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Mailchimp vs Listmonk
Mailchimp vs Listmonk
A side-by-side look at Mailchimp (the paid SaaS) and Listmonk (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Mailchimp | Listmonk | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Email marketing and automations. | Self-hosted newsletter and mailing list manager. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free up to 500 contacts; Essentials from $13/month. | Free to self-host |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | No |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Web only |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
Sending plain newsletters at low cost — bring your own SMTP.
Listmonk strengths
- Fast Go binary — single executable.
- Clean UI and import/export tools.
- Bring-your-own-SMTP (Amazon SES, Postmark, etc.).
Listmonk weaknesses
- No drag-and-drop visual builder.
- Deliverability depends on your SMTP setup.
- Not a visual marketing suite — plain newsletter focus.
What's the catch with Mailchimp?
- Pricing scales by contact count.
- Deliverability has been patchy.
- Intuit acquisition changed direction for some users.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Mailchimp: see Mailchimp alternatives, or learn more about Listmonk on its project page.
Recommended reading
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Will the open source project you depend on still exist in three years?
Bus factor, maintainer burnout, funding models, and the signals that separate OSS projects that survive from those that quietly decay.
From SaaS to self-hosted: a 30-day migration playbook
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