The current limits, from Mailchimp's own pages
Mailchimp's pricing-plans help article says the Free plan includes up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month, with a daily send limit of 250, one audience and one seat. [1] The marketing pricing page shows the same caps as Limit of 250 contacts and Max of 500/mo or 250/day, and lists marketing automation flows as not included on Free. [2]
Many older guides still quote larger free allowances. Use the figures on Mailchimp's current pages, recorded here on October 13, 2026, and recheck them before you plan around them.
Which contacts use up your 250
This is the detail that surprises people. Mailchimp says subscribed, unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts are all included in your contact count. Archived, cleaned and deleted contacts do not count toward the total or the price of a marketing plan. [1] A list of 180 subscribers with 90 old unsubscribes is therefore already over 250.
| Contact status | Counts toward the Free cap? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribed | Yes [1] | Keep; these are the people you mail |
| Unsubscribed | Yes [1] | Consider archiving after confirming you keep a suppression record |
| Non-subscribed (e.g. purchase-only contacts) | Yes [1] | Archive if you do not need them in Mailchimp |
| Cleaned (bounced) | No [1] | Leave as is |
| Archived or deleted | No [1] | Archive is reversible; deletion is not |
What happens when you go over
Mailchimp says that if you exceed the 250-contact limit on Free, a hold is placed on sending live and test emails until you upgrade to a paid plan or reduce your contact total. You can still work on emails and templates and collect and import new contacts. [1] A popular signup form can therefore stop your next newsletter without warning if nobody watches the count.
If your sends are already on hold
Start with the cheapest fix. Archived contacts do not count toward the limit, and Mailchimp says you can lift the hold by reducing your contact total as well as by upgrading. [1] Sort the audience by status, archive non-subscribed contacts that came in from a store or form integration you do not market to, and decide what to do with old unsubscribes. Then check the count again before you try to send.
If you are still over 250 after archiving, the list has outgrown the free plan. You can buy the paid tier that fits, or move to another platform. Do not delete contacts just to get under the cap if you will need them later. Deletion is permanent, and archiving keeps the record.
Who should stay on Free, and who should leave
- Stay: under about 200 total contacts (including unsubscribes), one simple broadcast a month, no automation needed.
- Stay with care: near 250, but willing to archive unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts before each send.
- Leave or upgrade: you need an automated welcome series, since marketing automation flows are listed as not included on Free. [2]
- Leave or upgrade: you send weekly to more than 125 people, since 500 monthly sends will not cover four broadcasts.
- Compare first: Mailchimp displayed Essentials from $13 per month (shown with a /mo for 12 months label) on October 13, 2026. [2] Read what applies after the first 12 months before treating that as the ongoing price.
Compare the free alternatives on the same terms
MailerLite's pricing page lists its Free plan at up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails. [3] Its Free plan FAQ says the limits changed on June 16, 2026 and that sending, automations and adding subscribers pause above 250 subscribers. [4] The headline contact caps are now the same, so the deciding factors are monthly sends, automation access and how each tool counts contacts.
A five-minute audit before you decide
- Open your audience and note the counts by status.
- Archive non-subscribed contacts you do not need for marketing.
- Decide whether to archive unsubscribes; archived contacts do not count. [1]
- Multiply subscribed contacts by planned broadcasts per month and compare with 500.
- If you need automation or more volume, price a paid plan and a competitor for the same list size before moving.
Questions before you decide
Do unsubscribed contacts count toward the Mailchimp free limit?
Yes. Mailchimp says subscribed, unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts are included in the contact count, while archived, cleaned and deleted contacts are not.
What happens if I go over 250 contacts on Mailchimp Free?
Mailchimp says a hold is placed on sending live or test emails until you upgrade or reduce your contact total. You can still edit emails and templates and collect or import contacts during the hold.
Is the MailerLite free plan bigger?
MailerLite's pricing page lists Free at up to 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails, and its FAQ says it counts unique Active subscribers. The subscriber caps match; the monthly email allowance and counting rules differ.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Mailchimp Help: About Mailchimp pricing plans Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- Mailchimp marketing pricing Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- MailerLite pricing Accessed 13 Oct 2026
- MailerLite Help: Free plan update FAQ Accessed 13 Oct 2026
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