Mailchimp vs ConvertKit vs Beehiiv: Best Email Marketing for Photographers & Videographers
Email remains crucial for photography and videography businesses. It's how you get leads, book shoots, and share your work. The right email platform makes a huge difference in how well your booking reminders land, how easy it is to automate client galleries, and what you pay as your client list grows. We'll compare Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and Beehiiv to help you choose the best tool for your photo or video business.
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The Quick Answer
Pick Mailchimp if your photography or videography business needs basic emails for sending out mini-session promotions or holiday discounts. It's good for standard campaigns and has a free option to start. Choose ConvertKit if you are a content creator selling Lightroom presets, online courses, or building a community around your lens work, needing smart automation to nurture leads and offer paid content. Go with Beehiiv if you want to run a photography or videography newsletter as your main way to attract high-end clients or sell digital products, with built-in tools to grow your audience and make money from it.
Side-by-Side Breakdown
Mailchimp offers a free plan up to 500 contacts, then costs $13-$350/month as your client list grows. It has a simple drag-and-drop builder for sending out things like holiday mini-session announcements or real estate listing updates. Its automation for booking follow-ups or post-shoot surveys is basic on free plans. ConvertKit is free up to 1,000 subscribers and costs $25-$599/month for larger lists. It uses tag-based automation, perfect for segmenting leads (e.g., "wedding lead," "family portrait lead") and building custom sequences to sell your presets or workshops. Beehiiv is free up to 2,500 subscribers, then $39-$99/month. It's built for newsletters, offering tools like built-in referral programs, a "boost network" to get new subscribers, and ad networks if you want to monetize your photography tips or location guides.
When to Choose Mailchimp
Choose Mailchimp if you run a local photography studio or provide basic event videography and just need to send simple emails. This includes batch-and-blast emails like "20% off fall family photos" or "New pricing for corporate headshots." You're not focused on complex lead nurturing, just simple promotions, announcements, or sending a quick "gallery ready" notification. It integrates well with basic booking systems or e-commerce stores if you sell prints directly.
When to Choose ConvertKit
Pick ConvertKit if you are a photographer or videographer building a brand around your content. This means you sell Lightroom presets, offer online editing courses, host photography workshops, or share behind-the-scenes video tips. You need to sort your subscribers by interest, like tagging "wedding lead" or "real estate agent," to send custom sequences. You also want to sell your digital products (like LUTs or custom print packages) directly through email and manage a community of fellow creators or clients.
When to Choose Beehiiv
Choose Beehiiv if your main way to get high-value clients or build authority is through a regular photography or videography newsletter. Maybe you send out "Weekly Wedding Photography Tips," "Best Drone Locations in [City]," or "Real Estate Photography Trends." You want powerful tools to grow this newsletter, like built-in referral programs for clients who share your content. You also aim to make money directly from your newsletter, either through paid tiers (e.g., "premium editing tutorials") or by running ads from local vendors, without needing extra tools.
The Verdict
For basic promotions and announcements for your local photo studio or event videography, Mailchimp is a reliable choice. If you're selling presets, courses, or building a brand around your creative content and need smart client segmentation, ConvertKit is your best bet. If you plan to make your photography or videography newsletter a key client funnel or revenue stream with growth tools, go with Beehiiv. Avoid Mailchimp if you need to build complex client journeys or sell digital products directly; it's not set up for the modern creative's workflow.
How to Get Started
Mailchimp: Sign up for the free plan, upload your past client list, and send your first "New Mini-Session Dates" campaign using one of their templates. ConvertKit: Start on the free plan, build a simple landing page to offer a "Free Wedding Shot List" to collect emails, and set up a three-email welcome sequence introducing your services. Beehiiv: Create your publication, design your "Photography Tips & Tricks" newsletter template, and set up a client referral program before you send your first issue.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
ConvertKit
Email marketing built for creators
Beehiiv
The newsletter platform built to grow
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Mailchimp's free plan worth using?
For a business just starting email marketing, yes. The free plan allows 500 contacts and 1,000 sends per month. The limitations (no automation on free, Mailchimp branding) become restrictive as you grow, but it is a valid starting point.
How does Beehiiv make money?
Beehiiv charges a monthly fee ($39-99) and takes a revenue share on ads booked through their ad network. They do not take a cut of paid subscriptions.
Can I move my list between platforms?
Yes. You can export subscribers as a CSV and import them to any platform. Some subscribers may need to reconfirm if GDPR compliance requires re-consent. Sequences and tags do not transfer and need to be rebuilt.