Why do people love Mailchimp?

By Michela Owen, October 30, 2024, at 9:45 AM

Because it’s easy. Seriously, that’s it. Mailchimp is like the “easy button” of email marketing—perfect for anyone who just wants to get things done without a PhD in automation.

As Mailchimp Experts, we’ve seen how it simplifies marketing for small businesses, nonprofits, and solo entrepreneurs. But let’s be honest: Mailchimp isn’t going to blow your mind with advanced automation. If you’re looking for full-featured marketing magic, you’re probably better off with a platform like HubSpot (and yes, we’re Authorized HubSpot Providers, too). Let’s break down what makes Mailchimp so lovable—and where it might leave you wanting more.

Ease of use

Mailchimp feels like the marketing platform version of a good friend. It’s approachable, doesn’t make you feel dumb, and is always there when you need it. Whether you’re dragging and dropping elements into an email template or scheduling your first campaign, the process feels intuitive from start to finish. You don’t need a design background to create professional-looking emails, and the learning curve is basically flat.

And if you ever feel lost? Mailchimp’s templates, guides, and straightforward interface make sure you won’t stay that way for long. It’s designed to get you up and running without hours of tutorials or frantic Googling.

All-in-One Functionality (mostly)

Mailchimp wears a lot of hats. It’s your email platform, your basic automation tool, and even a mini-CRM if you squint hard enough. But, like that one friend who volunteers to organize the group camping trip and forgets the tents, it doesn’t do everything perfectly.

Yes, Mailchimp offers automation, but it’s basic at best. You can set up a welcome email or automate a few follow-ups, but if you’re looking for complex workflows or personalized customer journeys, you’ll quickly run into its limitations. That’s where HubSpot, with its powerful automation and segmentation tools, really shines.

Still, Mailchimp does enough for many small businesses. If your needs are straightforward, it covers the essentials.

Why simple wins every time

The secret to Mailchimp’s success isn’t that it tries to do everything—it’s that it makes the things it does easy. Small teams (or solo marketers) don’t have time for clunky dashboards or endless setup. Mailchimp gets out of your way so you can focus on the actual work of connecting with your audience.

Need to send a campaign? It’s a few clicks. Want to track performance? The reports are clear and easy to understand. The whole platform feels like a deep breath compared to more complicated tools.

Affordability and accessibility

Mailchimp’s pricing model is another reason it’s so popular. The free plan is a no-brainer for anyone just starting out, giving you enough functionality to grow your email list and try out campaigns. As your needs grow, the paid tiers offer more features without inducing sticker shock. It’s designed to grow with you—up to a point.

That point, however, is where businesses often realize they need something more robust. If you’re scaling quickly or looking for advanced marketing capabilities, the affordability of Mailchimp can start to feel more like a ceiling than a launching pad.

The verdict: easy, but not advanced

Mailchimp is perfect if you want to keep your email marketing simple and stress-free. It’s approachable, affordable, and gets the job done. But as much as we love Mailchimp (and we do), it’s not built to handle everything. For businesses needing powerful automation, detailed analytics, or comprehensive CRM features, platforms like HubSpot are the better choice.

Luckily, we can help you with both. Whether you’re sticking with Mailchimp or ready to level up to HubSpot, we’ve got the expertise to make your marketing work harder for you.

In the end, Mailchimp delivers exactly what it promises: simplicity and effectiveness. And sometimes, that’s all you really need.