Comparison
Mailchimp vs HubSpot
A scannable side-by-side view, then plain advice on when to choose each.
Prices for directory tools were checked in October 2026 and change often; confirm on each vendor’s site. Other rows mix product facts and our editorial view, not our own benchmark tests.
Category
- Mailchimp
- Marketing & SEO
- HubSpot
- Sales & Customer Support
Best for
- Mailchimp
- Small businesses starting with email marketing
- HubSpot
- Growing businesses that want CRM, marketing and support together
Not ideal for
- Mailchimp
- Businesses with large lists on a tight budget
- HubSpot
- Teams that only need a simple email tool
Free plan
- Mailchimp
- Yes
- HubSpot
- Yes
Paid plans from
- Mailchimp
- $13/mo
- HubSpot
- $20/mo
Trial
- Mailchimp
- Free plan up to 250 contacts
- HubSpot
- Free CRM, no time limit
Experience level
- Mailchimp
- Beginner, Intermediate
- HubSpot
- Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Strengths
- Mailchimp
- Familiar, beginner-friendly email builder
- HubSpot
- Free CRM that grows into marketing and service tools
Limitations
- Mailchimp
- Pricing climbs steeply with list size
- Free plan is quite limited
- Advanced automation sits in higher tiers
- HubSpot
- Costs jump sharply at higher tiers
- Can be more than a small team needs
- Some features are split across separate hubs
Key features
- Mailchimp
- Drag-and-drop email builder and templates
- Automated customer journeys
- Audience segmentation and tags
- Landing pages and sign-up forms
- HubSpot
- Free CRM for contacts, companies and deals
- Email tracking and meeting scheduling
- Marketing, sales and service hubs
- Help desk and ticketing tools
When to choose each
Editorial judgment, not test results.
Choose Mailchimp- It suits: small businesses starting with email marketing.
- Pick it for: familiar, beginner-friendly email builder.
Choose HubSpot- It suits: growing businesses that want CRM, marketing and support together.
- Pick it for: free CRM that grows into marketing and service tools.
Pricing at a glance
Limitations to weigh
Mailchimp- Pricing climbs steeply with list size
- Free plan is quite limited
- Advanced automation sits in higher tiers
HubSpot- Costs jump sharply at higher tiers
- Can be more than a small team needs
- Some features are split across separate hubs
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Want a different pair?
Pick any two or three tools and see where they differ, with the catch spelled out.