MailChimp vs Sendy: What are the differences?

Introduction

MailChimp and Sendy are both popular email marketing platforms that offer a range of features and functionalities for businesses and individuals. While they share some similarities, there are key differences that set them apart. In this article, we will explore the main differences between MailChimp and Sendy.

1. Pricing and Cost: One of the significant differences between MailChimp and Sendy is their pricing structure. MailChimp offers a freemium model, allowing users to send a certain number of emails for free each month, with paid plans for larger volumes. On the other hand, Sendy is a self-hosted solution, which means you purchase a license and host it on your own server, eliminating the ongoing subscription costs. This makes Sendy more cost-effective in the long run, especially for larger email lists.

2. Integration and Plugins: MailChimp provides native integrations with various popular tools and platforms, allowing seamless connectivity and automation. They have well-documented APIs and offer a wide range of plugins for popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify, and more. In contrast, Sendy relies heavily on third-party plugins and does not provide as many native integrations. However, it offers a robust API that can be utilized for building custom integrations.

3. Email Deliverability: Deliverability of emails is a crucial factor in email marketing. MailChimp has a strong reputation for high deliverability rates, with dedicated teams working on maintaining good sender reputation, managing spam complaints, and optimizing email delivery. Sendy, being a self-hosted solution, is responsible for its own email deliverability, which means it may require additional configuration and server management to maintain good deliverability rates.

4. List Management and Segmentation: MailChimp offers advanced list management and segmentation options, allowing users to create highly targeted and personalized email campaigns. It provides pre-built segment options based on subscriber behavior, purchase history, and more. Sendy, while offering basic list management and segmentation features, lacks the advanced options provided by MailChimp. It may require additional manual effort to achieve similar segmentation capabilities.

5. Template and Design Options: MailChimp provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop email builder with a wide range of customizable templates, making it easy for users to create visually appealing emails without any coding knowledge. Sendy, on the other hand, provides a more basic email editor with limited template options. Customization and design capabilities of Sendy may require HTML and CSS coding skills.

6. Support and Documentation: MailChimp offers extensive documentation, video tutorials, and live chat support to assist users with their needs. They have a large and active user community, making it easy to find answers and solutions to common issues. Sendy, being a self-hosted solution, relies on a small team for support and documentation. While they offer email support, the response time may not be as fast or comprehensive as MailChimp's support.

In Summary, MailChimp and Sendy differ in terms of pricing and cost, integration and plugins, email deliverability, list management and segmentation capabilities, template and design options, as well as support and documentation. Businesses and individuals should consider these differences to choose the platform that best suits their specific needs and requirements.