Loops vs Mailchimp

Loops sends lifecycle and transactional email for SaaS products from product events. Mailchimp is a familiar email and SMS tool for small businesses. Pick Loops for software products and Mailchimp for general marketing email.

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The verdict Side by side Plans and pricing Who each is for Other options

The verdict

If you run a SaaS product and engineers can send events, I'd pick Loops. Onboarding that reacts to activation and cancellation, plus transactional email in the same place, is hard to build in Mailchimp.

If you are a small business with a newsletter, a shop or a simple drip sequence, pick Mailchimp. It is familiar, has many templates and connects to most tools.

The common mistake is picking Mailchimp for a software product and then fighting rigid branching and basic contact profiles. The opposite mistake is choosing Loops without clean events. Be honest about which data you really have before you decide.

What the data says

Both cover 4 of the 4 features we compared.
Both have a free plan, so you can try each before you pay.
Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
In our Email nurture ranking, Loops places 5 and Mailchimp 2 of 8.

Side by side

Loops and Mailchimp compared
8 points compared	Loops	Mailchimp
Starts at	$49/mo	€11.64/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
API	Yes	Yes
MCP server	Yes	Yes
Behaviour-triggered emails	Yes	Yes
Dynamic content blocks	Yes	Yes
Follow-up emails after a submission	Yes	Yes
Subscriber preference centre	Yes	Yes
Links	Visit	Visit

Plans and pricing

Loops

FreeFree forever for up to 1,000 subscribed contacts and 4,000 sends in any rolling 30 days, with Loops branding.Free
Early Stage PlanPaid, priced by subscribed contacts with unlimited sends, no branding and free team seats; entry price covers up to 5,000 contacts.$49/mo

Mailchimp

FreeFree plan for up to 250 contacts with limited features.Free
EssentialsStarting price per month for the smallest contact tier, with scheduling, testing and 3 audiences.€11.64/mo
StandardStarting price per month for the smallest contact tier, with 6,000 emails a month and enhanced automations.€17.91/mo
PremiumStarting price per month with unlimited contacts, 150,000 monthly emails and phone and priority support.€313.51/mo

Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.

Who each is for

Choose Loops if…

Pick Loops if you are a SaaS team where engineers send product events and marketers write the emails. You get workflows, campaigns and transactional email on one record, free team seats and an official MCP server, CLI and agent skills.

Its integration list covers Supabase, Stripe, Segment, PostHog and HubSpot, among others. The free plan has limits and a Loops footer. It is not for one-to-one sales outreach or for online shops, where a retail-focused tool fits better.

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Choose Mailchimp if…

Pick Mailchimp if you are a small or mid-sized business and nobody on the team is technical. You want a drag-and-drop editor, templates, SMS, forms and landing pages, and a recognisable tool you can set up in an afternoon.

Expect limits later. Branching automation is rigid, deeper automation and A/B testing sit on higher plans, and contact profiles are basic. Cost also grows with contacts. If sales needs deal tracking, you will pair it with a CRM.

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