If you want the shortest path to sending a decent email campaign, Constant Contact is the easier of the two to run, and Mailchimp is the cheaper and more flexible one to start with. Constant Contact has no permanent free plan but guides you through templates, lists and sending with strong support. Mailchimp offers a free tier and a broader set of automation and audience tools, at the cost of a busier interface and pricing that climbs with list size.
The honest answer depends on what "easier to run" means for you. If it means the fewest decisions and a person to call, Constant Contact is documented as the better fit. If it means the lowest cost while you are small and room to grow into automation, Mailchimp usually wins. This comparison prices both at realistic list sizes and explains where each one frustrates reviewers.
How We Compared These Email Platforms
We compared Constant Contact and Mailchimp using their published pricing pages, documented feature lists and patterns across verified user reviews. We did not send campaigns from either account, and nothing here is a deliverability measurement. Both vendors change plans and limits often and third-party sources disagree on some numbers, so verify current pricing before choosing.
The yardstick was identical: cost at 500 and 5,000 contacts, how much automation is included at the entry paid tier, what support is available, and how easy it is to leave with your list intact.
Constant Contact vs Mailchimp at a glance
| Factor | Constant Contact | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No, only a time-limited trial | Yes, reported at 250 contacts with a low monthly send cap |
| Entry paid price (about 500 contacts) | Lite reported near $12 per month | Essentials reported near $13 per month |
| Mid paid tier | Standard reported near $35 per month | Standard reported near $20 per month |
| Top tier | Premium reported near $80 per month | Premium reported near $350 per month, large contact minimum |
| Ease of use | Simpler, guided | More options, busier |
| Support | Documented phone and chat help | Mostly chat and email below Premium |
These figures come from third-party 2026 sources that disagree in places. Constant Contact's own tiers also scale with contacts, so verify current pricing for your list size.
What each costs as your list grows
At 500 contacts, the two are close on entry price: roughly $12 for Constant Contact Lite and $13 for Mailchimp Essentials, with Mailchimp's free tier undercutting both if you stay tiny. The gap opens at the mid tier, where Constant Contact Standard is reported near $35 and Mailchimp Standard near $20.
Both charge by the size of your contact list rather than by sends, so a larger list raises the bill on either. Third-party figures for 5,000 contacts vary widely, so treat any single number with caution. One thing is consistent: Mailchimp has repeatedly trimmed its free plan, and reviewers often say it becomes expensive when a list includes many inactive contacts that still count toward your tier.
Where Constant Contact is easier to run
Constant Contact is built for owners who do not want to configure much. Its editor is documented as straightforward, it offers event, survey and social tools alongside email, and it is known for accessible customer support, including phone help. Reviewers regularly describe it as the tool you can set up and send from in a single sitting.
The limits are real. There is no free plan, advanced automation is gated to higher tiers, and its design flexibility is narrower than Mailchimp's. Reviewers who outgrow basic newsletters often move to a more flexible platform.
Where Mailchimp is easier to start with
Mailchimp's strength is range. It documents a free entry point, a large template library, audience tagging, and automation that is available lower in the price ladder than at many rivals. Its integrations list is extensive, which matters if your store or booking tool needs to feed your list.
The common complaints are about cost creep, a cluttered dashboard that has changed repeatedly, and the way duplicate or inactive contacts inflate your bill. If you pick Mailchimp, clean your list regularly and check which plan unlocks the automation you actually need. For a wider survey, see our guide to the best email marketing software.
Switching, data and what you can take with you
Both platforms let you export your contact list as a CSV, and both document import tools for bringing a list in. Campaign templates, automations and reporting history rarely transfer cleanly, so expect to rebuild those. When moving a list, bring consent status and unsubscribes with it, and verify each vendor's import rules for contacts without clear opt-in, since both enforce them.
Which one fits which business
Choose Constant Contact if you run a local business, nonprofit or service firm, want guided setup and live help, and send mostly newsletters and event invitations. Choose Mailchimp if you want a free starting point, plan to add automations and ecommerce integrations, and are comfortable learning a bigger interface. If you expect your list to grow past a few thousand, price both at that size first.
Support, deliverability and the day-to-day experience
Support is where the two differ most in published reviews. Constant Contact documents phone and chat help on its plans and is often praised for it, which matters when the person sending newsletters is also running the shop. Mailchimp relies mostly on chat, email and a large help library below its top tier, and reviewers often say answers take longer to get.
Deliverability claims on both sides should be read carefully. Both vendors publish guidance on authentication and list hygiene, and both say they work with inbox providers, but inbox placement depends mostly on your list quality, sending habits and domain setup rather than on the logo in the footer. Neither is documented to guarantee placement, and any article that promises a specific inbox rate is not supported by evidence.
Day to day, reviewers describe Constant Contact's editor as quicker for a plain newsletter, with fewer places to get lost. Mailchimp's editor offers more design control and content blocks, and reviewers who like tweaking layouts prefer it, while those who just want to send describe it as more menu than they need. Reporting is adequate on both for opens, clicks and unsubscribes, with deeper segmentation and automation insight sitting in the higher tiers.
Features worth checking before you pay
Before committing, check four things on each pricing page: whether the automation you need (welcome series, abandoned cart, date-based sends) is included at your tier, whether A/B testing is available, how many users can log in, and what happens to billing when your list crosses a tier boundary. Both vendors have changed what each tier includes in recent years, so an older review may describe a plan that no longer exists.
The bottom line: Pick Constant Contact if you want the easiest guided setup and live support, and pick Mailchimp if you want the lower starting cost and room to grow into automation.
