Migration Playbook

How to Move from Mailchimp to GoHighLevel

By Marnix Geerkens. Updated 2026-05-28.

In short

Moving from Mailchimp to GoHighLevel takes one to two days. You export your audience as a CSV, import it into GoHighLevel with the correct tags, rebuild your automated email sequences as workflows, and recreate your signup forms. GoHighLevel Starter at $97 per month includes unlimited contacts and email sending within usage limits, replacing Mailchimp and adding a CRM, SMS, and funnels in one platform.

Time

4 to 8 hours

Difficulty

Beginner

Plan needed

GoHighLevel Starter ($97/mo) or higher

Before you start

A GoHighLevel account (start the 30-day free trial)
Mailchimp account with admin access
All Mailchimp audiences exported as CSV files
Documentation of all active automations (Customer Journeys) and their trigger conditions
List of all signup forms and where they are embedded on your site

Step-by-step migration

Step 1: Export your Mailchimp audience

In Mailchimp, go to Audience and then Manage Contacts. Click Export Audience. Choose to export all subscribed contacts and include all fields (first name, last name, email, phone, tags, and any custom merge fields). If you have multiple audiences, export each one separately.

Step 2: Document your automations (Customer Journeys)

Open each Mailchimp Customer Journey and write down the trigger, each step, the email content, and the delays between steps. Copy the subject lines and body copy into a separate document. This is your blueprint for rebuilding in GoHighLevel.

Step 3: Set up tags and custom fields in GoHighLevel

In GoHighLevel, go to Settings and then Custom Fields. Create fields that match your Mailchimp merge fields (such as Company or Phone). Create tags in Contacts that match your Mailchimp tags and audience names. Tags let you segment contacts the same way Mailchimp groups and segments do.

Step 4: Import your audience into GoHighLevel

Go to Contacts in GoHighLevel and click Import. Upload the Mailchimp CSV. Map each column to the correct GoHighLevel field (email, first name, last name, phone, tags). If you have multiple Mailchimp audiences, add a tag for each audience name during import so you can tell them apart.

Step 5: Set up your email sending domain

In GoHighLevel, go to Settings and Email Services. Add your sending domain and complete the DNS verification (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). This step is required for good deliverability. The DNS setup is similar to what Mailchimp requires for custom domains.

Step 6: Rebuild your automated sequences as workflows

In GoHighLevel, go to Automation and create a new workflow for each Mailchimp Customer Journey. Set the trigger to match the Mailchimp trigger (form submission, tag added, date-based, etc.). Add email actions with your copied content and the same wait delays. Publish the workflow when it is ready.

Step 7: Rebuild your campaign templates

In GoHighLevel, go to Email Marketing and create email templates for your regular broadcasts. Copy the design and content from your Mailchimp templates. GoHighLevel has a drag-and-drop email builder and an HTML editor for custom designs.

Step 8: Replace Mailchimp signup forms

In GoHighLevel, go to Sites and create a form for each Mailchimp signup form you have. Copy the embed code and replace the Mailchimp embed on your website. Form submissions will automatically trigger your GoHighLevel workflows and add contacts to the correct tag segment.

Step 9: Update any connected integrations

Check for Zapier zaps, WordPress plugins, or third-party tools that post data to Mailchimp. Update each one to send data to GoHighLevel instead. GoHighLevel has a native Zapier integration, an API, and webhook support for any tool Zapier does not cover.

Step 10: Test before cancelling Mailchimp

Submit a test lead through each new GoHighLevel form. Verify the contact appears with the correct tags, the first automation email arrives, and the workflow runs correctly. Send a test broadcast campaign to a seed address. Only cancel Mailchimp after all tests pass.

How to check the migration worked

Submit a test signup form and verify the contact appears in GoHighLevel with the correct tags.
Check that the first automation email arrives within 5 minutes and subsequent emails follow the correct delay.
Verify the total contact count in GoHighLevel matches the sum of all Mailchimp audience exports.
Send a test broadcast email to yourself and confirm it lands in the inbox with correct formatting.
Check open and click tracking is working in GoHighLevel by monitoring the email campaign stats.

Troubleshooting

Contacts are imported but tags are missing

Open the CSV in a spreadsheet and check the Tags column. Mailchimp exports tags in a single column separated by commas. Verify the column header is mapped to "Tags" during the GoHighLevel import step. Re-import with the corrected mapping if needed.

My email broadcasts are landing in spam

Check that your sending domain DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are all verified in GoHighLevel under Settings and Email Services. If you are sending to a cold list or re-engaging old contacts, warm up the sending domain by starting with small batches over the first two weeks.

Automation workflow is not triggering on form submit

Open the form in GoHighLevel Sites and check the form settings. Under "Actions on Submit", verify the correct workflow is selected. If the workflow was not published when you connected the form, disconnect and reconnect it after publishing.

Merge fields (like FNAME) are not populating in emails

GoHighLevel uses a different variable syntax than Mailchimp. Replace Mailchimp merge tags like {{FNAME}} with GoHighLevel custom values like {{contact.first_name}} in your email templates. Check the GoHighLevel variable reference in the email builder.

Frequently asked questions

Can GoHighLevel replace Mailchimp?

Yes. GoHighLevel covers email marketing, audience segmentation, automated sequences, and broadcast campaigns. It also adds a CRM, SMS marketing, funnels, and calendars that Mailchimp does not have.

How do I export my Mailchimp list?

In Mailchimp, go to Audience, then Manage Contacts, then Export Audience. Choose all subscribed contacts and export as a CSV. If you have multiple audiences, export each one separately.

Is GoHighLevel cheaper than Mailchimp?

It depends on list size. Mailchimp charges by contact count and can become expensive quickly. GoHighLevel is $97 per month flat for the Starter plan with unlimited contacts, plus usage-based charges for email sending. For lists of 10,000 or more, GoHighLevel is usually cheaper overall.

Will my subscribers stay opted in when I import them?

Yes, as long as you confirm opt-in during the import step. GoHighLevel asks you to confirm that these contacts gave valid consent. Only import contacts who are genuinely opted in under applicable anti-spam regulations.

Does GoHighLevel have a drag-and-drop email builder like Mailchimp?

Yes. GoHighLevel has a visual email builder with pre-built sections for images, text, buttons, and dividers. It also has an HTML editor if you prefer to work with code.

What happens to my Mailchimp automation history?

The automation run history stays in Mailchimp. Contacts who are mid-sequence in a Mailchimp Customer Journey will need to be manually re-enrolled in the equivalent GoHighLevel workflow, or you can let those sequences finish in Mailchimp before cancelling.