Klaviyo vs. Mailchimp: Which email marketing tool is better?

Choosing the right email marketing platform can be a game-changer for your business.

Klaviyo and Mailchimp are two of the most popular platforms, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Here’s a detailed comparison to help you decide which one suits your needs best.

Criteria	Klaviyo	Mailchimp	Winner
SMB Guide’s Rating	9.4/10	8/10	Klaviyo
Marketing Automation Capabilities	Powerful, but simpler	Basic automation	Klaviyo
Email Builder	Intuitive, efficient	Intuitive, easy-to-use	Mailchimp
Personalization & Customization	Highly Targeted	Basic personalization	Klaviyo
Campaign Performance Tracking	Comprehensive insights	Standard metrics	Klaviyo
Email Deliverability	✅	✅	Tie
List Management	Easy-to-use tools	Simple lists	Klaviyo
A/B Testing	✅	✅	Klaviyo
Advanced Reporting & Insights	Actionable reports	Basic reports	Klaviyo
Compliance & Security	✅	✅	Tie
User Experience and User Interface	Sleek design	User-friendly interface	Mailchimp
Integrations and Compatibility	350+ integrations	300+ integrations	Klaviyo
Customer Support	Dependable assistance	Limited support	Tie
Pricing	Free – $2,315/mo	Free – $1,600/mo	Mailchimp
Scalability	✅	✅	Klaviyo

Klaviyo: Key Features, Pros, Cons, & Pricing

Klaviyo is a powerful email marketing and automation platform known for its deep integration with e-commerce platforms and data-driven approach.

Key features include:

• Email marketing
• Marketing automation
• E-commerce integration
• Segmentation and targeting
• SMS marketing
• Analytics and reporting
• Customer data platform (CDP)

Pros & Cons

Pricing

Klaviyo doesn’t have pricing tiers. Instead, you’re charged based on your account’s number of active monthly profiles. Pricing ranges from free to $2,315 a month.

You’ll start paying at 251 profiles, and once you reach 250,001 monthly active contacts, you’ll receive customized pricing.

Mailchimp: Key Features, Pros, Cons, & Pricing

Mailchimp is one of the best email marketing automation platforms that can quickly turn your campaigns from boring to amazing.

With its cutting-edge features and user-friendly UI, even beginners at marketing can send attractive emails that engage, convert, and impress their target audience.

Pros & Cons

Pricing

• Free Plan: Limited to 500 contacts and basic email templates.
• Essentials Plan: Starts at $13/mo/500 contacts. 
• Standard Plan: Starts at $20/mo/500 contacts, up to $800/mo/100,000 contacts
• Premium Plan: Starts at $350/mo/10,000 contacts, $1,600/mo/200,000 contacts, custom pricing for additional contacts.

Marketing Automation Capabilities

Klaviyo leads in marketing capabilities due to its advanced customization options, deeper segmentation, and strong e-commerce-specific features.

While Mailchimp provides a more user-friendly and accessible experience, Klaviyo’s powerful automation tools make it the superior choice for businesses looking to implement sophisticated and personalized marketing strategies.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Email Builder

Mailchimp edges out the email builder category due to its intuitive, user-friendly interface, and extensive library of pre-designed templates.

While Klaviyo’s email builder is powerful and highly customizable, Mailchimp’s ease of use and accessibility make it the preferred choice for many businesses, especially those with limited design expertise or resources.

✅ Winner: Mailchimp

Personalization & Customization

Klaviyo is the clear leader in personalization and customization, offering deep segmentation, real-time dynamic content, and advanced analytics integration that allows for highly tailored and effective marketing campaigns.

While Mailchimp provides essential personalization features that are user-friendly and practical for basic needs, it lacks the depth and sophistication found in Klaviyo’s offerings.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Campaign Performance Tracking

Klaviyo outshines Mailchimp in campaign performance tracking with its detailed analytics, revenue attribution, and advanced segmentation reporting.

These features allow for a deeper understanding of campaign effectiveness and custom behavior.

While Mailchimp provides user-friendly and practical tracking tools, Klaviyo’s robust performance tracking capabilities make it the better choice for businesses seeking in-depth insights and actionable data.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Email Deliverability

When it comes to email deliverability, both Klaviyo and Mailchimp offer robust solutions. Klaviyo excels with its dedicated IP options and customizable infrastructure, while

Mailchimp impresses with its reliable deliverability and user-friendly spam filter testing. Both platforms provide strong tools to ensure your emails reach the intended recipients, making them equally strong contenders in this critical area.

✅ Winner: Tie

List Management

Klaviyo emerges as the superior choice for list management with its advanced segmentation, dynamic lists, and seamless integration with ecommerce platforms.

These features enable you to maintain highly organized and responsive lists, ensuring effective targeting and engagement.

While Mailchimp offers an accessible and user-friendly experience with essential segmentation tools, Klaviyo’s comprehensive capabilities make it the preferred option for those looking to optimize their email marketing efforts through sophisticated list management.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

A/B Testing

Klaviyo stands out in A/B testing with its advanced multivariate capabilities, automated winner selection, and detailed reporting.

These features enable you to conduct thorough and targeted tests, gaining deep insights that drive effective optimization. 

While Mailchimp offers user-friendly and essential A/B testing tools suitable for basic needs, Klaviyo’s comprehensive approach makes it the superior choice for those seeking to maximize their email marketing performance through sophisticated testing and analysis.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Advanced Reporting & Insights

When it comes to advanced reporting and insights, Klaviyo takes the lead with its comprehensive analytics, customer lifetime value tracking, and cohort analysis capabilities.

These features provide a deeper understanding of customer behavior and campaign performance, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and optimize your marketing strategies. 

While Mailchimp offers a user-friendly interface with essential reporting tools, Klaviyo’s robust and customizable reporting options make it the superior choice for anyone seeking detailed insights and advanced analytics.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Compliance and Security

Both Klaviyo and Mailchimp excel in compliance and security, offering robust measures to protect user data and ensure regulatory compliance.

Klaviyo’s focus on GDPR and CCPA compliance, data encryption, and regular security audits reflects its commitment to maintaining high security standards. 

Similarly, Mailchimp’s adherence to privacy laws, encryption practices, and continuous security monitoring make it a reliable choice for secure email marketing.

Both platforms provide advanced security features such as two-factor authentication and user permissions, making them equally strong contenders.

✅ Winner: Tie

User Interface and User Experience

Klaviyo, while offering a powerful data-driven design in advanced segmentation tools, may require a steeper learning curve for those unfamiliar with intricate data integration.

However, if you’re seeking detailed insights and customizable dashboards, Klaviyo remains a strong contender.

Mailchimp takes the lead in user interface and user experience with its exceptionally user-friendly design and intuitive navigation.

Its campaign builder, integrated guidance, and mobile accessibility make it an excellent choice for anyone who prioritizes ease of use and efficiency.

Ultimately, Mailchimp’s streamlined and accessible interface gives it the edge in providing an outstanding user experience.

✅ Winner: Mailchimp

Integrations and Compatibility

Both Klaviyo and Mailchimp offer robust integration and compatibility options, each with unique strengths.

Klaviyo shines with its deep ecommerce integration, advanced API capabilities, And sophisticated behavioral tracking, making it ideal for businesses focused on personalized, data-driven marketing.

On the other hand, Mailchimp stands out with its wide range of integrations, user-friendly API, and social media compatibility, providing a comprehensive and flexible marketing solution.

Ultimately, the choice between platforms depends on your specific business needs and priorities since both offer valuable integration solutions.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Customer Support

Both Klaviyo and Mailchimp provide robust customer support options, each catering to different user needs.

Klaviyo’s dedicated account managers in 24/7 email support offer a highly personalized experience, ideal for those seeking tailored advice and constant availability.

Mailchimp excels with its multi-channel support, including phone and priority support for premium users, ensuring a wide range of accessible health options.

Both platforms feature extensive knowledge bases and active community forums, fostering self-help and community engagement.

Ultimately, both are well-equipped to support their users effectively, making them strong contenders In the realm of customer support.

✅ Winner: Tie

Pricing

Mailchimp stands out in terms of pricing and value, offering a range of flexible pricing tiers and a comprehensive suite of tools that deliver significant functionality in one platform.

Its free plan and pay-as-you-go option make it particularly accessible for small businesses or those with varying email frequencies.

The ability to add specific functionalities as needed allows you to tailor Mailchimp’s offerings to your unique needs.

Klaviyo offers advanced features and a transparent pricing structure, but Mailchimp’s versatility and extensive feature set make it the leading choice for most businesses seeking cost-effective and comprehensive marketing solutions.

✅ Winner: Mailchimp

Scalability

Klaviyo excels in scalability, particularly for e-commerce-based businesses. Its sophisticated tools for advanced automation, flexible segmentation, and real-time data syncing provide a strong foundation for handling increasing customer interactions and data volumes.

These features ensure you can maintain accuracy and relevance in your marketing efforts as you grow.

While Mailchimp offers versatile plan options and a comprehensive suite of tools, Klaviyo’s specialized focus on e-commerce and data-driven marketing makes it the better choice for businesses looking to scale efficiently and effectively.

Klaviyo offers the infrastructure needed to support significant business growth.

✅ Winner: Klaviyo

Standout Features of Klaviyo

Advanced ecommerce integration

Klaviyo provides deep integration with platforms such as Shopify, Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento), and Woocommerce.

This allows for real-time data syncing and behavior-based customer segmentation, enabling more personalized marketing efforts.

Predictive analytics

Klaviyo includes predictive analytics features that forecast customer lifetime value, churn risk, and optimal send times. These insights help you make data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing strategies.

Comprehensive customer profiles

Klaviyo builds detailed customer profiles by aggregating data from various touch points. This enables you to create highly targeted campaigns based on a comprehensive understanding of customers’ behaviors and preferences.

Standout Features of Mailchimp

All-in-one marketing platform

Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform that goes beyond email. It includes tools for creating landing pages, social media ads, postcards, and more, providing a comprehensive suite for various marketing needs.

Creative assistant

Mailchimp’s Creative Assistant uses AI to generate custom designs for emails, social ads, and other marketing materials. This ensures consistent branding and saves time on design tasks.

Content studio

The content studio in Mailchimp is a centralized hub where you can store and manage all your images, files, and other assets. It simplifies content management and ensures branding consistency across marketing campaigns.

Klaviyo vs. Mailchimp: SMB Guide’s Verdict

Though both are great tools, Klaviyo is our overall winner here. It is best suited for ecommerce businesses and those requiring advanced segmentation, automation, and detailed customer insights to drive personalized marketing efforts.

Mailchimp is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one marketing solution that includes email, social media, and website-building tools.

Ultimately, the choice comes down to factors such as your business model, budget, and desired workflow.