Mailchimp alternative: pay for what you send, not for your contacts
Mailchimp charges by the contacts on your list and Kubo Mail by the emails you send. With a big list you write to rarely, the difference on the bill is large; with a small list and many campaigns, it can go the other way. Here is the math, using the prices on the official websites.
How each one charges
Kubo Mail
- By the emails of each month: each message to a person counts as one.
- Unlimited contacts on paid plans; on Free, up to 2,500.
- Unlimited users on paid plans, each with their own role; on Free, 2.
- Every feature on every plan: the only thing that changes is how many emails you send a month.
Mailchimp
- By the contacts on your list: the price goes up by tiers, from 500 to over 1,000,000.
- Four plans: Free (up to 250 contacts), Essentials, Standard and Premium.
- Monthly emails depend on the plan: 10 times the contacts of your tier on Essentials, 12 on Standard and 15 on Premium.
- Users: 3 on Essentials, 5 on Standard and unlimited on Premium.
- If you go over the contact or email limit, Mailchimp applies surcharges.
- It is billed monthly; yearly billing for Standard and Premium with more than 10,000 contacts is arranged with its sales team.
What you would pay with your list
Four example lists, with the same assumptions for both: emails are contacts times each month’s campaigns, and from Mailchimp we take the cheapest plan that covers the case. List prices, no promotions.
500 contacts, 8 campaigns a month
500 contacts × 8 campaigns = 4,000 emails a month
| Plan | Billed monthly |
|---|---|
| Kubo Mail25,000-send plan | $15 |
| EssentialsTier of up to 500 contacts | $13 |
| StandardTier of up to 500 contacts | $20 |
Billed monthly, here Mailchimp (Essentials) is $2 a month cheaper than Kubo Mail.
Mailchimp does not publish a yearly price: here only monthly billing is compared. Kubo Mail billed yearly would be $12 a month.
2,500 contacts, 4 campaigns a month
2,500 contacts × 4 campaigns = 10,000 emails a month
| Plan | Billed monthly |
|---|---|
| Kubo Mail25,000-send plan | $15 |
| EssentialsTier of up to 2,500 contacts | $45 |
| StandardTier of up to 2,500 contacts | $60 |
Billed monthly, Kubo Mail costs $30 less a month than Mailchimp (Essentials): 67% less, about $360 a year.
Mailchimp does not publish a yearly price: here only monthly billing is compared. Kubo Mail billed yearly would be $12 a month.
10,000 contacts, 4 campaigns a month
10,000 contacts × 4 campaigns = 40,000 emails a month
| Plan | Billed monthly |
|---|---|
| Kubo Mail100,000-send plan | $39 |
| EssentialsTier of up to 10,000 contacts | $110 |
| StandardTier of up to 10,000 contacts | $135 |
Billed monthly, Kubo Mail costs $71 less a month than Mailchimp (Essentials): 65% less, about $852 a year.
Mailchimp does not publish a yearly price: here only monthly billing is compared. Kubo Mail billed yearly would be $32 a month.
50,000 contacts, 4 campaigns a month
50,000 contacts × 4 campaigns = 200,000 emails a month
| Plan | Billed monthly |
|---|---|
| Kubo Mail300,000-send plan | $89 |
| EssentialsTier of up to 50,000 contacts | $385 |
| StandardTier of up to 50,000 contacts | $450 |
Billed monthly, Kubo Mail costs $296 less a month than Mailchimp (Essentials): 77% less, about $3,552 a year.
Mailchimp does not publish a yearly price: here only monthly billing is compared. Kubo Mail billed yearly would be $75 a month.
- Mailchimp advertises a 15% discount for the first 12 months on large lists, and a 14-day free trial on Essentials and Standard: neither is in these figures.
- Mailchimp states in its help that its prices do not include taxes, like Kubo Mail’s: they are used as published.
Prices checked on November 4, 2026 on the official websites; they may have changed.
Sources:
If your list is small: the free plans
Mailchimp’s free plan goes up to 250 contacts; Kubo Mail’s, up to 2,500.
| Tool | Its free plan |
|---|---|
| Kubo Mail | 2,500 contacts and 3,000 emails a month, with 2 users and every feature. It adds “Sent with Kubo Mail” to the footer. |
| Mailchimp | Up to 250 contacts. |
When each one fits better
Mailchimp fits better if…
- You rely on marketing automations: Mailchimp offers flows of up to 200 points on Standard and Premium. Kubo Mail does not have automations yet.
- You need to connect your newsletter with your store and your other apps: Mailchimp lists over 300 integrations.
- You also want to send SMS: Mailchimp offers it as an add-on to its paid plans in some countries.
- Your list is a few hundred contacts and you write often: charging by contacts, Mailchimp can come out cheaper, as the first case above shows.
Kubo Mail fits better if…
- Your list is big or growing and you send few campaigns: you do not pay for the contacts you do not use.
- Your team is bigger than the 3 or 5 users of Essentials and Standard: in Kubo Mail they are unlimited, each with their own role, and whoever writes does not see your subscribers.
- You want proof of consent for every contact: where they came from, when, and which text they accepted.
- You only need newsletters, done well: a block editor, templates, statistics per campaign and per person, subject A/B testing and resending to those who did not open.
- You prefer your database and sending in Ireland.
How to move over from Mailchimp
Export your contacts from Mailchimp as a CSV and upload them to Kubo Mail: the import understands Mailchimp’s format, cleans misspelled, disposable and duplicate addresses and respects anyone who already unsubscribed. Only contacts who gave their consent: no purchased lists. Your emails will go out from your own domain, authenticated with DKIM: you verify it once and we warn you if DMARC is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kubo Mail cheaper than Mailchimp?
It depends on your list and how much you send. Mailchimp charges by contacts and Kubo Mail by emails: with large lists you write to rarely, Kubo Mail is much cheaper; with lists of a few hundred contacts and many campaigns, Mailchimp can come out cheaper. The four cases above work it out from the official prices.
Can I bring my Mailchimp list over?
Yes. Export the contacts as a CSV and upload them to Kubo Mail: the import understands Mailchimp’s format and cleans what is not valid. Only contacts who gave their consent.
Does Kubo Mail have automations like Mailchimp?
Not yet. Kubo Mail is a newsletter tool: editor, statistics, subject A/B testing and resending to those who did not open. If your strategy depends on automations, Mailchimp fits better today.
Can I try Kubo Mail for free?
Yes: the Free plan includes 3,000 emails a month and up to 2,500 contacts, with every feature and “Sent with Kubo Mail” in the footer of your emails.
Where do Mailchimp’s prices come from?
From its email marketing pricing page, with the currency and contact tier selected, checked on November 4, 2026. The link is below the four cases; if a price has changed, this comparison may be behind.
Keep reading
- Email marketing price comparisonThe four tools and Kubo Mail in a single table.
- Kubo Mail pricingThe plans, what they include and which one fits your list.
- Brevo alternativeBrevo charges by emails a month, with contact and user caps on its first plans.
- MailerLite alternativeMailerLite charges by subscribers, and Comfort caps monthly emails.
- Acumbamail alternativeAcumbamail also charges by emails: two price lists for the same account.
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