Feature comparison
Mailchimp vs Emailit
Mailchimp is a full marketing platform priced around contacts and features. Emailit is a pay-as-you-go email API and light campaigns platform with an owned EU data center, no subscription required to send.
The core difference
Emailit is built for developers and marketers who want to send transactional and marketing email without a monthly subscription. You buy credits that never expire, get a real dashboard and API, and run on Emailit’s fully owned data center in Prague.
Mailchimp is built for marketers who want audiences, automation, templates, and brand tooling in one suite. Sending volume and features are tied to subscription tiers; transactional sending is an add-on (Mailchimp Transactional / Mandrill) rather than the core product.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Emailit | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| API | Yes: REST API + SDKs | Yes: Marketing API + Transactional (Mandrill) API |
| SMTP | Yes | Yes: (Transactional / SMTP) |
| Dashboard UI | Yes: domains, analytics, campaigns | Yes: full marketing suite UI |
| Rate limits | 100/day free; from 5,000/day after any credit purchase or on Pro and Business | Plan- and account-dependent |
| Marketing campaigns | Yes: credit-based (2 credits/email) | Yes: core product strength |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes |
| Inbound email | Yes | Limited / product-dependent |
| Data residency / infrastructure | EU: owned DC in Prague | Primarily US-centric infrastructure |
| Uptime | 99.9% | Published status / SLA by product |
| Pricing model | Free plan, then Pro and Business with included credits; purchased credits never expire | Monthly subscription by contacts + add-ons |
| Owned sending infrastructureUnique | Fully owned DC in Prague, no third-party sending stack | Hosted SaaS on Mailchimp infrastructure |
| No subscription to sendUnique | Buy credits only when you need them | Subscription required for core marketing plans |
| All-in-one marketing suiteUnique | Focused sending + light campaigns | Audiences, automations, creatives, CRM-style tools |
| Contact-based pricingUnique | Pay per email sent (credits) | Plans scale with stored contacts |
Pricing comparison
Pricing as of July 2026. Competitor prices change. Always verify on their site. Mailchimp →
| Emailit | Mailchimp | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry sending cost | Free: 3,000 emails/mo on Pay as you go | Marketing plans typically from ~$13-20+/mo (contact-based) |
| High volume (~1M emails) | ~$115/mo on Pro (100k included, then $0.10/1k) | Higher contact tiers + send limits; Transactional sold in blocks |
| Scale (~5M emails) | ~$500/mo on Business (2.5M included, then $0.10/1k) | Enterprise / custom, usually far above PAYG credit economics |
| Transactional email | Included (1 credit/email via API/SMTP) | Mailchimp Transactional add-on (historically ~$20 per 25k block) |
| Credits / unused volume | Purchased credits never expire | Monthly plan allowances reset; blocks are usage-based |
| Required subscription | No: free Pay as you go plan | Yes for Standard/Premium marketing features |
Mailchimp marketing pricing varies by contact count and plan. Transactional pricing is sold separately. Competitor prices change. Verify on their site.
When to choose
When to choose Emailit
- You want API/SMTP transactional email plus light campaigns without a monthly marketing subscription
- You prefer prepaid credits that never expire over contact-tier pricing
- EU data residency and a fully owned Prague data center matter to you
- You want competitive per-email pricing down to about $0.10/1k at scale
When to choose Mailchimp
- You need a full marketing suite (audiences, journeys, creatives, landing pages) as the primary product
- Your team already lives in the Mailchimp ecosystem and Mandrill is “good enough” as an add-on
- Contact-based pricing and branded marketing tooling matter more than raw send economics
FAQ
Is Emailit a Mailchimp replacement?
For sending transactional email and straightforward campaigns via API/SMTP or the Emailit dashboard, yes for many teams. If you rely on Mailchimp’s full marketing automation and audience tooling, Emailit is a sending platform, not a 1:1 suite clone.
How does Emailit pricing compare to Mailchimp?
Emailit uses pay-as-you-go credits (from about $0.20/1k down to $0.10/1k) with no required subscription. Mailchimp typically charges monthly based on contacts and features, with transactional email as a separate add-on.
Does Emailit include a dashboard like Mailchimp?
Yes. Emailit includes a dashboard for domains, analytics, campaigns, and account management, without bundling an entire marketing CRM suite.
Where is Emailit data hosted vs Mailchimp?
Emailit runs sending infrastructure in its own data center in Prague (EU). Mailchimp is a global SaaS with primarily US-centric infrastructure for many customers.
Can I migrate from Mailchimp Transactional (Mandrill) to Emailit?
Yes. Point your app at Emailit’s REST API or SMTP, verify your domain (SPF/DKIM), and start sending. Most teams migrate without rewriting product logic.
Ready to send with Emailit?
Start free with 3,000 emails a month. EU infrastructure we own in Prague, ~98.5% deliverability and 99.9% uptime.
3,000 emails a month for free · No credit card required