Klaviyo is built around what customers buy. Mailchimp is built around who's on your list.
Both send good email. The difference is the data behind it. Klaviyo pulls in orders, products and browsing from your store and uses them to trigger and personalize messages. Mailchimp is simpler, cheaper to start and fine for many businesses that don't sell online.
Our bias, declared
Most of our email work runs on Klaviyo, so read this knowing that. We still tell plenty of businesses to stay on Mailchimp. If you're not running an online store, your list is small, or you mainly send newsletters, Klaviyo's extra power often isn't worth its higher cost. For ecommerce brands where email drives a real share of revenue, the store data in Klaviyo usually pays for itself.
Side by side
| Factor | Klaviyo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Ecommerce brands, especially on Shopify | Small businesses, creators and newsletters |
| Store and order data | Deep: orders, products, browsing and predicted next order | Basic ecommerce integrations |
| Automation and segmentation | Advanced flows triggered by purchase and site behavior | Simpler; multi-step automation needs paid plans |
| Free plan | 250 active profiles and 500 emails a month | Small free plan; no scheduling or A/B testing |
| Cost as your list grows | Higher; paid email plans start around $20 a month | Usually lower for the same list size |
| Ease of getting started | More setup to use well | Very easy for simple campaigns |
| SMS | Built in, sharing the same customer data | More limited |
| Revenue reporting | Ties revenue to flows and campaigns | Basic for ecommerce |
Choose klaviyo when
You run an online store
If you sell through Shopify or another ecommerce platform, Klaviyo's order and browsing data powers abandoned cart, browse abandonment, post-purchase and win-back flows that drive most email revenue.
Email is a big revenue channel
When email and SMS bring in a meaningful share of sales, better segmentation and testing usually earn back the higher cost many times over.
You want email and SMS in one place
Klaviyo runs both from the same customer profiles, which makes it easier to coordinate messages and avoid over-sending.
Choose mailchimp when
You don't sell online
For service businesses, nonprofits and creators who mainly send newsletters and simple announcements, Mailchimp does the job at a lower price.
Your list is small and simple
If you have a few hundred or a few thousand contacts and send a monthly update, Klaviyo's advanced features would go unused.
You want the easiest possible start
Mailchimp's editor and templates make it quick for a non-specialist to send good-looking email without much setup.
How pricing compares
Both platforms price by list size, so cost rises as you grow. Klaviyo's free plan covers 250 active profiles and 500 emails a month, and its paid email plans start around $20 a month for small lists.
Mailchimp usually costs less for the same number of contacts, and its free plan is enough to try the basics, though it leaves out features like scheduling and A/B testing. Plans and limits change often, so check both pricing pages before deciding.
For ecommerce, compare cost against the revenue each platform can drive. A small lift in flow revenue can cover the difference in price quickly. For non-ecommerce lists, the cheaper tool is often the right one.
Related questions
For most Shopify and ecommerce brands where email drives real revenue, yes, because its store data powers better automation and segmentation. For businesses that don't sell online or mainly send newsletters, often not.
Other comparisons
Services referenced
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