Beehiiv vs Mailchimp — Which One Wins?
Pick Beehiiv if: Newsletter creators who want to monetize from day one with built-in ads and referral programs
Pick Mailchimp if: Small businesses starting with email marketing who want an all-in-one platform
Our take: Beehiiv for simplicity, Mailchimp for power users.
| Beehiiv | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free for up to 2,500 subscribers | Scale $39/mo | Free up to 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/mo | Essentials $13/mo |
| Features | Newsletter-first platform, Built-in ad network, Referral program engine, Website and landing pages, Advanced analytics and UTM tracking | Email campaigns and automation, Landing pages, Audience segmentation, A/B testing, Customer journey builder |
| Best for | Newsletter creators who want to monetize from day one with built-in ads and referral programs | Small businesses starting with email marketing who want an all-in-one platform |
| Learning Curve | Easy | Easy |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
Beehiiv stands out with Newsletter-first platform and Built-in ad network. Mailchimp counters with Email campaigns and automation and Audience segmentation.
Beehiiv's Achilles heel: focused on newsletters only — if you need full marketing automation or e-commerce flows, look elsewhere. Mailchimp's: gets expensive fast as your list grows — 10k contacts costs $100+/mo and automation is limited on lower tiers. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value newsletter-first platform and newsletter creators who want, go with Beehiiv. If small businesses starting with matters more, Mailchimp is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.