As a Shopware user, you know how important it is to reach customers through effective email marketing. Two of the most prominent tools for email communication and marketing automation are Mailchimp and Brevo (formerly SendinBlue). Both platforms offer integrations for Shopware, but which one is better for your business? In this article, we compare the two solutions and evaluate them in terms of features, ease of use, pricing and performance.
1. overview: Mailchimp and Brevo
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is one of the best-known providers for email marketing. The platform offers a wide range of features, including email campaigns, automation, audience segmentation and many analytics tools. The Mailchimp integration in Shopware allows you to synchronize customer data directly with your Mailchimp account and create personalized marketing campaigns.
Brevo
Brevo has established itself as a strong competitor in the field of email marketing in recent years. In addition to emails, Brevo also offers SMS marketing, WhatsApp messages and CRM functions. The Brevo integration for Shopware allows customers, orders and product data to be synchronized in order to create automated and trigger-based campaigns.
2. installation and integration
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is integrated into Shopware via official plugins or third-party modules. The setup process is generally simple and well documented. However, there are some limitations regarding the data that can be synchronized – especially for custom fields or specific metadata.
Advantages:
- Broad support and good ecosystem.
- Large community with many tutorials.
Disadvantages:
- Some data can only be integrated via APIs and therefore require additional technical knowledge.
- Dependence on third-party plugins for older Shopware versions.
Brevo
Brevo also offers an official plugin for Shopware integration. The setup is intuitive and user-friendly, as many typical scenarios (e.g. welcome emails, shopping cart reminders) are already preconfigured. Synchronization is often more flexible, as Brevo aims to promote close integration with Shopware.
Advantages:
- Very simple installation and configuration.
- Better support for extended customer data such as purchase histories.
- Integration of SMS and other channels besides e-mail.
Disadvantages:
- Fewer third-party resources compared to Mailchimp.
3. functions in comparison
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is known for its powerful email campaign tools. Particularly noteworthy are the dynamic content, the ability to segment precise target groups and detailed performance reports. However, advanced features such as A/B testing are often only available in higher price ranges.
Strengths:
- Sophisticated market analysis tools.
- Extensive templates for e-mails.
- Integration of other tools such as Facebook and Google Ads.
Weaknesses:
- More email-centric, less versatile with other channels.
- Automation options somewhat limited.
Brevo
Brevo scores with a wider range of functions. In addition to email marketing, the platform offers multi-channel campaigns, an easy-to-integrate CRM and marketing automation. Particularly impressive is the ability to integrate SMS or WhatsApp into the communication, which supports the omnichannel approach.
Strengths:
- Multi-channel support (SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook).
- Free CRM use directly in the platform.
- Simple lead maintenance through workflows.
Weaknesses:
- Less flexible email design options compared to Mailchimp.
- Smaller selection of ready-made templates.
4. costs
Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers free entry, but this is very much limited to small companies (max. 500 contacts). The paid rates can quickly become expensive, especially with growing contact lists or if you want advanced automation.
Cost overview:
- Free of charge: Up to 500 contacts and limited functions.
- From ~13 €/month: Basic plan.
- From ~€22/month: Standard plan with advanced automation.
Brevo
Brevo has a particularly transparent cost model that is primarily based on the number of emails sent rather than the size of the contact list. This makes it cheaper for many companies, especially when they are growing.
Cost overview:
- Free of charge: Up to 300 e-mails/day.
- From ~20 €/month: Starter plan (up to 20,000 emails/month).
- Individual tariffs for large companies.
5. user-friendliness
Mailchimp
Mailchimp’s user interface is considered modern and clear, but can be overwhelming for beginners at first. In addition, advanced functions often require some training or programming knowledge.
Brevo
Brevo relies on an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Small and medium-sized companies in particular will appreciate the direct workflow and uncomplicated automation options.
Which integration is better suited for Shopware?
The choice between Mailchimp and Brevo depends heavily on the individual requirements of your company:
- Mailchimp is better suited to companies that want sophisticated email marketing campaigns with detailed analysis and reporting tools. The large ecosystem and support also make it attractive for technical projects.
- Brevo, on the other hand, is ideal for companies that need a simple, cost-effective solution and may also want to integrate other channels such as SMS or WhatsApp. Due to its flexible pricing and user-friendly integration, it is often the preferred choice for small to medium-sized stores.
In the end, the decision should be made based on your specific business needs and available budget. Ideally, you should try out both tools to find out which one suits your Shopware setup better.
