Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform suited for small businesses seeking affordability and ease of use, while Klaviyo is a behavior-driven CRM platform optimized for eCommerce brands needing advanced segmentation and data-driven lifecycle marketing. Klaviyo's pricing scales with active profiles, making it more expensive at scale but more powerful for data analytics.
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Marketing automation platform with visual campaign builders, audience management, and integrated CRM for subscriber-based marketing.
Marketing automation platform built for ecommerce brands with email, SMS, and predictive analytics.
Primary Focus. Pricing Model. Email Template Design. Free Plan Features. Data Integration Strength. Best For. Segmentation Capabilities
Both platforms excel in different contexts: Mailchimp is the better choice for budget-conscious small businesses seeking simplicity and affordability, while Klaviyo dominates for eCommerce brands requiring sophisticated customer data analysis and behavior-driven marketing. The selection ultimately depends on your business size, budget, and the sophistication of customer insights you need.
Mailchimp: Yes (500 contacts) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 7 (moderate to high) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Sophisticated data-driven rules | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, varies by plan | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, with international expansion | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Free on all plans | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic (Customer Journey Builder) | Klaviyo: Advanced multi-channel
Mailchimp: A/B testing and design testing (free) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: More extensive platform coverage | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic contact management | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Beginner-friendly | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited (abandoned cart via integrations) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes - charges per contact/send overages | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 300+ integrations | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Comprehensive campaign performance and subscriber insights | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic personalization features | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Available but less intuitive setup | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Full SMS suite with 2026 international expansion | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Legacy interface, steep learning curve | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Full native CRM platform integrated | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $13/month | Klaviyo: $20/month
Mailchimp: $50-70/month | Klaviyo: $100/month
Mailchimp: $100/month | Klaviyo: $720/month
Mailchimp: Limited core features only | Klaviyo: All email features included
Mailchimp: Extensive design variety and customization | Klaviyo: eCommerce-optimized templates
Mailchimp: Standard audience segmentation | Klaviyo: Advanced behavior-led segmentation
Mailchimp: Basic contact data syncing | Klaviyo: Unified customer data foundation
Mailchimp: No (API integration only) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (added 2026, supports international markets) | Klaviyo: N/A
Contact List Size Limit (Standard Pricing)
Mailchimp: Unlimited growth with pro-rated pricing | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 1,000 emails/month | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Capped by contact tier multipliers | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 13 million users | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Full CRM suite with advanced segmentation | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited e-commerce via integrations | Klaviyo: N/A
Price Scaling Factor at 5,000 Subscribers
Mailchimp: Steep 3-4x multiplier | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic add-on CRM | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Manual segmentation only | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Email, basic social | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Minimal (intuitive interface) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Standard quarterly updates | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes, full CRM suite | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Email, SMS, landing pages, ads | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Moderate, marketing-focused | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 300,000 (based on plan) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $13/month (Essentials) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $800/month (100,000 contacts) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Full-featured free plan | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (up to 500 contacts) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Modern and professional | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced automation included | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Third-party integrations | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Transactional email and small business | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (drag-and-drop, AI-assisted) | Klaviyo: No, third-party required
Mailchimp: Full CRM with customer profiles | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: All paid plans | Klaviyo: Yes, multi-channel A/B testing
Mailchimp: 500 (free) / 5,000 (paid) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 0.08 months (1 hour) | Klaviyo: 1-2 weeks (visual setup)
Mailchimp: 3 (Salesforce, HubSpot, custom) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Behavioral segmentation only | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 12-24 hours (business hours) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Basic (list segmentation only) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: ~5 basic automations | Klaviyo: Unlimited with predictive optimization
Mailchimp: No (Zapier third-party only) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 1 (beginner-friendly) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $0 (free tier) | Klaviyo: $20
Mailchimp: 500 free contacts | Klaviyo: None (paid only)
Mailchimp: None (requires third-party solutions) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited (with 10k contacts max) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Not applicable (subscriber-based) | Klaviyo: N/A
Starter Tier Monthly Cost (50k contacts)
Automation Workflow Steps (Free/Starter Tier)
Mailchimp: Unlimited (standard feature) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited (with pricing increase) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Unlimited (all plans) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Business hours (paid plans) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 10 calls/second | Klaviyo: 500 req/sec
Mailchimp: 0% (you handle payments) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (conditional, behavioral triggers) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: No (third-party required) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Yes (subject lines, send time) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Included in paid plans | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 30+ (payment processor + Mailchimp config) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $0 (free tier) or $20 (Pro) | Klaviyo: $20
Mailchimp: Not offered (email-focused) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 3 (email, SMS via paid add-on, social) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 0.5-2 hours (no code required) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Limited (up to 5-10 per plan tier) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 100+ templates | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $2–$7 (plan-dependent) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: 0.5–1 hour (UI-based) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Advanced (subject, send time, content) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Manual review required | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: Full CRM with segmentation, tagging, custom fields | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: $200–$350 (based on tier) | Klaviyo: N/A
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Basic email features only
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Extensive custom via API
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Real-time behavioral graphs with continuous updates
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Email, SMS, push, in-app, direct mail
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Higher minimum investment required
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Mid-to-large ecommerce, Shopify Plus, data-driven brands
Average eCommerce Email Revenue Per Send
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: $20/month (500 contacts)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Varies by plan features
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: B2C customer data platform
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Included in all plans
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Native with product catalog sync, dynamic blocks, and product recommendations
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 4,200% ROI (industry average)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Email, SMS, push (native)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Limited 2-way capability
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Native email + SMS + pop-ups
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Smart scheduling with AI optimization
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Active profiles (contacts with behavior)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Limited (plan-dependent)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Included (higher plans only)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Advanced behavioral data segmentation
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 3 (Email, SMS, WhatsApp)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Personalized send time optimization
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Built-in CDP as core foundation
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Steeper learning curve (data-focused)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Predictive send-time optimization (Q4 2025), AI-driven personalization
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Enterprise-grade, proven at scale with dedicated infrastructure
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Unlimited triggered sequences with advanced conditional logic
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: SMB to Enterprise (all Shopify store sizes)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: $72 per email sent
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Industry average 4,200%
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Deep native with purchase-event segmentation
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Behavioral purchase-event segmentation
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: North America eCommerce focus
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: $20+ (usage-based)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Email, SMS, Web Push, Forms
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 24/5 email, phone 9-5 EST
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Behavioral, predictive, e-commerce segments, custom attributes
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 150,000+ e-commerce merchants
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Native integration with major platforms
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: AI-powered with customer data platform
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Yes, native SMS
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Native SMS included
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 200+ Shopify-optimized
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 10-15% with predictive send time
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 25+ including Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, TikTok Shop, custom APIs
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 5 active automations
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: 150+ with AI generation
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Yes (all plans)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: $20 (for 500 contacts)
Mailchimp: N/A | Klaviyo: Yes (native + Plus tier)
How to choose between Mailchimp and Klaviyo
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Mailchimp vs Klaviyo. Contains 216 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Mailchimp vs Klaviyo.
Which platform is cheaper for small businesses?
Mailchimp is significantly cheaper for small businesses, starting at $13/month compared to Klaviyo's $20/month. For lists under 10,000 contacts, Mailchimp's contact-based pricing remains more affordable. However, Klaviyo's free plan offers more features, making it better for bootstrapped startups.
Is Klaviyo worth the higher cost for eCommerce brands?
Yes, for eCommerce brands with sophisticated marketing needs. Klaviyo's unified customer data foundation, advanced behavior-led segmentation, and eCommerce-optimized workflows justify the higher cost. At scale (50,000+ profiles), costs become steep, but the advanced insights and automation capabilities typically drive higher ROI for D2C brands.
Can I use Mailchimp or Klaviyo for free?
Mailchimp offers a free plan with limited features (basic email campaigns, up to 500 contacts). Klaviyo's free plan includes all email features, making it more generous for free users. Both free plans require upgrading for advanced features like SMS, advanced automation, or higher sending limits.
Which platform has better email template design?
Mailchimp offers greater design variety and quicker customization for general marketing. Klaviyo's templates are specifically optimized for eCommerce workflows (abandoned cart, product recommendations, post-purchase) but offer less general-purpose design flexibility. Choose based on your industry needs.
How do pricing models differ between the two?
Mailchimp charges based on the number of contacts in your list, with a tiered pricing structure. Klaviyo charges based on active profiles (contacts who have engaged), scaling from $20/month for 251-500 profiles to $720/month for 50,000+. For growing lists, Mailchimp remains cheaper; for highly engaged customer bases, Klaviyo's active-profile model may be more efficient.
How to Choose Between Mailchimp and Klaviyo
Primary Focus: Mailchimp has All-in-one marketing platform, while Klaviyo has eCommerce-focused B2C CRM.
Pricing Model: Mailchimp has Contact-based tiers ($13-$100/mo), while Klaviyo has Active profile-based ($20-$720/mo).
Email Template Design: Mailchimp has Better design variety and customization, while Klaviyo has Optimized for data-driven eCommerce.
Free Plan Features: Mailchimp has Limited core features, while Klaviyo has Full email features included.
Data Integration Strength: Mailchimp has Basic contact syncing, while Klaviyo has Unified customer data foundation.
Best For: Mailchimp has Small businesses and startups, while Klaviyo has Growing eCommerce and D2C brands.
Segmentation Capabilities: Mailchimp has Standard audience segmentation, while Klaviyo has Advanced behavior-led segmentation.