ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: which is better for agencies?
Last updated 2026-06-30 · all comparisons · all rankings
ActiveCampaign wins on automation depth and its built-in CRM; Mailchimp wins on simplicity, brand familiarity and a free plan. Choose ActiveCampaign for sophisticated client campaigns, Mailchimp for straightforward email.
Side-by-side specs
| ActiveCampaign | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Index Score | ✓ 85/100 | 80/100 |
| Ease of use | 7.4/10 | ✓ 8.4/10 |
| Price from | from $15/mo | ✓ Free, then $13/mo |
| Free plan | No | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing | From $15/mo | Free plan available |
| Agency fit | Email + CRM automation | Client accounts |
| Client portal | Yes | Yes |
| White-label | ✓ Yes | No |
| Automation & workflows | ✓ Yes | No |
| Integrations | No | No |
| API & Zapier | Yes | Yes |
Round by round
FAQ
Is ActiveCampaign better than Mailchimp?
ActiveCampaign wins on automation depth and its built-in CRM; Mailchimp wins on simplicity, brand familiarity and a free plan. Choose ActiveCampaign for sophisticated client campaigns, Mailchimp for straightforward email.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: which is cheaper?
Mailchimp is cheaper to start, from Free, then $13/mo versus from $15/mo. Remember to multiply per-seat pricing by your team size.
ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: which is easier to use?
Mailchimp scored higher on ease of use in our assessment (8.4 vs 7.4 out of 10), meaning a lean team gets productive on it faster.
Which is better for a growing agency, ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp?
ActiveCampaign wins on automation depth and its built-in CRM; Mailchimp wins on simplicity, brand familiarity and a free plan. Choose ActiveCampaign for sophisticated client campaigns, Mailchimp for straightforward email. Before committing, compare the total cost at your expected team and client count, then test the winning workflow during a trial.
Can I try ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp before choosing?
Trial and free-plan availability changes over time, so check each vendor's current offer. Use the same real agency workflow in both tools and compare setup time, team adoption and the features you would actually pay for.