# mc_cid — Mailchimp's campaign identifier

- Canonical: https://linkclean.app/trackers/mc-cid/
- Updated: 2026-07-20
- Author: Ken Tominaga (https://ken0nek.com)
- Get the app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/linkclean/id6758604043

Parameter: `mc_cid` · Category: Email marketing · Vendor: Mailchimp

> mc_cid is **Mailchimp's campaign identifier** — names which Mailchimp campaign the link belongs to (the campaign-level identifier; mc_eid is the per-recipient one). Stripping mc_cid is less sensitive than mc_eid but pairs with it on every Mailchimp link.

## mc_cid vs mc_eid

Every Mailchimp campaign URL carries two identifiers: mc_cid identifies the campaign (which newsletter blast); mc_eid identifies the recipient (who specifically clicked). Together they tell Mailchimp's tracking: “subscriber X clicked the link in campaign Y”.

mc_cid alone is roughly equivalent to utm_campaign in risk profile — names the campaign, not the person. mc_eid is the one that's identity-adjacent. LinkClean strips both, but mc_eid is the one that matters most for privacy.

## Why Mailchimp puts both on every link

Mailchimp's analytics ties opens, clicks, and conversions back to per-campaign and per-subscriber engagement scores. The two-token model lets Mailchimp compute campaign-level click rates and per-subscriber engagement profiles from the same URL-tag plumbing.

## How LinkClean removes it

Default-on in the email-marketing catalog. Companion to mc_eid and mc_tc.

## Example

Looks like this in a URL: `https://example.com/article?mc_cid=abc123def4&mc_eid=78fa90ce21`

After LinkClean: `https://example.com/article`

## Frequently asked

**Is mc_cid the same as utm_campaign?**

Functionally similar (names the campaign), but mc_cid is Mailchimp's own ID; utm_campaign is the Google Analytics campaign tag. Mailchimp adds both. LinkClean strips both.

**Will the email link still work without mc_cid?**

Yes. The destination page never reads it; only Mailchimp's tracking pixel does.

**Which is more sensitive — mc_cid or mc_eid?**

mc_eid is far more sensitive. mc_eid identifies the *recipient* (per-subscriber 1-to-1 token tied to email address). mc_cid identifies the *campaign*. Strip both.


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