Mailchimp free plan vs closing
Mailchimp's free plan supports up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends. If you are canceling to save money but want to keep your list, downgrade to free rather than closing. If you are moving to another platform entirely, export your audience CSV first, then close the account.
Email platform alternatives
- Kit (formerly ConvertKit) AFFILIATE - Free up to 10,000 subscribers for basic email. Built for creators with better automation than Mailchimp.
- Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) - Generous free tier with 300 emails/day, good for transactional and marketing email.
- Beehiiv - Newsletter-focused platform with a strong free tier, popular with independent newsletters.
Frequently asked questions
- Does canceling Mailchimp delete my contacts?
- Downgrading to free keeps your contacts (up to 500). Closing the account permanently deletes everything - always export your audience CSV first.
- Can I downgrade Mailchimp instead of canceling?
- Yes. The free plan supports 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends. Downgrade in Account → Billing → Change plan.
- How do I export my Mailchimp contacts?
- Go to Audience → All contacts → Export Audience to download a CSV before making any changes.