startbuddi vs Mailchimp: an honest comparison

Mailchimp is an email marketing platform priced by contact count, with a free plan for up to 250 contacts and SMS as a paid add-on in some countries. startbuddi suits small businesses that want email, SMS and WhatsApp next to their contacts, inbox and invoices, while Mailchimp suits those who mainly need email and want to start free.

We make startbuddi, so we're biased. We've tried to be fair: we list where Mailchimp is stronger, every fact about Mailchimp links to its source, and anything we couldn't confirm on their own site is marked "not published". Checked in September 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.

startbuddi

startbuddi is best for

Small businesses that want email, SMS and WhatsApp next to their contacts and invoices

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is best for

Small businesses starting an email newsletter on a free plan

At a glance

Best for

startbuddiSmall businesses that want email, SMS and WhatsApp next to their contacts and invoices

MailchimpSmall businesses starting an email newsletter on a free plan

Free plan

startbuddiYes, the Free plan

MailchimpYes, Free

First paid plan

startbuddiStarter, $29 a month

MailchimpEssentials, $13 USD per month (starting price, 500 contacts); 50% off for the first 12 months at time of checking

Checked

startbuddiPrice book, October 2026

MailchimpSeptember 2026

Where each one is stronger

The short version. Mailchimp first, because it does some things better than we do.

Mailchimp is stronger at

Free plan that sendsMailchimp's Free plan covers up to 250 contacts and 500 emails a month; startbuddi's Marketing hub is not on its Free plan.

Mobile appMailchimp has a free mobile app for iOS and Android; startbuddi is a web app only.

More integrationsMailchimp lists 300+ integrations on every plan.

Scale and supportPremium adds unlimited users, multivariate testing, phone and priority support and a dedicated onboarding specialist.

startbuddi is stronger at

Customers, inbox and invoices in one placecampaign replies land in the customer inbox, and segments can use deals, bookings and paid or unpaid invoices.

Bring your own SMS providersend on built-in SMS or your own Termii, Africa's Talking, Twilio or Brevo account, with STOP replies handled for you.

WhatsApp in the same hubWhatsApp template campaigns synced with Meta, with replies landing in the shared inbox on the customer record.

Chip across the email flowChip writes the email, builds an audience from plain words and reviews the email before it goes out.

One campaign plannergroup the email, WhatsApp campaign, social posts, landing page and form for a launch, with revenue from paid invoices.

Feature by feature

Each Mailchimp value links to where we found it. Anything their site doesn't state is marked "not published".

Show differences only

startbuddi and Mailchimp, feature by feature
Feature	startbuddi	Mailchimp
Send email campaigns for freeFree plan has no Marketing hub; every paid plan has a 30-day trial	No	Yes, up to 500 emails a monthSource (opens in a new tab)
Starter email templatesAbout 28 starter templates, plus seasonal sets	Yes	Limited on FreeSource (opens in a new tab)
Schedule a campaignSmart send picks your list's best hour; no per-recipient time zone	Yes	Not on FreeSource (opens in a new tab)
AI writes your emailsChip writes the subject, copy and call to action	Yes	Standard and PremiumSource (opens in a new tab)
A/B testingThe better version is picked by opens or clicks, not conversions	Subject, content or sender	Paid plansSource (opens in a new tab)
Automated follow-up flowsEmail, SMS and WhatsApp steps in one flow	Starter plan and up	Essentials: up to 4 flow stepsSource (opens in a new tab)
SMS campaignsTermii, Africa's Talking, Twilio or Brevo; not on Free	Built in, or your own provider	Paid add-on, some countriesSource (opens in a new tab)
Mobile appWeb app only; works in a phone browser	No	IOS and AndroidSource (opens in a new tab)
Integrations	Catalogue + Zapier	300+Source (opens in a new tab)

What each one looks like

Real screens, captured by us or taken from the official press kit, each dated.

startbuddi: Email campaigns — **startbuddi** · Email campaigns. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

startbuddi: Email templates — **startbuddi** · Email templates. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

startbuddi: Automations — **startbuddi** · Automations. Captured from our own account, personal details blurred.

Mailchimp's own screens are on Mailchimp's website. We don't show another company's product without a dated capture from a trial or its press kit.

Pricing side by side

List prices as each company publishes them. We never convert currencies.

See startbuddi pricing

startbuddi

FreeFree
Starter$29 a month
Growth$79 a month
Scale$199 a month

Prices in US dollars, billed monthly. From our pricing page, updated 7 Oct 2026.

Mailchimp

FreeFree up to 250 contactsSource (opens in a new tab)
Essentials$13 USD per month (starting price, 500 contacts); 50% off for the first 12 months at time of checkingSource (opens in a new tab)
Standard$20 USD per month (starting price, 500 contacts); 50% off for the first 12 months at time of checkingSource (opens in a new tab)
Premium$350 USD per month (starting price); 50% off for the first 12 months at time of checkingSource (opens in a new tab)

Checked in September 2026. Check Mailchimp's site for current plans.

Switching from Mailchimp

What moving across involves.

Export your audience from MailchimpMailchimp's account export gives you a ZIP of CSV files, with separate files for subscribed, unsubscribed, cleaned and transactional contacts.
Import them into startbuddiIn Email Marketing, open Subscribers and click Import contacts. Upload the CSV, choose how existing contacts are handled, set their marketing status, map the columns and check the validation report before it runs.
Verify your sending domainAdd your domain under Email Marketing, Settings, Sending domain, copy the DNS records to your registrar and click Check DNS. Until it is verified, marketing email from the shared address is capped.
Rebuild templates and follow-upsThe import does not bring over email templates or automations, so recreate them by hand: start from a starter template, and rebuild Mailchimp automations in Automations, where there are starter flows such as a lead capture welcome.

Sources

Checked in September 2026. startbuddi prices come from our own price book. Mailchimp's website.

Questions people ask

Can I move my Mailchimp list to startbuddi?

Yes. Export your audience from Mailchimp as CSV files and use Import contacts in startbuddi. There's no one-click Mailchimp connection yet, so templates and automation flows need rebuilding by hand.

Does startbuddi have a free plan like Mailchimp?

startbuddi has a Free plan, but the Marketing hub is not on it, so you can't send email campaigns on Free. Email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns start on Starter, and every paid plan has a 30-day trial.

Can I keep my unsubscribes when I switch?

Mailchimp's export separates subscribed and unsubscribed contacts. When you import into startbuddi, you set each file's marketing status, such as Subscribed or Not subscribed, so import them separately.

Does startbuddi send in each subscriber's time zone?

No. startbuddi schedules in your time zone, or uses Smart send to pick the hour your readers open most.