The main difference
Both tools send email to a list, but they were built for different people. Mailchimp grew up serving small businesses, so it leans toward designed campaigns, store integrations and marketing reports. Kit, which was called ConvertKit until 2024, was built for creators, so it leans toward simple emails that read like a personal letter and tools for selling your own content.
Pricing
Based on public pricing information checked in October 2026, the two take opposite approaches. Mailchimp’s free plan is now small, reported at about 250 contacts, but its entry paid plan is cheap at about $13 a month. Kit’s free plan is reported to allow up to 10,000 subscribers with limited automation, but its first paid plan is dearer, at about $39 a month for 1,000 subscribers, after a reported increase in 2026.
So a new creator can stay on Kit for free for a long time, while a small business that needs automation and no branding will usually pay less to start on Mailchimp. Both get more expensive as the list grows.
Features
Mailchimp has the stronger template library and e-commerce features. Kit has the simpler editor and is better at tagging subscribers and selling digital products or paid newsletters directly. Neither is hard to learn.
Bottom line
Pick by what you are: a business that sends marketing campaigns, or a person who sends a newsletter. Then price each tool at the list size you expect in a year.