Loops vs ConvertKit vs Mailchimp (2026 Comparison)

Email marketing for SaaS and creators. Loops is developer-first. ConvertKit is creator-first. Mailchimp is the legacy giant. Here's the 2026 comparison.

Quick Verdict

• Loops — Best for SaaS. Developer-friendly API. Built for product emails + marketing.
• ConvertKit — Best for creators. Newsletter-focused. Great automations.
• Mailchimp — Most features. Best for e-commerce. Complex and expensive.

Pricing

Subscribers	Loops	ConvertKit	Mailchimp
1,000	Free	Free	Free
5,000	$49/mo	$79/mo	$75/mo
10,000	$79/mo	$119/mo	$110/mo
25,000	$159/mo	$199/mo	$270/mo
50,000	$299/mo	$379/mo	$385/mo

Loops is cheapest at every tier. ConvertKit and Mailchimp are similar.

Key Differences

Loops — Built for SaaS

Loops combines transactional email (password resets, receipts) and marketing email (newsletters, drip campaigns) in one platform. Most tools separate these.

// Send a transactional email
await loops.sendTransactionalEmail({
  transactionalId: 'welcome-email',
  email: user.email,
  dataVariables: { name: user.name, plan: user.plan },
})

// Add to marketing audience
await loops.createContact({
  email: user.email,
  properties: { plan: 'pro', signupDate: new Date() },
})

ConvertKit — Built for Creators

ConvertKit excels at subscriber management, landing pages, and visual automation:

• Subscriber tagging and segmentation
• Visual automation builder
• Landing pages and forms
• Paid newsletter support
• Creator Network (cross-promotion)

Mailchimp — Built for Everything

Mailchimp has the most features but also the most complexity:

• Email campaigns with drag-and-drop editor
• E-commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce)
• Social media scheduling
• Website builder
• CRM features
• Advanced analytics and A/B testing

Features

Feature	Loops	ConvertKit	Mailchimp
API quality	✅ Best	✅ Good	✅ Good
Transactional email	✅ Built-in	❌	✅ (separate product)
Visual automations	✅	✅ Best	✅
Landing pages	❌	✅	✅
Forms/embeds	✅	✅	✅
A/B testing	✅	✅	✅ Best
Segmentation	✅	✅	✅ Best
E-commerce	❌	❌	✅ Best
Drag-and-drop editor	✅ Simple	✅	✅ Best
Deliverability	✅	✅ Best	⚠️ Variable
Webhooks	✅	✅	✅
Free tier	1K contacts	1K subs	500 contacts

Developer Experience

Loops

import { LoopsClient } from 'loops'

const loops = new LoopsClient(process.env.LOOPS_API_KEY)

// Create or update contact
await loops.createContact({ email, firstName, plan })

// Send event (triggers automations)
await loops.sendEvent({ email, eventName: 'subscription_upgraded' })

// Send campaign programmatically
// Use the dashboard for campaign creation, API for contact management

Clean, typed SDK. First-class API. Designed for developers integrating email into SaaS products.

ConvertKit

const response = await fetch('https://api.convertkit.com/v4/subscribers', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}` },
  body: JSON.stringify({ email_address: email, first_name: name }),
})

Decent API. Most work happens in the ConvertKit dashboard (visual automation builder, forms, landing pages).

Mailchimp

const mailchimp = require('@mailchimp/mailchimp_marketing')
mailchimp.setConfig({ apiKey, server: 'us1' })

await mailchimp.lists.addListMember('list_id', {
  email_address: email,
  status: 'subscribed',
  merge_fields: { FNAME: name },
})

Functional but complex. Mailchimp's API reflects its feature sprawl — many endpoints, many concepts.

Automations

Loops

Event-based automations. When a user does something in your app (signs up, upgrades, cancels), send targeted emails:

User signs up → Welcome sequence (5 emails over 14 days)
User upgrades → Onboarding sequence for Pro features
User inactive 7 days → Re-engagement email

ConvertKit

Visual automation builder with drag-and-drop:

Subscriber joins via Form A
  → Tag: "interested-in-course"
  → Wait 1 day
  → Send Email: "Here's what you'll learn"
  → If opened → Send Email: "Limited time offer"
  → If not opened → Send Email: "Last chance"

Most intuitive automation builder of the three.

Mailchimp

Customer journeys with advanced branching:

• If/then branching
• A/B split paths
• Time delays
• Conditional content

Most powerful but most complex to set up.

When to Use Each

Choose Loops When

• Building a SaaS product
• Need transactional + marketing in one tool
• Developer-first team
• Want clean API integration
• Budget-conscious (cheapest pricing)

Choose ConvertKit When

• You're a creator (blogger, YouTuber, podcaster)
• Need landing pages and forms
• Visual automation builder matters
• Want the Creator Network for growth
• Paid newsletter is a revenue stream

Choose Mailchimp When

• E-commerce business (Shopify/WooCommerce integration)
• Need the most advanced analytics and A/B testing
• Large team with marketing ops
• Need CRM + email in one platform
• Legacy integration requirements

FAQ

Can Loops replace Resend for transactional email?

Yes. Loops handles both transactional and marketing email. You don't need Resend if you use Loops.

Is ConvertKit good for SaaS?

Decent but not ideal. ConvertKit is designed for creators, not SaaS product teams. Loops is better for SaaS.

Why is Mailchimp's deliverability variable?

Mailchimp's free tier attracts spammers, which affects shared IP reputation. Paid plans with dedicated IPs have better deliverability.

Can I migrate between these?

Yes. Export subscribers as CSV, import to new platform. Automations need to be recreated manually.

Bottom Line

Loops for SaaS companies (cheapest, best API, transactional + marketing). ConvertKit for creators and newsletters (best automations, landing pages). Mailchimp for e-commerce (deepest integrations, most features). If you're building a SaaS in 2026, Loops is the modern choice.