Which Email Platform Is Better in ?

Selecting between SendGrid vs. Mailchimp comes right down to what you want out of your e-mail platform.

SendGrid excels at transactional emails and affords developer-friendly instruments. However, Mailchimp supplies user-friendly advertising and marketing options for small companies.

Each are fashionable choices, however they serve totally different functions. For those who run a web based retailer, you’ll need automation workflows, product suggestions, and built-in SMS advertising and marketing. These options matter particularly for ecommerce companies.

This comparability breaks down pricing, options, and real-world use circumstances for SendGrid vs. Mailchimp. We’ll additionally present you what ecommerce companies ought to search for in an e-mail platform.

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp — key takeaways

• SendGrid makes a speciality of transactional e-mail: It’s constructed for builders who want dependable supply of order confirmations, password resets, and transport notifications
• Mailchimp focuses on advertising and marketing campaigns: It affords drag-and-drop instruments, e-mail templates, and automation options for small enterprise entrepreneurs
• Pricing fashions differ considerably: SendGrid expenses based mostly on e-mail quantity, whereas Mailchimp expenses based mostly on contact record measurement
• Neither platform was designed for ecommerce: Neither platform affords native product suggestions or absolutely built-in e-mail and SMS workflows
• Limitations for on-line companies: Each Mailchimp and SendGrid have limitations for companies that want each e-mail and SMS integration
• Ecommerce companies want purpose-built options: Platforms like Omnisend supply e-mail and SMS in a single place with pre-built automation for on-line shops

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp: Overview

The SendGrid vs. Mailchimp comparability is fascinating as a result of the 2 email marketing platforms serve totally different major capabilities.

SendGrid overview

Owned by Twilio, SendGrid was constructed for builders needing dependable transactional e-mail. It’s designed to deal with transactional emails at scale. Suppose order confirmations, password resets, and transport notifications. Builders find it irresistible for its strong API and deliverability focus.

The platform processes over 75 billion emails throughout peak intervals like Cyber Week. SendGrid’s major customers are technical groups who want dependable e-mail supply and detailed analytics.

Mailchimp overview

Mailchimp, owned by Intuit, started as a advertising and marketing device for small companies. It’s positioned as an all-in-one advertising and marketing platform. You get e-mail campaigns, touchdown pages, social media instruments, and fundamental CRM options.

The interface is intuitive, and also you don’t want technical data to get began. Mailchimp targets advertising and marketing learners and small enterprise house owners who need every thing in a single place.

Right here’s a SendGrid vs. Mailchimp comparability snapshot throughout key standards:

SendGrid is the go-to for email marketing software that prioritizes supply infrastructure. However Mailchimp works higher as a normal advertising and marketing platform with broader options.

For those who run a web based retailer, platforms designed with ecommerce in thoughts could serve you higher. In that case, take into account how ecommerce-focused platforms like Omnisend compare against Mailchimp and SendGrid.

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp: Plans and pricing

Understanding the pricing distinction within the SendGrid vs. Mailchimp comparability issues as a result of they cost you in fully alternative ways.

SendGrid makes use of volume-based pricing. You pay for what number of emails you ship, no matter your contact record measurement. Mailchimp makes use of contact-based pricing. You pay based mostly on the variety of contacts you will have, with month-to-month ship limits.

Right here’s a SendGrid vs. Mailchimp pricing comparability snapshot:

Right here’s what this appears like at totally different scales:

SendGrid turns into considerably cheaper at increased e-mail ship volumes. However there are hidden prices to contemplate.

SendGrid pricing

SendGrid affords a number of product strains with separate pricing buildings.

The primary is Electronic mail API, which handles transactional emails:

• Free Trial: 100 emails/day for 60 days
• Necessities: $19.95/month for as much as 100,000 emails
• Professional: $89.95/month for as much as 2.5 million emails
• Premier: Customized quote

Subsequent is Advertising Campaigns:

• Free Trial: 100 emails/day for 60 days
• Fundamental: $15/month for as much as 300,000 emails
• Superior: $60/month for as much as a million emails
• Customized: Customized quote

Add-ons:

• Further IP addresses
• Knowledgeable Insights

Mailchimp pricing

Mailchimp runs a extra easy pricing mannequin:

• Free: Perpetually free for as much as 250 contacts and 500 month-to-month sends
• Necessities: From $13/month
• Customary: From $20/month
• Premium: From $350/month

Add-ons:

• SMS advertising and marketing 
• Transactional Emails

Pricing verdict

SendGrid wins on value in case you ship excessive e-mail volumes. Your record measurement doesn’t have an effect on the value. Mailchimp makes extra sense for smaller lists the place you worth all-in-one advertising and marketing options, together with A/B testing.

Nonetheless, take into account what number of options truly matter to your corporation. For ecommerce manufacturers, neither platform affords built-in e-mail and SMS advertising and marketing. You’re both paying for options you gained’t use or lacking options you really need.

Built-in platforms like Omnisend take a distinct strategy. Omnisend’s free plan contains all ecommerce options, like deserted cart workflows and product suggestions. Paid plans begin at $16/month and embrace bonus SMS credit. With a mean ROI of $79 for each $1 spent, it delivers income whereas remaining inexpensive. 

Contemplate evaluating the instruments via the Omnisend pricing comparison tool in opposition to what you’d pay elsewhere.

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp: Options

Let’s break down how SendGrid vs. Mailchimp examine on the options that matter most for your corporation.

Ease of use

SendGrid

SendGrid presents a blended expertise relying in your technical background. Builders respect the simple API integration and complete documentation.

Nonetheless, non-technical customers usually battle with the interface. You’ll have to spend time exploring menus to grasp the place every thing is situated.

The setup course of requires technical steps, akin to creating sender identities and configuring DNS settings, earlier than you may ship your first marketing campaign.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp takes the other strategy, prioritizing accessibility. The dashboard guides you thru every step with clear directions and useful prompts. You possibly can create and ship your first marketing campaign in minutes with none prior expertise.

The drag-and-drop editor requires zero coding data to provide professional-looking emails. Constructed-in tutorials assist you to study as you go, explaining options in plain language.

Most small enterprise house owners can navigate Mailchimp without having technical help or coaching.

Verdict: Mailchimp wins for non-technical customers who wish to begin sending instantly.

Electronic mail builder and templates

SendGrid

SendGrid permits you to create as much as 300 different transactional templates. It affords two distinct enhancing experiences to help totally different workflows:

• The Design Editor: This supplies a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) enhancing with a library of content material blocks you may drag into your emails

• The Code Editor: That is constructed for customers preferring working immediately with HTML, providing options like split-screen preview, syntax highlighting, and scroll-syncing

The platform supplies a template gallery you may browse, although the precise quantity isn’t publicly said.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s email builder stands out as one of many platform’s strongest options. The drag-and-drop interface allows you to add components like photographs, buttons, and textual content blocks with a single click on:

You get entry to 250+ professionally designed email templates throughout totally different classes, together with newsletters, promotions, and occasion invites:

Mailchimp’s AI-powered design device, Artistic Assistant, robotically generates solutions based mostly in your model colours and emblem. The platform additionally contains Content material Optimizer, a characteristic that analyzes your copy and suggests enhancements for higher engagement charges.

For ecommerce companies particularly, each platforms have limitations for product-focused content material. You possibly can’t simply add product suggestions or dynamic content material that pulls out of your retailer catalog.

Omnisend addresses this hole with 250+ templates designed particularly for on-line shops. These embrace built-in product pickers and dynamic low cost codes. You possibly can browse related templates in its library to see ecommerce-specific designs.

Verdict: Mailchimp delivers superior design instruments and template selection for advertising and marketing campaigns.

Advertising automation

SendGrid

SendGrid’s automation capabilities are centered on transactional triggers slightly than full-scale advertising and marketing workflows. Whereas purposeful, the visible interface has weak coloration distinction, which makes it obscure workflow construction at a look.

The platform additionally lacks conditional logic, branching paths, or behavioral triggers past record membership. Advertising automation is just accessible on the Superior plan, beginning at $60/month.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s Buyer Journey Builder allows non-technical customers to create visible workflows independently. You possibly can map out multi-step campaigns with branching logic based mostly on buyer conduct and engagement:

The platform contains 100+ prebuilt automation templates for widespread eventualities akin to welcome sequence, re-engagement campaigns, and birthday messages. You possibly can set off emails based mostly on signup date, buy conduct, web site exercise, and extra.

For on-line shops, each platforms present vital limitations in ecommerce-specific workflows. Neither affords workflows for browse abandonment, back-in-stock alerts, or post-purchase cross-sells.

Right here’s a SendGrid vs. Mailchimp automation comparability snapshot:

Omnisend was constructed with ecommerce automation as a core focus from the start. Pre-built workflows embrace welcome sequence, deserted cart restoration, browse abandonment, post-purchase follow-ups, and buyer winback campaigns.

These workflows robotically mix e-mail and SMS into unified sequences. 

Understanding marketing automation methods helps you enhance conversion charges. Additionally, implementing efficient email automation ways can streamline marketing campaign administration.

Verdict: Mailchimp affords considerably stronger automation options for advertising and marketing campaigns with visible workflows and conditional logic.

Segmentation and concentrating on

SendGrid

SendGrid supplies viewers segmentation based mostly on demographic and behavioral information you’ve collected. You possibly can create as much as 200 segments per person based mostly on standards akin to location, age, and customized fields.

Right here’s what the segmentation interface appears like:

Whereas versatile, the segmentation interface requires a average stage of technical familiarity to make use of successfully. Likewise, superior segments want configuration via customized fields.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s segmentation instruments supply higher depth and suppleness with out requiring technical experience. You possibly can construct segments utilizing nested situations on the Customary plan and above, combining a number of information factors with “and/or” logic.

Right here’s a take a look at the section builder interface on Mailchimp:

Pre-built section templates assist you to get began shortly with widespread standards like engagement stage or buy conduct. Segments replace in actual time as contacts meet or not meet your standards, robotically.

That stated, each platforms have limitations for ecommerce information with out vital customized work. Additionally, buyer lifecycle phases, akin to first-time patrons versus loyal repeat prospects, require guide setup.

Omnisend affords limitless segments constructed from 500+ information factors particular to ecommerce companies. You possibly can section by buyer lifetime worth, product classes bought, and predicted subsequent buy date.

The platform contains pre-built ecommerce segments for various lifecycle phases. Efficient email segmentation methods can considerably enhance marketing campaign efficiency for on-line shops.

Verdict: Mailchimp supplies extra refined segmentation choices out of the field with nested situations and predictive capabilities.

Electronic mail deliverability

SendGrid

SendGrid constructed its total popularity on deliverability, infrastructure, and reliability at scale. The platform processes greater than 148 billion emails every month and maintains 99.99% uptime.

You get devoted IP addresses with automated warm-up schedules on the Professional plan and above. Sender popularity monitoring supplies actionable insights when points come up in your campaigns.

The Knowledgeable Insights add-on supplies deliverability consulting from specialists who perceive ISP necessities.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp supplies customary deliverability options that work effectively for many companies with out technical complexity. You possibly can arrange authentication protocols with guided directions that stroll you thru every step.

The platform displays your sender popularity and alerts you to potential points, akin to excessive bounce charges or spam complaints. Nonetheless, its deliverability instruments are much less granular than SendGrid’s choices for technical customers.

Understanding the elements that have an effect on your inbox placement helps you make higher selections. Omnisend maintains excessive deliverability requirements via built-in authentication and compliance options, all dealt with robotically.

The platform manages technical setup whereas providing you with entry to efficiency information that issues. Studying about email deliverability finest practices helps preserve robust inbox placement charges.

Verdict: SendGrid wins for deliverability instruments and technical management that bulk e-mail senders want.

Reporting and analytics

SendGrid

SendGrid excels at real-time analytics targeted on supply metrics that technical groups care about most. You possibly can observe bounces, opens, clicks, and unsubscribes intimately. Right here’s what the dashboard interface appears like:

The platform supplies deliverability-specific stories like spam complaints, engagement over time, and ISP-level efficiency breakdowns. Knowledgeable Insights, accessible as a paid add-on, affords deeper evaluation and customized suggestions.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s e-mail analytics dashboard emphasizes advertising and marketing insights over technical supply metrics all through the platform. You get marketing campaign efficiency summaries with visible charts.

Income attribution connects e-mail campaigns to precise gross sales while you’ve built-in your ecommerce platform correctly. Comparative stories present how present campaigns carry out in opposition to previous efforts, serving to you establish developments.

On the Customary plan and above, customized stories allow you to prioritize metrics aligned together with your particular enterprise targets.

The dashboard additionally contains viewers analytics protecting contact development, subscription standing, and engagement conduct, all introduced in a clear, intuitive interface:

Verdict: Mailchimp delivers higher advertising and marketing insights and income attribution for marketing campaign efficiency evaluation. Nonetheless, SendGrid supplies superior deliverability analytics for technical groups.

Integrations

SendGrid

SendGrid takes a basically totally different strategy to integrations in comparison with conventional advertising and marketing platforms. It affords one formally supported native integration with Section, a buyer information platform.

Nonetheless, SendGrid’s power lies in its in depth API and webhook capabilities. You possibly can join SendGrid to exterior techniques via e-mail sending APIs, occasion webhooks, contact administration APIs, template APIs, and extra.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp affords 300+ prebuilt integrations throughout a broad vary of classes to satisfy various enterprise wants. You’ll discover connections for ecommerce platforms, social media networks, CRM techniques, accounting software program, and productiveness instruments.

Integration setup sometimes requires no coding data. The broader ecosystem makes Mailchimp extra accessible for non-technical customers constructing a advertising and marketing stack.

Ecommerce platform integrations embrace Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. Whereas these connections cowl widespread use circumstances, they’re extra restricted in depth in comparison with platforms constructed particularly for ecommerce automation.

Omnisend supplies 160+ prebuilt integrations, with notably deep connections to ecommerce platforms, for on-line retailers. Native Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix integrations sync product information robotically in actual time.

You possibly can insert product suggestions, use buy conduct triggers, and entry buyer lifecycle information with out writing code or involving builders.

Verdict: Mailchimp wins on pre-built integration breadth and accessibility of pre-built integrations for non-technical customers who need fast connections. However SendGrid affords superior API flexibility and immense integration potential.

Buyer help

SendGrid

SendGrid supplies ticket-based help as the usual help channel for all paid plans. Chat and telephone help grow to be accessible solely on increased tiers, particularly the Professional and Premier plans.

Its data base is in depth however clearly geared towards technical customers acquainted with APIs, SMTP setups, and infrastructure-level e-mail supply. Group boards join you with different builders who’ve solved comparable issues earlier than.

Response instances range considerably by plan stage, with increased tiers receiving precedence therapy.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp affords 24/7 e-mail and chat help on all paid plans for troubleshooting and questions. Telephone help is restricted solely to Premium subscribers.

Free customers obtain 30 days of e-mail help after signing up, after which help is restricted to self-service choices like assist articles and video tutorials. The assistance middle supplies documentation for widespread duties and continuously requested questions.

Right here’s a SendGrid vs. Mailchimp help comparability snapshot throughout plans:

Each platforms restrict help entry based mostly in your subscription tier.

Omnisend takes a distinct strategy by offering award-winning 24/7 buyer help on all plans with no restrictions tied to your spend stage. You get entry to e-mail and chat help no matter your month-to-month cost quantity.

Response instances sometimes keep below two hours, even free of charge plan customers. The help staff is well-versed in ecommerce-specific challenges, akin to establishing abandoned-cart workflows or troubleshooting product suggestion blocks.

Verdict: Each SendGrid and Mailchimp rely closely on tier-based help fashions that restrict entry for lower-tier customers. Omnisend stands out by offering unrestricted 24/7 help to all prospects.

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp: Person opinions

Person opinions for SendGrid vs. Mailchimp throughout G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot supply perception into how every platform performs in day-to-day use.

What customers say about SendGrid

• G2: 4.0/5 (360 opinions)
• Capterra: 4.2/5 (749 opinions)
• Trustpilot: 1.2/5 (580 opinions)

Customers reward SendGrid’s wonderful deliverability infrastructure and well-documented API for builders. A president at a small enterprise on G2 famous that it “enormously will increase e-mail deliverability charges.”

Builders respect the simple integration course of with complete documentation.

Nonetheless, help high quality emerges as a frequent criticism. A number of customers report sluggish ticket response instances, with some ready days for vital points. A Trustpilot person complained that the service has deteriorated considerably, stating help doesn’t supply any “actual technical” options.

Moreover, account suspension insurance policies frustrate prospects once they obtain sudden blocks with out warning. Some paid customers skilled spam points on shared IPs.

What customers say about Mailchimp

• G2: 4.3/5 (12,876 opinions)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (17,519 opinions)
• Trustpilot: 2.8/5 (1,334 opinions)

Customers reward Mailchimp’s intuitive interface and drag-and-drop builder. A G2 analyst described it as an intuitive platform that helps customers perceive totally different buyer segments to complement e-mail flows and help broader enterprise methods.

The automation options additionally obtain robust marks for time-saving workflows.

Pricing turns into a ache level as lists develop. A number of customers complain that prices escalate shortly, making Mailchimp costly for rising companies.

Additionally, template flexibility frustrates customers who discover designs too inflexible for distinctive customization wants. Not solely that, a Trustpilot person said that “Buyer help is a joke” as a result of “it ends chat each jiffy with none decision.”

Who ought to select SendGrid

Select SendGrid in case you:

• Want dependable transactional e-mail infrastructure: For those who’re sending order confirmations, password resets, or transport notifications, SendGrid’s API-first strategy delivers messages constantly. The platform handles high-volume transactional sending with robust reliability and uptime ensures.
• Have developer sources and technical experience: SendGrid’s documentation and API integration allow you to embed e-mail performance immediately into your utility. SaaS corporations and engineering groups that require programmatic management over e-mail workflows will discover this strategy effectively aligned with their technical wants.
• Ship excessive volumes and wish deliverability management: For those who’re sending a whole bunch of 1000’s or thousands and thousands of emails month-to-month, SendGrid supplies devoted IPs and superior monitoring instruments. The platform provides you granular analytics on supply efficiency and detailed sender popularity administration.
• Don’t run an ecommerce enterprise: SendGrid isn’t constructed for on-line retailers who want advertising and marketing automation, product suggestions, abandoned-cart workflows, or built-in SMS campaigns. Ecommerce companies sometimes want platforms designed particularly for buyer journey necessities.

Who ought to select Mailchimp

Select Mailchimp in case you:

• Need user-friendly advertising and marketing instruments: Mailchimp’s intuitive drag-and-drop builder and pre-designed templates allow you to create skilled campaigns with out coding data or design expertise. Small companies and advertising and marketing learners can launch e-mail campaigns shortly with no steep studying curve.
• Want an all-in-one advertising and marketing platform: Mailchimp affords touchdown pages, social media administration, fundamental CRM performance, and web site constructing instruments in a single dashboard. This consolidated strategy works effectively for small groups managing a number of advertising and marketing channels with out switching between totally different platforms.
• Run newsletters or content-focused campaigns: Content material creators, bloggers, and publishers profit from Mailchimp’s template selection and scheduling options for normal publication distribution. The platform successfully manages audiences and tracks efficiency for content-driven e-mail methods.
• Don’t function an ecommerce retailer: Mailchimp works for normal advertising and marketing however lacks ecommerce-specific options like product suggestion blocks, browse abandonment triggers, and native buying cart integration. On-line retailers want platforms constructed particularly for product-based buyer journeys.

A greater different for ecommerce: Omnisend

Neither SendGrid nor Mailchimp was constructed with ecommerce companies in thoughts. SendGrid focuses on transactional e-mail infrastructure for builders, whereas Mailchimp serves normal small enterprise advertising and marketing wants.

For those who run a web based retailer, you want a platform designed particularly for ecommerce buyer journeys.

Omnisend supplies every thing ecommerce companies want on a single platform. The platform combines e-mail and SMS advertising and marketing with automation workflows constructed particularly for on-line retailers.

Ecommerce-specific options that matter

Omnisend integrates natively with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix, robotically syncing your product catalog, buyer information, and order historical past. You possibly can add product suggestions, scratch playing cards, and low cost codes immediately into emails utilizing the product picker.

Pre-built automation workflows deal with deserted cart restoration, browse abandonment, welcome sequence, post-purchase follow-ups, and winback campaigns proper out of the field. You’re not constructing these workflows from scratch or adapting normal advertising and marketing automation for ecommerce use circumstances.

The platform combines e-mail and SMS into unified workflows, enabling you to succeed in prospects on each channels from a single automation. Mailchimp requires a separate SMS add-on with restricted capabilities, whereas SendGrid doesn’t supply SMS in any respect.

Worth with out the premium price ticket

Omnisend prospects see a mean ROI of $79 for each greenback spent, one of many highest returns in ecommerce e-mail advertising and marketing. The free plan contains all ecommerce features with out synthetic limitations.

You get 24/7 buyer help on each plan, together with the free tier. This contrasts with SendGrid’s ticket-only help and Mailchimp’s tier-based restrictions.

Right here’s how Omnisend stacks up for ecommerce wants:

The platform is highly effective with out being clunky. You don’t want developer sources to create refined ecommerce campaigns. Transferring from Mailchimp or SendGrid is simple with migration support.

You possibly can discover Mailchimp alternatives or try the best email marketing apps for Shopify to see how platforms examine for ecommerce.

Our methodology

We performed hands-on testing of each SendGrid and Mailchimp to guage their options, usability, and efficiency for various enterprise wants. Our comparability course of included creating accounts, constructing e-mail campaigns, testing automation workflows, and analyzing deliverability throughout each platforms.

We evaluated pricing buildings throughout a number of tiers, from free tiers to enterprise, to grasp the true value of every platform as companies develop. This included analyzing hidden charges, tier-based characteristic restrictions, and add-on prices.

To enrich our hands-on testing, we analyzed verified person suggestions from G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot to seize real-world experiences past managed check eventualities.

We thought of suggestions from builders, entrepreneurs, small companies, and enterprise customers to seize various views on strengths and weaknesses.

We assessed every platform for various use circumstances, together with transactional e-mail, advertising and marketing campaigns, ecommerce automation, and normal enterprise communication.

For extra particulars on how we consider e-mail advertising and marketing platforms, see the process.

SendGrid vs. Mailchimp: Closing verdict

The SendGrid vs. Mailchimp debate comes right down to your particular enterprise wants and technical capabilities.

Select SendGrid for dependable transactional e-mail infrastructure with API integration. SaaS corporations and technical groups constructing e-mail performance into functions will discover SendGrid matches their necessities.

Select Mailchimp if you need a user-friendly e-mail advertising and marketing device with out technical complexity. The intuitive interface and all-in-one advertising and marketing options work effectively for small companies and advertising and marketing learners.

Select Omnisend in case you run an ecommerce enterprise. The platform affords pre-built workflows for deserted carts, product suggestions, and buyer journeys that SendGrid and Mailchimp can’t match.

With all ecommerce options on the free plan and 24/7 help, Omnisend delivers higher worth for on-line retailers.

FAQs