beehiiv vs Mailchimp in 2026
Compare beehiiv and Mailchimp by what each is built for, its published prices and send limits, and how to get started, with Connections Newsletter included.
Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.
beehiiv's page names unlimited email sends [1]. Mailchimp's Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month [2]. Connections Newsletter is free to make publications [3], and its free sends cover about 300 emails a week [3].
| Option | Price | Email send limit | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| beehiiv | Lite plan $49 per month with yearly billing [1] | Unlimited email sends [1] | Not published |
| Mailchimp | Not published | Standard plan up to 6,000 emails each month [2] | 15% for businesses with 10,000+ contacts on their first 12 months [4] |
| Connections Newsletter | Free to make publications, with no paid tier for creating one [3] | Free sends about 300 emails a week [3] | Not published |
The short answer
beehiiv provides newsletters with a custom editor and analytics built in [1]. Mailchimp offers email plans with monthly send limits, and its Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month [2]. Connections Newsletter lets you publish a post to a public page and send it by email as separate actions [3].
For unlimited sending, beehiiv's page names unlimited email sends [1]. For nonprofits, Mailchimp's page describes a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities [2]. For text messages, Mailchimp's page says SMS is an add-on to paid plans in select countries [2]. For a free start, Connections Newsletter is free to make publications [3], and its free sends cover about 300 emails a week [3].
What beehiiv and Mailchimp are built for
beehiiv's page says it provides newsletters with a custom editor and analytics built in [1]. It offers unlimited email sends [1], landing pages [1], and connections to other software [1]. It also says you can sell digital products with 0% commission [1], and it provides podcast hosting, growth, and monetization features [1].
Mailchimp's Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month [2]. Its Premium plan can send up to 150,000 emails each month [2]. Text messaging, called SMS, is an add-on to paid plans in select countries and needs an application and approval before purchase [4]. Mailchimp also offers a 15% discount to nonprofits and charities [2].
What Connections Newsletter is built for
Connections Newsletter is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a web app that you use in a web browser [3]. You can publish a post to a public page and send it by email as separate actions [3]. Every publication gets a public page with its archive of past posts, a feed other apps can follow, and a sign-up form you can place on your own site [3].
New subscribers must confirm before they become active, a step called double opt-in [3]. You can download your subscriber list as a CSV spreadsheet file whenever you need to move it elsewhere [3]. You can turn on a welcome email with its own subject and message for new subscribers [3]. When you send, you can choose everyone, or pick one or more tags and send only to subscribers with those tags [3]. The send interface accepts an optional start time, so it goes out later [3]. After a send, you can see that post's live numbers and refresh them [3]. A postal address is required before your first send [3].
Pricing and fees
beehiiv's Lite plan costs $49 per month with yearly billing [1]. The Lite plan has a 0% take rate, which means the platform keeps no percentage of what you earn from sales [1].
A Mailchimp plan price is not published, so check Mailchimp's site before you budget. Mailchimp says businesses with 10,000+ contacts can save 15% on their first 12 months [4]. It also says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded [4], so extra charges can apply when a list or send count goes past its plan limit. Mailchimp lets customers cancel or downgrade to a basic Free plan at any time [4].
Making publications is free, and there is no paid tier for creating a publication [3]. Free sends cover about 300 emails a week [3]. No price for sends above that weekly amount is published, so check the current terms.
Getting started
beehiiv's sign-up steps are not published on this page, so check its site for the first steps before you rely on any of them.
Mailchimp's Standard plan has a 14-day trial [4]. If you add text messaging, Mailchimp requires an application and approval before purchase [4].
Start by making a publication, which is free [3]. Add a postal address before your first send [3]. If you want new subscribers to get a message when they join, turn on the welcome email [3]. New subscribers confirm through double opt-in before they become active [3]. Then publish a post to the public page, send it by email, or do both as separate actions [3].
Things to check before you choose
How many emails will you send each month, and does that count fit the limit of the plan you are looking at? Do you need text messages, and are you in a country where that add-on is offered? Do you want a list you can move to another tool later, and does the tool you pick let you download it? Will you need to sell digital products, or place a sign-up form on your own site? Do you need to send to only part of your list, using tags? Are you eligible for a nonprofit or business discount? Do you need your tool to connect with other software you already use?
How to choose
If your main need is unlimited email sends, beehiiv's page names that feature [1]. If you need text messaging in a select country, Mailchimp's page describes an add-on for that [2]. If you are a nonprofit or charity, Mailchimp's page describes a 15% discount for you [2].
If you want to make publications at no cost, making publications is free and there is no paid tier for creating one [3]. Its free sends cover about 300 emails a week [3]. If you want subscribers to confirm before they become active, Connections Newsletter makes new subscribers confirm through double opt-in [3]. If you want a public archive and a sign-up form on your own site, each publication has a public archive and a sign-up form to place on your own site [3].
Read each tool's current terms before deciding, since prices and limits can change.
Frequently asked questions
Is beehiiv unlimited for email sends?
beehiiv's page says it offers unlimited email sends [1]. Its Lite plan costs $49 per month with yearly billing [1]. Other beehiiv plan prices are not published here, so check its pricing page for the plan that fits your list before you decide.
Is Mailchimp free to use?
Mailchimp lets customers cancel or downgrade to a basic Free plan at any time [4]. The Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month [2]. The Standard plan has a 14-day trial [4]. Mailchimp says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded [4], so check your count against your plan's limit.
Does Connections Newsletter cost money to start?
Making publications is free, and there is no paid tier for creating a publication [3]. Free sends cover about 300 emails a week [3]. Before your first send, a postal address is required [3]. No price for sends above the weekly free amount is published, so check the current terms before you send a larger list.
Can you sell digital products with beehiiv?
beehiiv says you can sell digital products with 0% commission [1]. Its Lite plan has a 0% take rate, which is the share of sales the platform keeps [1]. No other fees on these sales are published here, so check beehiiv's terms for any fee that applies to your product before you set up a sale.
Does Mailchimp offer SMS, or text messages, in every country?
Mailchimp offers SMS marketing as an add-on to paid plans in select countries [2]. Buying it requires an application and approval first [4]. The countries are not named here, so check Mailchimp's current country list before you plan any text messages.
Making publications is free; there is no paid tier for creating a publication. [3] Free sends about 300 emails a week. [3]
Try Connections NewsletterSources
Related comparisons
- beehiiv alternatives in 2026 and how to choose
- beehiiv vs Kit in 2026: Newsletter Tool Guide
- Best email newsletter software in 2026
- Best email newsletter software for small business owners in 2026
- Acquire.com vs Axial in 2026: Business Sale Marketplaces
- Acquire.com vs Empire Flippers in 2026
- Acquire.com vs Flippa in 2026: Compare Tools
- Acuity Scheduling vs Cal.com in 2026
- Acuity Scheduling vs Calendly in 2026
- Acuity Scheduling vs SavvyCal in 2026