MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress vs Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress
1.0M+ active installs
Free
Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 86 reviews) while MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress leads in active installations (1.0M+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress has accumulated 73M+ total downloads while Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail has 701K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress | Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 1,492 | ◄ | 86 |
| Active Installs | 1.0M+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 73M+ | ◄ | 701K+ |
| Support Resolution | 89% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2015 | |
| Age | 13 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.6+ | 5.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 7.2+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.12.1 | 3.4.9 |
Rating Breakdown
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress
Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress averaged approximately 39,723 daily downloads while Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail averaged 73.
Recent Reviews
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress Reviews
Good but Limited
Works well for basic email setup & easy to connect with Mailchimp. UI is simple. But needs more flexibility in forms. Overall, a good plugin. tnx 👍
Simple Mailchimp Connect
Good plugin for connecting Mailchimp with WP. Setup was pretty easy and forms started collecting emails without much hassle. UI is clean too. A few more design options would be nice, but overall works
Just Started Using This API
I like it so far and will update this review as time goes on.
Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail Reviews
Easy to use and works great
Easy to use and works great. It is somewhat limited in how you can edit the templates, but with this you can at least make your templates look good with minimal effort.
Simple and powerful but missing several basic settings
Work’s out of the box and does its job well. But when you are an ambitious dev, this plugin is not for you. Seems yo can not add your own custom template files or write your own html code in
Very responsive, fast and to the point
I needed support in a situation where there were problems with the formatting of templates. I was answered very quickly and the next step was to provide a new version, that solved the problem immediat
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress or Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail more popular?
Which has better ratings — MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress or Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail?
Are MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress and Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.