How to Switch from Mailchimp: Migration Guide (2026)

TL;DR: Switching from Mailchimp takes about 30-60 minutes. Export your contacts as a CSV from Mailchimp's Audience section, clean up any outdated entries, then import to your new tool. For organizations wanting simplicity over complexity, Groupmail offers straightforward migration with human support to help if you get stuck. The hardest part isn't technical—it's deciding to make the move.

If you've been putting off leaving Mailchimp because the migration sounds complicated, you're not alone. Many church administrators, nonprofit staff, and school communicators stay with tools that no longer serve them simply because switching feels overwhelming.

Disclosure: We're the team behind Groupmail—simple email software for organizations since 1996. We'll be upfront about where we fit and honest about alternatives.

Why Organizations Are Leaving Mailchimp in 2026

The Mailchimp you signed up for years ago isn't the same platform today. Since Intuit acquired the company in 2021, the free plan has been systematically reduced. The current free tier limits you to just 250 contacts and 500 emails per month—barely enough for a small committee, let alone an organization.

Even more frustrating, Mailchimp discontinued automation on free plans in June 2025. Those welcome emails for new members? The thank-you messages after donations? Gone unless you pay. And when you do upgrade, Mailchimp now counts all contacts toward your limit—including people who've unsubscribed but remain in your system.

For PTAs with 400 families, churches with 600 members, or nonprofits with growing donor lists, the math doesn't work anymore. The platform that once made email simple has become complex, expensive, and frustrating.

💡 Tip: Before you export, take 10 minutes to review your contact list. Remove obviously outdated entries now—you'll have a cleaner start with your new tool.

Before You Start: What You'll Need

The migration process is straightforward, but a little preparation helps. Here's what to gather:

Your Mailchimp login credentials (you'll need admin or owner access to export). A spreadsheet program like Google Sheets or Excel to review your export. An account with your new email tool—Groupmail, MailerLite, or whichever platform you've chosen. About 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted time.

If you haven't chosen a new tool yet, our guide to Mailchimp free plan alternatives compares options for organizations. For churches specifically, see our best email software for churches roundup.

Step 1: Export Your Contacts from Mailchimp

Log into your Mailchimp account and navigate to Audience in the left sidebar. If you have multiple audiences, select the one you want to export using the dropdown menu.

Click "All Contacts" to see your complete list. Then look for "Export Audience" in the upper right area of the contact table. Click it, and Mailchimp will ask you to confirm. Select "Export CSV" to begin.

Mailchimp will prepare your export in the background—this can take a few minutes for larger lists. You'll receive an email when it's ready, or you can check the Export History section under Manage Audience.

Key Takeaway: Your export downloads as a ZIP file containing separate CSV files for subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and cleaned contacts. For migration purposes, you typically only need the subscribed contacts file.

Step 2: Review and Clean Your Contact List

Open the ZIP file and locate the "subscribed" CSV file. Open it in Google Sheets or Excel to review what you're working with.

Look for obvious problems: duplicate entries, clearly outdated email addresses (old work emails, defunct domains), and contacts you know have moved on. This is also a good time to check that names and other fields imported correctly.

Most organizations find 10-20% of their list is outdated. Cleaning now means you won't pay for contacts who'll never open your emails. It also improves your delivery rates with your new tool—email providers reward senders with engaged audiences.

If your list has custom fields (like "member type" or "graduation year"), note which ones you actually use. You'll want to recreate these in your new tool.

Step 3: Set Up Your New Email Tool

Create an account with your chosen platform. If you're moving to Groupmail, visit groupmail.io and sign up—no credit card required for the free tier.

Before importing contacts, take a few minutes to set up the basics: your organization name, reply-to email address, and physical mailing address (required by anti-spam laws). If your new tool offers custom fields, create the ones you identified in Step 2.

Most simple email tools can be set up in 10-15 minutes. If you're coming from Mailchimp's complex interface, you'll likely notice how much faster everything feels.

💡 Tip: Many tools, including Groupmail, offer human support during setup. If you get stuck, ask—real people can often solve problems faster than help articles.

Step 4: Import Your Contacts

Navigate to your new tool's contact import section. In most platforms, this is under Contacts or Audience. Look for "Import" or "Upload CSV."

Select your cleaned subscribed contacts CSV file. The import tool will ask you to map columns from your file to fields in the new system. "Email Address" is required; map "First Name" and "Last Name" if you have them. Skip any Mailchimp-specific columns you don't need.

Review the preview to confirm everything looks correct, then complete the import. Depending on your list size, this takes anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Step 5: Send a Test Newsletter

Don't skip this step. Before announcing anything to your full list, send a test email to yourself and one or two colleagues.

Create a simple message—it doesn't need to be elaborate. The goal is to verify that your sending address works correctly, your organization name displays properly, the unsubscribe link functions, and emails land in inboxes (not spam folders).

If you're using a new domain or sender address, TechSoup's email deliverability guide offers helpful tips for nonprofits establishing sender reputation.

Step 6: Update Your Signup Forms

Your old Mailchimp signup forms will continue collecting contacts—but those contacts will go to your abandoned Mailchimp account. Update these as soon as possible.

Check your website for embedded signup forms or links to Mailchimp-hosted pages. Replace them with signup forms from your new tool. Also update any automated systems that add contacts to your email list, like event registration or membership software.

If you have printed materials with QR codes or URLs pointing to Mailchimp forms, note them for your next print run. In the meantime, you can often redirect the old URLs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Importing unsubscribed contacts. Just because someone's in your Mailchimp export doesn't mean they want your emails. Only import contacts who actively subscribed—reimporting people who unsubscribed violates anti-spam laws and damages your sender reputation.

Keeping your Mailchimp account "just in case." If you're leaving, leave. Paying for two platforms wastes money, and forgotten Mailchimp accounts with old forms continue collecting contacts you'll never reach.

Overcomplicating your first send. Your members don't need a fancy template announcing your platform switch. A simple, well-written update is more effective than a complex design that took hours to build.

Waiting for the "perfect" time. There's no perfect time to migrate. The best time is before your next newsletter—and that's probably soon.

Not testing deliverability. Email providers treat new senders with extra scrutiny. Test thoroughly before important sends, and consider sending to smaller segments initially to warm up your new sender reputation.

Migration Checklist

Use this checklist to track your progress:

• Export contacts from Mailchimp (Audience → All Contacts → Export Audience)
•  Download and unzip the export file
•  Open the subscribed contacts CSV and review for quality
•  Remove outdated or duplicate entries
•  Create account with new email tool
•  Configure basic settings (organization name, reply address)
•  Import cleaned contact list
•  Map CSV columns to correct fields
•  Send test email to yourself
•  Verify test email deliverability
•  Update website signup forms
•  Check for other Mailchimp form links (event pages, social media bios)
•  Send your first real newsletter
•  Cancel or downgrade Mailchimp account

What If You Need Help?

Migration anxiety is real, but you don't have to figure everything out alone. Most email tools offer support during onboarding—some through chat, some through email, some (like Groupmail) through actual phone calls with real people.

TechSoup offers resources specifically for nonprofits navigating technology transitions. Their courses on email marketing cover best practices that apply regardless of which tool you choose.

If you're a church, school, or nonprofit considering Groupmail, our support team can walk you through the import process. We've helped thousands of organizations make this exact transition, and we know where people typically get stuck. See our pricing for nonprofits or check out our school newsletter templates if you want inspiration for your first send.

Ready to make the switch? Try Groupmail free—set up in 10 minutes, no credit card required. Built for organizations, not marketers.