Mailchimp vs Klaviyo: Email Marketing Software Compared (2026)
Mailchimp and Klaviyo are two widely compared email marketing platforms. Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform from Intuit, sold in Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium plans priced by the number of contacts you store. Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform built for ecommerce brands, priced by the number of active profiles, with Free, Email and Email + SMS plans.
- Verified 10 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 5 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo: the short answer
Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform from Intuit, sold in Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium plans priced by the number of contacts you store. Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform built for ecommerce brands, priced by the number of active profiles, with Free, Email and Email + SMS plans. Both are email marketing platforms, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus.
On pricing, Mailchimp is described as: monthly subscription priced by stored contacts, with send caps per plan and add-on contact blocks for overages; Klaviyo as: monthly subscription priced by active profiles, with SMS billed by credits on top. Both have a free option. Mailchimp lists a free plan. Klaviyo lists a free plan. Mailchimp is positioned for small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool, and Klaviyo for online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows.
Everything below is drawn from the two sourced profiles and the 5 dated sources listed at the end. Where a source does not document something it is marked Unknown, and third-party estimates are labelled. No winner is declared: the better fit depends on your size, budget and requirements.
Mailchimp and Klaviyo at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Mailchimp
Intuit Mailchimp · Email Marketing Software
Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform from Intuit, sold in Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium plans priced by the number of contacts you store.
- Pricing
- Free for up to 250 contacts; paid plans reported from $13 per month (Essentials, 500 contacts).
- Best for
- Small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool
Klaviyo
Klaviyo · Email Marketing Software
Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform built for ecommerce brands, priced by the number of active profiles, with Free, Email and Email + SMS plans.
- Pricing
- Free for up to 250 active profiles; Email plan reported from $20 per month (500 profiles).
- Best for
- Online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Mailchimp |  Klaviyo |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Product typeDiffers | YesEmail marketing platform (SaaS) | YesEcommerce email and SMS platform (SaaS) |
| VendorDiffers | YesIntuit Mailchimp | YesKlaviyo |
| Best forDiffers | YesSmall businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool | YesOnline stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | YesMonthly subscription priced by stored contacts, with send caps per plan and add-on contact blocks for overages. | YesMonthly subscription priced by active profiles, with SMS billed by credits on top. |
| Pricing summaryDiffers | PartialFree for up to 250 contacts; paid plans reported from $13 per month (Essentials, 500 contacts). | PartialFree for up to 250 active profiles; Email plan reported from $20 per month (500 profiles). |
| Free plan | YesYes | YesYes |
| Free trialDiffers | YesYes (14-day trial on paid plans) | NoNot documented |
| Email Marketing Software criteria | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | YesBy contacts; send caps per plan | YesBy active profiles; SMS by credit |
| AutomationDiffers | PartialJourneys limited on Essentials; full from Standard | YesEcommerce flows on all paid plans |
| Ecommerce focusDiffers | YesGeneral purpose | YesEcommerce-first |
| AI featuresDiffers | UnknownNot reviewed | YesPredictive analytics |
| Fit and platform | ||
| Team sizeDiffers | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises |
| Platforms | YesWeb | YesWeb |
| IntegrationsDiffers | Partial300+ integrations (reported on all plans), Transactional email add-on, Marketing API | YesEcommerce store data (core use case), SMS and MMS credits |
| APIDiffers | YesA Marketing API is available; it allows 10 simultaneous connections per user and a 120-second timeout, and no plan raises those limits. | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. |
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo pricing.
Plan names, prices and billing terms as reported in each profile's sources. Taxes, add-ons and discounts are excluded unless stated.
Mailchimp pricing
Monthly subscription priced by stored contacts, with send caps per plan and add-on contact blocks for overages.
- Free$0 for up to 250 contacts · Free
- EssentialsFrom $13 per month at 500 contacts · Monthly
- StandardFrom $20 per month at 500 contacts · Monthly
- PremiumFrom $350 per month at 10,000 contacts · Monthly
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Prices rise with contact count, and the guides reviewed publish only entry-tier figures. Annual plans for larger lists are sales-led. Mailchimp's own pricing page was not reviewed directly, so confirm current rates for your list size. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Mailchimp plans and sources
Klaviyo pricing
Monthly subscription priced by active profiles, with SMS billed by credits on top.
- Free$0 for up to 250 active profiles · Free
- EmailFrom about $20 per month at 500 profiles · Monthly
- Email + SMSFrom about $35 per month at 500 profiles · Monthly
- EnterpriseCustom · Contract
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Figures are approximate and come from two independent guides; one (TinyCommand) is published by a competing vendor. Klaviyo's own pricing page, which uses a slider, was not reviewed directly. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Klaviyo plans and sourcesMailchimp vs Klaviyo: pricing model, ecosystem and fit.
Pricing model and cost drivers
Mailchimp: monthly subscription priced by stored contacts, with send caps per plan and add-on contact blocks for overages. Prices rise with contact count, and the guides reviewed publish only entry-tier figures. Annual plans for larger lists are sales-led. Mailchimp's own pricing page was not reviewed directly, so confirm current rates for your list size. Klaviyo: monthly subscription priced by active profiles, with SMS billed by credits on top. Figures are approximate and come from two independent guides; one (TinyCommand) is published by a competing vendor. Klaviyo's own pricing page, which uses a slider, was not reviewed directly. Model costs at your real seat count, usage and contract term before comparing headline prices.
What sets each apart
The Mailchimp profile highlights: contact-based pricing with send caps set as a multiple of the contact limit; a free plan, now limited to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month; multivariate testing, send-time optimisation and dynamic content from Standard. The Klaviyo profile highlights: built specifically for ecommerce data and flows; billing on active profiles, with a 25% cap on any single price jump reported for the 2025 change; email and SMS sold together, with SMS billed by credit.
Integrations and ecosystem
Mailchimp integrations named in its sources: 300+ integrations (reported on all plans), Transactional email add-on and Marketing API. Klaviyo: Ecommerce store data (core use case) and SMS and MMS credits. Check that the connectors you rely on exist on the plan you would buy.
Deployment and team fit
Mailchimp runs on Web and is documented for small teams and mid-size teams. Klaviyo runs on Web and is documented for small teams, mid-size teams and large enterprises. We did not test setup or migration.
Mailchimp and Klaviyo: each option, in balance.
Each point is linked to a dated source on the product's profile.
Mailchimp
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- A free plan lets very small lists start at no cost.
- Standard adds full journeys, multivariate testing, dynamic content and send-time optimisation at a low entry price.
- Premium includes unlimited seats and audiences with phone support.
- The free plan was cut to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, which limits real use.
- Pricing scales with stored contacts, and billing uses the peak contact total in the cycle.
- Essentials caps journeys at 4 steps and leaves out advanced segmentation.
- Premium jumps to about $350 a month, a large step up from Standard.
Klaviyo
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Flows, segmentation and predictive analytics are built around ecommerce data.
- Email and SMS can be run together from one platform.
- A free plan covers up to 250 profiles and 500 sends a month.
- Every contactable profile counts toward the bill, even those you do not email.
- Costs climb steeply as profiles grow, to about $720 a month at 50,000 profiles.
- SMS is billed through credits on top of the platform fee.
- Bills often rise in a store's second year as profiles accumulate.
Mailchimp or Klaviyo: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Mailchimp if you are…
- Small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool
- Teams that want journeys and testing at a modest entry price on Standard
- Organisations that need many audiences and seats on Premium
Less suited to: senders with large but low-engagement lists, since every stored contact counts; teams that need advanced automation on the cheapest paid plan.
See the Mailchimp profile
Choose Klaviyo if you are…
- Online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows
- Brands that rely heavily on segmentation and customer data
- Retailers that want email and SMS from one vendor
Less suited to: non-ecommerce businesses that only send newsletters; stores with large, low-engagement profile counts on a tight budget.
See the Klaviyo profileSwitching between Mailchimp and Klaviyo.
Moving off Mailchimp or Klaviyo usually means exporting subscribers with their tags, segments and consent records, rebuilding automations and sign-up forms, recreating templates, and authenticating your sending domain on the new platform. Warm up sending gradually and keep the old account until the first campaigns land well. Send one real campaign and build one real automation in each shortlisted platform, then compare inbox placement and reporting.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Compare total cost at your real volume, including add-ons and services.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Mailchimp vs Klaviyo: questions and answers
What is the difference between Mailchimp and Klaviyo?
Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform from Intuit, sold in Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium plans priced by the number of contacts you store. Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform built for ecommerce brands, priced by the number of active profiles, with Free, Email and Email + SMS plans. Both are email marketing platforms, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus. Mailchimp is positioned for small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool; Klaviyo for online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows.
Is Mailchimp cheaper than Klaviyo?
It depends on your volume and plan. Mailchimp: Free for up to 250 contacts; paid plans reported from $13 per month (Essentials, 500 contacts). Klaviyo: Free for up to 250 active profiles; Email plan reported from $20 per month (500 profiles). Compare both at your real seat count, usage and contract term.
Do Mailchimp or Klaviyo have a free plan?
Both have a free option. Mailchimp lists a free plan. Klaviyo lists a free plan. Mailchimp free trial: Yes (14-day trial on paid plans). Klaviyo free trial: Not documented.
Mailchimp or Klaviyo: which is better for small teams?
Mailchimp and Klaviyo are both documented for small teams. Mailchimp suits small businesses that want a well-known all-round email tool; Klaviyo suits online stores that want ecommerce-driven email and SMS flows. Neither is best for everyone.
What are the main limitations of Mailchimp and Klaviyo?
Mailchimp: The free plan was cut to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, which limits real use. Klaviyo: Every contactable profile counts toward the bill, even those you do not email.
How much does Mailchimp cost?
Independent guides report Free for up to 250 contacts, Essentials from $13 a month and Standard from $20 a month at 500 contacts, and Premium from $350 a month at 10,000 contacts. Prices rise with contact count.
How much does Klaviyo cost?
Guides report Free for 250 active profiles, the Email plan from about $20 a month at 500 profiles (about $100 at 5,000 and $720 at 50,000) and Email + SMS from about $35 a month, plus SMS credits.
What are the alternatives to Mailchimp and Klaviyo?
Stack18 has alternatives guides for both: Mailchimp alternatives and Klaviyo alternatives, each comparing at least four other email marketing platforms on pricing, free plan, features and fit. The Email Marketing Software category lists every profile.
Where this comparison comes from.
- Mailchimp Pricing 2026: Full Guide to Selecting the Right Plan SaaS CRM Review Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Mailchimp Pricing Explained (2026): You Pay for the List, Not the Sends TinyCommand (competing vendor) Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- All Mailchimp Plans & Pricing Costbench Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- How much does Klaviyo cost in 2026? Pricing breakdown Automation Atlas Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Klaviyo Pricing Explained (2026): The Profile Ladder, Rung by Rung TinyCommand (competing vendor) Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
This comparison summarises the Mailchimp and Klaviyo profiles and their sources. Third-party figures are labelled; confirm current pricing and terms with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.
Ready to test Mailchimp and Klaviyo?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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