Mailchimp is where a lot of small businesses start, and for many the reason to look elsewhere is the same: the bill. As your list grows the price climbs faster than you expected, and features you assumed were included sit on a higher tier. Here are the alternatives worth considering and how to pick.

Why people switch away from Mailchimp

• Cost as the list grows. The jump between tiers can be steep once you pass a few thousand contacts

• How contacts are counted. Depending on your plan you can end up paying for people who have unsubscribed

• Features behind higher plans. Some automation and reporting you might expect as standard

• The interface. A matter of taste, but some find it has become cluttered over the years

None of this makes Mailchimp a bad tool. It just means it is not automatically the right one.

What to look for in a replacement

• Pricing that stays sensible at the list size you expect in a year

• The automations you need: welcome sequence at least, abandoned cart if you sell online

• A clean way to segment your list

• Good deliverability and a straightforward migration path

• Integration with your shop or booking system if that matters

The main alternatives

MailerLite. The most common switch for a small business that mainly sends newsletters and a welcome sequence. Cheaper, simpler, with a usable free tier. Fewer deep retail features.

Brevo. Priced on emails sent rather than contacts held, which suits a big list you email now and then. Bundles in SMS and a light CRM. Busier interface.

Kit. Formerly ConvertKit. Best if you sell courses, memberships or digital products and want simple, personal style emails and strong subscriber tagging.

Klaviyo. The one to switch to if you run an online shop and email drives real revenue. Deep integration with Shopify and others, and the best automation around what people browse and buy. More expensive, and unnecessary if you do not sell online.

Flodesk. Flat fee whatever your list size, attractive templates, quick to use. Lighter on integrations and automation depth. Appealing once your list is large enough that per contact pricing hurts.

Quick pick

How to switch without losing your list

1. Export your contacts from Mailchimp as a CSV, including any tags or groups

2. Import into the new platform and recreate your key segments

3. Rebuild your automations. They do not transfer. List them out first so nothing is missed

4. Warm up sending. Send to your most engaged people first for a week or two so the new platform builds a sending reputation

5. Check deliverability. Set up email authentication on the new platform before your first big send

6. Keep Mailchimp active briefly until you are sure everything works, then close it to stop the billing

When to stay on Mailchimp

• Your list is small and comfortably inside the free or lowest tier

• You rely on a specific integration only Mailchimp supports

• It is working and the cost is not a problem

There is no prize for switching if what you have is fine.

The takeaway

Most people leave Mailchimp over price as their list grows. MailerLite is the usual soft landing for newsletter focused businesses, Klaviyo the upgrade for online shops, Brevo for large occasional senders. Switching is mostly about rebuilding automations and warming up the new platform, not the contact export itself.

Koprio can recommend the right platform and handle the migration as part of its email marketing service for small businesses across East Sussex. Get in touch, or compare the options in our platform guide.