Mailchimp alternative for Shopify and WooCommerce: a newsletter that sells your products
Smartletter is a Mailchimp alternative for Shopify or WooCommerce store owners who want a newsletter written with AI. The free plan covers 500 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, versus 250 contacts and 500 sends/month on Mailchimp. The limit: connecting your store needs the Pro plan, at €49/month excl. VAT.
You run a store. You want a newsletter that sells. But Mailchimp's free plan stops at 250 contacts. And its entry prices are 12-month promos.
| Criteria | Smartletter | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | €0 (Free). Starter €19/month. Pro €49/month, with connected stores. Excl. VAT. | $0 (Free). Essentials from $13/month. Standard from $20/month. These are promo prices (50% off for 12 months) for 500 contacts. |
| Free plan | 500 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. Hard cap. | 250 contacts and 500 sends/month. |
| Quotas | Starter: 5,000 subscribers, 10,000 emails/month. Pro: 25,000 subscribers, 50,000 emails/month. Scale: 100,000 subscribers, 200,000 emails/month. Past that: €1 per 1,000 emails, never blocked. | Price depends on contact count. |
| Where emails are sent from | Sent through Amazon SES in Paris (eu-west-3). | Not checked for this comparison. |
| Key features | AI writing, Shopify and WooCommerce stores (Pro: 3, Scale: 10), selling your products, affiliate catalog, Mailchimp CSV import. | Active Shopify app. |
| Commission on your sales | 0% on your product sales and on your own affiliate links. | Not checked for this comparison. |
Sources: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/. Prices checked on Oct 17, 2026. Smartletter: prices in euros, excluding VAT. Mailchimp: prices in dollars, as on its site.
What you get
- A free plan with 500 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month, which means you test on a real list before you pay.
- Connected Shopify and WooCommerce stores (Pro), which means buyers who agree join your list on their own.
- AI writes a first draft from your site and your products, which means you start from a text, not a blank page.
- CSV import that reads the Mailchimp export, which means you switch tools without rebuilding your list.
The platform's deliverability stats are public and live. See the live stats
How long it takes to switch
- 01You export your audience from Mailchimp as a CSV.
- 02You import it into Smartletter. The Mailchimp columns are detected on their own.
- 03Each contact's engagement score (member rating) is taken into account.
- 04You confirm your subscribers gave their consent. Depending on the list, the import may go through a check before the first send.
Choose Mailchimp if…
- You already use Mailchimp and its Shopify app, and it all works.
- You want to connect your store for less than €49/month excl. VAT: with us, that needs the Pro plan.
Choose Smartletter if…
- You want a bigger free plan: 500 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month.
- You want AI to write the first draft from your products.
- You also sell affiliate links.
- You want your emails to go out from Paris.
FAQ
- What's a Mailchimp alternative for a Shopify store?
- Smartletter. You connect your Shopify store, and buyers who agree join your list. Store connection is in the Pro plan, at €49/month excl. VAT.
- Does Smartletter work with WooCommerce?
- Yes. The Pro plan connects up to 3 Shopify or WooCommerce stores. The Scale plan connects up to 10.
- Can I import my Mailchimp list?
- Yes. You import your Mailchimp CSV export as is. The columns are detected on their own.
- Is Smartletter free?
- Yes, up to 500 subscribers and 2,500 emails/month. Mailchimp Free stops at 250 contacts and 500 sends/month.
- Does Smartletter take a cut of my sales?
- No. Smartletter takes 0% of your product sales and of your own affiliate links. You pay your plan, plus extra emails if you go over your quota.
Your store has a list. Put it to work.
A newsletter written with AI, about your products.
Launch offer: the first 25 signups get 40% off paid plans, for life.