If you’re just launching, start with Shopify Email, now part of Shopify Messaging. It’s built in and cheap. Move to Klaviyo once orders are steady and you’re ready to build flows that earn the second order. That’s where Klaviyo pays for itself.
The short comparison
| Shopify Messaging | Klaviyo | |
| You pay for | Emails sent | Active profiles on your list |
| Free tier | 10,000 emails a month on Basic and higher plans | 250 profiles and 500 emails a month |
| About 10,000 contacts, 4 sends a month | About $30 | About $150 |
| Automations | Basic, abandoned checkout included free | Full flow library: welcome, browse and cart abandonment, post-purchase, winback |
| Segmentation | Simple | Deep, including predicted next order and lifetime value |
| SMS | Per text, about 1.2 cents in the US | Separate SMS plan, same customer profile |
Prices as published in late 2026. Both change often, so check current pricing before you budget.
Where Klaviyo earns its fee
Flows. On one apparel brand we run, three Klaviyo flows (welcome, abandoned checkout and post-purchase) drove 54% of email revenue for the quarter. Built once, they run every day.
Watch the attribution
Klaviyo’s default reporting is generous. On one audit, Klaviyo claimed about 65% of revenue, while last-click put email at 40% to 50%. On another brand, the dashboard showed over $600K for the quarter against about $95K actually attributed to email. Judge either tool on total sales and repeat purchase rate.
Signs it’s time to switch
- Orders are steady and your list is growing every week.
- You want different messages for first-time and repeat buyers.
- You’re sending the same campaign to everyone and it’s getting tired.
- You want email and SMS working off one customer record.
See our full Shopify tool stack, or how our Klaviyo team sets up the first five flows.
FAQ
Is Shopify Email free?
Shopify Email is now part of Shopify Messaging. Stores on Basic and higher plans get 10,000 free emails a month, then pay about $1 per 1,000 emails. Abandoned checkout emails are free.
How much does Klaviyo cost?
Klaviyo is free up to 250 active profiles. Paid email plans start around $20 a month at 500 profiles and rise with list size, to about $150 a month at 10,000 profiles.
When should I switch from Shopify Email to Klaviyo?
When orders are steady, your list is growing past a few thousand people, and you are ready to build automated flows and segments that earn repeat orders.
Which is better for SMS?
Both offer SMS. Shopify Messaging charges per text. Klaviyo sells SMS separately and lets you run email and SMS from one customer profile.
Want a second set of eyes on your email program? We’d love to partner with you. book a consult
Disclosure: 1o8 is a Klaviyo partner. We recommend Shopify Email for many new stores.
