Constant Contact vs Mailchimp: Complete Comparison (2025)

Both platforms handle basic campaign creation well, but I’ve found they differ significantly in complexity and optimization depth when you compare Mailchimp and Constant Contact closely.

With Constant Contact, I appreciate the guided setup wizard that walks you through campaign creation step by step—it’s genuinely helpful when you’re in a hurry. The mobile-friendly templates and subject line suggestions have saved me time, and the folder-based organization keeps things tidy. 

However, I’ve been frustrated by the limited testing options with Constant Contact—you’re stuck with simple list segmentation features and basic subject-line A/B splits, which feels restrictive when I want to test more variables to optimize how campaigns reach the recipient’s inbox.

Mailchimp’s workflow feels more sophisticated to me. I like the flexible scheduling and automated send-time optimization that actually learns from subscriber behavior. The multivariate testing has been a game-changer for my campaigns—being able to test subject lines, content, and timing simultaneously gives me real insights. 

The predictive analytics suggesting optimal send times based on subscriber behavior? That’s saved me from plenty of poor timing decisions and improved delivery to each recipient’s inbox.

Winner: Constant Contact wins for guided ease; Mailchimp takes it for advanced optimization and testing.

I’ll be honest—Constant Contact’s approach has grown on me. With over 300 email templates tailored to specific industries and events, I can usually find exactly what I need with Constant Contact. The drag-and-drop builder is refreshingly straightforward, and the free stock image gallery has been a real time saver for quick campaigns.

That said, I’ve hit walls when trying to customize beyond the basics with Constant Contact, which can be frustrating when I have a specific vision or need custom code integration.

Mailchimp’s design philosophy is different, and I’ve come to appreciate it. While there are fewer templates, each one feels more modern and flexible, as customizable templates should be. 

The Creative Assistant that auto-generates branded designs by pulling from your website? It’s genuinely impressive and has saved me hours. Being able to save and reuse dynamic content blocks is something I didn’t know I needed until I had it. Yes, it’s more complex for beginners, but the control you get is worth the learning curve.

Winner: Constant Contact for speed and simplicity; Mailchimp for brand consistency and advanced customization.

This is where I see the biggest gap between these platforms when comparing Constant Contact vs Mailchimp, particularly in their automated emails functionality and automation workflows.

Constant Contact’s case for automation feels basic but functional. I can easily set up welcome emails, abandoned cart flows, and date-based triggers with Constant Contact. The visual workflows are easy to understand, which I appreciate when training team members.

But here’s the catch—branching workflows with Constant Contact are locked behind higher-tier plans, and there’s no predictive or behavioral targeting depth that I’ve come to expect from modern marketing tools.

Mailchimp’s Customer Journeys builder is in a league of its own. I’ve built complex branching automation workflows with behavioral triggers that actually respond to how subscribers interact with content.

The predictive analytics that segment customers based on purchase likelihood or churn risk? That’s not just fancy tech—it’s genuinely helpful in targeting and building an effective marketing funnel. Being able to chain campaigns across email, SMS, and ads creates the omnichannel experience I need.

Winner: Constant Contact for beginners; Mailchimp for anyone needing serious marketing automation and predictive flows.

I’ve found Constant Contact’s landing page builder serviceable for basic lead generation needs within your marketing funnel. The form templates with Constant Contact integrate easily with signup forms and surveys, which works well for simple lead capture.

However, I’ve been disappointed by the limited design flexibility and basic analytics offered by Constant Contact—when I need to track conversions seriously, it falls short.

Mailchimp’s approach feels more complete. Multi-step signup forms, inline forms, and dynamic fields let me gather information progressively without overwhelming visitors. The ability to embed forms directly into websites with full styling control has been crucial for maintaining brand consistency. 

An integration that allows adding product showcases and payment buttons directly to landing pages, with proper conversion tracking, is exactly what ecommerce and online stores need.

Winner: Constant Contact for straightforward signups; Mailchimp for customizable, conversion-focused landing pages.

Constant Contact lets you keep things refreshingly simple here. Easy imports, contact tagging, and list growth tools work as expected with Constant Contact. The segmentation covers the essentials through simple list segmentation features—engagement levels, demographics, and signup sources.

What I really appreciate: unsubscribed contacts with Constant Contact don’t count toward your billing. That’s saved me money over time when managing contact lists.

Mailchimp’s segmentation capabilities have spoiled me. Tags, groups, and especially those predictive segments estimating customer value or churn risk give me targeting options I actually use through advanced segmentation.

The ability to create more targeted segments using behavioral targeting has been transformative. Building granular audiences using behavioral data and ecommerce activity has noticeably improved my campaign performance. 

But here’s the kicker—Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward billing. I’ve watched costs creep up because of this, and it requires active list hygiene to manage.

Winner: Constant Contact for budget-friendly list management; Mailchimp for advanced segmentation and predictive targeting.

For basic ecommerce needs, I’ve found Constant Contact adequate. It integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce to sync product catalogs and track sales. The abandoned cart emails and basic product recommendations work with Constant Contact, and coupon code support is straightforward for online stores.

But Mailchimp is where I turn for serious ecommerce marketing. The deeper analytics and predictive revenue models have helped me understand customer behavior in ways Constant Contact can’t match. 

Creating personalized product recommendations that actually convert, sophisticated abandoned cart sequences, and post-purchase follow-ups—these more advanced features justify the higher price point. The AI-powered product suggestions on paid tiers have surprised me with their accuracy.

Winner: Constant Contact for simple ecommerce support; Mailchimp for data-driven selling.

This is critical but often overlooked, and I’ve paid close attention to both platforms’ performance in getting emails to the recipient’s inbox.

Constant Contact has consistently delivered solid results for me, with inbox placement often above industry average open rates. Their spam testing tools have caught problematic content before I hit send more than once. I’ve noticed particularly good performance with Constant Contact and fewer spam complaints on smaller, engaged lists.

Mailchimp’s deliverability is generally strong, but I’ve noticed fluctuations with very large lists or highly promotional content. The deliverability toolkit, which includes domain authentication and compliance monitoring, is comprehensive, and predictive send tools provide additional assistance. 

However, I’ve experienced higher bounce rates when I haven’t carefully segmented my lists—it requires more active management

Winner: Constant Contact for consistent inbox placement; Mailchimp for larger operations that actively monitor deliverability.

I’ve only dabbled with SMS on both platforms, but the differences are clear when comparing Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp.

Constant Contact’s SMS add-on works, but only for US audiences. Both SMS and MMS are supported with Constant Contact, with credits starting at $10/month. The integration with email campaigns is limited, though Premium plans include starter credits, which is nice for premium users.

Mailchimp’s broader international SMS support has been essential when I’ve worked with global audiences. Being able to pair SMS with email and ads in the Customer Journeys builder creates true omnichannel automation that I couldn’t achieve with Constant Contact. The pricing does scale quickly, though—something to watch if you’re planning heavy SMS use.

Winner: Constant Contact for US-only small campaigns; Mailchimp for international SMS integration.

I find Constant Contact’s analytics to be perfectly adequate for my basic needs. Open rates, click-throughs, and bounce data are presented clearly with Constant Contact.

The heatmaps showing engagement within emails have been particularly useful for understanding what content resonates, providing valuable key insights. But when I need deeper insights, the limitations of Constant Contact become apparent.

Mailchimp’s analytics feel like a completely different product. Revenue attribution, cohort tracking, and predictive reports give me insights I can actually act on. For ecommerce, being able to track sales, repeat purchases, and ROI directly in the platform has been invaluable. 

The AI-driven insights highlighting customer lifetime value and churn risk have changed how I approach segmentation and my overall marketing funnel.

Winner: Constant Contact for simplicity; Mailchimp for deep, actionable analytics.

Both platforms integrate with 300+ apps, but I’ve noticed differences in depth and reliability among their marketing tools when evaluating Constant Contact vs Mailchimp.

Constant Contact’s integrations with Shopify, WordPress, and QuickBooks work well for basic needs. The API with Constant Contact is reliable but limited—I’ve found it better suited for small integrations than complex builds.

Unlike Constant Contact, Mailchimp’s integration ecosystem feels more robust, especially for ecommerce and advertising. The API supports complex data syncing and custom workflows that have enabled some creative solutions. The advertising integrations with Google Ads, Meta, and TikTok have been particularly valuable for multichannel campaigns.

Winner: Constant Contact for SMB integrations; Mailchimp for enterprise-level API and ad integrations.

This is where my experience diverges sharply between the platforms when considering Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp.

Constant Contact’s support has been consistently excellent. Having phone, chat, and email support across all paid plans with Constant Contact means I can always get help when I need it.

The support team at Constant Contact has been knowledgeable and patient—they’ve walked me through complex issues on more than one occasion. This accessibility is part of what makes their pricing worth considering for teams that value support.

With Mailchimp, I’ve had mixed experiences. The knowledge base is extensive, and the community is helpful, but the lack of phone support on lower tiers has been frustrating during urgent situations. When I upgraded to Premium and gained phone access, the quality was good, but that’s a significant investment just for support access.

Winner: Constant Contact wins hands down for accessible support; Mailchimp works if you’re on Premium or are comfortable self-serving.

I use both apps regularly, and they serve different purposes.

Constant Contact’s mobile app does what I need on the go—create and send basic emails, manage contacts, and post to social media. It’s designed for simplicity, which I appreciate when I’m handling quick tasks. The design limitations compared to desktop can be frustrating with Constant Contact, but for emergency sends, it works.

Mailchimp’s app feels more like a mobile command center. I can create full campaigns, monitor automation, and dive into analytics from anywhere. The interface packs in a lot of features, which can feel overwhelming on smaller screens, but having full functionality in my pocket has been invaluable during travel.

Winner: Constant Contact for simple mobile tasks; Mailchimp for full campaign management on the go.

Having read through hundreds of reviews, the patterns are clear when looking at Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp. Constant Contact consistently wins on support quality, with users praising responsive, helpful support teams at Constant Contact. That’s been my experience too—when something breaks at 8 PM, Constant Contact has my back.

Mailchimp users rave about design flexibility and deliverability, rating the template editor higher. But the complaints about non-subscribed contact billing are real—one user noted it “can become expensive for us to maintain a customer list of non-subscribed contacts.” I’ve felt that pain myself.

Constant Contact reviews frequently mention that it is “user-friendly, even for non-techies” and praise the “customer service there to help every step of the way” with Constant Contact. The criticism about “pricing as our list grows” matches my experience with Constant Contact—it gets expensive fast, especially without unlimited contact options.

Mailchimp reviews highlight the “wide variety of tools” and “very easy to use and well-designed” interface. But users also note that “Because Mailchimp has so many features, it can be a bit hard to find what you are looking for sometimes”—a frustration I share when navigating their increasingly complex platform.

Reddit doesn’t hold back. Constant Contact is criticized for reliability issues, with users claiming it “getting worse every single year” and reporting campaigns that fail to send with Constant Contact. The “buggy” automation complaints about the platform are valid—I’ve experienced similar frustrations.

Mailchimp criticism centers on “hitting limitations quickly” in automation and support being “the worst.” But users acknowledge the strong API and ecosystem. One comment that resonates: it works well for ecommerce integrations, “provided you can handle the rising costs.”

From my experience with both Constant Contact and Mailchimp, it genuinely depends on your priorities. If you prioritize user-friendliness and value support, Constant Contact delivers. If you need more advanced email marketing features and can handle complexity, Mailchimp is superior. I use Mailchimp for sophisticated campaigns, but recommend Constant Contact to beginners.

Yes, honestly. Both Constant Contact and Mailchimp allow CSV exports/imports, but you’ll rebuild automation workflows, tags, and templates from scratch. I’ve done it multiple times—budget a full day minimum for small lists, longer for complex setups.

For true small businesses, I lean toward Constant Contact. The intuitive interface and accessible support with Constant Contact matter more than advanced features you won’t use. But if you’re small but scaling fast, Mailchimp’s room to grow might be worth the steeper learning curve. The unlimited users feature in Constant Contact is particularly valuable for small teams.

Night and day difference between Mailchimp and Constant Contact. Constant Contact handles basics fine—welcome series, birthdays, simple abandoned carts. Mailchimp offers behavioral targeting, predictive segments, and multichannel orchestration that can transform your marketing funnel. If marketing automation matters to you, Mailchimp wins.

Constant Contact, without question. Having phone support on all paid Constant Contact plans has saved me during critical campaigns.

Mailchimp’s Premium-only phone support is a significant weakness for premium plan users—their chat and email support work, but nothing beats talking to a human when you’re stuck. The availability of support across standard and premium plans with Constant Contact makes a real difference in daily operations.