SendPortal vs Mailchimp: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

SendPortal

Free Open Source Email Marketing

Newsletter Platform Email Campaign Management

Mailchimp

Email Marketing Made Simple

Marketing Automation CRM Systems+2 more

SendPortal

Free Open Source Email Marketing

Newsletter Platform Email Campaign Management

Mailchimp

Email Marketing Made Simple

Marketing Automation CRM Systems+2 more

SendPortal

SendPortal is an open-source email marketing application that you host on your own server. Unlike paid services that charge per subscriber or per email, SendPortal is completely free to download and use. You just pay for your own hosting and the email sending service you choose.

The platform includes all the features you need to run email campaigns: subscriber lists, custom templates, message tracking, and detailed reports. It can handle multiple workspaces, making it useful for agencies managing different clients. SendPortal connects to major email providers through APIs, which means you get professional email delivery at wholesale prices.

Because it is self-hosted, you maintain complete control over your data and can customize the platform to fit your exact 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 SendPortal and Mailchimp

SendPortal

Free and open-source software
Self-hosted on your own server
Unlimited subscribers and campaigns
CSV and API subscriber imports
Custom audience segments
Email template builder
Automatic tracking of opens and clicks
Multiple workspace support
Integration with major email services
Complete data ownership
No monthly fees or hidden costs

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 SendPortal and Mailchimp

SendPortal

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 SendPortal and Mailchimp

SendPortal

SendPortal is completely free to download and use. There are no subscription fees, no per-subscriber charges, and no feature limitations. The software is open-source and licensed under MIT, which means you can use it for any purpose, including commercial projects.

However, you will need to cover two costs:

Hosting: You need a web server to run SendPortal. This could be a shared hosting account, VPS, or cloud server. Costs vary from $5 to $50 monthly depending on your needs and traffic.

Email Sending Service: SendPortal connects to third-party services to send emails. Amazon SES costs around $0.10 per 1,000 emails. Mailgun offers 5,000 free emails monthly, then $0.80 per 1,000. These services are much cheaper than 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.