Aweber vs Mailchimp

Aweber and Mailchimp dominate the email marketing landscape. Mailchimp focuses on advanced optimization and powerful AI tools. Aweber stands out with simple setup and 24/7 personal support. This comparison helps you decide which platform is right for your growth stage.

Aweber
Aweber

Feature-rich, hampered by operational flaws.

Ciroapp review
2.7
#15 in Email marketing

We find AWeber provides a functional email marketing platform targeting small businesses with strong automation and AI tools. However, external feedback detailing unexpected billing practices and unannounced account suspensions raises significant concerns about user trust and service reliability. Overall, the reported operational and customer service drawbacks severely counteract the platform's solid feature set.

Pros

  • Access to 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email (as advertised).
  • Robust AI assistants available for drafting emails and refining subject lines.
  • Flexible pricing tiers starting low for 500 contacts, available with a free trial.
  • Unlimited features provided on the Plus plan, including automations and landing pages.

Cons

  • Numerous reports of 'sneaky billing,' including charging for unsubscribed or inactive lists.
  • Customer accounts or essential features often suspended without prior email notification.
  • Users report significant difficulty securing refunds, even when canceling during the trial period.
  • Arbitrary rejection of imported customer lists, leading to account suspension risks.
Pricing
$12.49/mo
Free trial14 days
Money-back
Best for
Solo entrepreneurs starting with email marketing, Businesses prioritizing 24/7 human customer support, Users needing free, hassle-free migration assistance
Mailchimp
Mailchimp

Industry-Leading Features, Unstable Support Network

Ciroapp review
3.7
#10 in Email marketing

We find Mailchimp offers an industry-leading suite of email marketing features, backed by strong automation and valuable AI tools for content optimization. Overall, the platform is an excellent choice for businesses needing robust design and testing capabilities, provided they anticipate potential friction with customer service and complex billing structures.

Pros

  • Intuitive UI and drag-and-drop builder simplify campaign design.
  • Powerful automation features help save significant time for marketers.
  • Valuable reporting tools offer insights and industry benchmarking.
  • Generative AI features help improve content, including subject lines.

Cons

  • Customer support is frequently cited as nonexistent, unhelpful, or slow to respond.
  • Billing practices are reported as predatory, with unexpected charges for slight overages.
  • Users often face technical access issues, especially with two-factor authentication.
  • The interface is sometimes described as clunky or difficult to navigate.
Pricing
$0/mo
Free trial14 days
Money-back
Best for
Growing businesses focused on maximizing ROI via optimization, Large teams needing sophisticated reporting and industry benchmarking, Organizations requiring tightly integrated e-commerce (Shopify) and segmentation
Quick verdict
Choose Aweber if you are a small business or creator who needs reliable 24/7 phone support and free migration services.
Choose Mailchimp if you need scale, advanced Generative AI tools, and sophisticated reporting with industry benchmarking metrics.

AboutAweber

AWeber is a dedicated email and automation solution created to support small businesses. Their goal is to provide powerful tools that help you grow at a fraction of the cost of other systems. The platform focuses on making it easy to grow your customer base and increase your total revenue. ✅

It offers ready-made, eye-catching landing pages and sign-up forms that you can effortlessly add to your website. If you're ready to sell directly, you can also set up your own online store in just minutes. This complete system is designed to take your business to the next level.

AboutMailchimp

Mailchimp is recognized as the leading platform focused on email marketing and advanced automations. It's built to help businesses boost income by mastering digital outreach. With over 11 million global users and 22 years of experience, it’s a trusted choice for selling more.

This robust platform is ideal for businesses seeking seamless conversion tools, including integrated SMS campaigns. You can start sending your first email risk-free, and you don't even need a credit card to begin. Users on Standard or Premium plans may access a personalized product tour to start confidently. 💡

Highlights

Quick winners by category at a glance.
Ease of Use
Both Aweber and Mailchimp have highly praised drag-and-drop builders. Users find both platforms intuitive and easy to use.
Tie
Feature Set
Mailchimp includes advanced tools like SMS marketing, complex segmentation, and role-based access. Aweber is comprehensive but lacks Mailchimp’s depth for enterprise features.
Value for Money
Aweber offers huge value by including 24/7 human support in most plans. Mailchimp's enhanced features justify its higher cost despite complex billing practices.
Tie
Customer Support
Aweber provides 24/7 in-house support via chat, phone, and email across all plans. Mailchimp reserves phone and priority support for its expensive Premium tier.
Integration Options
Aweber offers 750+ integrations, providing far broader connectivity options. Mailchimp focuses on 300+ but the quality of its key integrations is high.
Scalability
Mailchimp offers custom high-volume plans and sophisticated team controls like role-based access. Aweber is better suited for maintaining small to mid-sized lists.

Feature Comparison

Compare key features side by side
Free Plan Available
Aweber:
Mailchimp:
Tie
Max Contacts (Free Plan)
Aweber:Up to 1,000
Mailchimp:Up to 500
Mailchimp
24/7 Live Phone Support
Aweber:
Mailchimp:Premium Only
Tie
Generative AI Content/Subject Lines
Aweber:Included
Mailchimp:Included (Standard+)
Tie
Advanced Automation
Aweber:90% Built Automations
Mailchimp:Enhanced + AI Optimization
Tie
Industry Benchmarking Reports
Aweber:
Mailchimp:
Mailchimp
Free Migration Assistance
Aweber:Yes (Dedicated Team)
Mailchimp:Premium Only/Limited
Aweber
E-commerce Payment Processing
Aweber:Direct (Stripe, per-transaction fee)
Mailchimp:Via Integration (Shopify, etc.)
Tie
SMS Marketing
Aweber:
Mailchimp:Paid Add-on (Select Countries)
Mailchimp
Total Integrations
Aweber:750+
Mailchimp:300+
Aweber
Custom-Coded Email Templates
Aweber:
Mailchimp:
Mailchimp
Role-Based Access Control
Aweber:
Mailchimp:Yes (Premium, 5 Roles)
Mailchimp
Overage Policy
Aweber:Trial conversion to paid plan
Mailchimp:Automatic Overage Fees
Tie
Landing Page Builder
Aweber:
Mailchimp:
Tie
Personalized Onboarding
Aweber:Yes (1:1 setup call)
Mailchimp:Yes (Standard+ plans, up to 4 sessions)
Mailchimp
Advanced Segmentation
Aweber:Standard
Mailchimp:Advanced
Tie
Refunds for Billed Charges
Aweber:Not Detailed
Mailchimp:No
Aweber
Feature Comparison Summary
3
Aweber
8
Ties
6
Mailchimp

Features Overview

We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.

Customer Support

Aweber offers 24/7 phone support; Mailchimp reserves it for Premium customers.

Aweber

Aweber provides 24/7 support via phone, live chat, or email. Their in-house specialists help small businesses anytime. This level of accessible help is a major benefit for new marketers. Mailchimp provides 24/7 chat and email support on paid plans. However, dedicated Phone and Priority Support is restricted to the top-tier Premium plan. This difference is crucial if you rely on immediate phone assistance. Aweber makes high-touch support accessible to all paid users. If an issue halts your campaign, Aweber ensures a quick human response, unlike Mailchimp's tiered approach.

Pricing Clarity

Aweber uses fixed monthly tiers; Mailchimp uses complex usage-based pricing.

Aweber

Aweber offers simple, predictable fixed pricing based on features and list size. Trial plans convert to paid if usage limits are exceeded too quickly. This model helps small businesses budget predictably. Mailchimp is usage-based and calculated by contacts and email volume. Users frequently report being hit with unexpected, automatic overage charges. Mailchimp's complex billing practices are a frequent source of user frustration. Aweber offers a much clearer, less punitive system. If budget stability is highly important, the straightforward pricing structure of Aweber reduces financial surprises.

Advanced Automation

Mailchimp uses enhanced AI optimization; Aweber focuses on easy, pre-built campaigns.

Mailchimp

Aweber provides 90% built automations that users can quickly customize and activate. This makes launching basic sequences very fast for beginners. It focuses on simplicity and minimizing setup time. Mailchimp offers enhanced automations and optimization tools for conversions. The platform actively suggests ways to boost opens, clicks, and sales. Mailchimp wins on advanced optimization, testing, and sophistication. Aweber wins on speed and ease of getting started. Mailchimp is better for sophisticated marketers running complex segmented funnels and A/B testing extensively.

Generative AI Tools

Both platforms offer AI, but Mailchimp’s integration shows massive scale and usage.

Tie

Aweber includes an AI writing assistant and subject line tool to save hours. This helps creators maximize engagement effortlessly. The AI assists in crafting compelling content. Mailchimp offers generative AI features on Standard and Premium plans. Users have already sent over 3.1 billion emails using this AI tool. This shows high adoption and reliability. While both offer AI, Mailchimp integrates generative features for rapid, high-volume content creation. This supports larger scale operations better. For marketers sending massive volumes of emails daily, Mailchimp’s AI tools accelerate content production significantly.

E-commerce Focus

Aweber is direct payment processing; Mailchimp is seamless integration focus.

Mailchimp

Aweber allows users to process payments directly via Stripe through the platform. It accepts payments in 100+ currencies and handles subscriptions. Note there is a per-transaction fee applied. Mailchimp thrives on its 300+ integrations, especially deep syncing with Shopify. This brings sales data into marketing for advanced personalization. Mailchimp's focus is on data-driven selling. If you want a simple one-stop shop for selling with a transaction fee, use Aweber. If you need deep data synchronization, choose Mailchimp. Mailchimp is ideal for e-commerce stores requiring rich customer purchase history for refined segmentation.

Ecosystem Size

Aweber offers 750+ integrations; Mailchimp offers 300+ reliable connections.

Aweber

Aweber boasts a massive library of over 750 integrations with various third-party tools. This provides immense flexibility for small ecosystems. You can connect almost anything available. Mailchimp focuses on key integrations, offering over 300 reliable, deep connections. These include crucial tools like Shopify, Canva, and Google Analytics. Aweber offers greater breadth for niche tools and applications. Mailchimp prioritizes deep synchronization with critical business platforms. Aweber provides more options, potentially useful for specialized creators needing specific connectors not found in Mailchimp’s focused list.

Migration Services

Aweber offers free migration help; Mailchimp charges or limits specialized onboarding.

Aweber

Aweber offers free migrations and provides a dedicated team to assist your move. They minimize hassle and cost when switching providers. This is a massive time-saver. Mailchimp offers personalized onboarding for new users on Standard and Premium plans. Premium users get up to four sessions. Dedicated migration services may be limited. Migration is often the biggest pain point when switching providers. Aweber eliminates this barrier effectively for all new accounts. If you are currently juggling a massive contact list elsewhere, Aweber simplifies the entire painful process of moving.

Scalability & Teams

Mailchimp handles large scale and teams; Aweber focuses on individual creators.

Mailchimp

Aweber is primarily designed for simplicity for small teams and creators. Most plans offer roughly three user seats. It scales well feature-wise, but its support for large teams is undefined. Mailchimp features role-based access for large teams on the Premium plan. They handle custom plans for lists over 250,000 contacts. Mailchimp is the platform built to accommodate enterprise needs and rapid scaling. Aweber is better suited for maintaining smaller, manageable lists. If your business projects contacts scaling past 100,000, Mailchimp has the team infrastructure ready to support that volume.

Our Verdict

Objective guidance based on features, pricing, and user fit.

Choosing between Aweber and Mailchimp depends entirely on your needs and budget. For most small businesses, Aweber offers a safer, more supported entry point. It has a slightly lower rating, but users love the support. Mailchimp is the powerhouse for professional scaling. Aweber’s superpower is its accessible support and simplicity. You get 24/7 phone access and free migrations, which dramatically reduce setup friction. Aweber’s pricing is also much more predictable and fixed for easy budgeting. If you value personal support and ease-of-use above all else, choose Aweber. Mailchimp’s superpower is its depth of automation and unique advanced features. It has sophisticated AI tools and detailed industry benchmarking reports. Mailchimp assists large, scaling teams with role-based access and high-volume custom plans. This platform turns marketing data into serious, measurable ROI. The deciding factor is likely your tolerance for administrative pain versus feature power. Mailchimp has superior raw capabilities but its billing and support are commonly criticized. Aweber provides peace of mind with stellar support and clear costs, but fewer high-end tools. Choose Aweber if you are a solo entrepreneur or creator starting out who needs a helping hand. Choose Mailchimp if you are a scaling e-commerce business ready to leverage AI, deep reporting, and complex team structures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for small businesses: Aweber or Mailchimp?

Aweber is often better for small businesses and solo creators. It offers a larger free plan capacity (1,000 contacts) and free migration services. Crucially, Aweber includes 24/7 human support in all paid tiers.

Is Mailchimp worth the extra cost over Aweber?

Mailchimp is worth the cost if you need advanced features like SMS marketing and industry benchmarking. It provides superior tools for optimization and scaling. However, be aware Mailchimp uses complex usage-based billing.

Does Aweber have Generative AI features like Mailchimp?

Yes, Aweber includes an AI writing and subject line assistant to save time. Mailchimp also offers similar features. Mailchimp’s AI usage for content creation appears more widespread and adopted by users.

Which platform offers better customer support, Aweber or Mailchimp?

Aweber definitively offers more accessible support for most users. Aweber provides 24/7 phone, chat, and email support on all paid plans. Mailchimp reserves priority and phone support solely for its Premium users.

Which tool has more integrations, Aweber or Mailchimp?

Aweber has a much larger library, boasting over 750 integrations. Mailchimp offers fewer, listing over 300 reliable platforms. Aweber provides greater breadth; Mailchimp prioritizes deep synchronization.

Does Mailchimp offer free migration help like Aweber?

No, Aweber provides free migrations assisted by a dedicated team for all customers. Mailchimp limits specialized onboarding sessions to its Standard and Premium users. Migration is easier and free with Aweber.

Ready to Choose?

Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.