Mailchimp cut its free tier from 2,500 to 250 contacts and removed automations - third price hike in three years

Cumulative ~40% increase across three years. The free tier is now barely usable. If you're under 1,000 contacts, MailerLite has a real free tier (1,000 contacts, full automations) and ConvertKit's $0 plan covers most creator workflows. We're moving Mailchimp from Recommended to **Replace**: the product is fine, the pricing trajectory and erosion of the free tier mean nobody should pick this fresh in 2026.