Choosing between GoHighLevel and MailChimp? Let’s cut through the noise.
MailChimp has been around forever, ruling the email marketing world.
GoHighLevel, on the other hand, is a marketing powerhouse—built to replace your entire tech stack, not just send emails.
If you’re just looking to send newsletters, MailChimp might be your guy. But if you want a system that captures leads, nurtures them, books calls, and automates the whole process—keep reading.
If you’re choosing between GoHighLevel and MailChimp, you’re likely asking:
Do I need a full marketing platform or just email marketing?
Which one gives me more automation, customization, and control?
Am I looking to scale my business or just send emails?
Here’s the deal:
MailChimp has been around forever, ruling the email marketing world.
GoHighLevel, on the other hand, is a marketing powerhouse—built to replace your entire tech stack, not just send emails.
So, let’s break it all down—features, pricing, usability—so you can decide which one is the better fit for you.
What is GoHighLevel?
GoHighLevel (aka GHL) is the Swiss Army knife of marketing platforms. It was built for agencies and businesses that want to do everything—without duct-taping 10 different tools together.
Here’s what GHL can handle:
- CRM & Pipeline Management – Keep track of leads, automate follow-ups, and never let a deal slip through the cracks.
- Funnels & Websites – Ditch ClickFunnels. Build landing pages, sales funnels, and entire websites in one place.
- Email & SMS Marketing – Automate messages, track responses, and close more deals.
- Reputation Management – Request, track, and respond to reviews in one dashboard.
- White Labeling – Brand GHL as your own SaaS and resell it (yes, really).
It’s designed for businesses that need a complete system, not just a newsletter tool.
What is MailChimp?
MailChimp started in 2001 as an affordable way for small businesses to send emails. Since then, it has added features like:
- Email Marketing – Send newsletters, promotions, and automated email sequences.
- SMS Campaigns – (Newer feature) Send texts to customers.
- Landing Pages & Forms – Build simple pages to capture leads.
- Audience Management – Segment and organize contacts.
- Automation – Set up basic workflows for follow-ups.
It’s great for companies that just want solid email marketing without all the extra bells and whistles.
📧 MailChimp Pricing: Watch Your Costs Pile Up
MailChimp has four pricing tiers—and the more contacts you have, the more you pay.
| Plan | Monthly Cost (for 500 Contacts) | Emails Included | Key Features |
| Free | $0 | 1,000/mo | Basic email & limited automation |
| Essentials | $120 | 5,000/mo | A/B testing, branding removal |
| Standard | $180 | 6,000/mo | AI features, custom-coded templates |
| Premium | $3,550 | 150,000/mo | Advanced segmentation, phone support |
💡 Key Considerations:
- Starts cheap, but gets expensive FAST—especially as you grow your list.
- Only email marketing—you still need separate tools for CRM, SMS, and automation.
- Limited contacts & email sends—once you hit your cap, you either pay more or cut down on emails.
🚨 The biggest issue? MailChimp’s pricing is a trap for scaling businesses. The more you grow, the more they charge you—without giving you more marketing tools.
🔥 GoHighLevel Pricing: Flat-Rate, Unlimited Growth
Unlike MailChimp, GoHighLevel keeps pricing simple and gives you everything you need upfront.
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Contacts & Emails | Best For | Key Features |
| Starter | $97 | Unlimited | Small businesses & solopreneurs | CRM, email, SMS, pipeline management |
| Unlimited | $297 | Unlimited | Agencies & businesses scaling up | Unlimited sub-accounts, white-label desktop app |
| SaaS Pro | $497 | Unlimited | Agencies selling HighLevel as a SaaS product | Full API access, rebilling, SaaS automation |
💡 Key Considerations:
- Unlimited contacts & emails—you’re never penalized for growing your list.
- Includes CRM, SMS, automation, funnels, appointment booking & more.
- Flat-rate pricing—your costs don’t increase as your business scales.
🚀 The biggest advantage? GoHighLevel replaces multiple tools—meaning you save $500–$1,000/month compared to stacking MailChimp with other platforms.
Email Marketing Showdown: Which One Wins?
📨 MailChimp Email Builder
There’s a reason why MailChimp is among the most used email marketing tools: it’s simple to use and easy to learn for anyone.
This costs at a cost. There’s not as much flexibility as you would have with other platforms. It’s automation is pretty simple and there are only a few templates available.
✔️ Simple & easy to use
✔️ Good for beginners
❌ Limited templates (only 6 free ones—most cost extra!)
❌ Not much design flexibility
❌ Basic automation (it’s there, but pretty restricted)
If you just want to send newsletters, MailChimp is fine. But if you need automation, segmentation, and customization, it’s limited.
📨 GoHighLevel Email Builder
GoHighLevel wants you to decide if you want complete freedom to decide if you want to craft the perfect email or if you want to use a custom template.
There’s a WIDE selection of templates available for you to choose from. Every one of them is 100% customizable.
If you prefer, the drag-and-drop editor is easy to learn and full of options for you to create your emails.
Keep in mind that it might take a bit longer to learn compared to MailChimp. But the drag-and-drop editor is user-friendly and easy lo tearn.
✔️ Drag-and-drop editor with full customization
✔️ Over 350+ built-in email templates
✔️ Advanced automation sequences (trigger-based emails, dynamic content)
✔️ Email + SMS + Voicemail Drops all in one workflow
✔️ A/B Testing & Smart Segmentation
If you want to create advanced email campaigns that integrate with funnels, SMS, and automation—HighLevel is the clear winner.
Integrations: Which Platform Plays Nicely with Others?
🔗 MailChimp Integrations
MailChimp offers 300+ integrations grouped in several groups such as:
- eCommerce (Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce)
- Analytics (Google Analytics, Email Heatmaps)
- CRM & Contact Management (Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho)
🔗 GoHighLevel Integrations
HighLevel has 350+ integrations and a custom API to connect with:
- WhatsApp & Twilio (for advanced texting)
- Google Calendar (for seamless appointment booking)
- Stripe & PayPal (for easy payment processing)
- Facebook & Google Ads (to sync leads automatically)
If you need deep CRM + automation integrations, GoHighLevel wins.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
At the end of the day, choosing between MailChimp and GoHighLevel comes down to what you actually need to grow your business.
If you’re just looking for a basic email marketing tool and don’t mind being nickel-and-dimed as your list grows, MailChimp is fine.
But if you want to scale smarter—with a system that automates lead nurturing, handles CRM, manages appointments, and drives real revenue—then GoHighLevel is the obvious choice.
Let’s put it in plain terms:
Choose MailChimp if…
✅ You ONLY need basic email marketing
✅ You’re just getting started and want a free plan
✅ You don’t need automation, CRM, or advanced segmentation
Choose GoHighLevel if…
✅ You want an all-in-one business system (email, CRM, funnels, automation, SMS, & more)
✅ You want more than just email marketing—you need full automation & lead management
✅ You run an agency or business that needs scalability
So, the real question isn’t “Which tool is better?”
It’s “How serious are you about building a scalable, automated business?”
🚀 Want to set up GoHighLevel the right way—without wasting weeks figuring it out?
👉 Visit HL Pro Tools to get expert setup, white-label support, and pre-built automation—so you can start seeing results immediately.
