Read 2026-08-27
What Mailchimp’s terms say about renewal, cancellation and fees
3 clauses in Mailchimp’s published agreement have a price attached.
Every line below is quoted from their own page. None of it is unusual, and none of it is an accusation — most agreements read like this. The point is that a clause you signed knowingly costs you nothing, and the same clause unread costs you a renewal term.
Price increase on renewal
The renewal price is not the price you agreed. "Then-current" means whatever the list price is on the day it renews.
“Upon the expiration of the Trial Period, you will be charged on a monthly or annual basis, as applicable, at the then-current rate for the Paid Marketing Plan you have selected and your current contact tier until you cancel, change to a different paid monthly or annual marketing plan, or change to a Free Marketing Plan.”
What to do: Ask for a cap in writing — a fixed percentage or a fixed price for the next term.
Non-refundable fees
Money already paid does not come back if you leave early, even where the service stops.
“You will not be entitled to any refund or credit if your short code is disabled by a SMS Provider or mobile network operator for any reason.”
What to do: If you are prepaying a year, ask what happens to the unused portion on termination.
Binding arbitration / class waiver
Disputes are resolved outside court and often individually, which changes both the cost and the practicality of pursuing one.
“customer: You and Mailchimp agree that, except as provided below, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating in any way to the Service or this Agreement (a “Claim”) will be determined by binding arbitration or small claims court, instead of in courts of general jurisdiction.”
What to do: Note whether there is an opt-out, and whether it has a deadline from the signing date.
What this is not
Not legal advice, and no statement about whether any clause is valid or enforceable. It records what the published agreement says and when it was read.
Terms change, and a signed order form can differ from the public page — where they differ, yours governs. Read on 2026-08-27 from the source.
Run the same reading on your own agreement, free and without an account: FinePrintFlip. Paste a terms page and it returns the clauses with a price attached, quoted word for word.
How Mailchimp compares across 16 agreements →
KnightByrd Tech LLC · Privacy