HubSpot vs Mailchimp 2025: Which Email Marketing Platform Is Right for You?

HubSpot vs Mailchimp is the most common comparison in email marketing. Both platforms dominate the market, but they serve fundamentally different needs—and choosing wrong costs you time, money, and results.

This guide compares HubSpot and Mailchimp across every dimension that matters: pricing, features, ease of use, automation, and who each platform actually serves best. By the end, you'll know exactly which one fits your business.

HubSpot vs Mailchimp: Quick Comparison

Feature	HubSpot	Mailchimp
Starting Price	Free (limited) / $20/mo	Free (limited) / $13/mo
Best For	B2B, growing companies	Small businesses, creators
CRM	Full-featured, built-in	Basic, built-in
Automation	Advanced workflows	Good, improving
Learning Curve	Steeper	Easier
Email Builder	Powerful, complex	Simple, intuitive

Pricing Comparison: What You'll Actually Pay

Mailchimp Pricing Structure

Mailchimp prices based on contacts and features:

• Free: 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month, basic features
• Essentials: From $13/month for 500 contacts
• Standard: From $20/month (automation, A/B testing)
• Premium: From $350/month (advanced segmentation)

The catch: Prices scale aggressively with list size. A 50,000 contact list costs $350-$700/month depending on tier.

HubSpot Marketing Hub Pricing

HubSpot uses a tiered model:

• Free Tools: Basic email, forms, CRM
• Starter: $20/month (1,000 contacts)
• Professional: $890/month (2,000 contacts)
• Enterprise: $3,600/month (10,000 contacts)

The catch: The jump from Starter to Professional is significant. Many features require Professional tier.

Pricing Verdict

For small lists (<5,000 contacts): Mailchimp is typically cheaper.

For growing businesses: HubSpot's free CRM adds significant value, but costs rise quickly at Professional tier.

For budget-conscious teams: Consider Brew—Starter at $49/month includes 1,000 contacts and AI-powered email creation that eliminates design and copywriting time.

Email Builder Comparison

Mailchimp's Email Builder

Mailchimp's drag-and-drop editor is beginner-friendly:

Strengths:

• Intuitive interface
• Good template library
• Quick to create simple emails
• Mobile preview built-in

Weaknesses:

• Limited customization for complex layouts
• HTML editing is clunky
• Templates can feel generic

HubSpot's Email Builder

HubSpot offers more power at the cost of complexity:

Strengths:

• Deep personalization with CRM data
• Smart content (show different content to different segments)
• Better for data-driven emails
• More design control

Weaknesses:

• Steeper learning curve
• Overkill for simple newsletters
• Some features require Professional tier

Builder Verdict

Choose Mailchimp if you want to create emails quickly without technical knowledge.

Choose HubSpot if you need deep personalization and don't mind the learning curve.

Choose Brew if you want professional emails without building them manually—describe what you want, and AI creates it in seconds.

Automation Capabilities

Mailchimp Automation

Mailchimp's "Customer Journeys" handle common automation needs:

• Welcome sequences
• Abandoned cart emails
• Date-based triggers
• Purchase follow-ups

Limitations: Complex branching logic is difficult. Multi-step sequences with conditions can be frustrating to build.

HubSpot Automation

HubSpot's workflows are significantly more powerful:

• Complex branching logic
• Lead scoring integration
• Multi-channel automation (email + ads + SMS)
• CRM-triggered workflows
• If/then branches at any point

Limitations: Full workflow features require Professional tier ($890/month).

Automation Verdict

For simple automation: Mailchimp handles the basics well.

For complex nurture sequences: HubSpot's workflows are industry-leading—if you can afford Professional tier.

For teams wanting powerful automation without complexity, Brew lets you build workflows from simple prompts.

CRM Integration

Mailchimp's CRM

Mailchimp added a basic CRM, but it's limited:

• Contact management
• Basic activity tracking
• Simple segmentation
• Audience insights

It works for email marketing but isn't a true CRM for sales teams.

HubSpot's CRM

HubSpot's CRM is genuinely world-class—and free:

• Full contact and company records
• Deal pipeline management
• Activity tracking across channels
• Sales and marketing alignment
• Extensive reporting

This is HubSpot's major advantage. The free CRM alone justifies evaluation.

CRM Verdict

If you need a real CRM: HubSpot wins decisively.

If you just need email marketing: Mailchimp's basic CRM (or Brew's basic CRM, similar to Mailchimp's) is sufficient.

Ease of Use

Mailchimp's Learning Curve

Mailchimp prioritizes accessibility:

• Quick setup (under 30 minutes)
• Intuitive navigation
• Helpful onboarding
• Simple campaign creation

Most users can send their first email within an hour.

HubSpot's Learning Curve

HubSpot is more complex:

• Longer setup (especially for CRM)
• More powerful but more options to navigate
• Better for teams with dedicated marketing ops
• Extensive training resources (HubSpot Academy)

Expect 1-2 weeks to feel comfortable, longer to master.

Ease of Use Verdict

For beginners or small teams: Mailchimp is easier to start.

For teams with resources to invest in learning: HubSpot's power is worth the curve.

For teams wanting professional results without the learning curve: Brew eliminates complexity—create emails with simple prompts.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Mailchimp If:

• You're a small business or solo creator
• Budget is a primary concern
• You need simple email campaigns
• You don't need advanced CRM features
• You want the easiest possible setup

Choose HubSpot If:

• You're a growing B2B company
• Sales and marketing alignment matters
• You need advanced automation (and can afford Professional)
• You want a complete marketing platform
• You're willing to invest in learning the platform

Choose Brew If:

• You want professional emails without the time investment
• Design and copywriting aren't your strengths
• You value speed over manual control
• You want AI to handle the heavy lifting

The AI Alternative: Brew

Both HubSpot and Mailchimp require significant time to create emails manually. Brew takes a different approach—AI generates complete, on-brand emails from simple descriptions.

How Brew compares:

Feature	HubSpot	Mailchimp	Brew
Email creation time	30-60 min	20-40 min	< 2 min
Design skills needed	Some	Some	None
AI generation	Limited	Limited	Full
Pricing	Free-$890+/mo	Free-$350+/mo	Free-$199/mo

Brew pricing:

• Free: 200 credits, preview only
• Starter: $49/month (1,000 contacts, 500 credits)
• Pro: $199/month (10,000 contacts, 10,000 credits)

Final Verdict: HubSpot vs Mailchimp

For most small businesses: Mailchimp offers the best balance of features and affordability.

For growing B2B teams: HubSpot's CRM and automation justify the investment—if you can afford Professional tier.

For teams who want results without the work: Brew delivers professional email marketing powered by AI.

Ready to skip the learning curve? Try Brew free and create your first AI-powered email in under 60 seconds.