Email marketing is an essential part of running an e-commerce business and in today’s world, it’s more important than ever to have a powerful email marketing tool that can help you grow your business and reach more customers.
In November 2019, Shopify launched its own email marketing app, which is now available with all Shopify plans. This has caused many e-commerce businesses to compare Shopify’s built-in email marketing tool with other popular email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and Klaviyo. In this post, we will take a closer look at Shopify Email and Klaviyo and compare their features, pricing, and functionality to help you decide which one is the best fit for your e-commerce business.
“Quick Take: If you’re just starting out with dropshipping, Shopify Email is a great choice as it’s included in all Shopify plans and it’s easy to use. However, as you grow your business and start scaling, you may find that you need more advanced email marketing features that Shopify Email doesn’t offer. In this case, Klaviyo is a great option as it offers more advanced segmentation and automation features, as well as SMS marketing. But if you’re looking for a more user-friendly alternative, Sendinblue and Klavio are other great options.”
Pricing and plans
When it comes to pricing, Shopify Email and Klaviyo have different approaches. Shopify Email is an add-on feature for the popular e-commerce website builder, Shopify. It is included in all Shopify plans, and you can send up to 10,000 emails for free each calendar month. Emails are counted based on the number of individual email addresses that you send a specific email to.
For example, if you send 1 promotional email to 800 subscribers, then that counts as sending 800 promotional emails. Unused email amounts don’t carry over to the following month. The free 10,000 emails are shared across all email campaigns that you send in a calendar month. For example, if you send two email campaigns in October, with 6,000 subscribers per campaign, then the cost breakdown for 12,000 emails is the following:
- 10,000 free emails
- 2,000 emails chargeable at $0.001 USD per email, for a total of $2 USD.
On the other hand, Klaviyo is a dedicated email marketing software and it has different pricing plans depending on the number of contacts you want to store and the number of emails you want to send. They offer a free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month. After that, you can choose from the following pricing plans:
- Basic plan for $20/month for 500 contacts and 20,000 sends per month.
- Pro plan for $75/month for 2500 contacts and 60,000 sends per month.
- Growth plan for $150/month for 5000 contacts and 120,000 sends per month.
- Enterprise plan for over 5000 contacts and 120,000+ sends per month.
In terms of free plans, Shopify Email offers up to 10,000 emails per month for free, whereas Klaviyo offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 sends per month.
Pricing Comparison Table
| Platform | Free Plan | Basic Plan | Pro Plan | Growth Plan | Enterprise Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Email | 10,000 emails/month (Additional emails charged at $0.001 per email) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Klaviyo | 250 contacts, 500 sends/month | $20/month for 500 contacts and 20,000 sends/month | $75/month for 2,500 contacts and 60,000 sends/month | $150/month for 5,000 contacts and 120,000 sends/month | Custom pricing for over 5,000 contacts and 120,000+ sends/month |
In conclusion, if you’re already using Shopify to build your store, Shopify Email is included in all Shopify plans and is a great option for basic email marketing needs, however, if you want more advanced features, Klaviyo is a more powerful email marketing software, with different pricing plans to choose from, depending on your needs and the number of contacts and sends you want to manage.
Features and functionality:
When it comes to features and functionality, both Shopify Email and Klaviyo offer a range of options for creating and managing email campaigns. However, there are some key differences between the two platforms.
Shopify Email:
- Shopify Email is an add-on feature of the Shopify platform, and is designed to be easy to use for beginners.
- It offers a range of customizable templates to choose from, and a drag-and-drop editor for creating emails.
- You can create automated campaigns and segment your audience based on purchase history and other data.
- Shopify Email also provides basic analytics, such as open and click-through rates.
Klaviyo:
- Klaviyo is a standalone email marketing platform that is built specifically for ecommerce businesses.
- It offers a range of advanced features, such as segmentation, automation, and personalized product recommendations.
- Klaviyo provides detailed analytics, including revenue tracking, A/B testing, and customer lifetime value.
- In addition, Klaviyo offers SMS marketing, which is not available in Shopify Email.
- Klaviyo also offers a library of pre-built integrations with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce.
Overall, while Shopify Email offers a simple and easy-to-use solution for basic email marketing needs, Klaviyo provides a more advanced and powerful platform for businesses looking to scale their email marketing efforts.
Shopify Email vs Klaviyo User Reviews:
When it comes to user reviews, both Shopify Email and Klaviyo have received high ratings on the Shopify App Store. As of now, Klaviyo has 1658 reviews and an average rating of 4 stars, while Shopify Email has 942 reviews and an average rating of 4 stars.
Shopify review
Klavio reviews
Many Shopify Email users have complained about the limited number of templates and lack of segmentation options available in the app. However, Klaviyo has received some negative reviews regarding the recent price increase in 2022, and some customers have also reported issues with their new accounts being closed.
Customer support and resources:
When it comes to customer support and resources, both Shopify Email and Klaviyo offer a range of options to help users get the most out of their email marketing efforts.
Shopify Email:
- Shopify offers a comprehensive support center with articles, tutorials, and videos to help users get started with Shopify Email.
- Users can also access the Shopify community forum to connect with other users and get help from experts.
- Shopify also offers a dedicated email support team to assist with any issues or questions.
Klaviyo:
- Klaviyo offers a range of resources, including a knowledge base, webinars, and a blog to help users learn more about the platform and email marketing best practices.
- Users can also access the Klaviyo community forum to connect with other users and get help from experts.
- Klaviyo also offers a dedicated email and live chat support team to assist with any issues or questions.
Overall, both Shopify Email and Klaviyo offer a range of resources and support options to help users get the most out of their email marketing efforts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both Shopify Email vs Klaviyo are solid email marketing options for ecommerce businesses. Shopify Email is natively integrated with the Shopify platform, making it a great option for those already using the platform. However, Klaviyo offers more advanced features and integration options with various ecommerce platforms.
In terms of pricing, Klaviyo is generally more expensive than Shopify Email, but also offers more advanced features and integrations.
When it comes to features and functionality, Klaviyo offers more advanced tools such as segmentation and SMS marketing, while Shopify Email is more basic and limited in functionality.
Finally, both platforms offer similar levels of customer support and resources to help users get the most out of their email marketing efforts.
Here is a summary table of the comparison:
| Feature | Shopify Email | Klaviyo |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Native Shopify | Various ecommerce platforms |
| Pricing | Starting at $0 | Starting at $20 |
| Features and Functionality | Basic | Advanced |
| Customer Support and Resources | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
For a more in-depth comparison of Shopify Email and another popular email marketing tool, check out our article on Shopify Email vs Mailchimp
FAQ
Is Klaviyo best for Shopify?
Klaviyo is a popular choice among Shopify users as it offers advanced email marketing features such as segmentation and automation. However, whether or not it is the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Can you send emails from Shopify?
Yes, Shopify includes an email marketing app called Shopify Email that allows you to send emails to your customers.
How do I use Klaviyo email on Shopify?
Klaviyo can be integrated with Shopify using the Klaviyo for Shopify app. This allows you to sync your Shopify store data with Klaviyo and use it to create targeted email campaigns.
Is Klaviyo better than Mailchimp?
Klaviyo and Mailchimp are both popular email marketing tools, but they have different features and pricing plans. Klaviyo is considered more advanced and offers more segmentation and automation options, while Mailchimp is more beginner-friendly and has a free plan.
Is Klaviyo free for Shopify?
Klaviyo offers a free trial period, but it is not free to use. They have different pricing plans that are based on the number of contacts and the number of emails sent.
Can I use Klaviyo without Shopify?
Yes, Klaviyo can be used independently of Shopify. It can be integrated with other e-commerce platforms or used on its own to create email campaigns.