kitio.aiMailchimp vs AlpacaRelay
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Mailchimp has the lower starting price: about $13 a month, against $19 for AlpacaRelay.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Email templates
- Customer journeys
- Intuit Assist AI
- Landing pages
- SMS marketing
- Email from a prompt
- Brand styles from your site
- Quality score
- Reusable sections
- MCP server
| Feature | Mailchimp | AlpacaRelay |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Email marketing and automation with Intuit Assist AI | Designs and writes on-brand marketing emails with a quality score |
| Category | Marketing | Marketing |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $13/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Intuit | Alpaca Relay |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Mailchimp has the lower starting price: about $13 a month, against $19 for AlpacaRelay.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Up to 250 contacts
- 500 sends/mo (250/day)
- 1 seat
Essentials
$13/mo
- Starting price, scales with contacts
- Sends up to 10x contacts
- 3 seats
Standard
$20/mo
- Starting price, scales with contacts
- Generative AI and enhanced automations
- Sends up to 12x contacts, 5 seats
Premium
$350/mo
- Starting price, scales with contacts
- Predictive segmentation
- Sends up to 15x contacts, unlimited seats
3 plans
Free
Free
- 10 AI credits per month
- 3 exports per month
- Basic templates
Plus
$19/mo
- 25 AI credits per month
- Unlimited exports
- No AlpacaRelay footer
Pro
$39/mo
- 25 AI credits per month
- Unlimited teammates
- Shared edit links
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Mailchimp
- Very well known and easy to start
- Many integrations
- Good templates
- Small free plan
- Price rises quickly with contacts
AlpacaRelay
- Picks up brand styling automatically
- Scores emails before export
- Free plan without a card
- Only 25 AI credits on paid plans
- Builds emails but doesn't send them
- Free plan adds a footer
Which one should you choose?
Choose Mailchimp if you want:
- Very well known and easy to start
- Many integrations
- Good templates
Watch out: small free plan.
Choose AlpacaRelay if you want:
- Picks up brand styling automatically
- Scores emails before export
- Free plan without a card
Watch out: only 25 ai credits on paid plans.
Mailchimp vs AlpacaRelay FAQ
What is the difference between Mailchimp and AlpacaRelay?
Mailchimp: Email marketing and automation with Intuit Assist AI. AlpacaRelay: Designs and writes on-brand marketing emails with a quality score. Both are marketing tools.
Is Mailchimp or AlpacaRelay cheaper?
Mailchimp has the lower starting price: about $13 a month, against $19 for AlpacaRelay.
Do Mailchimp and AlpacaRelay have free plans?
Mailchimp: Yes. AlpacaRelay: Yes.
Who makes Mailchimp?
Mailchimp is made by Intuit, based in United States.
Who makes AlpacaRelay?
AlpacaRelay is made by Alpaca Relay.
Which should I choose, Mailchimp or AlpacaRelay?
Choose Mailchimp if you value very well known and easy to start and many integrations. Choose AlpacaRelay if you value picks up brand styling automatically and scores emails before export.