Mailchimp's pricing changes in 2023-2025 pushed many creators to Kit (formerly ConvertKit). The good news: migration is straightforward. The bad: there are gotchas if you skip steps.
Why migrate (briefly)
- Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts in plan limits — pricing pain
- Kit's automation is more creator-friendly (sequences, tagging)
- Kit's deliverability scores higher in independent tests
- Built-in paid newsletter support
If those don't matter to you, stay. Migration takes 2-4 hours.
Step 1: Export from Mailchimp
Subscribers
1. Mailchimp dashboard → Audience → All contacts.
2. Export → choose CSV. Mailchimp emails you the file (within 5 min).
3. The CSV includes: email, name, tags, subscribe date, source, region.
Tags and segments
Mailchimp tags export with subscribers. Segments are queries — note their logic for re-creation in Kit.
Automations
Kit has no automation import. You'll need to recreate manually. Document each:
- Trigger (subscribe, tag added, etc.)
- Steps (email, wait, condition, action)
- Each email's subject + body
Use a screenshot tool to capture each automation flow before turning it off.
Step 2: Set up Kit
1. Sign up for Kit. Pick the Creator or Creator Pro plan based on your subscriber count.
2. Verify your sending domain (Settings → Email → Add domain). Add DKIM/SPF DNS records — usually 5-15 min for DNS to propagate.
3. Configure default sender name + reply-to.
Step 3: Import subscribers
1. Kit dashboard → Subscribers → Import.
2. Upload your Mailchimp CSV.
3. Map columns: email → email, first name → first name, tags → tags.
4. Set import as 'Active subscribers'. Don't import unsubscribed or bounced.
5. Confirm. Kit imports at ~10,000/hour for large lists.
Gotcha: Kit doesn't import history (open rates, click history). Engagement metrics start fresh.
Step 4: Recreate forms and landing pages
Mailchimp embedded forms break on import. In Kit:
1. Forms → Create form. Pick a template close to your old design.
2. Match field names (email, first name, custom fields).
3. Update form embed code on your website.
4. Test: subscribe with a test email, verify it lands in Kit and the welcome email fires.
Step 5: Recreate automations (sequences in Kit)
Kit calls automations 'sequences'. Recreate each Mailchimp automation:
1. Sequences → New sequence.
2. Add emails one-by-one, copy subject + body from Mailchimp screenshots.
3. Set delays (Mailchimp 'wait 2 days' = Kit step delay 2 days).
4. Set entry trigger via 'Visual Automations' → match Mailchimp's trigger.
5. Test by subscribing yourself — make sure the sequence fires correctly.
Step 6: Update sending domain SPF/DKIM
Kit provides new DKIM records. Add them BEFORE you start sending campaigns from Kit, otherwise emails may go to spam during the transition.
In DNS provider (Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.):
- Add Kit's DKIM TXT record (provided in Kit Settings → Email)
- Verify SPF includes Kit's sending domain
- DMARC policy stays the same
Step 7: Cutover
1. Stop sending from Mailchimp (don't delete account yet).
2. Send first campaign from Kit to a test segment (10% of list). Check deliverability.
3. If inbox rate is good (>90%), send to full list.
4. Watch unsubscribes for 1 week. A small spike (1-2x normal) is expected from people seeing 'new sender'.
Step 8: Cancel Mailchimp
After 30 days of stable Kit sending, cancel Mailchimp. Download a final CSV backup before canceling, just in case.
Common mistakes
- Importing unsubscribed/bounced — they'll mark you as spam. Don't.
- Forgetting DNS records — emails go to spam, you blame Kit when it's a config issue.
- Trying to import automations as JSON — there's no API for that. Always manual.
- Sending too fast on a new domain — warm up. 1,000 emails/day for 2 weeks before scaling.
Cost comparison
For a 10,000 subscriber list:
- Mailchimp Standard: $90/mo
- Kit Creator: $79/mo
- Mailchimp counts unsubs in your plan; Kit doesn't. Real savings closer to $30-50/mo as your unsub list grows.
Conclusion
Migration is mostly tedious, not hard. Block 4 hours, follow the steps, and you'll be on Kit by end of day. Compare Mailchimp vs Kit on our [comparison page](/compare/mailchimp-vs-kit) for a side-by-side feature breakdown.