How Cardel and Mailchimp compare
Mailchimp is the name most small businesses say first. Templates, a drag-and-drop editor, segmentation, customer journeys, A/B testing, reporting, forms and landing pages, and integrations with nearly everything make it a dependable marketing hub. The AI tools and Intuit's ecosystem keep it moving.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own. Cardel is not a marketing suite; there is no A/B testing, send-time optimization, or ad integration.
Where they are different
Mailchimp pages capture leads. Cardel's site is where the audience lives: blog, Showcase, Shop, Videos, and Schedule pages with SEO and reader comments.
Mailchimp sends. Cardel sends and receives on your own domain and gathers replies, chat, and forms in a Messaging Center with AI Suggest.
Mailchimp has no shop or bookings. Cardel sells through Stripe and schedules with calendar sync.
Choose Mailchimp when you want a mature email marketing hub with integrations into everything else you use.
Choose Cardel when you want email as part of a site, audience, shop or bookings, and inbox on your domain in one place.
You are the Forgemaster. Cardel is your forge. What you build is yours.
Common questions
Is Cardel a Mailchimp alternative?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Mailchimp when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list below shows where the two overlap and where they part.
Can I use Cardel and Mailchimp together?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Mailchimp for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared to Mailchimp?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Mailchimp sets its own prices, so check their pricing page below for current plans.
How do I switch from Mailchimp to Cardel?
Choose Start for Free, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.
Compare features
What's on Cardel and Mailchimp
A check means that capability is available. Mailchimp is marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Custom domainUse your own domain with HTTPS. Cardel includes the DNS records for the site and for sending and receiving email.Use your own domain with HTTPS. Cardel includes the DNS records for the site and for sending and receiving email.Cardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Theme and fontsCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Brand kitCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
Public content
- BlogCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
- Shop pagesCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
Reach and quality
- SEOCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceGroups, tags, and import so you can organize contacts and bring in an existing list.Groups, tags, and import so you can organize contacts and bring in an existing list.Cardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Email templates and From addressesCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- AI Email Template BuilderCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Receive email on your domainSend and receive from your custom domain, not a shared Cardel address.Send and receive from your custom domain, not a shared Cardel address.Cardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
- Marketing emailsCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Campaign workflowsCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
Messaging
- Messaging CenterCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsSell on your Shop pages with Stripe. Cardel takes a 0.5% application fee on those card sales. Stripe's own processing fees still apply, and you keep the rest.Sell on your Shop pages with Stripe. Cardel takes a 0.5% application fee on those card sales. Stripe's own processing fees still apply, and you keep the rest.Cardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
- Scheduling and bookingsLink to external scheduling available on Starter.Cardel: IncludedMailchimp: Not included
Team
- Admin usersCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- Per-admin permissionsCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
- AI AssistantCardel: IncludedMailchimp: Included
Other
- A/B TestingCardel: Not includedMailchimp: Included
- Send-time optimizationCardel: Not includedMailchimp: Included
- AdsCardel: Not includedMailchimp: Included
- Revenue attribution reportingCardel: Not includedMailchimp: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Cardel or Mailchimp, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Cardel or Mailchimp may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Cardel vs Mailchimp pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Cardel
You don't pay until you publish
Build at no cost, then choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live.
Mailchimp
Current plans and prices
See what Mailchimp charges on their pricing page.
Forge your community
Choose Cardel
Looking for a Mailchimp alternative? Bring your work to a site of your own.
Compare Cardel
See how Cardel stacks up, or explore Mailchimp comparisons.
