Mailchimp is the email tool almost everyone knows, but for an ecommerce store it falls short. Its automation is basic, SMS is a paid add-on sold separately, there are no push notifications, and its revenue attribution, which tells you how much each email sells, is among the weakest on the market. That's why the flow only ever goes one way: stores leaving Mailchimp and almost nobody arriving.
The good news is that there are alternatives built for ecommerce that cover all of it for a similar price or less. In this article we go through the best in 2026, with Omnisend as the option we'd recommend for most stores and Klaviyo as the most powerful for those that want maximum depth. We're official partners of both, so we know them inside out.
Why switch from Mailchimp?
Mailchimp is reliable and everyone knows how to use it, which is why it's still so popular. The problem shows up when your store grows and you need real ecommerce marketing. That's where you run into several limitations.
Automation is limited, so building flows like abandoned cart or post-purchase with fine-grained conditions becomes an uphill task. SMS isn't built in; it's a separate module you pay for on top. There are no push notifications either. And revenue attribution is basic, which makes it hard to know which campaigns and flows are actually bringing in money. On top of that, beyond a certain list size Mailchimp isn't that cheap either, so you end up paying for a tool you're outgrowing.
1. Omnisend, the best alternative for most stores
Omnisend is the alternative more Shopify stores move to, and for good reason. It brings email, SMS, and push notifications as native steps within the same flow, something Mailchimp doesn't do, so you can build an automation that combines all three channels with no extra tools. And all of those features are available from the free plan, not hidden away in the expensive tiers.
In ecommerce it shines exactly where Mailchimp struggles: its revenue attribution is among the best on the market, so you can see clearly how much each campaign and each flow sells. Its pricing is competitive, around 35% below Klaviyo on comparable tiers, with free migration if you come with a list of a certain size. On the Shopify App Store it has a very high rating with more than a thousand reviews. For most stores leaving Mailchimp, it's the most sensible option.
2. Klaviyo, the most powerful option for scaling
Klaviyo is the deepest platform on this list and the one many brands choose when email becomes a serious revenue channel. Its Shopify integration is the richest in data, its segmentation is vast, and its predictive models anticipate things like when a customer will buy again or how much they'll spend over their lifetime. All of that lets you personalise at a level the others don't reach.
In return, it's the most expensive, its price rises quickly as your list grows, and it has more of a learning curve. It pays off when you have volume, when someone genuinely dedicates time to the channel, and when you want to push personalisation to the limit. For a growing brand that has already moved past the basics, Klaviyo gives you the most headroom.
Other alternatives worth considering
If Omnisend or Klaviyo don't fit you, there are more options. Brevo charges by send volume rather than by contacts, so if you have a large list you email infrequently, it works out very cheap. ActiveCampaign has the most powerful automation and CRM if your business isn't only ecommerce. And MailerLite is one of the simplest and most affordable if you want just enough to start without overcomplicating things.
Sending your emails with Shopify (the most limited option)
If you'd rather not add another tool, Shopify has its own email feature, Shopify Email, included in any store plan. It lets you create campaigns and some basic automations like abandoned cart or welcome, and it's by far the cheapest option, free up to 10,000 emails a month and then $1 per 1,000 emails, with no charge by number of subscribers.
Price is its big advantage, but it's also the most limited alternative. Segmentation, automations, and reporting fall well behind Omnisend or Klaviyo, so it suits new stores that want to send their first campaigns at no cost, with the idea of moving up to a real tool once email starts driving revenue. Because it's inside Shopify, setting it up is immediate.
Which one to choose?
In short, most ecommerce stores that leave Mailchimp get it right with Omnisend, for value for money and for having email, SMS, and push in one place. Klaviyo is the choice when you want maximum data depth and personalisation. It makes sense if you have someone to make the most of it. The others cover specific budget or mixed-business cases.
| Platform | Indicative price | Strong at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnisend | Free tier, competitive | Email, SMS, and push in one flow, attribution | Most ecommerce stores |
| Klaviyo | Premium, rises with the list | Data, segmentation, and prediction | High-volume brands scaling the channel |
| Brevo | By send volume | Large lists with light sending | Those who prioritise price |
| ActiveCampaign | Mid-to-high | Automation and CRM | Businesses beyond pure ecommerce |
Choosing the platform is the first step; getting the most out of it comes down to a well-built email marketing strategy.
Pricing comparison by number of subscribers
So you can compare at a glance, here's the pricing table for each platform on its cheapest plan that includes email and automations, with no SMS or extras. Prices are monthly and in dollars, which is how these tools bill. They're indicative, so it's worth confirming them on each website because they change often.
| Platform | Free up to | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 25,000 | 50,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | 1,000 subs | Free | $18 | $39 | $73 | $169 | $289 |
| Omnisend | 250 contacts | $20 | $30 | $65 | $132 | $230 | $400 |
| Mailchimp | 250 contacts | $20 | $45 | $100 | $135 | $275 | $385 |
| Klaviyo | 250 contacts | $30 | $50 | $100 | $150 | $400 | $720 |
| ActiveCampaign | No free plan | $19 | $49 | $99 | $149 | $390 | $609 |
| Shopify Email | 10,000 emails/mo | Free | Free | $10 | $30 | $90 | $190 |
| Brevo | 9,000 emails/mo | Free | Free | $25 | $40 | $65 | $130 |
Shopify Email and Brevo charge per email sent rather than per subscriber, so their figures assume around 4 sends a month per subscriber. Mailchimp is shown on its Standard plan. Indicative monthly prices in dollars, no SMS or extras.
Shopify Email y Brevo cobran por email enviado, no por suscriptores, así que sus cifras son estimaciones suponiendo unos 4 envíos al mes por suscriptor. Mailchimp figura con su plan Standard, el más barato con automatizaciones de verdad.
A couple of quick takeaways. MailerLite is the cheapest in almost every tier and is free up to 1,000 subscribers, so for starting out it's unbeatable on price. Omnisend stays very competitive as you grow and strikes the best balance between price and ecommerce features. Klaviyo is the most expensive as the list grows, especially beyond 25,000 subscribers. That premium only pays off if you use its data depth. Shopify Email and Brevo come out much cheaper because they charge per send rather than per subscriber, with the caveat that they're considerably more limited.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Mailchimp alternative for ecommerce?
For most stores, Omnisend, for its value for money and for bringing email, SMS, and push notifications into a single flow. If you want maximum data depth and personalisation, Klaviyo. The best one depends on your size and how far you'll push the channel.
Why does Mailchimp fall short for ecommerce?
Because its automation is limited, SMS is a separate paid module, it has no push notifications, and its revenue attribution is basic. For simple campaigns it does the job, but for ecommerce marketing with fine-grained flows and segmentation it falls short.
Is it hard to migrate from Mailchimp to Omnisend or Klaviyo?
Not too hard. Both offer migration processes and, in Omnisend's case, free migration beyond a certain list size. What takes the most time is rebuilding the automations and templates, but it's a one-off job that pays back quickly.
Is Omnisend cheaper than Klaviyo?
Yes. On comparable contact tiers, Omnisend usually comes out around 35% cheaper than Klaviyo and includes SMS and push with no separate plan. Klaviyo justifies its price with more data depth and personalisation.
Klaviyo or Omnisend: which is right for me?
It depends on your case. Both are excellent. Omnisend fits better if you prioritise price and want email, SMS, and push in a single tool that's quick to get running. Klaviyo fits if you have volume, someone to dedicate time to the channel, and you want the most advanced segmentation and prediction.
Does Mailchimp have a free plan?
It has a free plan for up to 500 contacts, and its paid plan starts at around $13 a month. The catch is that beyond a certain list size it stops being cheap, and even then it doesn't give you the ecommerce marketing that Omnisend or Klaviyo do.
Staying on Mailchimp out of inertia is easy, but every month that passes with weak flows and no idea which email brings in money is margin you leave on the table. Both Omnisend and Klaviyo give you a clear jump in email revenue. Choosing well between the two comes down to your size and your goals. At STRAT we're official partners of both Omnisend and Klaviyo, so if you'd like help choosing and migrating without losing your automations, we work as an email marketing agency for ecommerce with profitability first.
