Mailchimp Free Plan
AI Platform Credits
Free forever email marketing plan with up to 500 contacts an
Who qualifies
Every condition below is taken from the vendor’s own published criteria. Read them before you spend an afternoon on the application.
Raised under $15M
Total funding must be below $15M at the time you apply. Vendors verify this against public funding records, so an unannounced round usually still counts.
Startups
The programme is aimed at startups. Vendors read this loosely, but expect to describe the company and what you are building on the application.
Free forever email marketing plan with up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends, perfect for small businesses and startups
About Mailchimp Free Plan
Quick answer
Free forever email marketing plan with up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends, perfect for small businesses and startups
Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform. The Free Plan offers perpetual access to core email marketing tools at zero cost, covering up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends. Ideal for founders bootstrapping customer communication without upfront spend.
Mailchimp Free Plan at a glance
Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform. The Free Plan offers perpetual access to core email marketing tools at zero cost, covering up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends. Ideal for founders bootstrapping customer communication without upfront spend.
- 500Max contacts
- 1,000Monthly email sends
- ForeverNo expiration
- $0Cost
The Mailchimp Free Plan offer explained
Mailchimp's Free Plan grants unlimited access to essential email marketing features at no cost, with no time limit. You can manage up to 500 contacts, send up to 1,000 emails per month, and use basic automation and reporting—perfect for early-stage validation. The plan includes Mailchimp branding in emails and limited integrations compared to paid tiers.
Heads up: credit programs change their terms and caps regularly — confirm the current offer on the application page before you plan around it.
Apply to Mailchimp Free PlanHow Mailchimp Free Plan compares
Here's how Mailchimp Free Plan stacks up against other AI/ML platform credits in the same category:
| Program | Headline offer | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp Free Plan | Free forever email marketing plan with up to 500 contacts an | This page |
| ElevenLabs Startup Grants | 33M voice AI characters free (~680 hours audio) — direct apply, no VC needed | AI Platform Credits |
| Pinecone Startup Program | Free Pinecone vector DB credits — Series A or earlier, under 100 employees, AI startups only | AI Platform Credits |
| Deepgram Startup Program | Up to $100K in speech AI API credits — STT, TTS, voice agents, diarization (pre-Series A, direct apply) | AI Platform Credits |
Who should apply — and who shouldn't
Apply if
- You're pre-revenue or bootstrapped and need email marketing without upfront cost.
- Your contact list is under 500 and you send fewer than 1,000 emails monthly.
- You want to test email campaigns and automation before investing in a paid tier.
- You're building a side project or MVP and need lightweight customer outreach.
Skip if
- You have more than 500 contacts or need to send more than 1,000 emails per month—you'll quickly outgrow the limits.
- You require advanced segmentation, A/B testing, or enterprise integrations; these are paid-tier only.
- You want to remove Mailchimp branding from emails; that requires a paid plan.
More AI Platform Credits
If Mailchimp Free Plan isn't the right fit, compare it against ElevenLabs Startup Grants, Pinecone Startup Program, Deepgram Startup Program, 0x JumpStart Program — or browse the full AI Platform Credits category.
What the credit covers
- Email campaign builder with drag-and-drop editor
- Pre-designed responsive templates
- Contact list management (up to 500)
- Signup forms and landing pages
- Basic automation and workflows
- A/B testing (limited)
- Open and click rate tracking
- Subscriber segmentation (basic)
- Integrations with Shopify, WordPress, Zapier
- Mobile-optimized email delivery
Programme tracks
What Mailchimp Free Plan publishes for each stage — confirm on the application, since credit programmes are re-cut more often than list pricing.
| Track | Value | Who it is for | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Forever | Up to 500 contacts · 1,000 monthly sends · Basic campaigns and automation · Templates and landing pages · Basic reporting · Mailchimp branding included |
| Standard (Paid) | Starts ~$20/month | Monthly or annual | Up to 50,000 contacts · Unlimited sends · Advanced automation · A/B testing · Branding removal · Priority support |
| Premium+ (Paid) | Starts ~$350/month | Monthly or annual | Unlimited contacts and sends · Advanced segmentation · Multivariate testing · Predictive analytics · Dedicated account manager · Custom integrations |
How to apply
4 steps. The last one is the part most people skip.
- 1
Open Mailchimp Free Plan through the link on this page
It carries our referral tag. The terms you get are identical either way, and it never changes what this page says about the programme.
- 2
Have the eligibility evidence ready
Applications are checked against 2 conditions — raised under $15m, startups. Incorporation date, cap table and a one-line description of what you are building cover most of it.
- 3
Ask for the expiry window in writing
Mailchimp Free Plan does not publish how long the credit runs, and unused balance is almost always forfeited. Get the activation and expiry dates confirmed before you plan around the grant.
- 4
Know the rate you land on when it runs out
Free forever email marketing plan with up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly email sends, perfect for small businesses and startups
Where this programme wins and loses
What works
- Truly free forever No expiration, no credit card required, no hidden fees or surprise charges.
- No approval process Sign up instantly; no sponsor, pitch, or eligibility review needed.
- Sufficient for early validation 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends cover most pre-launch and early-traction use cases.
- Built-in automation and templates Basic workflows, signup forms, landing pages, and pre-designed templates included.
- Reporting and analytics Track open rates, click rates, and subscriber behavior to measure campaign performance.
- Easy upgrade path Seamless transition to paid tiers (Standard, Premium, Plus) as you scale contacts or sends.
What doesn't
- Hard limits on scale Capped at 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends; exceeding either requires a paid plan.
- Mailchimp branding in emails Free plan emails include Mailchimp footer/branding; paid plans allow white-label removal.
- Limited integrations and advanced features Advanced segmentation, multivariate testing, and third-party integrations are paid-tier only.
The bottom line
The Free Plan is genuinely perpetual, requires no approval, and covers the essentials for early-stage customer communication. There's zero downside to claiming it immediately; you can upgrade later if you outgrow the contact or send limits.
Mailchimp Free Plan FAQ
The questions we actually get asked about this programme.
Ask us something elseAnyone—no stage, funding, or sponsor requirement. Sign up directly at mailchimp.com.
Forever. There's no expiration, credit window, or time limit. You can use it indefinitely as long as you stay within contact and send limits.
No. The Free Plan is self-serve; sign up instantly with no application or review process.
You'll need to upgrade to a paid plan (Standard, Premium, or Plus). Mailchimp will prompt you when you approach limits.
The Free Plan is standalone. Paid-tier discounts or startup programs may apply separately; contact Mailchimp sales for details.
Instant. Your account is live immediately after email verification; no waiting period.
