Email · Head-to-head
Mailchimp vs Substack
Side-by-side review of Mailchimp and Substack for one-person businesses. Pricing, ratings, pros, cons, and which to pick.
Quick verdict
Too close to call. It depends.
Both Mailchimp and Substack score 3/5. The right pick depends on your specific needs. The pros and cons below highlight where each one wins.
The grandfather of email marketing. Still works, still has the integrations, but the pricing has gotten steep and the UX has not kept up.
The case for
- Brand recognition: every CMS, e-commerce platform, and form builder integrates with it
- Free tier covers up to 500 contacts, fine for testing
- Lots of templates and a familiar editor if you used it years ago
The case against
- Pricing climbs aggressively past 500 contacts: 1,500 contacts is roughly $30/mo Essentials
- Counts unsubscribed contacts toward your tier limit (yes, really)
- UX feels dated next to Beehiiv, Kit, or even Substack
The easiest way to start a newsletter. Also the most expensive long-term, since they take 10% of every paid subscription forever.
The case for
- Genuinely the simplest way to start: write, hit send, you have a newsletter
- Built-in network: Substack Reader can recommend your work to readers of similar publications
- No upfront cost, no subscriber tiers, just write
The case against
- Takes 10% of every paid subscription, forever, on top of Stripe fees
- Limited customisation: every Substack looks like a Substack
- Lock-in is real: exporting subscribers is allowed but their address book is on Substack servers
At a glance
| Mailchimp | Substack | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Pricing | Free up to 500 contacts; Essentials from $13/mo; Standard from $20/mo | Free to start. Substack takes 10% of paid subscription revenue + Stripe fees |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Tiny lists with no growth ambition, or businesses already deeply integrated everywhere with Mailchimp who would rather not migrate. | Writers starting a newsletter today who want to publish in 10 minutes and figure the rest out later. |
| Last reviewed | March 19, 2026 | April 30, 2026 |
Bottom line
Mailchimp
Tiny lists with no growth ambition, or businesses already deeply integrated everywhere with Mailchimp who would rather not migrate.
Bottom line
Substack
Writers starting a newsletter today who want to publish in 10 minutes and figure the rest out later.
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