# Mailchimp Alternatives (2026): 7 Options Compared, Including Self-Hosted

> Mailchimp alternatives compared: MailerLite, Brevo, Kit, Beehiiv, Listmonk, Sendy and Broadcast. Who each one suits, how each one charges, and where Mailchimp still wins.

Source: https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/mailchimp-alternative

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Self-hosted, one-time license

# Mailchimp alternatives, including one you host yourself

Mailchimp is the default choice, but its per-contact pricing climbs fast, and you can't run it yourself. Broadcast runs on your own server for a one-time license: own your data, escape per-contact billing, and keep the campaigns, segmentation, and automation most senders actually use.

[Buy Broadcast for $250](https://sendbroadcast.net/pricing) [Calculate your savings](https://sendbroadcast.net/calculator)

The short answer

The best Mailchimp alternatives in 2026 fall into three camps: **cheaper hosted SaaS** (MailerLite, Brevo), **creator-focused platforms** (Kit/ConvertKit, Beehiiv), and **self-hosted/owned** tools. **Broadcast** is the self-hosted, one-time-purchase ($250) option: it runs on your own server, supports unlimited subscribers with no per-contact billing, and sends through Amazon SES, Postmark, Mailgun, or any SMTP. Pick a cheaper SaaS to stay fully managed; pick Broadcast to own your platform and stop the per-contact meter. Mailchimp itself still wins on its free tier and breadth of native integrations.

## At a Glance

Hosting

Mailchimp: SaaS only

Broadcast: Self-hosted

Pricing

Mailchimp: Monthly, per contact

Broadcast: $250 one-time

Data & residency

Mailchimp: Their US servers

Broadcast: Your server

Best at

Mailchimp: Free tier, integrations

Broadcast: Owned, focused email

**Straight answer:** there's no self-hosted edition of Mailchimp: it's SaaS only. If you want a cheaper managed tool, MailerLite or Brevo undercut Mailchimp without changing your hosting model. If your real goal is to _own_ the platform, keep your subscriber data on your own server, and stop paying per contact, Broadcast is the self-hosted, buy-once option. Mailchimp still earns its place for teams that lean on its free tier, its huge integration directory, and a fully managed experience, and this page is honest about that.

## Mailchimp alternatives compared

Seven tools people switch to, and who each one suits

| Tool | Hosting | How it charges | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MailerLite | Hosted | Free tier, then monthly by subscriber count | Small businesses that want Mailchimp's features for less |
| Brevo | Hosted | Free tier, then monthly by emails sent, not contacts | Large lists that you email only now and then |
| [Kit (ConvertKit)](https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/convertkit-alternative) | Hosted | Free tier, then monthly by subscriber count | Creators selling courses and digital products |
| [Beehiiv](https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/beehiiv) | Hosted | Free tier, then monthly by subscriber count | Newsletter publishers who want growth and ad tools |
| [Listmonk](https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/broadcast-vs-listmonk) | Self-hosted | Free, open source. You pay for the server and email provider | Developers who want a lean list manager and don't need automations |
| [Sendy](https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/broadcast-vs-sendy) | Self-hosted | One-time license. Sends through Amazon SES only | Cheap bulk newsletters on SES |
| Broadcast | Self-hosted | $250 once. Unlimited subscribers, any email provider | Teams that want campaigns, sequences and segments without a monthly bill |

Hosted tools change their plans often, so check current prices on their sites. To see what each hosted tool costs at your list size, use the [pricing calculator](https://sendbroadcast.net/calculator). The rest of this page compares Broadcast and Mailchimp directly.

## Feature Comparison

Where Broadcast and Mailchimp each pull ahead

| Feature | Broadcast | Mailchimp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-hosted | Yes, your server | No (SaaS only) |
| Pricing | $250 one-time | Monthly, scales w/ contacts |
| Free tier | No (30-day guarantee) | Yes (limited) |
| Subscribers/contacts | Unlimited | Tiered by count |
| Campaigns & templates | Built-in | Built-in |
| Automations / sequences | Built-in (conditions) | Yes (tiered) |
| Segmentation | Tags, lists, custom fields | Advanced |
| Native integration directory | API + webhooks | Large |
| ESP choice | SES, Postmark, any SMTP | Built-in only |
| Data ownership / residency | Your server (EU-friendly) | US-based SaaS |
| Setup & maintenance | You self-host | Fully managed |

Mailchimp wins on its free tier, integration breadth, and zero-setup convenience. Broadcast wins when owning your platform and dropping per-contact billing matters more. For plan-by-plan prices, see [Mailchimp pricing](https://sendbroadcast.net/compare/mailchimp-pricing). For the cost math at 10k / 50k / 250k subscribers, see the [self-hosted Mailchimp cost breakdown](https://sendbroadcast.net/self-hosted/mailchimp-alternative).

## Who Should Choose What

### Choose Broadcast if you…

- • Want to self-host and own your data (Mailchimp can't be self-hosted)
- • Are tired of per-contact pricing that climbs with your list
- • Need solid campaigns, segmentation, and automation
- • Care about EU data residency / GDPR control
- • Prefer a one-time license to a monthly subscription

### Mailchimp (or a cheaper SaaS) may be better if you…

- • Want a free tier to start and a fully managed tool
- • Rely on Mailchimp's large native integration directory
- • Have a non-technical team and no server to run
- • Just want cheaper SaaS, look at MailerLite or Brevo

## Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your reason for leaving. For cheaper managed email, MailerLite or Brevo. For creators, Kit/ConvertKit or Beehiiv. To own your platform and stop paying per contact, Broadcast: a self-hosted, one-time-purchase alternative you run on your own server.

MailerLite and Brevo have free tiers, and open-source list managers like Listmonk are free to run if you handle the ops. Broadcast isn't free (it's a one-time $250 license) but past a few thousand contacts it's usually cheaper than a paid Mailchimp plan over time, since there's no monthly per-contact fee.

Yes. Export your audience, tags, and merge fields to CSV and import them into Broadcast, then rebuild the automations you actually use and warm up your domain. See the step-by-step [migrate from Mailchimp](https://sendbroadcast.net/migrate/from-mailchimp) guide.

Broadcast is $250 once, plus a sending provider (Amazon SES is ~$0.10 per 1,000 emails) and a small server. Mailchimp's per-contact pricing climbs steeply as your list grows, so the savings widen at scale. Run your numbers on the [savings calculator](https://sendbroadcast.net/calculator).

## Own your email marketing

Self-hosted, buy-once, no per-contact billing.

[Try the live sandbox](https://demo.sendbroadcast.net) [Buy Broadcast for $250](https://sendbroadcast.net/pricing)

### Related

[Self-Hosted Mailchimp: Cost Math At 10k / 50k / 250k subscribers](https://sendbroadcast.net/self-hosted/mailchimp-alternative) [Migrate from Mailchimp Step-by-step, zero downtime](https://sendbroadcast.net/migrate/from-mailchimp) [Best Self-Hosted Email Software All options compared](https://sendbroadcast.net/self-hosted/email-marketing-software)