HubSpot — HubSpot is a full-stack inbound marketing, sales, and CRM software. It works best for SMBs implementing inbound marketing for the first time and Sales teams needing a free CRM with email and pipeline tracking.
Mailchimp — Mailchimp is a popular email marketing and automation platform for small businesses. It works best for Small businesses starting with email marketing and Creators building newsletter audiences.
This comparison covers pricing, key strengths and limitations, and what each tool does best to help you choose the right fit for your workflow.
Quick Comparison
Feature
HubSpot
Mailchimp
Rating
4.6 / 5
4.3 / 5
Pricing Model
Freemium
Freemium
Starting Price
$20/mo
Free / $13/mo
Category
Marketing & Lead Generation
Marketing & Lead Generation
Free Plan
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
Pros & Cons
HubSpot
Pros
Free CRM includes contact management, pipeline tracking, email scheduling, meeting links, and live chat — meaningful functionality at no cost
Unified contact database across all Hubs eliminates sync issues between marketing campaigns and sales follow-up activities
Workflows automate marketing sequences, internal notifications, deal stage updates, and CRM property changes without code
HubSpot Academy provides free inbound marketing, sales, and product certifications recognized by thousands of hiring managers
Cons
Pricing escalates sharply at professional and enterprise tiers — meaningful automation and reporting require -3,600/mo plans
Marketing Hub contact-based pricing means costs grow with list size, not just feature usage — expensive for large databases
CMS tools are less flexible than standalone platforms; advanced site architecture often still requires supplementary tools or developer work
Mailchimp
Pros
Industry-leading deliverability reputation built over 20+ years with major ISPs
Drag-and-drop email builder with 100+ templates requires no HTML knowledge
Audience manager handles contacts, tags, segments, and purchase history in one view
Pre-built automation journeys for welcome, abandoned cart, and re-engagement campaigns
Cons
Pricing jumps sharply with list growth — 10K contacts costs $110/mo on Standard
Automation logic is less powerful than ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo at comparable price
HubSpot scores 4.6/5 vs Mailchimp's 4.3/5 in our editorial ratings, making it the higher-rated option overall. HubSpot is especially strong for SMBs implementing inbound marketing for the first time.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot or Mailchimp?+
Both tools offer free access. HubSpot is freemium. Paid plans start from $20/mo. Mailchimp is freemium. Paid plans start from Free / $13/mo.
What is the main difference between HubSpot and Mailchimp?+
HubSpot is a full-stack inbound marketing, sales, and CRM software. Mailchimp is a popular email marketing and automation platform for small businesses. The key distinction is focus: HubSpot is best suited for SMBs implementing inbound marketing for the first time, while Mailchimp works better for Small businesses starting with email marketing.
Verdict
Recommended choice
HubSpot
Based on our editorial ratings, HubSpot scores higher (4.6/5 vs 4.3/5). HubSpot is particularly well-suited for SMBs implementing inbound marketing for the first time. That said, Mailchimp remains a strong choice if small businesses starting with email marketing is your priority.