When it comes to email marketing, businesses often face a tough decision: Klaviyo or Mailchimp? These two platforms are the leaders in the email marketing space, both offering a range of features designed to help businesses grow through targeted email campaigns. While Mailchimp is a general-purpose email marketing tool, Klaviyo is tailored specifically for ecommerce businesses. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between the two platforms, helping you choose the best email marketing solution for your needs.
The primary difference between Klaviyo and Mailchimp lies in their target audience. Klaviyo is built with ecommerce in mind, offering tools like predictive analytics and advanced segmentation that help online stores increase sales. Mailchimp, on the other hand, is more versatile, making it a great choice for businesses across different industries. Klaviyo’s pricing model is based on active subscribers, while Mailchimp charges based on email lists, which can make Klaviyo a more cost-effective option for ecommerce brands.
Key differences:
Managing contacts is where Klaviyo truly shines, especially for ecommerce businesses. Klaviyo tracks each contact’s behavior across your website and emails, letting you segment users dynamically and in real-time. This makes it easy to create personalized campaigns, as segments are automatically updated when users meet specific criteria, such as a recent purchase or a visit to a product page.
Klaviyo offers advanced segmentation options that allow businesses to group customers based on transactional and behavioral data. For example, you can create segments for customers who only buy certain products, use discounts frequently, or haven’t purchased in a while. Klaviyo’s segmentation is real-time, meaning that as customer behavior changes, their segment status is updated automatically.
Mailchimp’s contact management is based on lists or “audiences,” which can quickly become expensive since a single contact can be counted multiple times if they appear in different lists. Moving subscribers between lists in Mailchimp can be cumbersome and inefficient. For businesses focused on growing an ecommerce customer base, Klaviyo’s approach is more flexible and cost-effective.
Mailchimp offers basic segmentation based on factors like age, location, and campaign activity. However, it lacks the depth and real-time updates that Klaviyo provides. While Mailchimp’s segmentation is sufficient for general marketing, it may not be ideal for businesses looking to get very granular with their targeting.
Both Klaviyo and Mailchimp provide robust automation tools, but they excel in different areas. Klaviyo offers automation flows that trigger based on user behavior, such as viewing a product or abandoning a cart. With over 70 pre-built automation templates, Klaviyo’s automation is designed to drive ecommerce growth through personalized customer journeys.
Mailchimp also offers automation, but its Customer Journey Builder is a bit more suited for general email marketing. With Mailchimp, you can create simple workflows, like welcome emails or birthday messages, but advanced features like abandoned cart recovery or product recommendations are locked behind paid plans. Both platforms let you build sophisticated drip campaigns, but Klaviyo’s ecommerce focus gives it the edge for online businesses.
When it comes to templates, both Klaviyo and Mailchimp offer an extensive library. Klaviyo allows for deep customization, letting users apply their branding elements, such as logos and colors, across templates. This is especially useful for maintaining brand consistency. Klaviyo’s templates also work well for ecommerce, with built-in options for dynamic product recommendations.
Mailchimp also offers a wide selection of pre-designed templates, as well as blank layouts for customization. One unique feature is its Creative Assistant, which automatically pulls branding elements from your website to create consistent email designs. However, this feature is only available on paid plans. For businesses seeking easy and consistent branding, Mailchimp has the edge, but for ecommerce-specific templates, Klaviyo performs better.
Klaviyo and Mailchimp both feature drag-and-drop email editors that make it easy to design and send professional-looking emails. However, Mailchimp’s interface is cleaner and more intuitive. Users can start building emails with just a few clicks, thanks to the prominent “Create” button, making Mailchimp ideal for beginners or teams that value speed and simplicity.
Klaviyo’s email editor is also powerful, but its user interface can feel a bit cluttered, especially for those unfamiliar with it. It requires a few more steps to get started, such as selecting a campaign name and contact list. However, once you’re in the editor, Klaviyo offers robust tools for ecommerce, including dynamic content blocks for personalized product recommendations.
Analytics and reporting are critical for measuring the success of email campaigns, and both platforms provide solid tools. Klaviyo stands out with its detailed ecommerce analytics, offering insights like total revenue per email, customer lifetime value (CLV), and churn risk. Klaviyo’s predictive analytics feature also helps businesses forecast future sales and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Mailchimp’s analytics are more basic, though still useful for general marketing. You can track open rates, click rates, and sales, but more detailed reports—such as comparative campaign stats—are only available in higher-priced plans. Klaviyo’s all-in-one approach to reporting, with no feature paywalls, makes it the preferred choice for data-driven ecommerce businesses.
Both platforms offer hundreds of integrations, but Klaviyo’s direct integration with Shopify sets it apart for ecommerce users. Klaviyo seamlessly syncs with Shopify, allowing for real-time customer data imports and personalized marketing. Additionally, Klaviyo supports integrations with most other ecommerce platforms, like WooCommerce and BigCommerce.
Mailchimp supports a wide range of integrations as well, including Google Analytics, Canva, and Vimeo. However, Mailchimp requires a third-party app to integrate with Shopify, which can be inconvenient for ecommerce stores. For businesses that need robust ecommerce integrations, Klaviyo is the clear winner.
Pricing is a significant factor in choosing between Klaviyo and Mailchimp. Klaviyo offers three pricing tiers: Free (for up to 500 contacts), Email ($30/month for 500 contacts), and Email + SMS ($45/month). All features are available across its plans, with pricing based solely on the number of contacts.
| Features | Free Plan | Email Plan | Email and SMS Plan | Klaviyo Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email Sends | Up to 500/month | Up to 250,000/month | Up to 250,000/month | From 250,001/month |
| SMS/MMS Credits | 150 | 150 | 1250 | Custom |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Automation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| CRM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Forms | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Templates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Integrations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| A/B testing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Product Recommendations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Advanced |
| Price per month | ||||
| 250 Active Profiles/mo | $0 | $20 | $35 | – |
| 1000 Active Profiles/mo | – | $30 | $65 | – |
| 3000 Active Profiles/mo | – | $70 | $85 | – |
| 5000 Active Profiles/mo | – | $100 | $115 | – |
| 10,000 Active Profiles/mo | – | $150 | $165 | – |
| 20,000 Active Profiles/mo | – | $375 | $390 | – |
Mailchimp’s pricing starts lower, with a free plan and three paid plans: Essential ($13/month for 500 contacts), Standard ($20/month), and Premium ($350/month). However, many advanced features are locked behind its more expensive plans, and Mailchimp charges for each list a contact is on, which can quickly add up. Klaviyo is more expensive at first glance, but the pricing is more transparent, and all features are included.
| MAILCHIMP PLANS | FREE | ESSENTIALS | STANDARD | PREMIUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features | ||||
| Single-step automations(Autoresponders) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-step automation workflows | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly email sending limit | 1000 | 10x maximum contact count | 12x maximum contact count | 15x maximum contact count |
| Email templates | Basic | All | All | All |
| Abandoned Cart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A/B Testing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Segmentation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (advanced) |
| Landing page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CRM | Yes(limited to 1 audience*)
Contact profiles, tags & segments |
Yes(3 audiences)
Contact profiles, tags & segments |
Yes(5 audiences)
Customer lifetime value, purchase likelihood |
Yes(unlimited audiences)
Customer lifetime value, purchase likelihood |
| Chat and Email Support | No (Knowledge base + 30 days email support only) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mailchimp advertisement | Yes (a small banner in the newsletter’s footer) | No | No | No |
| Retargeting (Facebook, Google, Instagram) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Social post scheduling | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ecommerce | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduling software | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of users | 1 | 3 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Advanced Features | ||||
| Time Zone delivery | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Predicted Demographics | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Transactional Emails | Add-on (prices vary) | Add-on (prices vary) | Add-on (prices vary) | Add-on (prices vary) |
| Comparative Reports | No | No | No | Yes |
| Multivariate Testing | No | No | No | Yes |
| Mailchimp Cost | ||||
| 500 contacts | Free | $13 | $20 | $350 |
| 2,500 contacts | N/A | $45 | $60 | $350 |
| 5,000 contacts | N/A | $75 | $100 | $350 |
| 10,000 contacts | N/A | $110 | $135 | $350 |
| 15,000 contacts | N/A | $180 | $220 | $465 |
| 25,000 contacts | N/A | $270 | $270 | $620 |
| 50,000 contacts | N/A | $385 | $410 | $815 |
Klaviyo and Mailchimp each have unique features that might sway your decision depending on your needs. Klaviyo stands out with its Shopify integration and SMS marketing tool, allowing businesses to reach customers through both email and text. These features make Klaviyo particularly appealing to ecommerce stores.
Mailchimp, on the other hand, offers a landing page builder and a postcard creator. These tools allow you to create personalized landing pages and mail physical postcards to customers, which is great for businesses that use more traditional marketing tactics.
Customer service is crucial when navigating technical issues, and both platforms provide different levels of support. Klaviyo offers a slightly faster response time, with better access to customer service for new users (60 days of support on free plans, after which you need a paid plan). Mailchimp provides 30 days of email support on free plans, but you’ll need to upgrade to access chat support.
Based on user reviews, Klaviyo generally offers more comprehensive responses, though both platforms have room for improvement in this area.
User feedback for both platforms reveals a few key themes. Klaviyo users often praise its ability to drive ecommerce sales through smart segmentation and advanced analytics. However, some report that its customer service quality declines after onboarding. On the other hand, Mailchimp has received mixed reviews, with many users frustrated by sudden account suspensions and price increases since its acquisition by Intuit. Mailchimp’s free plan is still a favorite for non-profits and small businesses, though.
Both Klaviyo and Mailchimp offer strong features, but their differences can help determine which is the better fit for your business. Klaviyo’s advanced segmentation, predictive analytics, and focus on ecommerce make it the top choice for online stores looking to boost sales. Mailchimp’s lower pricing and ease of use make it ideal for beginners or those with smaller budgets. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your specific needs, whether you prioritize budget, ecommerce integration, or advanced email marketing features.
Giles Thomas
CEOOptimize your Shopify conversion rates. 5 lesson course, learn 51 ecommerce best practices to get more visitors to buy.
