Migrate from Mailchimp to Listmonk: Self-Hosted Email

Mailchimp's pricing grows with your audience. The more successful your email marketing, the more you pay. Listmonk breaks this relationship by being free, self-hosted, and unlimited in contacts. Here is how to migrate.

Step 1: Deploy Listmonk

1. Deploy via Docker: Listmonk provides an official Docker image with PostgreSQL. A single docker-compose.yml file starts the application, the database, and the admin interface.
2. Configure your SMTP relay: Listmonk does not send email directly. It uses an SMTP relay. Set up Amazon SES (10 cents per 1,000 emails) or Mailgun (80 cents per 1,000 emails) and enter the SMTP credentials in Listmonk's settings.
3. Verify your sending domain: Add SPF and DKIM records to your domain's DNS. This is required for deliverability. Without it, your emails go to spam. Amazon SES and Mailgun both guide you through this process.

Step 2: Export from Mailchimp

1. Export your audience: In Mailchimp, go to Audience, All contacts, Export Audience. Download as CSV. This file contains every contact, their email, their subscription status, and any custom fields.
2. Export your templates: Mailchimp does not export templates in a reusable format. Screenshot your most important templates and recreate them in Listmonk's template editor. Listmonk supports HTML templates and a visual editor. The recreation takes an hour or two for a typical set of three to five templates.
3. Export your automation flows: Document your Mailchimp automations (welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase). Listmonk supports automation sequences. Rebuild them in Listmonk's automation builder.
4. Export campaign reports: Download your campaign performance data if you need historical records. Listmonk will generate new analytics going forward.

Step 3: Import into Listmonk

1. Create lists: In Listmonk, create lists matching your Mailchimp audience segments. A single import CSV can be split across multiple lists during import.
2. Import contacts: Listmonk, Subscribers, Import. Upload your Mailchimp CSV. Map the CSV columns to Listmonk fields. Listmonk automatically handles duplicates and unsubscribes.
3. Recreate templates: Build your email templates in Listmonk's editor. Test them by sending previews to yourself. Verify that images, links, and unsubscribe links work correctly.

Step 4: Rebuild Automations

1. Welcome series: Create a Listmonk automation that sends a series of emails to new subscribers. Set the delay between emails (one day, three days, seven days). Write the content or reuse your Mailchimp welcome series.
2. Campaign scheduling: Listmonk supports scheduled campaigns. Recreate your sending calendar. Time zone support ensures emails arrive at the right local time for your subscribers.
3. Transactional emails: If you use Mailchimp's transactional email service (Mandrill), set up Listmonk's transactional API. Update your application to send via Listmonk instead of Mailchimp.

Step 5: Switch and Verify

1. Send a test campaign: Send a campaign to a small test list first. Verify that emails arrive, look correct, and are not flagged as spam.
2. Monitor deliverability: Check bounce rates, spam complaint rates, and open rates for the first few campaigns. Listmonk's analytics dashboard shows all of this.
3. Keep Mailchimp for 30 days: Do not cancel immediately. Keep Mailchimp active for one month as a safety net. After you are confident Listmonk is working, export any remaining data and cancel Mailchimp.

The Cost Impact

Mailchimp Standard for 5,000 contacts: 75 US dollars per month, or 900 dollars per year. Listmonk plus Amazon SES for 10,000 emails per month: roughly 1 dollar per month in relay costs, plus your existing server infrastructure. The saving is 888 dollars per year. For 25,000 contacts, Mailchimp costs 200 dollars per month or 2,400 dollars per year. Listmonk stays at roughly 2.50 dollars per month in relay costs. The saving is 2,370 dollars per year.

VPS1 deploys Listmonk, configures SMTP delivery, and migrates your Mailchimp lists and automations. Your email marketing keeps working. Your costs drop by 90 percent.