--- title: "SmartyTap vs Mailchimp: email and SMS compared | Chargezen" description: "Compare Mailchimp and SmartyTap: free plan, email and SMS pricing, flows, and where Mailchimp leads, checked October 19, 2026." url: "https://chargezen.com/compare/mailchimp" lang: "en" updated: "2026-10-19" --- Canonical URL: https://chargezen.com/compare/mailchimp # Email and texts, without the SMS add-on. Mailchimp is email marketing for small businesses of every kind, with a free plan and SMS sold as an add-on after you apply. SmartyTap includes email and SMS credits in every plan, with replies, chat and calls in one inbox. 2,500 contacts. $20 a month. Self-serve software or help with setup and migration. ## Side by side See exactly what you get with each one. **Who each one is best for.** Choose Mailchimp if you want a free plan to start, a large template library, 300+ integrations, a transactional email API or predicted customer lifetime value, and you mostly send email. Choose SmartyTap if you want email and texts at one published price, with SMS credits included and replies, chat and calls in one inbox. **Checked October 19, 2026.** Mailchimp sells email first and adds SMS as a paid add-on you apply for, with credits that expire. SmartyTap includes email and SMS credits in every plan, so texts are part of the price you already pay. Mailchimp facts come from [Mailchimp marketing plans](https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/), [Mailchimp SMS pricing](https://mailchimp.com/pricing/sms-marketing/), [Mailchimp Transactional](https://mailchimp.com/features/transactional-email/), [Mailchimp customer lifetime value](https://mailchimp.com/features/customer-lifetime-value-and-purchase-likelihood/), [Mailchimp email templates](https://mailchimp.com/features/email-templates/) and [Mailchimp integrations](https://mailchimp.com/integrations/). “Not listed” means those pages didn’t name the feature when we checked, not that Mailchimp can’t do it. | Feature | Mailchimp | Chargezen | | --- | --- | --- | | Email marketing Campaigns and automations | Included | Included | | Text marketing SMS campaigns | Add-on from $20/mo, after an application | Credits included in every plan | | Free plan Start without paying | 250 contacts, 500 emails a month, no texts | Starter is $20/mo | | Email templates Ready-made designs | Over 130 templates | Your own saved templates and brand blocks | | Integrations Connected apps | 300+ listed | Fewer; Shopify built in | | Welcome, cart and win-back flows Messages that send themselves | Up to 200 flows on Standard and Premium | Included | | Signup forms and popups Grow your list | Included | Included | | Segments by purchase Send to the right people | Included | Also by subscription and loyalty | | Predicted customer lifetime value Groups customers by predicted value | Standard plan with a connected store | Not included | | Transactional email API Send order and password emails from your own code | Mailchimp Transactional add-on, from $20 per 25,000 emails | Order emails and texts, no sending API | | Phone support Talk to a person | Premium plan | Enterprise: Slack support and a guaranteed response time | | Inbox for replies, chat and calls Answer customers in one place | Not listed | Included | ## What you’d really pay Mailchimp prices email by plan and contacts, and sells texts separately. SmartyTap includes emails and SMS credits. ### Mailchimp Free $0, 250 contacts, 500 emails a month Essentials From $13/mo for the first 12 months Standard From $20/mo for the first 12 months Premium From $350/mo for the first 12 months SMS add-on $20/mo after approval; credits expire Estimated Annual Cost Depends on contacts + texts Prices shown are Mailchimp’s starting prices for the first 12 months; they rise with your contact count. SMS needs an approved application, MMS is only on Standard and Premium for US and Canada contacts, and unused SMS credits expire and don’t roll over. [Mailchimp marketing plans](https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/), checked October 19, 2026. ### Chargezen SmartyTap Pro, annual billing $1,990/yr Included each month 25,000 contacts, 250,000 emails, 2,500 text credits Texts 2,500 credits a month included, 2¢ per message part Inbox with chat and calls Included Annual Cost $1,990/year + usage SmartyTap Pro is $1,990 billed annually or $199/month, with 25,000 contacts, 250,000 emails and 2,500 text credits a month. Starter is $20/month with 2,500 contacts, 25,000 emails and 250 text credits. Compare the allowances with your expected usage. [Chargezen pricing](https://chargezen.com/pricing). ## Plan your move from Mailchimp Check your data, billing dates and launch plan before you switch. [Talk through your move](https://chargezen.com/contact-sales) * [See SmartyTap](https://chargezen.com/smartytap) 1. 01 ### Export your audience Export contacts and unsubscribes from Mailchimp as CSV files. 2. 02 ### Import and connect Import your contacts into SmartyTap and connect Shopify for customers and orders. 3. 03 ### Rebuild your flows Recreate welcome, abandoned checkout and win-back messages, and add texts to them. 4. 04 ### Go live Authenticate your sending domain, send your first campaign and answer replies from one inbox. ## Why brands switch to Chargezen ### Unified Platform Run AI agents, texts and email, upsells, creators and subscriptions from one place. ### AI-Powered AI agents answer customers, follow up and handle everyday busywork for your team. ### Clear Pricing See prices and usage costs, billed monthly or yearly. ## Ready to switch from Mailchimp? See the products, prices and setup help that fit your brand. [Get started](https://admin.chargezen.com/signup) ## Common questions ### What is the difference between Mailchimp and SmartyTap? Mailchimp sells email first and adds SMS as a paid add-on you apply for, with credits that expire. SmartyTap includes email and SMS credits in every plan, so texts are part of the price you already pay, and replies, chat and calls land in one inbox. ### How much does Mailchimp cost compared with SmartyTap? Mailchimp has a Free plan for 250 contacts and 500 emails a month; Essentials, Standard and Premium start at $13, $20 and $350 a month for the first 12 months and rise with contacts, and SMS is a $20-a-month add-on (checked October 19, 2026). SmartyTap Starter is $20 a month for 2,500 contacts, 25,000 emails and 250 SMS credits, and Pro is $199 a month or $1,990 a year for 25,000 contacts, 250,000 emails and 2,500 SMS credits. ### How does Mailchimp SMS work? Mailchimp says you can add SMS to any paid plan after you submit an SMS Marketing application and get approved; the Free plan can’t send texts, unused credits expire and don’t roll over, and MMS is only on Standard and Premium for US and Canada contacts (checked October 19, 2026). SmartyTap includes SMS credits in Starter and Pro, with texts at 2¢ per message part. ### Where is Mailchimp ahead of SmartyTap? Mailchimp has a free plan, over 130 email templates, 300+ integrations, a transactional email API (Mailchimp Transactional) and predicted customer lifetime value on Standard, plus phone support on Premium (checked October 19, 2026). SmartyTap has no free plan, no sending API and no predicted lifetime value. ### Can I move from Mailchimp to SmartyTap? Yes. Export your contacts and unsubscribes from Mailchimp, import the contacts into SmartyTap from a CSV file, connect Shopify, and rebuild your flows and templates. Chargezen Services can do the move for you.