---
title: "Constant Contact vs Mailchimp 2026: Which Is Better for Small Business?"
canonical: https://emailsequenceai.com/blog/constant-contact-vs-mailchimp-2026
date: Aug 8, 2026
lastUpdated: Aug 8, 2026
category: "Comparisons"
publisher: EmailSequenceAI
---

# Constant Contact vs Mailchimp 2026: Which Is Better for Small Business?

> **Quick answer**: Constant Contact offers phone support, event marketing tools, and a 60-day free trial. Mailchimp is cheaper, has a permanent free plan, more templates, and deeper e-commerce integrations. Choose Constant Contact for event management and human support; choose Mailchimp for affordability and e-commerce.

# Constant Contact vs Mailchimp 2026: Which Is Better for Small Business?

Constant Contact and Mailchimp are two of the most recognized names in email marketing. Both target small businesses, both offer drag-and-drop editors, and both have been around for over a decade. But they differ in pricing, support, event tools, and e-commerce depth.

This comparison breaks down every category to help you choose.

> **Disclosure:** This article may contain affiliate links. If you sign up through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

## Quick Comparison Table

| Feature | Constant Contact | Mailchimp |
|---------|-----------------|-----------|
| Free plan | No (60-day trial) | Yes (500 contacts, 1,000 emails) |
| Starting paid | $12/mo (Lite) | $13/mo (Essentials) |
| At 10K contacts | $115/mo (Standard) | $100/mo (Standard) |
| Phone support | Yes (all plans) | No |
| Event marketing | Yes | No |
| SMS | Standard plan | Add-on |
| Templates | 300+ | 100+ |
| AI tools | No | Yes |
| E-commerce | Basic | Strong |
| Integrations | ~300 | ~300+ |
| Automation | Standard plan | Standard plan ($20/mo) |

## Pricing Comparison

**At 500 contacts:**
- Constant Contact Lite: $12/month (5 campaigns, basic autoresponders)
- Mailchimp Essentials: $13/month (unlimited emails, basic automation)

**At 10,000 contacts:**
- Constant Contact Standard: $115/month
- Mailchimp Standard: $100/month

**At 25,000 contacts:**
- Constant Contact Standard: ~$170/month
- Mailchimp Standard: ~$230/month

**Pricing nuance:** At lower contact counts, the prices are similar. At higher counts, the comparison flips depending on plan tier. Constant Contact's Lite plan ($12/mo) is slightly cheaper than Mailchimp Essentials ($13/mo) but limits you to 5 email campaigns per month. Mailchimp Essentials allows unlimited emails.

**Key difference:** Mailchimp has a permanent free plan. Constant Contact does not. If budget is a primary concern and your list is under 500 contacts, Mailchimp's free plan is the better choice.

## Free Plan vs Free Trial

**Mailchimp free plan:**
- 500 contacts
- 1,000 emails/month
- 1 basic automation
- Basic templates
- Mailchimp branding on emails
- No landing pages on free plan
- No A/B testing

**Constant Contact 60-day trial:**
- Full access to Standard plan features
- No contact or email limits during trial
- After 60 days, you must upgrade to a paid plan
- No credit card required to start trial

**Verdict:** Mailchimp's free plan is better for long-term use with a small list. Constant Contact's trial is better for testing full features before committing. If you need a permanent free option, Mailchimp wins. If you want to test all features (including automation and event tools) before paying, Constant Contact's trial is more generous.

## Automation Comparison

**Constant Contact automation (Standard plan, $35/mo):**
- Visual automation builder
- Triggers: email open, link click, list signup, tag added, event registered
- Conditions: if/then branching
- Actions: send email, wait, add tag, move to list
- Pre-built paths (welcome, birthday, re-engagement)

**Mailchimp automation (Standard plan, $20/mo):**
- Customer Journey builder (visual)
- Triggers: signup, purchase, tag added, behavior-based
- Branching and conditions
- Pre-built journeys (welcome, abandoned cart, re-engagement)
- Up to 4 journey starting points (Standard), 200 (Premium)

**Verdict:** Mailchimp's automation is slightly more polished and costs less to access ($20/mo vs $35/mo). Both platforms handle basic SMB automation well. Neither matches ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo for depth.

## Templates & Editor

**Constant Contact:**
- 300+ templates organized by industry
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Stock photo library included
- Templates feel somewhat dated

**Mailchimp:**
- 100+ templates with modern designs
- Drag-and-drop Content Studio
- AI content generator (all paid plans)
- Image editor with filters
- More polished, contemporary designs

**Verdict:** Constant Contact has more templates (300+ vs 100+), but Mailchimp's templates are more modern. Mailchimp also includes AI content generation, which Constant Contact lacks. For design quality, Mailchimp wins. For template quantity and industry-specific options, Constant Contact wins.

## Event Marketing Tools

**This is Constant Contact's unique advantage.**

Constant Contact includes event marketing tools on the Standard plan and above:
- Create events with custom registration forms
- Send email invitations
- Track RSVPs and registrations
- Automated reminder emails
- Post-event follow-up sequences
- Event landing pages
- Payment collection (Stripe integration)
- Capacity limits and waitlists

**Mailchimp does not offer event marketing tools.** If you run events, workshops, or classes, you would need a separate tool like Eventbrite alongside Mailchimp.

**Verdict:** If events are part of your business, Constant Contact saves you from paying for a separate event registration platform.

## Customer Support

**Constant Contact:**
- Phone support (Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm ET) — all plans
- Live chat — all plans
- Email support — 24/7
- Free 1-on-1 onboarding coaching
- 500+ knowledge base articles

**Mailchimp:**
- Email support — first 30 days on free plan, always on paid plans
- Live chat — Standard plan ($20/mo) and above
- No phone support on any plan
- Knowledge base and community forum

**Verdict:** Constant Contact wins this category clearly. Phone support on all plans is something no other email marketing platform offers at this price point. For non-technical small business owners, this is a significant advantage.

## E-commerce Features

**Mailchimp wins this category.**

**Mailchimp e-commerce:**
- Deep Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce integrations
- Abandoned cart automation
- Product recommendations
- Purchase-based segmentation
- Order notifications
- E-commerce analytics

**Constant Contact e-commerce:**
- Basic Shopify and WooCommerce integrations
- Product blocks in emails
- Basic purchase tracking
- No abandoned cart automation on Lite plan

**Verdict:** If you run an online store, Mailchimp is the better choice. For serious e-commerce, consider Klaviyo.

## The Winner: Which Should You Choose?

### Choose Constant Contact if:
- You value phone and chat support on all plans
- You run events, workshops, or classes
- You want a 60-day full-feature trial
- You are a non-technical small business owner who wants guided onboarding
- You need industry-specific templates (300+)

### Choose Mailchimp if:
- You want a permanent free plan
- You run an e-commerce store
- You want AI content generation tools
- You need deeper integrations (300+)
- You want modern template designs
- You want cheaper automation ($20/mo vs $35/mo)

### The bottom line:
For most small businesses, **Mailchimp is the better default choice** — it is cheaper, has a free plan, and offers more modern tools. Choose **Constant Contact** specifically if you need event management tools or phone support, which Mailchimp cannot match.

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*Last updated: August 2026. Pricing and features are subject to change — verify on [Constant Contact](https://www.constantcontact.com) and [Mailchimp](https://mailchimp.com) before making a decision.*

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Source: https://emailsequenceai.com/blog/constant-contact-vs-mailchimp-2026 — © 2026 EmailSequenceAI