Moosend vs Mailchimp: The Real Talk Guide for Small Business
Finding the perfect email marketing platform isn’t just about checking boxes — it’s about finding a tool that’ll actually help you connect with customers, grow your audience, and boost your business in the long run.
I’ve been in the trenches testing both Moosend and Mailchimp extensively, and let me tell you, your choice matters.
These two platforms couldn’t be more different in some ways. Moosend has earned its reputation as the budget-friendly option that doesn’t sacrifice usability — it’s straightforward and perfect for smaller businesses or anyone just getting their feet wet with email marketing.
Mailchimp, meanwhile, is the heavyweight with all those fancy automation features, deep integrations, and analytics that make data nerds like me very happy.
I’m going to walk you through how these platforms stack up against each other — from pricing (because who isn’t watching their budget these days?) to features, usability, and overall performance.
By the end, you’ll have a much clearer picture of which one might be the better fit for where your business is headed.
Moosend vs Mailchimp — Quick Comparison
Feature Overview
Moosend
Mailchimp
Best For
Small businesses, startups, and beginners
Growing brands with advanced automation needs
Pricing
Paid plans from $9/month (no free plan)
Free plan + paid plans from $13/month
Ease of Use
Very beginner-friendly, clean interface
User-friendly with more advanced tools
Value for Money
Excellent for basic email marketing & automation
Strong for advanced features but higher cost
Strengths & Weaknesses
Overall Strengths
Overall Weaknesses
Moosend
Affordable pricing, simple automation, unlimited emails
Limited integrations, fewer advanced features
Mailchimp
Advanced automation, CRM features, broad integrations
Higher pricing, limits on lower-tier plans
Moosend vs Mailchimp — Feature Comparison
Moosend
Mailchimp
Email Campaigns
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Responsive templates
- AI subject line optimizer
- Unlimited emails
- Advanced email editor
- Pre-built templates
- Dynamic product recommendations
- RSS-to-email automation
Automation
- Visual workflow builder
- Behavioral triggers
- Custom automation templates
- Lead scoring
- Customer journey builder
- Multi-step workflows
- Conditional logic triggers
- Goal tracking
Landing Pages & Forms
- Built-in landing page builder
- Subscription & popup forms
- Mobile-friendly templates
- Form analytics
- Drag-and-drop landing page builder
- Embedded & popup forms
- A/B testing for forms
- Lead magnet delivery
Segmentation & Personalization
- List segmentation based on behavior
- Custom fields for personalization
- Product recommendations
- Real-time analytics
- Advanced conditional segmentation
- Predictive demographics
- Dynamic content personalization
- Behavioral targeting
Reporting & Analytics
- Campaign performance reports
- Revenue tracking
- Heatmaps for emails
- Real-time reporting
- In-depth engagement reports
- Customer lifecycle analytics
- Revenue attribution
- Automation performance tracking
Integrations
- API access
- Zapier & WooCommerce integration
- Shopify & WordPress plugins
- Limited native integrations
- 300+ integrations (Shopify, Salesforce, WooCommerce)
- API & developer tools
- Native CRM & ecommerce support
- Social media & advertising tools
Moosend: The Budget-Friendly Option
Moosend just makes sense if you’re a small business, startup, or someone who needs email marketing without the complexity. I like that they don’t restrict your email sends (unlike some other platforms I could name…), and their automation builder is surprisingly powerful without being overwhelming.
You get landing pages, forms, and all the essential tools for effective campaigns. The downside? They don’t connect with as many other platforms as Mailchimp, and you won’t find some of the deeper CRM features that bigger businesses might need.
Mailchimp: The Feature-Rich Solution
Mailchimp is built for businesses that need to get more sophisticated with their marketing. Their automation tools are legitimately impressive — you can create complex customer journeys, segment your audience in practically infinite ways, and the reporting gives you insights that actually help you improve.
The platform connects with practically everything, and their personalization options let you create highly targeted campaigns. Of course, all this comes at a price — literally. Mailchimp gets expensive as your list grows, and many of their best features are locked behind higher-tier plans.
It’s definitely geared toward businesses ready to invest in their marketing.
Moosend vs Mailchimp — Pricing Comparison
Subscriber Count
Moosend Pricing (Pro Plan)
Mailchimp Pricing (Standard Plan)
Key Differences
1,000
From $9/month
From $20/month
Moosend is cheaper; Mailchimp offers more automation options.
2,500
From $24/month
From $39.50/month
Moosend includes unlimited emails; Mailchimp limits lower-tier emails.
5,000
From $48/month
From $70/month
Moosend remains affordable; Mailchimp supports advanced segmentation.
10,000
From $64/month
From $100/month
Moosend better for budget-focused users; Mailchimp includes predictive insights.
25,000
From $172/month
From $230/month
Moosend is cost-effective at scale; Mailchimp offers stronger integrations & analytics.
What this Means for Your Budget
Moosend is definitely one of the most affordable options out there if you’re watching your budget (and honestly, who isn’t?). Their pricing is straightforward and includes unlimited emails on every plan, which is refreshingly transparent compared to some competitors.
Mailchimp costs more at every level — there’s no getting around that. But what you’re paying for is access to their advanced features: better journeys for your customers, predictive tools that help you anticipate needs, and connections to practically every other platform your business might use.
It’s an investment that makes sense for businesses that are ready to get serious about their email marketing and want tools that can grow with them.
Free Plan Face-Off: Moosend vs Mailchimp
Moosend Free Plan
Mailchimp Free Plan
Subscribers
No free plan available
Up to 500 subscribers
Emails/Month
No free plan available
1,000 emails/month
Automation
No free plan available
Single-step automation only
Landing Pages/Forms
No free plan available
Unlimited landing pages & signup forms
Branding
No free plan available
Mailchimp branding on emails & pages
What This Means For You
Mailchimp has a decent free plan if you’re just starting out or want to test the waters. You can manage up to 500 subscribers and send 1,000 emails each month, plus you get access to landing pages, forms, and basic automation.
The catch? Your emails will have Mailchimp branding, and you won’t get access to their more advanced features.
Moosend doesn’t offer a free plan at all, which is disappointing if you’re looking to try before you buy. Their approach clearly targets users who are ready to commit to a paid plan right from the beginning.
If you’re on the fence, Mailchimp gives you that opportunity to experiment with the basics before pulling out your credit card.
Moosend vs Mailchimp — The Pros and Cons
Moosend
Mailchimp
- The pricing won’t give you sticker shock
- Unlimited emails on every paid plan (seriously, why doesn’t everyone do this?)
- Clean, simple interface that doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out
- Visual automation builder included even on lower plans
- Landing pages and forms built right in
- Works with essential ecommerce tools like Shopify and WooCommerce
- Free plan available for up to 500 contacts
- Advanced automation workflows that can get pretty sophisticated
- Huge library of native integrations (300+ and counting)
- Really strong reporting and analytics capabilities
- Dynamic content options that make personalization easier
- Great for running campaigns across multiple channels
- No free plan to test things out
- Limited when it comes to CRM and ecommerce automation
- Doesn’t integrate with as many platforms as Mailchimp
- Reports and analytics are more basic
- Segmentation options aren’t as powerful
- Doesn’t support multi-channel marketing as well
- Pricing jumps significantly as your list grows
- Automation features are severely limited on the free plan
- Many of the best tools are locked behind higher tier plans
- Can feel overwhelming if you’re new to email marketing
- Extra costs start to add up for add-ons and integrations
- Their Trustpilot score suggests some customer service issues
Consider Moosend If…
Moosend makes perfect sense if you’re running a small business, working solo, or just need the core email marketing features without spending a fortune. I’m particularly impressed with their unlimited email sends (a rare find these days) and how easy their interface is to navigate.
You’ll get all the essentials — automation, landing pages, forms — without the steep learning curve. Just be aware that you won’t find as many native integrations, and the CRM and ecommerce tools aren’t as robust as what Mailchimp offers.
Consider Mailchimp If…
Mailchimp is the better choice if your business is growing and you need advanced features to support that growth.
Their automation capabilities are legitimately impressive, and you can create deeply personalized campaigns with their segmentation tools. The reporting gives you actionable insights, and they integrate with practically everything.
Yes, it’s pricier, especially as your list expands, but the investment makes sense if you’re serious about using email as a core part of your marketing strategy. Plus, you can start with their free plan to get a feel for the platform before committing.
Moosend vs Mailchimp — What Real Users Are Saying
Moosend consistently gets praised for being straightforward and simple to use. People love how clean the dashboard is, how intuitive the campaign builder feels, and how quickly they can set up automations or landing pages. It’s definitely designed with non-technical users in mind.
Mailchimp is also fairly user-friendly, especially for creating basic emails, but there’s no denying that their feature-rich dashboard can feel a bit overwhelming at first.
There are just more buttons, more options, and more things to learn — which is both good and bad depending on what you need.
With Moosend, most users report feeling comfortable with the platform within hours of signing up. It’s designed to be straightforward without throwing too many advanced options at you at once. If you’ve ever used any kind of software before, you’ll figure it out quickly.
Mailchimp requires more time investment, especially if you want to use their advanced features effectively. Setting up complex automations or customer journeys does take some effort to learn, and you might find yourself checking their knowledge base more often.
The payoff is worth it if you need those capabilities, but be prepared for a steeper climb.
Moosend users frequently mention the affordability (I mean, who doesn’t love saving money?), unlimited emails, and surprisingly helpful customer support. Small business owners especially appreciate that they can get powerful marketing tools without breaking the bank.
Mailchimp users rave about the automation capabilities, template variety, and detailed reporting — but there’s definitely a theme in the reviews about rising costs.
In the end, your choice comes down to what stage your business is at and what you need from your email marketing platform. Both are solid options — just for different needs and budgets.
