Mailchimp vs Klaviyo
Mailchimp is a general-purpose newsletter tool that anyone can pick up; Klaviyo is an ecommerce platform in which order, product and browse data are part of the list itself. Both have a free plan capped at 250 contacts or profiles and 500 emails a month, then charge by list size. Newsletters suit Mailchimp; stores measuring revenue per email suit Klaviyo.
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Choose Mailchimp ifyour list is not attached to a product catalogue, the sender is a non-specialist, and the goal is a decent newsletter going out without a setup project.
Choose Klaviyo ifyou run a Shopify or WooCommerce store, want segmentation on browse and order data without a connector, and need reporting that attributes revenue to each message.
Mailchimp and Klaviyo side by side
| Mailchimp | Klaviyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Our email marketing rank | #9 of 12 | #10 of 12 |
| Established in | United States | United States |
| Pricing | Free tier to 250 contacts; paid plans per contact per month, published | Free tier to 250 active profiles; paid per active profile, published |
| List price, 30 September 2026 | Essentials from €11.51 per month for the first 12 months, priced by contact tier | Email plan from $20 per month for 251 to 500 active profiles |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | A non-specialist who needs to send a decent newsletter tomorrow | A Shopify or WooCommerce store that wants revenue per email |
| Not for | A store where every euro of send cost has to earn its keep | A B2B newsletter with no product catalogue behind it |
Both are reviewed in full in our email marketing ranking: Mailchimp and Klaviyo.
Where they differ
Mailchimp 1 · Klaviyo 2 · open 2- 01
Store data inside the list
Klaviyo treats the list as an extension of the store: its Shopify integration brings customer profile and order data in, and it lists 350+ pre-built integrations. Mailchimp lists 300+ integrations and its Shopify connection syncs segments and triggers abandoned-cart reminders. Both connect to a shop, but Klaviyo's segmentation is built around that data, and its Shopify link is deep.
Edge: Klaviyo
- 02
Ease for a first-time sender
Mailchimp is the easiest platform in the category to hand to someone who has never sent a campaign, helped by its templates. Klaviyo's setup assumes ecommerce data you may not have, and it is strict about domain authentication at signup. For getting a first newsletter out tomorrow, Mailchimp asks far less of the sender.
Edge: Mailchimp
- 03
Value per contact
The free plans match: 250 contacts or active profiles and 500 emails a month. Beyond that Mailchimp prices by contact tier and Klaviyo by active profiles, which it defines as any profile that can be emailed, whatever its consent status. Klaviyo's premium pays off only when the ecommerce data model is in use, so the verdict depends on the catalogue.
Depends on the buyer
- 04
Knowing what an email earned
Klaviyo builds revenue attribution into campaign reporting and lets you change the touchpoints and attribution windows that credit a message for a purchase. Mailchimp reports revenue per campaign too and shows it in the Shopify dashboard, but custom reports start on its Standard plan. For a store that judges every flow on revenue, Klaviyo's adjustable attribution is ahead.
Edge: Klaviyo
- 05
Support on each plan
Klaviyo's free plan comes with email support for the first 60 days, after which free users rely on the help centre and community. Mailchimp's free plan gets email support for 30 days; Essentials and Standard add 24/7 email and chat, and phone support arrives with Premium. On the free tier Klaviyo's window is longer; on paid plans the choice is even.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
A small store that wants abandoned-cart and post-purchase flows working today without Klaviyo's bill is better served by Omnisend, which ships them prebuilt. A writer or coach selling directly to subscribers should look at Kit and its built-in selling tools.
Mailchimp or Klaviyo: questions
4 answersIs Klaviyo better than Mailchimp for Shopify stores?
For most stores, yes. Klaviyo has a deep Shopify link, holds profile and order data in segmentation and offers revenue attribution with adjustable windows.
Mailchimp also connects to Shopify, with abandoned-cart flows and campaign revenue visible in the Shopify dashboard, which is enough for simpler shops.
Is Mailchimp cheaper than Klaviyo?
Both are free up to 250 contacts or profiles and 500 emails a month.
Mailchimp lists Essentials from €11.51 a month for the first 12 months; Klaviyo lists its email plan from $20 a month for 251 to 500 active profiles. The currencies and tiers differ, so compare quotes for your own list.
Should a B2B newsletter use Mailchimp or Klaviyo?
Mailchimp. Klaviyo is unsuitable for a B2B newsletter with no product catalogue, because you would pay a premium per profile for a data model you never use. Mailchimp is a reasonable default for a small list and a simple newsletter.
What counts as a billable contact in Klaviyo?
Klaviyo bills on active profiles: any profile that can be emailed, regardless of consent status, including people who gave an address at checkout without opting in.
Suppressed or unsubscribed profiles stay in the account for reporting. The plan must cover the active profile count each billing cycle.
Sources
Checked 30 September 2026- Mailchimp pricing page: Mailchimp prices, free plan limits, support channels and integrations count.
- Mailchimp Shopify integration page: segment sync, abandoned-cart reminders and campaign revenue in Shopify.
- Mailchimp reports and analytics page: revenue per campaign and custom reports.
- Klaviyo pricing page: free plan limits, entry email plan price, 60-day support, revenue attribution for campaigns.
- Klaviyo help centre: how billing works: definition of active profiles and plan compliance.
- Klaviyo integrations page: 350+ pre-built integrations.
- Klaviyo reporting page: adjustable touchpoints and attribution windows.
- Klaviyo help centre: getting started with Shopify: Shopify profile and order data syncing into Klaviyo.