In-Depth Comparison
Mailchimp vs ConvertKit
In-depth comparison of Mailchimp and ConvertKit (now Kit) for B2B SaaS companies. We analyze features, pricing, deliverability, API quality, automation, and real-world use cases.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
Mailchimp
mailchimp.comTurn emails into revenue. Grow your business with email marketing and automation.
Ideal for: Small to mid-market businesses wanting an all-in-one marketing platform
ConvertKit
kit.comThe creator marketing platform. Grow your audience and make a living online.
Ideal for: Creators, bloggers, podcasters, and content-driven businesses who want subscriber-centric email with powerful automation
TL;DR: Mailchimp vs ConvertKit
Mailchimp wins for teams wanting the broadest all-in-one marketing suite with polished design tools. ConvertKit wins for creator-oriented teams that value subscriber-centric design and clean automation. Sequenzy is the strongest choice for SaaS lifecycle email with native billing integration. Neither Mailchimp nor ConvertKit was built for SaaS-specific billing workflows.
The all-in-one marketing platform with the biggest brand
The creator-first email platform with subscriber-centric design
Purpose-built SaaS email with native billing integration
Editor's Note
Both Mailchimp and ConvertKit are general-purpose marketing platforms. Mailchimp targets businesses broadly, ConvertKit targets creators. Neither was built for B2B SaaS lifecycle email. If billing-triggered automation matters, Sequenzy (sequenzy.com) handles dunning, trial conversion, and churn prevention natively.
Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | All-in-one marketing for businesses | Creator-focused email marketing | B2B SaaS lifecycle email | Sequenzy |
| Starting Price | Free (500 contacts) | Free (10,000 subscribers, limited) | $19/mo for 15,000 emails | ConvertKit |
| Marketing Emails | Polished editor with 100+ templates | Clean, text-focused editor for high deliverability | Campaign builder with SaaS templates | Mailchimp |
| Transactional Email | Mandrill add-on ($20/mo) | Not supported | Included with SaaS templates | Sequenzy |
| Automation | Basic customer journeys | Visual automations with tag-based logic | Pre-built SaaS workflows | Sequenzy |
| Subscriber Model | List-based (contacts in multiple lists) | Subscriber-centric (one record per person) | Subscriber-centric with billing data | Sequenzy |
| Landing Pages | Built-in landing page builder | Built-in landing pages and forms | Not included | Tie |
| Commerce | Shopify and ecommerce integrations | Digital product sales and paid newsletters | SaaS billing integration | Sequenzy |
| Payment Integration | Stripe via Zapier | Stripe for digital products (not SaaS billing) | Native Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, LemonSqueezy | Sequenzy |
| API Quality | Marketing API v3 (dated) | REST API v3 for subscribers and forms | Clean REST API with SaaS endpoints | Sequenzy |
| Dunning Emails | Not designed for dunning | Not designed for SaaS dunning | Built-in, auto-triggered | Sequenzy |
| Dedicated IP | Add-on on Standard+ plans | Not available | Available on Growth plan | Mailchimp |
Score Breakdown
Each category scored out of 10. Totals: Mailchimp 67/100, ConvertKit 67/100, Sequenzy 86/100.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Detailed feature analysis across every category that matters for B2B SaaS email.
📧 Email Campaigns
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop editor | 9/10 Polished editor with 100+ templates | 6/10 Intentionally simple, text-focused editor for better deliverability | 8/10 Visual editor with SaaS content blocks |
| Campaign scheduling | 8/10 Schedule with send-time optimization | 7/10 Schedule broadcasts with timezone delivery | 8/10 Plan-based optimization |
| A/B testing | 7/10 Subject, content, send time testing | 6/10 Subject line A/B testing | 7/10 Subject and send-time testing |
| Newsletter support | 9/10 Industry-leading with RSS-to-email | 8/10 Strong newsletter focus with paid subscription support | 7/10 Product update newsletters |
| Template library | 9/10 100+ professionally designed templates | 5/10 Minimal templates, philosophy favors plain text | 9/10 SaaS lifecycle templates |
⚙️ Automation & Workflows
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | 6/10 Customer Journey builder, limited | 8/10 Clean visual automation builder with tag-based logic | 9/10 Visual builder with SaaS templates |
| Event-based triggers | 5/10 Basic triggers | 7/10 Tag additions, form submissions, purchases, custom events | 10/10 Billing events from Stripe/Paddle |
| Drip sequences | 6/10 Basic drip campaigns | 8/10 Well-designed email sequences with visual builder | 9/10 Pre-built SaaS lifecycle drips |
| Conditional logic | 5/10 Simple yes/no | 7/10 Tag-based conditional branching | 9/10 Branch by plan, MRR, trial status |
| Wait steps | 6/10 Time delays | 7/10 Time delays and event-based waits | 8/10 Smart send-time optimization |
👥 Contacts & Segmentation
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact management | 7/10 List-based, contacts can exist in multiple lists | 8/10 Subscriber-centric model. One record per person. | 9/10 Enriched with subscription data |
| Segmentation | 7/10 Tags, engagement, purchase behavior | 7/10 Tag-based segments with visual builder | 9/10 SaaS-native: trial, churned, at-risk |
| Custom properties | 6/10 Merge tags and custom fields | 6/10 Custom fields for subscribers | 8/10 Custom + auto-synced billing |
| Event tracking | 5/10 Basic behavioral tracking | 5/10 Limited to form submissions and purchases | 9/10 Product + billing events |
| Import/export | 8/10 CSV import, integrations | 7/10 CSV import with tag mapping | 7/10 CSV + auto-import from billing |
💻 Developer Experience
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| API design | 6/10 Marketing API v3, dated | 6/10 REST API v3, covers subscribers and forms | 8/10 Clean REST API with SaaS endpoints |
| SDK support | 6/10 Official and community libraries | 5/10 Ruby SDK, community libraries | 7/10 Node.js and Python SDKs |
| Webhook system | 5/10 Basic webhooks | 6/10 Webhooks for subscriber events and purchases | 8/10 Email + billing event webhooks |
| Data pipeline integration | 4/10 Limited, via Zapier | 4/10 Limited, via Zapier | 7/10 Segment destination |
| Documentation quality | 6/10 Extensive but sometimes outdated | 6/10 Clear documentation for core features | 8/10 SaaS-focused with billing guides |
🚀 Deliverability & Infrastructure
| Feature | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared IP reputation | 7/10 Massive pools, variable quality | 8/10 Good reputation, text-focused emails help deliverability | 8/10 SaaS-only shared IPs |
| Dedicated IP | 7/10 Add-on on Standard+ plans | 0/10 Not available | 7/10 Growth plan ($49/mo) |
| Domain authentication | 7/10 SPF, DKIM, DMARC | 7/10 SPF, DKIM authentication | 8/10 Guided SPF, DKIM, DMARC |
| Bounce handling | 7/10 Standard handling | 7/10 Automatic bounce handling | 8/10 Payment-status-aware suppression |
| Sending speed | 7/10 Throttled on lower plans | 7/10 Good for newsletter-size sends | 7/10 Reliable lifecycle throughput |
Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs Sequenzy: Pricing
Mailchimp charges by contacts, ConvertKit charges by subscribers, Sequenzy charges by email volume.
Free plan: 500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month
Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers (limited features)
Free trial: 14 days, then $19/mo for 15,000 emails
| Tier | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $13/mo 500 contacts, basic automation | $25/mo 1,000 subscribers, automations, sequences, integrations | $19/mo 15,000 emails/month, all SaaS workflows, billing integration | 500-1K subscribers / 15K emails |
| Growth | $60/mo 5,000 contacts, journeys, A/B testing | $50/mo 5,000 subscribers, all features, priority support | $49/mo 50,000 emails/month, dedicated IP, advanced analytics | 5K subscribers / 50K emails |
| Scale | $175+/mo 25,000+ contacts, advanced segmentation | $140+/mo 25,000+ subscribers, priority support, subscriber scoring | $149/mo 200,000 emails/month, SLA, SSO | 25K+ subscribers / 200K+ emails |
Mailchimp: Watch Out For
- !Inactive contacts count toward limit
- !Mandrill for transactional costs extra
- !Post-Intuit price increases
- !Advanced features on Premium tier
ConvertKit: Watch Out For
- !Free plan limited (no automations, basic features)
- !Subscriber-based pricing means all subscribers count
- !No transactional email at all
- !No dedicated IP option
Sequenzy: Watch Out For
- !No landing page builder
- !No digital product sales features
- !Free tier is a trial
Pricing Verdict: Sequenzy offers the best value for B2B SaaS at $19/mo with lifecycle features. ConvertKit free plan is generous for creators. Mailchimp pricing is less competitive since Intuit acquisition. For SaaS, both Mailchimp and ConvertKit lack billing-specific automation.
Cost Comparison Note
ConvertKit offers more on its free plan (10K subscribers vs Mailchimp 500). For SaaS teams, the key question is whether either platform justifies its cost without SaaS-specific features. Sequenzy at $19/mo provides lifecycle features neither offers.
B2B SaaS Use Cases
How each platform handles the email workflows that matter most for B2B SaaS companies.
🎯 User Onboarding Sequences
Guiding new users through activation milestones.
Mailchimp
Customer Journey builder with basic paths. Good for simple welcome sequences.
ConvertKit
Email sequences with tag-based triggers. Clean visual builder. Good for drip onboarding but no SaaS-specific awareness.
Sequenzy
Pre-built onboarding templates connected to billing. Branch by plan, adoption, and payment status.
Verdict: Sequenzy has SaaS-specific onboarding templates. ConvertKit sequences are clean and well-designed. Mailchimp is more basic.
Real-World Example
A SaaS wants a behavior-driven onboarding sequence.
Example subject line: Welcome to [App]. Here is your quickstart.
💰 Trial-to-Paid Conversion
Converting trial users to paying customers.
Mailchimp
Time-based journeys. No trial awareness.
ConvertKit
Tag-based sequences. Can tag trial users manually but no billing integration.
Sequenzy
Billing-aware sequences from Stripe/Paddle. Knows trial status and engagement.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins with native billing integration. Neither Mailchimp nor ConvertKit has trial-specific awareness.
Real-World Example
A SaaS needs automatic trial conversion emails.
Example subject line: Your trial ends in 3 days.
🔔 Transactional Notifications
System emails like password resets and invoices.
Mailchimp
Mandrill add-on ($20/mo). Separate from marketing.
ConvertKit
Not supported. ConvertKit is a marketing-only platform. You need a separate transactional service.
Sequenzy
Included with SaaS-specific templates.
Verdict: Mailchimp (via Mandrill) and Sequenzy handle transactional. ConvertKit does not offer transactional email at all.
Real-World Example
A SaaS needs password resets and invoice emails.
Example subject line: Your password has been reset
📰 Newsletter & Content Marketing
Regular newsletters for audience engagement.
Mailchimp
Industry-leading newsletter tools with RSS-to-email, templates, and scheduling.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit excels at creator newsletters with paid subscription support, clean design, and strong deliverability.
Sequenzy
Product update newsletters with plan-based targeting.
Verdict: Both Mailchimp and ConvertKit excel at newsletters. ConvertKit favors clean, text-focused emails. Mailchimp offers more visual design options.
Real-World Example
A SaaS wants a weekly content newsletter.
Example subject line: This week in [App]: 3 tips
🔄 Churn Prevention
Re-engaging declining users.
Mailchimp
Basic re-engagement journeys. Email engagement only.
ConvertKit
Tag-based re-engagement sequences. Limited product usage tracking.
Sequenzy
Churn prevention combining usage with billing data.
Verdict: Sequenzy combines behavior with billing signals. Neither Mailchimp nor ConvertKit tracks SaaS-specific churn indicators.
Real-World Example
Re-engaging users inactive for 7+ days.
Example subject line: We miss you. Here is what you are missing.
💳 Payment Failed (Dunning)
Recovery emails for failed payments.
Mailchimp
Not designed for SaaS dunning.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit has dunning for its own paid newsletter subscribers but not for your SaaS customers.
Sequenzy
Auto-triggered from Stripe/Paddle. Escalating templates. Auto-stops on success.
Verdict: Sequenzy dominates dunning for SaaS. Neither Mailchimp nor ConvertKit handles SaaS dunning.
Real-World Example
Automated payment recovery for a subscription SaaS.
Example subject line: Action required: payment failed
🛒 Digital Product Sales
Selling digital products, courses, and paid newsletters.
Mailchimp
Basic ecommerce integration via Shopify. No native digital product sales.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit Commerce allows selling digital products, paid newsletters, and subscriptions directly. Built-in checkout and delivery.
Sequenzy
Not designed for digital product sales. Focused on SaaS subscription lifecycle.
Verdict: ConvertKit is the clear winner for digital product sales with built-in Commerce features. This is a core ConvertKit differentiator.
Real-World Example
A SaaS founder selling a course alongside their product.
Example subject line: Your purchase of [Course] is confirmed
📈 Upsell & Expansion
Promoting plan upgrades.
Mailchimp
Basic campaigns with tag targeting.
ConvertKit
Tag-based upsell sequences. Manual setup.
Sequenzy
Auto-triggers near plan limits. Billing-personalized sequences.
Verdict: Sequenzy is purpose-built for SaaS expansion revenue.
Real-World Example
Upselling users near capacity.
Example subject line: You have used 90% of your plan limits
The Bigger Picture
The biggest gap for both is SaaS-specific workflows. Neither connects to billing providers for dunning or trial conversion. Sequenzy fills this gap with native Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, and LemonSqueezy integration.
Automation Capabilities
Email automation is critical for B2B SaaS. Here is how Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and Sequenzy compare.
| Capability | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | Yes Customer Journey builder, limited | Yes Clean visual automation builder | Yes Visual builder with SaaS templates |
| Time-based triggers | Yes Basic time delays | Yes Time delays and date-based triggers | Yes Billing-aware scheduling |
| Event-based triggers | Yes Basic triggers | Yes Tag additions, form submissions, purchases | Yes Product + billing events |
| Conditional branching | Yes Simple yes/no | Yes Tag-based conditional branching | Yes Branch by plan, MRR, trial |
| Multi-step sequences | Yes Multi-step journeys | Yes Multi-step email sequences | Yes Multi-step SaaS templates |
| Goal tracking | No Not available | No Not available in automations | Yes Billing event-based goals |
| Send time optimization | Yes On paid plans | No Not available | Yes Timezone + engagement based |
| Dynamic content | Yes Merge tags | Yes Liquid templating in emails | Yes Billing data personalization |
API & Developer Experience
For B2B SaaS teams, the API quality directly impacts how fast you can integrate and iterate on email.
Mailchimp API
- SDKs: Python (official), Node.js (community), PHP (community)
- Docs: 6/10
- Webhooks: Basic webhooks
- Rate Limit: 10 concurrent connections
- Batch: Batch list operations
ConvertKit API
- SDKs: Ruby (community), REST API for all languages
- Docs: 6/10
- Webhooks: Webhooks for subscriber events and purchases
- Rate Limit: 120 requests/minute
- Batch: Bulk subscriber import
Sequenzy API
- SDKs: Node.js (official), Python (official), REST API for all languages
- Docs: 8/10
- Webhooks: Email + billing events with retry
- Rate Limit: 50 requests/second
- Batch: Batch sending with personalization
Mailchimp Code Example
const mailchimp = require("@mailchimp/mailchimp_marketing");
mailchimp.setConfig({ apiKey: "key", server: "us1" });
await mailchimp.lists.addListMember("list_id", {
email_address: "user@company.com",
status: "subscribed",
merge_fields: { FNAME: "Sarah" },
});ConvertKit Code Example
// ConvertKit REST API
const response = await fetch(
"https://api.convertkit.com/v3/subscribers",
{
method: "POST",
headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
body: JSON.stringify({
api_secret: "your_secret",
email: "user@company.com",
first_name: "Sarah",
tags: ["trial_user"],
}),
}
);Sequenzy Code Example
import { Sequenzy } from "sequenzy";
const sq = new Sequenzy("sq_your_api_key");
await sq.subscribers.add({
email: "user@company.com",
firstName: "Sarah",
stripeCustomerId: "cus_abc123",
});
await sq.sequences.trigger({
email: "user@company.com",
sequence: "trial_onboarding",
});Email Deliverability Comparison
Your emails are useless if they do not reach the inbox. Here is how all three platforms handle deliverability.
| Factor | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Massive infrastructure, variable quality | Well-managed infrastructure, text-focused emails help | SaaS-only sender pools |
| Inbox Placement Rate | ~90-95% (estimated) | ~95-98% (estimated, strong deliverability focus) | ~96-98% (estimated) |
| Dedicated IP | Add-on on Standard+ | Not available | Growth plan ($49/mo) |
| Auth Protocols | SPF, DKIM, DMARC | SPF, DKIM | SPF, DKIM, DMARC, Custom Return-Path |
| IP Warmup | Auto-warmup | Managed by ConvertKit team | Guided warmup |
| Spam Testing | Inbox preview and content analysis | Clean text-focused templates reduce spam risk | Spam score with inbox preview |
ConvertKit has notably good deliverability, partly because its text-focused email philosophy means emails look more personal and less promotional. Mailchimp massive shared pools can have variable quality. Sequenzy SaaS-only pools maintain strong reputation.
Integration Ecosystem
Mailchimp has ~300 integrations, ConvertKit has ~120, and Sequenzy has ~25. Here is how they compare across key B2B SaaS categories.
Payment & Billing
| Service | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) |
| Paddle | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (Native) |
| LemonSqueezy | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (Native) |
CRM
| Service | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) |
| Salesforce | Yes (Official) | No (None) | Yes (3rd Party) |
| Pipedrive | Yes (3rd Party) | No (None) | No (None) |
Product Analytics
| Service | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment | Yes (3rd Party) | No (None) | Yes (Official) |
| Mixpanel | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (3rd Party) |
| Amplitude | No (None) | No (None) | Yes (3rd Party) |
Automation & Workflow
| Service | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) |
| Make (Integromat) | Yes (Official) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) |
| n8n | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (3rd Party) |
Development Frameworks
| Service | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next.js | Yes (API Only) | Yes (API Only) | Yes (API Only) |
| React | No (API Only) | No (API Only) | No (API Only) |
| Svelte/SvelteKit | No (API Only) | No (API Only) | No (API Only) |
Analytics & Reporting
What data you can track and how each platform helps you measure email performance.
| Metric | Mailchimp | ConvertKit | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate tracking | Per-campaign with benchmarks | Per-broadcast and per-sequence analytics | Per-campaign, per-sequence, per-lifecycle |
| Click tracking | Click maps and tracking | Link-level click tracking | Link-level with conversion attribution |
| Bounce tracking | Standard handling | Automatic bounce handling | Payment-status-aware suppression |
| Unsubscribe tracking | Built-in management | Clean unsubscribe management | Built-in preference center |
| Revenue attribution | Ecommerce tracking | ConvertKit Commerce sales tracking | Native MRR impact per sequence |
| Dashboard | Dashboard with benchmarks | Subscriber growth and engagement dashboard | SaaS dashboard with MRR/churn |
| Export capabilities | CSV export | CSV export | CSV export plus API |
Mailchimp: Unique Features
- + Industry benchmark comparisons
- + Social media analytics
- + Content optimizer AI
- + Ecommerce revenue tracking
ConvertKit: Unique Features
- + Subscriber growth analytics
- + Sequence conversion tracking
- + Digital product sales analytics
- + Tag-based audience insights
Sequenzy: Unique Features
- + MRR impact per sequence
- + Trial conversion tracking
- + Dunning recovery dashboard
- + Churn prevention metrics
- + Lifecycle stage overview
Pros & Cons
Mailchimp
Pros
- + Most recognized email marketing brand
- + Best template editor and visual design tools
- + Free plan to get started
- + All-in-one: email, landing pages, social posting
- + Industry benchmark comparisons
- + Large integration ecosystem
- + Easy for non-technical beginners
- + Mandrill for transactional email
Cons
- - Pricing increased since Intuit acquisition
- - Basic automation compared to alternatives
- - List-based model causes duplicate contacts
- - No native billing integration for SaaS
- - Dated API
- - Not designed for SaaS workflows
- - Charges for inactive contacts
- - Variable deliverability on shared IPs
ConvertKit
Pros
- + Subscriber-centric model (no duplicates)
- + Excellent deliverability with text-focused emails
- + Clean visual automation builder
- + Built-in Commerce for digital products
- + Paid newsletter subscription support
- + Generous free plan (10K subscribers)
- + Simple, focused interface
- + Bootstrapped and profitable
Cons
- - Designed for creators, not B2B SaaS
- - No transactional email support
- - Minimal visual email templates (by design)
- - No dedicated IP option
- - Limited event tracking
- - No native SaaS billing integration
- - Fewer integrations than Mailchimp
- - No CRM or deal pipeline features
Who Should Use What?
Specific recommendations based on your company type and needs.
Early-stage SaaS
Pre-PMF with fewer than 1,000 users.
Sequenzy at $19/mo gives you SaaS lifecycle features. ConvertKit free plan works for basic email but is creator-focused.
SaaS founder with a newsletter
You run a SaaS and want to build an audience with a newsletter.
ConvertKit excels at creator newsletters with paid subscriptions. Pair with Sequenzy for SaaS lifecycle email.
Product-led growth SaaS
Self-serve signups with billing-aware lifecycle needs.
Neither Mailchimp nor ConvertKit connects to SaaS billing providers. Sequenzy does this natively.
Best visual email design
You need polished, visual email templates.
Mailchimp has the best visual editor and template library. ConvertKit intentionally favors text-focused emails.
SaaS churn reduction
Dunning, churn prevention, trial conversion are priorities.
Native billing integration for automated dunning and churn prevention.
Selling digital products
You sell courses, ebooks, or digital products alongside your SaaS.
ConvertKit Commerce is built for selling digital products with built-in checkout and delivery.
Maximum deliverability
Inbox placement is your top priority.
ConvertKit text-focused approach and managed infrastructure result in notably strong deliverability.
Non-technical solopreneur
You want the simplest email tool possible.
ConvertKit intentionally simple interface is designed for non-technical creators. Mailchimp is also easy but has more complexity.
Migration Guide
Migrating from Mailchimp to ConvertKit
Steps
- 1. Export audience from Mailchimp
- 2. Import subscribers to ConvertKit with tags
- 3. Recreate email templates (simpler in ConvertKit)
- 4. Rebuild automations in ConvertKit visual builder
- 5. Set up forms and landing pages
- 6. Configure domain authentication
- 7. Test all sequences and automations
- 8. Switch sending
Watch Out For
- ! Visual templates must be simplified for ConvertKit text-focused approach
- ! Mandrill transactional email needs a separate replacement
- ! Customer Journey structure differs from ConvertKit automations
- ! List-based model converts to tag-based in ConvertKit
Migrating from ConvertKit to Mailchimp
Steps
- 1. Export subscribers from ConvertKit
- 2. Import to Mailchimp with tag-to-group mapping
- 3. Create visual templates in Mailchimp editor
- 4. Rebuild sequences as Mailchimp journeys
- 5. Set up landing pages in Mailchimp
- 6. Configure domain authentication
- 7. Test all flows
- 8. Switch sending
Watch Out For
- ! Tag-based model converts to list-based in Mailchimp
- ! ConvertKit text-focused emails may look different with Mailchimp templates
- ! Automation complexity may be limited in Mailchimp
- ! ConvertKit Commerce needs a replacement
The Bottom Line
Choose Mailchimp if...
- ✓ You want the most polished visual email design tools
- ✓ All-in-one marketing (email, social, landing pages) matters
- ✓ You need transactional email via Mandrill
- ✓ Industry benchmarks for campaign performance are valuable
- ✓ Brand recognition and established trust are important
- ✓ You want the broadest third-party integration ecosystem
Choose ConvertKit if...
- ✓ You value subscriber-centric design (no duplicate contacts)
- ✓ Maximum deliverability is a priority
- ✓ You want to sell digital products or paid newsletters
- ✓ Simple, focused interface appeals to you
- ✓ You prefer text-focused emails that feel personal
- ✓ A generous free plan matters (10K subscribers)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ConvertKit (Kit) good for SaaS?
ConvertKit was designed for creators and content businesses, not B2B SaaS. It can handle basic email marketing for SaaS, but lacks event tracking, transactional email, and billing integration. For SaaS, Customer.io or Sequenzy are better choices.
Why did ConvertKit rebrand to Kit?
ConvertKit rebranded to Kit in 2024 to broaden its appeal beyond email to a full creator marketing platform including digital product sales, paid newsletters, and audience management.
Which has better deliverability?
ConvertKit generally has better deliverability than Mailchimp. ConvertKit text-focused email philosophy means emails look more personal and less promotional to spam filters. Mailchimp massive user base means shared IP quality varies.
Can ConvertKit handle transactional email?
No. ConvertKit does not offer transactional email. You need a separate service (Postmark, SendGrid, Resend, or Sequenzy). Mailchimp offers transactional via its Mandrill add-on.
Does ConvertKit work with Stripe?
ConvertKit integrates with Stripe for its Commerce feature (selling digital products). But this is not SaaS billing integration. For billing-aware automation, Sequenzy offers native Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, and LemonSqueezy integration.
Why are ConvertKit emails so plain?
By design. ConvertKit philosophy is that plain-text style emails feel more personal and get better deliverability than heavily designed HTML emails. This is a strength for creator audiences but may not suit SaaS product announcements.
Can I use ConvertKit and Sequenzy together?
Yes. Some SaaS founders use ConvertKit for their personal newsletter and audience building, and Sequenzy for their SaaS product lifecycle email (onboarding, dunning, churn prevention). This gives you best of both worlds.
Is Mailchimp free plan worth it?
Mailchimp free plan (500 contacts, 1K sends) is very limited compared to ConvertKit free plan (10K subscribers). For a SaaS starting out, Sequenzy 14-day trial then $19/mo provides more SaaS-specific value.
Which is better for A/B testing?
Mailchimp offers more A/B testing options (subject, content, send time, multivariate on Premium). ConvertKit offers basic subject line testing. Sequenzy offers subject and send-time testing.
Should a SaaS use Mailchimp or ConvertKit for marketing email?
Neither is ideal for SaaS. Both are general marketing tools without SaaS-specific features. Mailchimp has better design tools, ConvertKit has better automation and deliverability. For SaaS lifecycle email, Sequenzy is the best dedicated option.