Last updated: June 2026. Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, including to Kit (ConvertKit), the platform I use for my own newsletter. I may earn a commission if you sign up through my links, at no extra cost to you.
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) wins for creators, writers, coaches, and content-led businesses who think in subscribers, tags, and automated sequences. Mailchimp wins for small businesses and e-commerce that want a broad marketing suite with heavy templated design and a built-in CRM. If you build an audience around content, Kit will feel like it was made for you. If you run a product business that wants email, landing pages, ads, and a CRM under one roof, Mailchimp’s breadth has the edge. Here is the full breakdown.
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Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Kit (ConvertKit) | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Creators and content businesses | SMBs and e-commerce |
| Free plan | Up to ~10,000 subscribers | Limited; lower contact cap |
| Automation | Visual builder, creator-focused | Customer Journey builder |
| Email design | Clean, text-first | Template-rich, visual |
| Commerce | Sell digital products natively | E-commerce integrations |
| Deliverability | Strong, reputation-focused | Good, varies by plan |
| Pricing model | By subscriber count | By contacts plus feature tier |
Subscribers vs lists
The deepest difference is the mental model. Mailchimp grew up around lists and campaigns, a structure that turns clunky when the same person belongs to several lists. Kit builds around a single subscriber who carries tags and moves through sequences. That difference shows the moment you want to email everyone who clicked a product link but has not bought. In Kit that is a two-minute tag-based task. In Mailchimp it can mean wrestling with audiences and segments. For creators, Kit’s model reads as more intuitive. For a business that thinks in campaigns and product catalogs, Mailchimp’s structure feels familiar.
Ease of use
Kit keeps the interface minimal: a clean workspace, a friendly visual automation builder, and little to distract from writing and sending. New users get productive fast. Mailchimp packs in far more, including email, landing pages, social posting, a website builder, a CRM, and paid-ad tools. That breadth brings more menus and a steeper path to a simple newsletter send. Value focus, choose Kit. Want one tool for many marketing jobs, Mailchimp’s range is the point.
Email design and templates
Mailchimp leads on design. It offers a deep library of polished drag-and-drop templates, which suits businesses that want richly designed promotional emails. Kit stays text-first by design, because plain, personal-feeling emails tend to perform best for creators and often land better in the inbox. Weigh this honestly if heavy visual design sits at the center of your brand.
Automation
Both platforms automate well. Kit’s visual builder targets creator funnels: welcome sequences, content upgrades, product launches, and it stays a pleasure to use. Mailchimp’s Customer Journey builder is robust and ties into its e-commerce and CRM features, which helps when your automations need to react to purchases and store behavior.
Pricing
Kit prices by subscriber count across Free, Creator, and Creator Pro, with a generous free tier up to around 10,000 subscribers. Mailchimp prices by contacts and feature tier, with a more limited free plan and costs that rise as you add contacts and unlock features. For a creator with a growing list and modest feature needs, Kit usually costs less and stays simpler. For a business that will use Mailchimp’s full suite, the bundled value can justify the price. Compare at your projected list size, not today’s.
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Who should choose Kit (ConvertKit)
- Writers, newsletter operators, and ghostwriters.
- Coaches, course creators, and personal brands.
- Anyone who wants tag-based subscriber logic and clean automations.
- Creators who value focus and deliverability over visual templates.
Who should choose Mailchimp
- Small businesses that want an all-in-one marketing platform.
- E-commerce stores needing product-aware automations.
- Teams that rely on richly designed, templated emails.
- Businesses that want email, ads, CRM, and a site builder in one place.
How I use Kit
I moved my newsletter to Kit for the tag-and-sequence model and the clean writing experience. My welcome sequence, my audience segmentation, and my weekly broadcast run on it with almost no maintenance. For a content-led business, it fits, and it is the tool I recommend to creators by default.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kit the same as ConvertKit?
Yes. ConvertKit rebranded to Kit. Same platform and account under a new name.
Is Kit better than Mailchimp for newsletters?
For creator newsletters, most people find Kit better. Its subscriber model, automations, and deliverability target that use case. Mailchimp is stronger as a broad small-business marketing suite.
Which is cheaper, Kit or Mailchimp?
It depends on list size and features. For creators with modest needs, Kit’s free tier and subscriber-based pricing usually make it the cheaper choice.
Can I migrate from Mailchimp to Kit?
Yes. Kit’s paid plans include free migration assistance, which handles most of the work of moving your list and automations.
The verdict
Choose Kit if you are a creator who wants a focused, subscriber-centric tool with excellent automations and deliverability. Choose Mailchimp if you want a broad marketing platform with heavy visual templates and e-commerce features. For the audience I write for, Kit is the pick, and you can start free.
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Related: Kit pricing explained, ConvertKit vs Beehiiv, the best Kit alternatives, and my full Kit review.