Mailchimp vs Brevo: Which Is Better for UK Businesses?
Mailchimp and Brevo are two of the most popular email platforms for UK businesses. Compare features, automation, pricing and UK suitability side by side.
Quick verdict
For most UK small businesses, Brevo offers better value because it prices by send volume rather than contact count. But if you value familiarity, ease of use and a permanent free plan, Mailchimp is the safer, friendlier choice. The right answer depends on whether list size or budget flexibility matters more to you.
This comparison is based on publicly available feature and pricing information, which changes frequently. Confirm current details on each provider's website.
Mailchimp is best for
- Beginners who want a polished, familiar interface
- Businesses wanting a huge template library and app marketplace
- Non-profits and small teams on a permanent free plan
Brevo is best for
- Growing lists where volume-based pricing saves money
- Teams sending both marketing and transactional email
- UK/EU businesses wanting a European provider with SMS
Detailed comparison
| Aspect | Mailchimp | Brevo |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Mailchimp is widely considered one of the easiest platforms to learn, with clear onboarding and a drag-and-drop editor. The interface has evolved a lot, which can take adjustment. | Brevo's interface is clean and well-organised and most marketers find it straightforward. It feels a little more business-focused than Mailchimp. |
| Pricing approach | Priced per contact, with a permanent free plan. Costs can climb quickly as your list grows and features gate behind higher tiers. | Priced by monthly email volume, with a generous free tier (300 emails/day). Typically cheaper for large lists because contact count doesn't drive price. |
| Automation | Mailchimp's Customer Journeys offer a visual builder. Some advanced automation is gated behind higher plans. | Brevo has a capable visual automation builder with templates for win-back, abandoned cart and welcome series. |
| Templates | A very large library of pre-built responsive templates plus drag-and-drop editing. | A solid template library with a drag-and-drop editor and a modern email designer. |
| Integrations | Hundreds of integrations via its marketplace plus native Shopify and WooCommerce sync on paid plans. | Includes Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress and Zapier, plus a strong SMTP/transactional API. |
| Transactional email | Transactional capabilities exist but are not Brevo's focus. | A genuine strength - marketing and transactional email from one platform with an SMTP API. |
| Reporting | Standard campaign reports plus comparative reporting and send-time optimisation on higher plans. | Standard campaign and automation reports with revenue attribution. |
| UK suitability | Widely used in the UK; GDPR tooling for consent and data management is provided. | A European provider with strong UK presence, EU data handling and good GDPR documentation. |