HubSpot vs Mailchimp: Which Is Better for E-Commerce?

Introduction:

💬 If you’re running an online store, choosing the right marketing platform isn’t just a nice-to-have — it can make or break your revenue.

HubSpot and Mailchimp are two of the most recognized names in marketing automation. Both offer email marketing, customer management, and automation workflows, but their approach to e-commerce is very different.

• HubSpot is an all-in-one CRM and marketing suite — powerful, integrated, but often pricey.

• Mailchimp is a specialized email marketing tool that has expanded into light CRM and e-commerce automation — affordable and beginner-friendly.

In this guide, we’ll break down features, pricing, integrations, and real-world use cases, plus run side-by-side comparisons so you know which platform is better for your online store.

📐 Keep reading — by the end of this post, you’ll know exactly which tool to invest in for your e-commerce growth.

🎯 Why This Comparison Matters for E-Commerce Owners

If you’re selling online, you need more than just email blasts. You need:

• Automated cart abandonment sequences

• Personalized product recommendations

• Customer segmentation by behavior

• Integrated sales and marketing data

• A dashboard that gives you insights at a glance

HubSpot and Mailchimp both promise to deliver these, but the way they do it — and the cost — can be worlds apart. Choosing wrong can mean paying for features you never use or struggling with a system that can’t grow with your business.

This post isn’t just a feature checklist — it’s a decision-making guide. We’ll cover strengths, weaknesses, and the hidden factors most reviews skip.

🧠 Quick Feature Snapshot

Before we go deep, here’s the high-level difference:

✅ HubSpot for E-Commerce: The All-in-One Growth Engine

When people think of HubSpot, they think of a complete marketing, sales, and service platform. For e-commerce businesses, this means it’s not just about sending emails — it’s about tracking every single customer interaction from the first website visit to repeat purchases.

💬 Why HubSpot stands out:
HubSpot integrates marketing automation with a CRM, which means your email campaigns, customer data, and sales tracking are all in one system. This makes it easier to see how marketing actually impacts revenue.

🛠 Key Features for Online Stores

1. Advanced Automation Workflows

   • Trigger emails based on browsing behavior, abandoned carts, or specific purchase history.

   • Use if/then branching to create highly personalized sequences.

   • Integrates deeply with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce for real-time data.

2. CRM-Driven Personalization

   • Every contact in your database is linked to their purchase history, support tickets, and interactions.

   • Use dynamic email content — for example, recommend products based on last purchase.

3. E-Commerce Analytics

   • Track revenue by campaign directly in HubSpot’s dashboard.

   • See which email flows actually generate sales, not just opens.

4. Sales & Marketing Alignment

   • If you run B2B e-commerce, HubSpot allows your sales reps to follow up with high-value leads instantly.

We’ve previously covered AI-Powered Marketing and how platforms like HubSpot are starting to use AI to personalize offers in real time — a big deal for e-commerce conversion rates.

💰 Pricing for HubSpot E-Commerce Users

HubSpot’s biggest drawback is cost scaling. The Starter plan can be attractive for small lists, but as your contacts grow, pricing jumps significantly.

• Starter CRM Suite: ~$50/month (1,000 contacts)

• Marketing Hub Professional: ~$800/month (2,000 contacts) — this is where advanced automation and reporting kick in.

📐 If you know you’ll scale fast, calculate your 12-month cost projection now — it will make comparing HubSpot and Mailchimp much easier.

✅ Mailchimp for E-Commerce: Simplicity Meets Affordability

Mailchimp started as a straightforward email marketing service, but in recent years it has evolved into a multi-channel marketing platform — while still keeping things simple for small business owners. For e-commerce, it’s a great choice if you want quick setup, lower costs, and solid integrations without committing to an all-in-one CRM right away.

💬 Why Mailchimp works well for smaller online stores:
It has pre-built templates, a user-friendly interface, and an affordable pricing structure that doesn’t overwhelm beginners. If your focus is drip campaigns, seasonal promos, and newsletter engagement, Mailchimp delivers without steep learning curves.

🛠 Key Features for Online Stores

1. E-Commerce Store Integrations

   • Connects directly to Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, and more.

   • Syncs product lists, purchase data, and abandoned cart info.

2. Automated Email Journeys

   • Abandoned cart recovery emails that you can activate in minutes.

   • Post-purchase follow-ups for upsells and cross-sells.

3. Content Studio & Templates

   • Store all your brand assets — logos, colors, product photos — for consistent design.

   • Mobile-optimized templates make it easy to launch campaigns fast.

4. Basic CRM Capabilities

   • Tag subscribers based on interests or behavior, but it’s not as deep as HubSpot’s CRM.

If you’re exploring email tools beyond Mailchimp, our 10 Best Email Marketing Tools breakdown covers other affordable and powerful options worth testing.

💰 Pricing for Mailchimp E-Commerce Users

Mailchimp is generally cheaper than HubSpot — but also has limits in automation complexity.

• Free Plan: Up to 500 contacts & 1,000 sends/month.

• Essentials: Starts at $13/month (500 contacts).

• Standard: $20/month — includes better automation & analytics.

📐 If you’re unsure whether you need advanced features yet, start with Mailchimp’s free plan and measure your ROI for 2–3 months before committing to premium.

📊 HubSpot vs Mailchimp: Feature-by-Feature Comparison

To make this easier, here’s a clear comparison table for small business and e-commerce needs. This isn’t a “generic feature dump” — it’s based on actual differences that matter for online store owners deciding where to invest.

💡 Nerd Insight:
If your store is still early-stage and budget-conscious, Mailchimp’s simplicity and lower monthly cost win. But if you’re aiming for long-term growth with complex automation and deep customer insights, HubSpot is the investment that pays off in scaling.

For more software matchups like this, check out our How to Choose the Right Marketing Software for Your Business guide to see how these tools fit into a bigger marketing stack.

🧠 Choosing the Right Platform Based on Your E-Commerce Stage

Picking between HubSpot and Mailchimp isn’t about which one is “better” in a vacuum — it’s about which one fits your store’s current stage and goals. Let’s break it down:

1️⃣ Early-Stage Stores (0–500 customers)

If you’re just starting out, you likely need something:

• Affordable to run while you test your offers.

• Quick to set up without hiring a specialist.

• Flexible enough to design great-looking campaigns fast.

✅ Winner: Mailchimp – Its free tier and affordable paid plans let you send welcome emails, announce sales, and do abandoned cart follow-ups without burning cash. It’s perfect for focusing on learning your customers’ behavior without overcomplicating your workflow.

Think about the time you’ll save when your email automation is actually driving revenue while you focus on product and customer experience.

2️⃣ Growth Stage (500–5,000 customers)

When your store starts generating consistent sales, your needs shift toward:

• Better segmentation and personalization.

• Automated customer journeys for retention.

• Tracking customer value over time.

🔹 Recommendation: This is where either can work — Mailchimp for cost control, HubSpot for smarter automation and deeper analytics. If you can stretch your budget, HubSpot starts to shine here because its built-in CRM helps you connect marketing actions to revenue more clearly.

3️⃣ Scaling Stage (5,000+ customers)

Once you’re running multiple campaigns, selling across channels, and managing a large customer database, you’ll need:

• Multi-step automation with conditional logic.

• Attribution modeling to track revenue sources.

• Advanced reporting for marketing ROI.

🚀 Winner: HubSpot – The CRM integration, sales pipeline tracking, and multi-channel automation will save you from data silos and guesswork. While the price is higher, the value in operational efficiency and lifetime customer tracking pays back fast.

Always pick a tool that matches your current needs but has a path to grow with you. Switching platforms mid-growth is a pain — and often costs more than starting with the right fit.

If you’re unsure about when to upgrade your tools, our Best Software for Managing Your Content Calendar article also shows how to align your marketing tools with your business operations so nothing falls through the cracks.

🧠 Nerd Verdict

If your e-commerce business thrives on personalized customer journeys, advanced sales tracking, and all-in-one marketing + CRM integration, HubSpot delivers unmatched power — but at a premium. For brands operating on tighter budgets or just starting their online store, Mailchimp provides a lean, accessible solution with enough automation to drive meaningful sales.
The smartest approach is to choose based on where you are now and where you want to be in 12 months. Switching platforms later is possible, but selecting the right fit early saves time, migration headaches, and lost data.

💡 Nerd Tip: Many brands start with Mailchimp for cost efficiency and migrate to HubSpot when sales and subscriber volume justify the upgrade.

Already using one of these tools? Keep optimizing your deliverability by cleaning your email lists and personalizing your content.

❓ FAQ: Nerds Ask, We Answer

💬 Would You Bite?

If you had to choose today, would you go for HubSpot’s advanced all-in-one powerhouse or Mailchimp’s cost-effective simplicity?
Drop your choice below — and tell us why. 👇