What the Mailchimp integration actually is
People searching for a Mailchimp and MailerLite integration usually want one of two things: to keep both tools in sync, or to move from one to the other. MailerLite offers the second. Its Mailchimp importer is built by MailerLite, described as free, and found under Subscribers, then Add subscribers, then the Import from Mailchimp tab.
It is not a continuous connection. After the first import you can run Sync again to pull updated data, but nothing flows back to Mailchimp and nothing moves by itself.
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See current MailerLite plans →What is imported and what is not
| Item | Imported? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers and their data | Yes | You choose which Mailchimp lists to bring. |
| Unsubscribed and unconfirmed contacts | Optional | They arrive in their own category, separate from active subscribers, and cannot be sent newsletters. |
| Tags | Yes | Each tag becomes a MailerLite group, or you can put everyone in one group. |
| Custom fields | Yes | Mapped automatically, with a manual option. |
| Segments on static fields | Yes | Recreated in MailerLite. |
| Behavioural, e-commerce and other advanced segments | No | Rebuild them with MailerLite conditions. |
| Email templates, automations, forms and landing pages | No | The guide walks through recreating each one in MailerLite. |
Bringing unsubscribed contacts across is the safer choice. It stops someone who opted out in Mailchimp from being re-added later through another import.
How duplicates are handled
If a contact already exists in MailerLite, the importer offers two behaviours. Update missing info only fills empty fields and leaves existing values alone. Overwrite all fields replaces what MailerLite holds with the Mailchimp values.
Choose the first when MailerLite already has newer data, for example because signup forms have been live there for a while. Choose the second when Mailchimp is still the accurate record. The import ends with a report, and MailerLite's listing says the import can be undone.
What to do before you send
- Authenticate your sending domain in MailerLite. The help guide tells you to do this before the final steps so your emails are delivered.
- Check that each Mailchimp tag became the group you expected, and merge groups you do not need. The difference is explained in groups versus segments.
- Rebuild the automations that matter first, usually the welcome sequence, and point your forms at MailerLite.
- Send the first campaign to your most engaged group rather than the whole list.
The broader checklist is in the MailerLite migration guide.
If you need both tools at once
Running both platforms in parallel for a short handover is reasonable. Keeping them permanently in sync is not something the importer does. That would need a connector workflow in each direction, and two systems both recording unsubscribes is easy to get wrong.
If you are still deciding whether to move at all, start with the MailerLite versus Mailchimp comparison.
Sources used for this page
Setup details come from the documentation below, read on 3 October 2026. We have not run these connections in a live account, so test with your own data before relying on them.
- MailerLite integration listing: Mailchimp importer — Merchant documentation · mailerlite.com · checked 2026-10-03
- MailerLite help: how to switch from Mailchimp — Merchant documentation · mailerlite.com · checked 2026-10-03