Listmonk vs Mailchimp: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

Listmonk

Free Self-Hosted Newsletter Platform

Newsletter Platform Email Campaign Management

Mailchimp

Email Marketing Made Simple

Marketing Automation CRM Systems+2 more

Listmonk

Free Self-Hosted Newsletter Platform

Newsletter Platform Email Campaign Management

Mailchimp

Email Marketing Made Simple

Marketing Automation CRM Systems+2 more

Listmonk

Listmonk is an email marketing platform that you install and run on your own server. Unlike cloud services such as Mailchimp, you download and host it yourself, which means you own all your data and pay no monthly fees.

It lets you manage subscriber lists, create email campaigns, and track performance through a clean web dashboard. The software is built using Go programming language and uses PostgreSQL as its database, making it fast and reliable.

You can send bulk newsletters, automated transactional emails, and even SMS messages through external services. The platform includes a drag-and-drop email builder, multiple template options, and detailed analytics. Because it is open source under the AGPLv3 license, developers can modify and customize it to fit specific needs.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a complete marketing platform that focuses on email marketing. You can use it to design emails, send campaigns to thousands of people at once, and see how many people open or click your emails. The platform also offers automation, which means you can set up emails to send automatically based on customer actions.

Beyond email, Mailchimp includes tools for creating landing pages, managing social media posts, and building simple websites. It connects with popular platforms like Shopify, WordPress, and Salesforce to sync your customer data automatically. The platform uses smart technology to suggest the best times to send emails and help you reach more customers. Both beginners and experienced marketers find value in its features and ease of use.

Features of Listmonk and Mailchimp

Listmonk

Self-hosted with full data control
Unlimited subscribers and email sending
Drag-and-drop visual email builder
Multi-SMTP server support
Subscriber segmentation with SQL queries
Campaign analytics and reporting
Transactional email API
Bounce and webhook management
Template library with Go language
Privacy-compliant with GDPR tools
S3-compatible media storage
Open source under AGPLv3 license

Mailchimp

Email campaign creation with drag-and-drop editor
Marketing automation for customer journeys
Contact management and smart segmentation
Real-time analytics and performance tracking
Integration with Shopify, WordPress, and Salesforce
Landing page and website builder
Social media post scheduling
SMS marketing add-on
AI-powered send time optimization
Mobile app for iOS and Android

Use Cases of Listmonk and Mailchimp

Listmonk

Transactional Email Sending Newsletter Sending Email List Management Email Subscriber Management

Mailchimp

Transactional Email Sending Marketing Email Sending Newsletter Sending Email Campaign Automation Email List Management Email Audience Segmentation Email A/B Testing Email Campaign Scheduling Abandoned Cart Email Sending Drip Campaign Sending Email Subscriber Management Customer Re-engagement

Pricing of Listmonk and Mailchimp

Listmonk

Listmonk is completely free to use because it is open-source software. There are no subscription fees, hidden costs, or limits on the number of subscribers or emails you can send. The software is licensed under AGPLv3, which means anyone can download, use, and modify it without paying anything.

However, you will need to account for your own infrastructure costs. This includes paying for a server or virtual private server (VPS) to host Listmonk, which typically costs between five and twenty dollars per month depending on your needs. You will also need an SMTP service to actually send the emails. Services like Amazon SES charge around ten cents per thousand emails, while others like SendGrid offer free tiers. Overall, running Listmonk costs a fraction of traditional email marketing platforms.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp offers flexible pricing based on your contact list size and features needed.

Free Plan: Perfect for beginners with up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly emails. Includes basic email tools and limited reporting. Currently has a promotional offer with expanded features.
Essentials Plan: Starts at $13 per month for 500 contacts (promotional price $6.50 for 12 months). Includes 5,000 monthly emails, 3 user seats, and 24/7 support with limited automation.
Standard Plan: Starts at $20 per month for 500 contacts (promotional price $10 for 12 months). Offers 6,000 monthly emails, 5 user seats, advanced automation with 200 flow steps, and AI features at no extra cost.
Premium Plan: Starts at $350 per month for 10,000 contacts (promotional price $175 for 12 months). Includes 150,000 monthly emails, unlimited users and audiences, phone support, and 5 role-based access levels for complex business needs.

All paid plans scale with your contact list, and you get better features as you upgrade.