Mailchimp alternatives in 2026

Compare Mailchimp with other email newsletter options on send limits, overages, discounts, add-ons, and free use, with a guide to choosing between them.

By Uncommon Comforts · 2026-10-18

Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.

Mailchimp says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded ^[1]. Connections Newsletter runs as a web app in a browser, publishes each post to a public archive page, and sends it by email as a separate action ^[2] ^[2] ^[2]. Making publications is free ^[2].

Option	Free use	Send limit	Nonprofit discount	Text message add-on
Mailchimp	Can cancel or downgrade to a basic Free plan at any time ^[1]	Standard plan up to 6,000 emails each month ^[3]; Premium plan up to 150,000 each month ^[3]	15% discount for nonprofits and charities ^[3]	Add-on to paid plans in select countries, requires application and approval ^[3] ^[1]
Connections Newsletter	Making publications is free ^[2]	Free sends about 300 emails a week ^[2]	not published	not published

Why people who run things look past Mailchimp

People who run newsletters or mailing lists often compare more than one tool before they commit, and a few of Mailchimp's terms tend to come up in that comparison.

The first is limits. Mailchimp says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded ^[1], so both the size of a list and the number of monthly sends are worth checking against the terms before a list grows.

Read the conditions for any discounts before you count on them.

Some buyers also want room to change their minds. Mailchimp lets customers cancel or downgrade to a basic Free plan at any time ^[1], which is worth knowing before you sign up.

Mailchimp: email sends with an optional text message add-on

Mailchimp's Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month ^[3], and its Premium plan can send up to 150,000 each month ^[3]. Text message marketing, called SMS, is offered as an add-on to paid plans in select countries ^[3], and Mailchimp says it requires application and approval before purchase ^[1].

Check Mailchimp's own pages for the details before you choose.

Connections Newsletter: a web app that publishes posts to a public archive and sends them by email

Connections Newsletter is made by the team that publishes this site. It runs as a web app in a browser ^[2], and you can publish a post to the public page and send it by email as separate actions ^[2].

Every publication gets a public page with its archive, an RSS feed that lets readers follow new posts in a feed reader, and a form you can embed on your own site ^[2]. New subscribers start as pending and become active through double opt-in, a step that confirms they want to join ^[2]. You can turn on a welcome email, with its own subject and message, for new subscribers ^[2].

When you send, you can choose everyone or only subscribers with any of some tags ^[2]. After a send, you can see that post's live numbers and refresh them ^[2]. You can also download your subscriber list as a CSV whenever you need to take it elsewhere ^[2].

How to pick the right Mailchimp alternative

Start with where your readers will find posts. If you want a public archive and a form for your own site, Connections Newsletter is built around both ^[2]. Each post can go to the public page, to email, or to both, since those are separate actions ^[2].

If new subscribers should confirm before they become active, double opt-in does that ^[2], and a welcome email can greet them once you turn it on ^[2].

If you need text messages, the facts for Connections Newsletter on this page say nothing about them, so check that need before you choose.

If your list may grow past a plan's limits, read how each option handles going over them. Mailchimp says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded ^[1].

If you are a nonprofit, check each option's discount terms.

If keeping costs low at the start matters most, note that making publications is free ^[2], and free sends cover about 300 emails a week ^[2]. Before your first send, have a postal address ready, since Connections Newsletter requires one ^[2].

Frequently asked questions

Is Mailchimp free for nonprofit organizations?

The facts for this page do not say whether Mailchimp is free for nonprofits, so check Mailchimp's nonprofit terms before you decide. Connections Newsletter makes publications free, and its free sends cover about 300 emails a week ^[2] ^[2].

What happens when a Mailchimp list goes over its send limit?

Mailchimp says overages apply if the contact or email send limit is exceeded ^[1]. Its Standard plan can send up to 6,000 emails each month ^[3], and its Premium plan can send up to 150,000 each month ^[3]. Check Mailchimp's own terms for the overage amounts before you choose a plan.

Can you cancel Mailchimp at any time?

Mailchimp lets customers cancel or downgrade to a basic Free plan at any time ^[1]. The facts for this page cover only that statement, so read Mailchimp's own terms for any conditions on cancelling. Making publications in Connections Newsletter is free, and there is no paid tier for creating one ^[2].

Is Connections Newsletter free to use?

Making publications is free, and there is no paid tier for creating one ^[2]. Free sends cover about 300 emails a week ^[2]. A postal address is required before your first send ^[2], so have that ready before you start. Connections Newsletter runs as a web app in a browser ^[2], and the facts for this page do not cover sending volumes beyond the free sends, so check its terms for those.

How do new subscribers confirm they want a newsletter?

In Connections Newsletter, new subscribers start as pending and become active through double opt-in ^[2]. You can turn on a welcome email with a subject and message that goes to new subscribers ^[2]. Every publication has a form you can embed on your own site ^[2], so new readers can sign up from there.

Making publications is free; there is no paid tier for creating a publication. ^[2] Free sends about 300 emails a week. ^[2]

Try Connections Newsletter