Introduction: GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp — Two Marketing Giants with Very Different Strengths
When it comes to all-in-one marketing platforms, the battle of GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp is one of the most frequently debated topics among agencies, freelancers, and small business owners.
Both are powerful platforms—but they’re built for very different audiences and use cases:
- Mailchimp started as an email marketing tool and evolved into a simple, user-friendly marketing platform mainly for small businesses.
- GoHighLevel (GHL) is a full-stack marketing, CRM, and automation powerhouse designed primarily for digital marketing agencies, SaaS creators, and high-growth businesses.
If you are trying to choose between GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp for automation, CRM, funnels, email marketing, pipeline management, or white-label SaaS mode—you’re in the right place.
This in-depth comparison gives you expert-level insights backed by real-world experience using both platforms.
Table of Contents
GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp: Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | GoHighLevel | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | All-in-one CRM, funnels, automation, SaaS platform | Email marketing + basic automation |
| CRM | Advanced agency-grade CRM | Basic CRM |
| Automation | Full workflows, pipelines, triggers | Limited automation sequences |
| Funnels | Yes | No |
| Landing Pages | Yes | Yes, but limited |
| Email Marketing | Yes | Yes |
| SMS Marketing | Yes | No (third-party integrations required) |
| SaaS Mode | Yes (white label) | No |
| White Label | Yes | No |
| Pricing | Starts at $97/mo | Starts free, advanced features expensive |
| Best For | Agencies, SaaS builders, marketers | Small businesses, email marketers |
GoHighLevel Overview: What Makes It Unique?
GoHighLevel (often referred to simply as HighLevel) is built specifically for agencies, freelance marketers, and businesses that want automation + CRM + lead gen + SaaS capabilities in one platform.
What GoHighLevel Is Best Known For
- All-in-one sales & marketing automation
- Advanced CRM
- Unlimited funnels
- Email + SMS marketing
- Calendar booking
- Pipelines & workflows
- Reputation management
- White-label SaaS mode
- Client account management
- Agency-focused dashboard
GoHighLevel essentially replaces tools like:
- ClickFunnels
- ActiveCampaign
- Calendly
- Pipedrive
- Intercom
- WordPress (for landing pages)
- Kajabi
- ManyChat
- And even Zapier (in some cases)
Mailchimp Overview: Simple, Effective, and Email-Centric
Mailchimp began as an email marketing platform and expanded into a lightweight marketing suite.
Today, Mailchimp is best for:
- Small businesses
- Beginners
- Ecommerce stores
- Simple newsletters
- Basic customer journeys
- Affordability for small teams
Mailchimp is still email-first, though it now includes:
- Landing pages
- Basic automation
- Customer journeys
- Social media posting
- Simple CRM features
But it lacks deep automation, white-labeling, SMS marketing, and the advanced CRM tools that agencies typically need.
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Feature-by-Feature Comparison: GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp
1. CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
GoHighLevel CRM
GoHighLevel CRM is one of the strongest features of the platform. It includes:
- Lead tracking
- Pipeline management
- Opportunities & stages
- Task management
- Lead scoring
- Multi-channel communication (email, SMS, calls)
- Client accounts & permissions
GHL’s CRM is built for agencies managing many clients.
Mailchimp CRM
Mailchimp’s CRM is basic:
- Stores contacts
- Shows tags & segments
- Provides customer activity
- Basic contact scoring
Mailchimp’s CRM is not built for pipeline management or high-volume sales teams.
Winner: GoHighLevel CRM
(Perfect for agencies and sales-driven businesses.)
2. Automation & Workflows
GoHighLevel Automation
GoHighLevel automation is extremely advanced. You can build workflows that include:
- Email sequences
- SMS messages
- Phone call triggers
- Voicemail drops
- Tagging
- Pipeline automation
- Appointment booking
- Conditional logic
- Funnels
- Internal notifications
- AI follow-ups (new feature)
GoHighLevel automation replaces tools like:
- ActiveCampaign
- HubSpot workflows
- Zapier (for many tasks)
Mailchimp Automation
Mailchimp provides:
- Welcome sequences
- Abandoned cart automation
- Product recommendations
- Birthday emails
- Simple customer journey maps
These are good for ecommerce but limited for agencies or B2B.
Winner: GoHighLevel automation
(It’s not even close—GHL’s automation is enterprise-level.)
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3. Email Marketing
Mailchimp Email Marketing
Mailchimp shines here:
- Best-in-class email builder
- Great templates
- Easy campaign creation
- Strong deliverability
- Simple reporting
Mailchimp is ideal for newsletters and ecommerce email marketing.
GoHighLevel Email Marketing
GoHighLevel includes:
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Email templates
- A/B testing
- Workflow-based emails
Its email editor is improving but still not as advanced as Mailchimp’s.
Winner: Mailchimp
(If your main focus is email marketing, Mailchimp gets the edge.)
4. Funnels & Landing Pages
GoHighLevel Funnels
GHL includes a full funnel builder that replaces:
- ClickFunnels
- LeadPages
- Unbounce
You can build:
- Webinar funnels
- Lead gen funnels
- Sales funnels
- Membership funnels
- Booking funnels
Mailchimp Landing Pages
Mailchimp does have landing pages, but they are:
- Very basic
- Not funnel-friendly
- Not optimized for lead magnets
Mailchimp does not support funnel stages or upsells.
Winner: GoHighLevel
(Funnels are a core feature of GHL.)
5. SMS Marketing
GoHighLevel
Built-in SMS marketing using Twilio:
- 2-way SMS
- Automated texting
- SMS workflows
- Appointment reminders
- Pipeline triggers
Mailchimp
Mailchimp does not offer SMS marketing.
Winner: GoHighLevel by a landslide
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6. SaaS Mode & White Labeling
This category is where GoHighLevel completely dominates.
GoHighLevel SaaS Mode
GoHighLevel allows you to:
- White-label your own marketing software
- Sell subscriptions to clients
- Create your own SaaS packages
- Provide client accounts
- Create recurring revenue
- Offer white-labeled apps
This feature alone can turn an agency into a SaaS company.
Mailchimp SaaS Mode
Mailchimp does not have:
- White label
- Client accounts
- SaaS tools
- Agency tools beyond simple email management
Winner: GoHighLevel (Unmatched)
7. Integrations
GoHighLevel Integrations
- Integrates with Stripe, WhatsApp, Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Zapier, Make, and more
- API available
- Webhooks
- Phone & SMS integrations
Mailchimp Integrations
Mailchimp has 300+ integrations with:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Stripe
- Zapier
- Meta Ads
Winner: Depends
- Ecommerce → Mailchimp
- Agencies → GoHighLevel
8. Reporting & Analytics
GoHighLevel Reporting
Includes detailed reports for:
- Sales
- Funnels
- Pipelines
- Workflows
- SMS
- Ads
Mailchimp Reporting
Primarily email analytics:
- Open rates
- Click rates
- Conversions
- Ecommerce revenue
Winner: GoHighLevel
(For overall marketing analytics, not just email.)
GoHighLevel Pricing vs Mailchimp Pricing
GoHighLevel Pricing (2025)
- Starter Plan: $97/month
- Unlimited Plan: $297/month
- SaaS Mode Plan: $497/month
You can start a free trial here:
👉 https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=vinoth-62
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What you get:
- Unlimited funnels
- CRM
- Workflows
- Email + SMS
- Membership sites
- Booking system
- Pipelines
- AI features
- White label (SaaS plan)
GoHighLevel replaces $600–$2,000/month worth of other tools.
Mailchimp Pricing (2025)
Mailchimp pricing is based on number of contacts.
- Free plan (500 contacts)
- Essentials: $13–$350/month
- Standard: $20–$700/month
- Premium: $350–$1,500+ per month
Mailchimp gets progressively expensive as your contact list grows.
GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp: Pros & Cons
GoHighLevel Pros
- All-in-one platform
- Excellent CRM
- Advanced automation
- SMS + email in one place
- Funnels & membership sites
- White label SaaS mode
- Affordable for agencies
GoHighLevel Cons
- Email builder not as intuitive
- Learning curve for beginners
- Not as ecommerce-friendly
Mailchimp Pros
- Very easy to use
- Excellent email templates
- Great for newsletters
- Strong deliverability
- Ideal for small businesses
Mailchimp Cons
- Limited CRM
- No SMS
- No funnels
- No white label
- Automation limits
- Pricing becomes expensive at scale
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose GoHighLevel If You Are:
- A digital marketing agency
- A freelancer offering CRM/automation
- A business that wants to scale
- Someone who wants to sell SaaS
- A coach or consultant
- Anyone needing funnels + CRM + automations
GoHighLevel is the clear winner for agencies and automation-heavy businesses.
Choose Mailchimp If You Are:
- A small business sending newsletters
- A beginner who needs simplicity
- An ecommerce store wanting email marketing
- Someone not needing full automation or CRM
Mailchimp is perfect if you want simple and reliable email marketing.
FAQs: GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp
1. Is GoHighLevel better than Mailchimp?
Yes—for full marketing automation, CRM, funnels, SMS, and agency tools, GoHighLevel is significantly more powerful.
2. Can GoHighLevel replace Mailchimp?
Absolutely. GoHighLevel includes email marketing, automation, and CRM—replacing Mailchimp entirely.
3. Does Mailchimp have CRM?
Only basic CRM features. It is not suitable for agencies or advanced sales workflows.
4. Is GoHighLevel good for small business owners?
Yes, especially for service businesses that need a complete automation system.
5. Does GoHighLevel offer affiliate programs?
Yes—GoHighLevel affiliate program offers recurring commission for referrals.
6. Does GoHighLevel have a free trial?
Yes, you can start a free trial here:
👉 https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=vinoth-62
Get 30 Days Free Trial + Free Live Bootcamp to Launch HighLevel Together
Conclusion: GoHighLevel vs Mailchimp — The Final Verdict
After a detailed, expert-driven comparison, here’s the verdict:
✔ GoHighLevel wins for agencies, automation, CRM, funnels, and SaaS capabilities.
✔ Mailchimp wins for simple email marketing and beginners.
If you want an all-in-one marketing platform, the winner is clear:
👉 GoHighLevel is the better long-term choice for growth-focused businesses.
Start your free trial today:
👉 https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=vinoth-62
Get 30 Days Free Trial + Free Live Bootcamp to Launch HighLevel Together
