Klaviyo
Mailchimp
| Feature | Klaviyo | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $13/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | ecommerce, shopify-stores, dtc-brands, online-retailers | small-businesses, startups, solopreneurs, e-commerce |
| Founded | 2012 | 2001 |
| Email Campaigns | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sms Marketing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Flows | ✓ | ✗ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ai Content | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audience Segments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
| A B Testing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Klaviyo Pros
- Deep e-commerce integration
- Powerful segmentation
- Revenue attribution
- Great flows
✗ Klaviyo Cons
- Gets expensive with list size
- Complex for beginners
- SMS extra cost
✓ Mailchimp Pros
- Free tier for up to 500 contacts
- Easy drag-and-drop email builder
- Built-in automation workflows
- Good reporting and analytics
✗ Mailchimp Cons
- Gets expensive as list grows
- Automation less powerful than competitors
- Limited A/B testing on lower plans
The Verdict
Klaviyo is built for ecommerce and shopify stores, with a focus on email-campaigns and sms-marketing. Mailchimp targets small businesses and startups and leads with email-campaigns and automation.
On pricing, Mailchimp is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $13/mo compared to $20/mo for Klaviyo. That $7/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Mailchimp offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Klaviyo takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
