | 1 audience, 1 seat |
| Templates | Drag-and-drop editor and templates from Starter | Limited selection on free |
| Automation | Multi-step workflows on Standard | Not covered on the help article; 14-day Standard trial |
| Other channels | SMS, WhatsApp, push, live chat | Not covered on the help article |
| Writing assistant | AI content generator, MCP for ChatGPT and Claude | Not covered on the help article |
| Branding footer | Removed on Standard | Not covered on the help article |
Brevo's free plan
Brevo describes its free plan as free forever with no card, for individuals and solopreneurs building an online presence. Its FAQ says that once your account is approved for sending, you can send up to 300 emails per day. Starter adds monthly email volumes, SMS, a drag-and-drop editor, templates, an AI content generator, advanced segmentation, forms and an MCP connection so you can manage campaigns from ChatGPT or Claude. Standard adds automation workflows, A/B testing, send time optimisation, landing pages and removes the Sent with Brevo footer.
I like that Brevo puts email, SMS and WhatsApp under one roof. If your customers reply faster on their phones, you won't need a second tool to reach them there.
Mailchimp's free plan
Mailchimp's help centre says its Free plan includes up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a daily send limit of 250. You get 1 audience, 1 seat, a limited selection of templates and basic reporting, and you can try landing pages and forms. Above that sit Essentials, Standard and Premium, and you can try Standard free for 14 days.
What happens when Mailchimp's free list fills up
Mailchimp is clear about this, and it catches people out. If you go over 250 contacts on the Free plan, sending is put on hold, including test emails, until you upgrade or reduce your contacts. And its help article says unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts count toward your total too. So a list that looks small on your sign-up form can be over the limit once old unsubscribes are counted. Brevo limits daily sends instead, so a growing list doesn't stop you sending, it just paces you.
Which business suits which platform
Brevo fits small businesses with a list that's already growing, ecommerce shops that want SMS and WhatsApp in the same place, and anyone who wants automation without jumping straight to a high plan. Mailchimp fits beginners with a small list who want a well-known editor and plenty of help articles. For other options, see my guide to Mailchimp alternatives and this round-up of email marketing tools with free tiers.
My advice from years of building lists
Don't choose your email platform for the free plan alone. Choose it for the list you expect to have once your lead magnet is working. If that's a few hundred people, either will do, but Mailchimp's 250-contact ceiling arrives fast. If it's thousands, Brevo's approach lets you keep sending while you decide. And whichever you pick, clean your list regularly, because inactive contacts drag your results down on any platform.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Brevo free?
Yes. Brevo's free plan is free forever with no card, and its FAQ says you can send up to 300 emails per day once your account is approved.
How many contacts does Mailchimp's free plan allow?
Mailchimp's Free plan includes up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a daily limit of 250.
What happens if I go over Mailchimp's free contact limit?
Mailchimp puts sending on hold, including test emails, until you upgrade or reduce your contact total.
Does Brevo do SMS and WhatsApp?
Yes. Brevo lists email, SMS, WhatsApp, push and live chat among its channels, with SMS on its Starter plan.
