
A Comprehensive Guide to Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go Pricing
Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform used by businesses of all sizes. It offers a variety of pricing plans to accommodate different needs, including a “Pay As You Go” option. This pricing model can be a good choice for businesses that send email campaigns infrequently or have fluctuating email marketing needs. This guide provides a detailed overview of Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go pricing, covering its features, benefits, drawbacks, and how it compares to other Mailchimp plans.
Understanding Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go Plan
The Pay As You Go plan is a flexible option where you purchase email credits that you can use as needed. Instead of paying a recurring monthly fee, you only pay for the emails you send. This is different from Mailchimp’s monthly plans, which provide a set number of contacts and email sends each month.
The Pay As You Go plan offers the core features of Mailchimp, including:
- Email campaign creation and sending
- Automation (single-step automations)
- Basic reporting
- Access to Mailchimp’s marketing CRM
- Website builder (limited features)
It’s important to note that some advanced features, such as behavioral targeting, advanced segmentation, and multi-step automations, are not included in the Pay As You Go plan and are only available with Mailchimp’s higher-tiered monthly plans.
Who is the Pay As You Go Plan For?
The Pay As You Go plan is best suited for:
- Businesses with infrequent email marketing needs. If you only send emails a few times a month or less, the Pay As You Go plan can be more cost-effective than a monthly plan.
- Businesses with a small email list. If you have a small list and don’t need to send a large volume of emails each month, Pay As You Go can be a good option.
- Businesses that want to try out Mailchimp before committing to a monthly plan. The Pay As You Go plan allows you to explore Mailchimp’s features without a recurring financial commitment.
- Organizations with seasonal email marketing campaigns. For example, a business that runs promotions only during the holidays might find Pay As You Go more economical.
Benefits of Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go Pricing
There are several benefits to using Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go plan:
- Flexibility: You only pay for what you use, providing greater control over your email marketing budget.
- No monthly commitment: Avoid recurring fees when your email marketing needs are minimal.
- Access to core features: Enjoy essential email marketing tools without a monthly subscription.
- Cost-effective for infrequent senders: Save money compared to monthly plans if you send emails sporadically.
- Easy to scale up: Purchase additional credits as needed to accommodate growth in your email marketing efforts.
Potential Drawbacks of Pay As You Go
While the Pay As You Go plan offers several advantages, it also has some potential drawbacks:
* Higher cost per email: Compared to monthly plans, the cost per email can be higher with Pay As You Go, especially if you send emails frequently.
* Limited features: Access to advanced features like behavioral targeting and advanced automation is restricted.
* Credit expiration: Purchased credits may expire after a certain period, so it’s important to use them before they expire.
* Manual credit replenishment: You need to manually purchase credits when you run out, which can be inconvenient if you forget to do so before a campaign.
* Lack of predictability: Budgeting can be less predictable compared to a monthly plan with a fixed cost.
Understanding Mailchimp’s Email Credit System
Mailchimp uses an email credit system for its Pay As You Go plan. You purchase a specific number of email credits, and each time you send an email, credits are deducted from your account. The number of credits required for each email depends on the size of your audience.
The cost per credit decreases as you purchase larger credit bundles. Mailchimp typically offers different credit packages, such as 5,000 credits, 10,000 credits, and so on. The larger the package, the lower the price per credit.
It’s crucial to estimate your email sending volume accurately to choose the appropriate credit package. Overestimating may lead to unused credits, while underestimating may require frequent purchases, potentially increasing your overall cost.
How to Calculate the Cost of Sending Emails with Pay As You Go
Calculating the cost of sending emails with the Pay As You Go plan involves several steps:
1. Determine the number of subscribers you plan to email.
2. Estimate the number of emails you will send per month or within a specific timeframe.
3. Calculate the total number of emails you will need to send (number of subscribers * number of emails per month).
4. Determine the credit package that best matches your estimated email volume.
5. Calculate the cost per email based on the chosen credit package.
For example, let’s say you have 1,000 subscribers and plan to send one email per week, totaling four emails per month. This means you’ll need to send 4,000 emails per month. If Mailchimp offers a 5,000-credit package for $50, the cost per email would be $0.01.
Comparing Pay As You Go with Mailchimp’s Monthly Plans
Mailchimp offers several monthly plans in addition to the Pay As You Go option. These plans typically include a fixed number of contacts and email sends per month.
Here’s a brief comparison:
* **Free Plan:** Limited features, restricted to 500 contacts and 1,000 emails per month, Mailchimp branding.
* **Essentials Plan:** More features than the Free plan, allows up to 50,000 contacts (pricing varies based on contact number), increased sending limits, Mailchimp branding.
* **Standard Plan:** Includes advanced features like behavioral targeting and custom templates, allows up to 100,000 contacts (pricing varies based on contact number), no Mailchimp branding.
* **Premium Plan:** Offers the most comprehensive features, including phone support, advanced segmentation, and unlimited contacts (pricing varies based on contact number).
When deciding between Pay As You Go and a monthly plan, consider the following:
* **Email sending frequency:** If you send emails frequently, a monthly plan might be more cost-effective.
* **List size:** Monthly plans often provide better value for larger email lists.
* **Feature requirements:** If you need advanced features, a monthly plan is necessary.
* **Budget:** Compare the cost of Pay As You Go versus a monthly plan based on your estimated email sending volume.
Tips for Optimizing Your Use of Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go Plan
To maximize the benefits of Mailchimp’s Pay As You Go plan, consider the following tips:
* **Segment your audience:** Send targeted emails to specific segments of your audience to increase engagement and reduce the number of emails sent to uninterested subscribers.
* **Clean your email list regularly:** Remove inactive or unsubscribed email addresses to improve deliverability and avoid paying for emails sent to invalid addresses.
* **Optimize your email content:** Create compelling and engaging email content to encourage recipients to open and click through your emails.
* **Monitor your email performance:** Track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates to identify areas for improvement.
* **Plan your email campaigns in advance:** Develop a calendar of your email campaigns to ensure you send emails strategically and avoid impulsive sending.
How to Purchase and Manage Email Credits in Mailchimp
Purchasing and managing email credits in Mailchimp is a straightforward process:
1. Log in to your Mailchimp account.
2. Navigate to the “Account” settings.
3. Select “Billing” and then “Credits.”
4. Choose the credit package you want to purchase.
5. Enter your payment information and confirm the purchase.
Once you’ve purchased credits, you can track your remaining balance in the “Credits” section of your account. You can also set up low-balance alerts to receive notifications when your credit balance is running low.
Pay As You Go Expiration Policies
Mailchimp Pay As You Go credits do have expiration dates. These dates can vary based on the region you’re in and any promotional periods active when purchasing credits. It’s important to check the expiration policy at the time of purchase to ensure you can utilize your credits before they expire. Unused credits after the expiration date will be forfeited, so planning your sends strategically to use them is crucial.
Making the Right Choice for Your Email Marketing Needs
Choosing the right Mailchimp pricing plan depends on your specific needs and email marketing goals. The Pay As You Go plan can be a great option for businesses with infrequent email marketing needs or those who want to try out Mailchimp before committing to a monthly plan. However, if you send emails frequently or require advanced features, a monthly plan might be a better choice. Carefully evaluate your email marketing requirements and compare the costs and features of different plans to make an informed decision.