Klaviyo vs Mailchimp: Which Is Better in 2026?
For an online store this is the central question. Mailchimp is cheaper and simpler and does a reasonable job for a small shop. Klaviyo uses order and browsing data far more deeply, and stores that lean on abandoned-cart and post-purchase flows usually earn back its higher price. Start with Mailchimp if email is a side channel; move to Klaviyo when it becomes a revenue channel.
01Pricing
Klaviyo: paid plans start at $20/mo for 251-500 active profiles. Mailchimp: paid plans start at $13/mo for 500 contacts. Both price by the size of your list or sending volume, so the entry prices above only hold for a small audience; check each vendor’s calculator at your list size. Klaviyo has a free plan (up to 250 active profiles and 500 sends a month). Mailchimp has a free plan (250 contacts and 500 sends a month).
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 250 active profiles; 500 email sends per month; $5 of mobile messages per month; Email support for first 60 days | |
| n/a | $20 | 251-500 active profiles at this price | Expanded email send capacity | |
| Email + SMS | n/a | $35 | 251-500 active profiles at this price | Email plus SMS/MMS credits |
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 250 contacts; 500 email sends per month (250 per day); 1 user seat; 1 audience | |
| Essentials | n/a | $13 | 500 contacts at this price; Monthly sends 10x contacts; 3 user seats; 3 audiences | Email scheduling; A/B testing; 24/7 email & chat support; Automation flows up to 4 steps |
| Standard | n/a | $20 | 500 contacts at this price; Monthly sends 12x contacts; 5 user seats; 5 audiences | Custom-coded templates; Dynamic content; Up to 200 automation flows; 4 roles |
| Premium | n/a | $350 | Starts at 10,000 contacts; Monthly sends 15x contacts; Unlimited user seats; Unlimited audiences | Phone & priority support; Dedicated onboarding specialist; Predictive segmentation; Multivariate testing |
Prices are per month on monthly billing. † marks prices taken from the vendor’s documentation or page data instead of its visible pricing page. Klaviyo pricing and Mailchimp pricing have the full detail.
02The Two Tools
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is built for online stores. It pulls order and browsing data from platforms such as Shopify and uses it for segmentation and automated flows: abandoned carts, post-purchase follow-ups, win-backs. Email and SMS run from the same data. It is the specialist’s choice for ecommerce and priced like one.
- Best at
- Turning store data into targeted, revenue-tracked email and SMS.
- Falls short
- Pricing follows the number of active profiles and rises quickly, and it offers little to a business that is not selling online.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses try first. It covers campaigns, templates, basic automation, landing pages and forms, and connects to almost everything. It is a generalist: good at getting a newsletter out, less convincing once you need advanced automation, and priced by the size of your audience.
- Best at
- Getting a small business sending good-looking email quickly.
- Falls short
- The price rises with every contact you add, the free plan is small, and automation is shallower than in specialist tools.
03Which Fits Your Situation
| If you are | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | Mailchimp | The safe default: it does what a small business usually needs and connects to the tools they already use. |
| Ecommerce | Klaviyo | Built on store data, with flows and revenue reporting that general tools cannot match. |
| Startups | Mailchimp | Familiar to almost any hire, though the price grows with the list. |
| Creators | Mailchimp | Workable and familiar, but you pay as the audience grows and get few creator-specific tools. |
| Agencies | Either | Klaviyo: The tool ecommerce clients expect an agency to know. Mailchimp: Most clients already have an account, which makes it hard to avoid. |
04Verdict
Choose Klaviyo if you run an online store and want marketing driven by purchase data. Choose Mailchimp if you want a familiar general-purpose tool with integrations for everything.
05FAQ
Is Klaviyo or Mailchimp cheaper?
Klaviyo starts at $20/mo and Mailchimp at $13/mo. Both rise with the size of your list. Prices are per month on monthly billing.
Do Klaviyo and Mailchimp have free plans?
Klaviyo has a free plan (up to 250 active profiles and 500 sends a month). Mailchimp has a free plan (250 contacts and 500 sends a month).
Which is easier to learn, Klaviyo or Mailchimp?
There is little between them: both are moderately involved to set up.
Which is better for small business, Klaviyo or Mailchimp?
Mailchimp. The safe default: it does what a small business usually needs and connects to the tools they already use.