Customer.io vs Mailchimp: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Both prices below were read from each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown.
Pricing side by side
| Plan | Customer.io | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| tier 1 | $100/mo — From $100/mo for 5,000 profiles (people and objects) | Free — Up to 250 contacts, 500 sends a month |
| tier 2 | $1000/mo — From $1,000/mo billed yearly — custom profile volume | $11.05/mo — From $11.05/mo for 12 months, 500 contacts included |
| tier 3 | On request — Dedicated infrastructure and support | $17/mo — From $17/mo for 12 months, 500 contacts included |
| tier 4 | — | $297.5/mo — From $297.50/mo for 12 months, 10,000 contacts included |
read from both vendors' pricing pages · 20 Aug 2026 · how we verify
Choose Customer.io if
- Product teams triggering messages off events rather than segments
- Funded startups under $10M raised — the first year is free
Choose Mailchimp if
- Small lists — the free tier covers 250 contacts indefinitely
- Teams that want templates and automation without an implementation project
Where each one disappoints
Customer.io
- Products with many objects per user — profiles count objects too, not just people
Mailchimp
- Anyone budgeting past year one — the listed prices are twelve-month introductory rates, and the bill scales with contacts, not sends
Compiled by Stepan Noianov from both vendors' own sites. Something wrong? Report an inaccuracy.