Mailchimp suits small businesses that mainly want to send newsletters and simple automations, but its Free plan stops at 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. HubSpot suits businesses that want email tied to a CRM from day one, with free email tools and a free CRM for up to two users and 1,000 contacts that doesn't expire. Ask whether you need a newsletter tool or a customer database.
Both tools let you design and send marketing emails without a developer. Underneath, they're built differently: one starts from email, the other starts from your customer records. I read Mailchimp's help centre article on its plans and HubSpot's email marketing and free CRM pages.
HubSpot and Mailchimp free plans compared
| HubSpot | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free email marketing tools plus free CRM | Yes, Free plan |
| Contacts on free | 1,000 in the free CRM | Up to 250 |
| Sends on free | Not stated on the pages I read | 500 sends a month, 250 a day |
| Users on free | Up to two | 1 seat (Owner) |
| Expiry | No expiration date | Not stated; 14-day trial on upgraded plans |
| Templates | Goal-based templates, drag-and-drop editor | Limited selection on Free; all templates on Essentials |
| Automation | Not stated for the free email tools | Single emails and flows up to 4 steps on Essentials |
| CRM | Built in | Audiences: 1 on Free, 3 on Essentials |
HubSpot: email that sits on your CRM
HubSpot's email marketing page offers free email marketing tools with a drag-and-drop editor, goal-based templates for newsletters, birthday outreach, promotions, product launches and re-engagement, and AI-generated subject lines. You can personalise by contact name, company, lifecycle stage and list membership, because the email tools are joined to the CRM.
The free CRM page states the limits: up to two users and 1,000 contacts, with no limits on customer data and no expiration date. Marketing Hub has free and premium plans, and the Small Business Bundle gives you the Starter edition of each HubSpot product.
Mailchimp: built around the newsletter
Mailchimp's help centre lists four plans: Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium. Free covers up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a daily limit of 250, 1 audience, 1 seat, a limited set of templates, basic reporting, and landing pages and forms to try.
Essentials starts at 500 contacts and adds 3 audiences, 3 seats, single email automations, flows of up to 4 steps, all templates, A/B testing, scheduled emails and 24/7 email and chat support. Standard expands the automation flows and adds data-backed recommendations.
What happens when you pass 250 contacts
Here's the line in Mailchimp's help centre that catches people out. If your Free account goes over 250 contacts, Mailchimp puts a hold on sending live and test emails until you upgrade or reduce your contact count. You can still edit emails and import contacts, but you can't send. A list that grows from a single successful lead magnet can hit that in a week.
HubSpot's free CRM holds 1,000 contacts, four times Mailchimp's free contact limit, though the HubSpot pages I read don't state a free send limit.
Which business each one suits
Mailchimp suits shops, creators and small businesses whose main job is a regular newsletter and a few simple automations. HubSpot suits service businesses and B2B firms that want every email linked to a contact record, deals and follow-up tasks. For a wider view, see my guide on deciding which email marketing platform is best and these AI-powered HubSpot workflows.
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My advice on picking an email tool
Look at how many contacts you have today and where that'll be in six months. If you'll stay under 250 contacts and only need a newsletter, Mailchimp Free will do it. If you're already past 250, or you want sales follow-up tied to each contact, start on HubSpot's free CRM and email tools. Whichever you choose, export your contacts every few months so you're never locked in.
Do you make email marketing software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mailchimp free?
Yes. Mailchimp's Free plan includes up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with a daily limit of 250.
Is HubSpot email marketing free?
HubSpot offers free email marketing tools, and its free CRM supports up to two users and 1,000 contacts with no expiration date.
What happens if I go over 250 contacts on Mailchimp Free?
Mailchimp's help centre says a hold is placed on sending live and test emails until you upgrade or reduce your contacts. You can still edit emails and import contacts.
How many users can use each free plan?
HubSpot's free CRM allows up to two users. Mailchimp's Free plan includes 1 seat with Owner permissions.
Does Mailchimp include automations?
Mailchimp's Essentials plan includes single email automations and automation flows of up to 4 steps. Standard expands the flows.
