How do I use n8n with Mailchimp?

Dev

To use n8n with Mailchimp, you can integrate the two by using the built-in Mailchimp node in n8n. This allows you to automate tasks like adding subscribers, updating lists, and sending campaigns. Here's a step-by-step guide:

✅ Prerequisites:

An n8n instance (cloud or self-hosted).
A Mailchimp account.
A Mailchimp API Key.

🔑 Step 1: Get Mailchimp API Key

Go to your Mailchimp dashboard.
Navigate to Account > Extras > API keys.
Create a new API key if you don’t have one.
Copy the key.

🔌 Step 2: Add Mailchimp Credentials in n8n

Open n8n.
Go to Credentials > New Credential.
Choose Mailchimp API.
Paste your API key and save it.

⚙️ Step 3: Create Your Workflow

Example: Add a new contact to Mailchimp when a form is submitted

Start with a trigger (e.g., Webhook, Gmail, or Form trigger).
Add a Mailchimp node.
- Operation: Add member
- Select the Mailchimp credential.
- Choose the List ID (audience).
- Set the fields (e.g., email, first name, last name).
Connect the trigger to the Mailchimp node.

🧪 Step 4: Test the Workflow

Execute the workflow manually or wait for the trigger.
Check your Mailchimp audience to see if the new subscriber was added.

💡 Example Use Cases

Add users to Mailchimp when they submit a Typeform or Google Form.
Send welcome emails when new contacts are added in Airtable or Google Sheets.
Sync CRM data (like HubSpot or Salesforce) with Mailchimp lists.

🛠️ Optional Nodes to Combine With Mailchimp:

HTTP Request Node: for more complex Mailchimp API operations not available in default node.
Set Node: to shape data before sending to Mailchimp.
If Node: to add logic like checking if email already exists.

Great! Let’s go with a practical example:

🎯 Goal: Add subscribers to Mailchimp when a user submits a form (via Webhook in n8n)

This example will:

Use a Webhook to collect data like name and email.
Add the contact to a specific Mailchimp audience/list.

🧱 Workflow Nodes Overview:

Webhook (trigger)
Set (format incoming data)
Mailchimp (add member to list)

🔧 Step-by-Step Instructions

🧩 1. Webhook Node

Trigger Type: POST
Set a name like add-mailchimp-subscriber
After saving, copy the Test URL (you’ll send a POST request here later)

🧩 2. Set Node

Add fields:
- email: {{$json["email"]}}
- first_name: {{$json["first_name"]}}
- last_name: {{$json["last_name"]}}

🧩 3. Mailchimp Node

Resource: Member
Operation: Add
Audience List: Choose your audience (required)
Email: Use the email field from the Set node
Under "Fields":
- First Name: first_name
- Last Name: last_name
Status: subscribed
Select your Mailchimp credentials.

🔁 JSON Sample of the Workflow

You can import this into n8n directly (replace your-list-id with your actual list ID):

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {
        "httpMethod": "POST",
        "path": "mailchimp-subscriber"
      },
      "id": "Webhook",
      "name": "Webhook",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [250, 300]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "fields": {
          "email": "={{$json[\"email\"]}}",
          "first_name": "={{$json[\"first_name\"]}}",
          "last_name": "={{$json[\"last_name\"]}}"
        }
      },
      "id": "Set",
      "name": "Set Data",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [500, 300]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {
        "resource": "member",
        "operation": "add",
        "listId": "your-list-id",
        "email": "={{$json[\"email\"]}}",
        "status": "subscribed",
        "mergeFields": {
          "FNAME": "={{$json[\"first_name\"]}}",
          "LNAME": "={{$json[\"last_name\"]}}"
        }
      },
      "id": "Mailchimp",
      "name": "Add to Mailchimp",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.mailchimp",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [750, 300],
      "credentials": {
        "mailchimpApi": {
          "id": "your-credential-id",
          "name": "Mailchimp API"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {
    "Webhook": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Set Data",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Set Data": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Add to Mailchimp",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}

🚀 Test Your Workflow

Activate the workflow in n8n.
Send a POST request to your webhook URL:

curl -X POST https://<your-n8n-host>/webhook/mailchimp-subscriber \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"john@example.com","first_name":"John","last_name":"Doe"}'

Check your Mailchimp audience — the subscriber should appear 🎉