Marketing automation software – isn’t just an expense decision; it’s an investment in your company’s future success.

But, if you’re like most marketing teams, you want to avoid costly mistakes and ensure that your choice aligns well with your business objectives from the get-go. After all, your time and resources are valuable, and you want to make the most informed decision possible.

In this blog post, we’ll compare two leaders in marketing automation – HubSpot Marketing Hub and Mailchimp.

Throughout this post, we’ll provide you with valuable insights and considerations to empower you in making the right choice the first time around.

Ready to put HubSpot and Mailchimp into the ring head-to-head?

Mailchimp vs. HubSpot on Features

Key Points:

• HubSpot Marketing Hub:

• • Advanced Segmentation: Enables precise targeting based on user behavior, demographic data, and more.
  • Personalization: Supports dynamic content and personalized emails.
  • Part of an all-in-one platform that combines marketing, sales, content management, operations, and customer service. It’s versatile and can handle various aspects of your business.

• Mailchimp:

• • Templates: Like HubSpot, Mailchimp offers customizable templates for email campaigns.
  • Automation: Provides automated email workflows to streamline communication.
  • Focused purely on marketing software. Its focus is on email marketing and related features.

HubSpot Marketing Hub:
HubSpot Marketing Hub is built on a comprehensive CRM platform that goes beyond email marketing. It includes features for lead management, sales pipeline tracking, customer support, and marketing automation depending on your level of subscription. It also works seamlessly with the rest of the available platform Hubs from HubSpot including Sales Hub, CMS Hub, Commerce Hub, Service Hub, and Operations Hub. 

Mailchimp:

Mailchimp is primarily known for its email marketing capabilities. It offers a user-friendly interface, a wide range of customizable templates, and automation features that make it easy to create and send targeted email campaigns.

Mailchimp stands out for its user-friendly interface and extensive library of customizable email templates. These templates make it easy for marketers to create visually appealing and professional-looking emails without the need for design expertise. Moreover, Mailchimp’s automation features empower users to set up automated email workflows, saving time and effort in managing repetitive tasks such as welcome emails, abandoned cart reminders, and follow-up sequences. With Mailchimp’s automation capabilities, marketers can engage with their audience at every stage of the customer journey, driving conversions and fostering customer loyalty.

Standout HubSpot Features

Social Media Management: HubSpot’s Marketing Hub offers tools to help you manage your social strategy from one platform. Schedule posts, prioritize social interactions, and track it all in one place. (Learn More)

Available in Marketing Hub Enterprise

Sales Enablement Tools: Align your sales and marketing teams on one platform with omnichannel automation, marketing orchestration, and powerful reporting to get your whole team on the same page. Connect a free version of HubSpot’s Sales Hub for even more connection. (Learn More)

Additional Sales Enablement Tools are available by connecting a Free Sales Hub

Standout Mailchimp Features

eCommerce
Get access to features to help you engage your visitors and convert more customers. Standout commerce features include Shopping Cart, Orders, Shipping, and Tax Configuration. (Learn More)

Audience Insights
Audience Insights brings your customer data, nurturing relationships, and conversions together to help you build your business. This tool unlocks insights like Purchase Likelihood, Customer Lifetime Value, and more. (Learn More)

Takeaway: If all you’re looking for is email marketing, Mailchimp is going to be your less expensive option. For a broader spectrum of features and functionality, you’ll want to choose HubSpot.

Mailchimp vs. HubSpot on Ease of Use

Key Points

• HubSpot Marketing Hub:

• • HubSpot Marketing Hub provides users with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, facilitating easy navigation and access to a variety of marketing tools.
  • When compared to Mailchimp, HubSpot has a steeper learning curve due to its comprehensive nature.

• Mailchimp:

• • Mailchimp offers a straightforward and user-friendly interface, catering to users with varying levels of marketing expertise.
  • Particularly ideal for small businesses and startups, Mailchimp enables quick and hassle-free setups for marketing campaigns.

In terms of user interface and ease of use, Mailchimp can sometimes be frustrating for users to learn and use. HubSpot Marketing Hub on the other hand is a lot easier to navigate and interact with. However, HubSpot’s more comprehensive feature set compared to Mailchimp’s does make the learning curve a bit steeper.

HubSpot Marketing Hub stands out for its intuitive interface and customizable dashboards, which empower users to navigate seamlessly through various marketing tools. Its drag-and-drop editors simplify campaign creation, although the platform may require some time to learn due to its extensive features. With HubSpot, users can expect a higher degree of customization, allowing them to tailor campaigns according to their specific requirements.

On the other hand, Mailchimp excels in simplicity. Its interface is designed to be straightforward and easy to navigate, making it accessible to users with limited marketing experience. The platform is particularly well-suited for small businesses and startups seeking quick setup and hassle-free campaign management. While it may offer fewer customization options compared to HubSpot, Mailchimp’s focus on simplicity makes it a popular choice for those looking to get started with email marketing without extensive training or technical expertise.

Takeaway: Although both are designed as easy to use, Mailchimp rises to the top for simplicity. However, for businesses looking for more out of their marketing automation platform, HubSpot may be the better choice because it is an all-in-one platform.

Mailchimp vs. HubSpot on Best Fit

Key Points

• HubSpot Marketing Hub:

• • Ideal for mid-sized businesses to enterprises focusing on content marketing strategies, lead nurturing, and aggressive business growth.

• Mailchimp:

• • Primarily targets small to mid-sized businesses seeking an affordable email marketing platform.

When considering the target audience and features offered by both HubSpot Marketing Hub and Mailchimp, it becomes evident that each platform caters to different business needs and objectives.

HubSpot Marketing Hub is geared towards mid-sized businesses to enterprises looking for a robust marketing automation solution that seamlessly integrates with the rest of the business. It emphasizes demand marketing strategies and lead nurturing, making it ideal for businesses aiming to attract, engage, and delight customers through personalized content. HubSpot’s all-in-one platform encompasses a wide array of marketing tools, ranging from email marketing and social media management to SEO, landing pages, and lead tracking. Moreover, its integration with HubSpot’s free CRM creates better alignment between marketing and sales teams, enhancing overall efficiency and collaboration.

Mailchimp primarily targets small to mid-sized businesses seeking an affordable and easy-to-use email marketing platform. With a focus on email-centric campaigns, Mailchimp provides automation features for creating targeted email sequences based on user behavior. Its user-friendly templates enable businesses to design and customize emails without extensive design knowledge.

While Mailchimp may lack the comprehensive suite of marketing tools offered by HubSpot, its simplicity and affordability make it an attractive option for businesses looking to manage email campaigns and engage with their audience effectively.

Takeaway: While HubSpot Marketing Hub caters to larger businesses with a diverse range of marketing needs, Mailchimp remains a popular choice among smaller businesses and startups seeking simplicity and affordability in their email marketing endeavors. Both platforms offer unique advantages tailored to different segments of the market.

Mailchimp vs. HubSpot on Customer Support

Key Points

• HubSpot Marketing Hub:

• • Provides robust support, dependent on your subscription level that provides support through phone, chat, email, and through extensive online resources, training materials, and community forums.

• Mailchimp:
  • Offers good support, dependent on your subscription level through phone, email, and chat assistance.

When it comes to customer support, both HubSpot Marketing Hub and Mailchimp offer assistance to users in a variety of ways, all dependent on your level of subscription.

HubSpot Marketing Hub’s support system provides users with extensive resources, training materials, and access to community forums. Whether users need guidance on utilizing specific features or troubleshooting technical issues, HubSpot’s support network offers comprehensive assistance to ensure users make the most out of the platform. 

Mailchimp offers support through email and chat channels, providing users with assistance as needed. While not as extensive as HubSpot’s support offerings, Mailchimp’s support team is readily available to address queries and resolve issues encountered by users. Mailchimp’s focus primarily lies in email marketing solutions, making it a suitable choice for smaller businesses seeking simplicity and affordability in their marketing efforts.

Takeaway: Both platforms offer good support packages, but it’s all determined by your subscription level. If support is important to you, make sure to research the support available at each subscription level. 

HubSpot vs. MailChimp on Pricing

Key Points

• HubSpot Marketing Hub:

• • Offers various pricing tiers tailored to the features and scale of businesses, ranging from free basic marketing tools to comprehensive marketing, sales, and service hubs.
  • Generally more expensive compared to Mailchimp’s pricing structure.

• Mailchimp:

• • Provides a free plan with limited features, allowing users to get started without financial commitment.
  • Offers budget-friendly paid plans with additional features such as advanced automation, segmentation, and reporting, with pricing scaling based on the number of subscribers.

In terms of pricing, both HubSpot Marketing Hub and Mailchimp employ different models to cater to the needs and budgets of businesses.

HubSpot Marketing Hub adopts a tiered pricing approach, offering various plans designed to accommodate businesses of different sizes and requirements. These include:

• Marketing Hub Free – $0
• Marketing Hub Starter – $45/month
• Marketing Hub Professional – $800/month
• Marketing Hub Enterprise – $3,600/month

While the platform provides a free CRM with limited features, its paid plans add on a lot of tools and functionalities, ranging from basic marketing features to comprehensive marketing, sales, and service hubs. However, it’s worth noting that HubSpot’s pricing tends to be higher compared to Mailchimp, reflecting the broader range of features and services included in its plans.

See HubSpot’s most up-to-date pricing here. 

Mailchimp operates on a freemium model, providing a free plan with basic features and subscriber limits. This allows businesses to start using the platform without upfront costs. For users requiring more advanced features such as automation, segmentation, and detailed reporting, Mailchimp offers affordable paid plans with pricing scaling based on the number of subscribers. These include:

• Free – $0
• Essentials – $13/month
• Standard – $20/month
• Premium – $350/month

The budget-friendly nature of Mailchimp’s paid plans makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to expand their marketing capabilities without breaking the bank.

See Mailchimp’s most up-to-date pricing here. 

Takeaway: HubSpot Offers a solid free plan, but paid plans can be more expensive. Consider it if you need all the available features. Mailchimp also has a free plan with three pricing tiers. 

Which Marketing Automation Platform Is Right For Your Business?

When comparing HubSpot Marketing Hub and Mailchimp for a marketing automation solution, both platforms offer easy-to-use software that can meet various business needs. The free version of both platforms allows potential users to test-drive before they buy. 

However, the big difference between these two comes down to differences in fundamental functionalities.

If your primary focus is on email marketing automation without the need for additional features, Mailchimp is a great option due to its simplicity and effectiveness in this regard.

On the other hand, if your business aims to consolidate its operations on a unified platform that can accommodate growth and provide comprehensive solutions ranging from marketing to sales and service, then there’s no better choice than HubSpot. It will prove to be a worthy investment despite its higher price tag. With HubSpot, you gain the advantage of a versatile platform that can scale alongside your business and streamline various aspects of your operations.

Ultimately, the choice between HubSpot and Mailchimp depends on your specific business requirements and long-term goals. If you ask us, we’d recommend HubSpot 99 times out of 100 – and that’s not just because we’re a HubSpot agency. Your business should be doing a whole lot more than email marketing and you want to make sure you have all of that data in a single place. HubSpot is the best tool for businesses who want to grow versus trying to cobble together all of the features using Mailchimp and other tools – or “Frankenspot” as HubSpot calls it.

For more help with your decision, reach out to book some time.