Klaviyo vs Mailchimp for Shopify Stores (2026): Pricing and Features Compared

Last updated: October 2026 | Mailchimp prices checked on its pricing page; Klaviyo tiers from Klaviyo’s pricing and independent pricing reviews

For online stores, the email marketing decision usually comes down to Klaviyo or Mailchimp. Klaviyo was built for e-commerce: it pulls in order and browsing data from your store and uses it for segments, product recommendations and automated flows like abandoned cart and post-purchase. Mailchimp is a broader marketing platform that also does e-commerce, with a lower starting price and strong design tools.

Klaviyo vs Mailchimp at a glance

	Klaviyo	Mailchimp
Free plan	Up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends/mo, 150 SMS credits	Up to 250 contacts, 500 sends/mo
Entry paid plan	Email, from $20/mo	Essentials, from $13/mo
1,000 contacts (email)	About $30/mo	Price rises with contacts; check calculator
SMS	Built in (Email + SMS plan from $35/mo)	Available as an add-on in supported countries
E-commerce data	Deep: orders, browsing, predictive analytics	Good: purchase data and product blocks
Billing basis	Active (subscribed) profiles	Contacts in your account
Best for	Shopify and e-commerce stores focused on automation	Small businesses and stores that want simpler, cheaper email

Klaviyo pricing in 2026

Klaviyo plan	Starting price	Includes
Free	$0	Up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends a month, 150 SMS/MMS credits
Email	From $20/mo	Email sends based on profile tier, 150 SMS/MMS credits, email and chat support
Email + SMS	From $35/mo	Email plus 1,250 SMS/MMS credits and mobile push

Independent pricing trackers list Klaviyo’s Email plan at about $30 a month for 1,000 profiles and about $100 a month for 5,000. Klaviyo bills on active profiles, meaning all contacts you can email, not just the ones you emailed recently. Keeping your list clean matters.

Mailchimp pricing in 2026

Mailchimp plan	Starting price	Monthly sends	Automation
Free	$0	500/mo, up to 250 contacts	Not included
Essentials	From $13/mo	10× contacts	Up to 4 flow steps
Standard	From $20/mo	12× contacts	Up to 200 flows (including abandoned cart)
Premium	From $350/mo	15× contacts	Up to 200 flows, advanced features

Mailchimp’s prices rise with the number of contacts, and starting prices apply to the lowest contact tier. For e-commerce automation such as abandoned cart, you’ll want Standard.

Features compared

E-commerce automation

Klaviyo’s flows are its core: abandoned cart, browse abandonment, welcome series, post-purchase and win-back flows using your store’s live data, with predictive fields like expected next order date. Mailchimp’s Standard plan covers the main e-commerce journeys, but with less depth in segmentation and data.

Shopify integration

Klaviyo’s Shopify integration is one of the deepest available, syncing products, orders and on-site behavior. Mailchimp connects to Shopify through an integration as well; check that it covers the data you need before relying on it.

SMS

Klaviyo includes SMS in the same platform, with credits on every plan and a dedicated Email + SMS plan. That makes coordinated email and text campaigns easy.

Design

Mailchimp has a large template library and a friendly drag-and-drop builder. Klaviyo’s editor is capable and built around product blocks, but Mailchimp is generally the easier designer.

Cost at scale

Klaviyo is usually more expensive than Mailchimp for the same list size, and its active-profile billing counts every subscribed contact. The extra cost buys deeper automation that often pays for itself in recovered carts for stores with steady traffic.

Pros and cons

Klaviyo

Pros

• Best-in-class e-commerce flows and segmentation
• Deep Shopify integration
• Email and SMS in one place

Cons

• More expensive as your list grows
• Bills on all active profiles
• More than a simple newsletter needs

Mailchimp

Pros

• Lower starting price
• Easy design tools
• Good all-round marketing features

Cons

• E-commerce automation needs Standard
• Less e-commerce data depth
• Price climbs with contacts

Which should you choose?

Choose Klaviyo if you run a Shopify store with regular sales, want automated flows driven by customer behavior, or plan to use SMS.

Choose Mailchimp if you’re a smaller store or a business that sends newsletters and promotions, and you want a lower monthly bill and easy design.

Three real-world scenarios

A new Shopify store with 400 subscribers. Revenue is still small, and the owner sends a weekly newsletter. Mailchimp Essentials or Klaviyo’s free plan (up to 250 active profiles) are enough to start; once the list passes 250, Mailchimp’s lower price is attractive.

A store doing $30,000 a month with 5,000 subscribers. Abandoned cart, browse abandonment and post-purchase flows can recover meaningful revenue. Klaviyo at about $100 a month for 5,000 profiles is usually worth it for the deeper data and segmentation.

A boutique that sells online and in a physical shop. It sends event invitations, new-arrival announcements and seasonal promotions. Mailchimp’s design tools and lower price fit this mix of marketing better than Klaviyo’s e-commerce focus.

Questions to ask before you sign up

• How many active subscribers do you have? Klaviyo bills on all active profiles.
• How much revenue comes from email automations? If flows drive sales, Klaviyo’s depth pays off.
• Do you plan to use SMS? Klaviyo includes it in the same platform.
• Who designs your emails? Mailchimp’s editor is easier for non-designers.
• What does your Shopify integration need to sync? Confirm products, orders and on-site behavior.

Frequently asked questions

Can I move from Mailchimp to Klaviyo?

Yes. Klaviyo offers migration tools for lists and templates. Keep consent records for every subscriber.

Is Klaviyo better than Mailchimp for Shopify?

For most growing Shopify stores, yes, thanks to its deeper integration and e-commerce flows. Mailchimp is a solid, cheaper option for simpler needs.

Does Klaviyo have a free plan?

Yes: up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends a month and 150 SMS/MMS credits.

How does Klaviyo count profiles?

Klaviyo bills on active profiles, which are all the profiles you can email or text, whether or not you contacted them that month.

Which is cheaper for 5,000 contacts?

Mailchimp is usually cheaper at the same list size. Klaviyo’s Email plan is listed by independent trackers at about $100 a month for 5,000 profiles. Check both vendors’ calculators for your exact count.

The bottom line

Klaviyo is the stronger tool for e-commerce stores that want to automate revenue. Mailchimp is the cheaper, simpler choice for general email marketing. If your store does steady sales, test Klaviyo’s abandoned cart flow; it is often the deciding factor.

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