Mailchimp is for businesses, not churches.
It’s made for customers, carts and campaigns. You have a Sunday, a calendar and a few hundred people who want to know what’s on this week.
Your list comes over in about five minutes. Keep Mailchimp until you’re sure.
You can tell who it was built for.
What you give up
Some churches should stay on Mailchimp. Here’s who.
Sections built for church.
Most weeks your newsletter has the same parts: an event, a sign-up and a welcome for guests. Butter has each one ready, with the date, place, map and sign-up button already in it. Fill in this week’s details and send.
Fall study sign-upsEight weeks in Philippians, starting the 14th.
Sign up
Worship NightAn hour of singing together.
Fri. Sept 5 · 7:00 PM
Main Hall
Register for Sept. 5
Your people are already in Planning Center.
Butter reads your People lists and your Calendar and Registrations events, so your list stays current without exporting a spreadsheet. Planning Center is the only integration we build, so when it changes something, we notice. Using Planning Center’s Mailchimp sync today? Here’s how the two compare.
FAQs
If yours isn’t here, email support@butterhq.com.
Do I have to cancel Mailchimp first?
No. Keep it running until you’re sure. Most churches run both for about a month.
Will my unsubscribes carry over?
Yes. Include them in your export and we’ll honor every one. After that, the Planning Center sync never adds back anyone who has opted out.
Can I keep our old newsletters?
Those stay in Mailchimp. Butter starts with your next one. Send us your last newsletter and we’ll rebuild it in Butter, so you don’t start from a blank page.
How long does the switch take?
About five minutes to move your list. Most churches send their first Butter newsletter the same day.
What if it doesn’t work out?
Cancel from your account any time. Your list is yours, and you can export it whenever you want.
Is Mailchimp free for churches?
Mailchimp’s free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 emails a month. A weekly newsletter to 250 people is about 1,000 emails a month, so most churches need a paid plan from the start. (Mailchimp’s pricing page, October 2026.)
Does Mailchimp give churches a nonprofit discount?
Mailchimp takes 15% off paid plans for verified 501(c)(3) organizations. Churches are tax-exempt automatically, and many never applied for an IRS determination letter. Check what Mailchimp will accept as proof before you count on the discount.
What does Butter cost?
From $20 a month for up to 500 contacts. Every plan includes unlimited sends and every feature. No nonprofit paperwork. See pricing.
Does Butter work with Planning Center?
Yes. It’s the only integration we build. Your People lists and your Calendar and Registrations events come straight across. If you use Planning Center’s Mailchimp sync today, here’s how the two compare.
Try it on this week’s newsletter.
Free for 14 days. Bring your list over in five minutes and keep Mailchimp until you’re sure.