If Klaviyo’s cost doesn’t match your email marketing revenue, you should look for the best Klaviyo alternatives.
Doing email marketing doesn’t have to be costly. There are many affordable email marketing software out there that offer sophisticated email marketing solutions like Klaviyo.
In terms of ease of use, customer support, and affordability, there are many options available to choose from.
We have listed the 10 best alternatives to Klaviyo, compared their features, and how affordable they are.
Use Retainful’s easy-to-setup email automation to send emails without the complexity and high costs.
Challenges of using Klaviyo
While the price of Klaviyo is ever increasing, the ease of use and customer support are not catching up.
Here are the main challenges of using Klaviyo.
1. Expensive for small businesses
Klaviyo’s pricing model, while justified by its advanced automation features and capabilities, presents significant challenges for small to medium-sized businesses.
Many users highlight concerns about the rapid price increase with subscriber growth, which may become unsustainable in the long-term.
Klaviyo’s pricing is based on “active profiles” rather than total list size. It can be confusing and unclear for some users.
It’s not always obvious what counts as an “active profile” and how to properly manage your active profile count.
For merchants who only need basic email marketing, the costs may outweigh the value received compared to simpler, cheaper Klaviyo alternatives.
2. Steep learning curve
Klaviyo has a lot of advanced functionality, which is great for power users but can be overwhelming for beginners.
Figuring out how to properly utilize features like segmentation, flows, reporting, etc. requires a substantial investment of time.
3. Non-reliable customer support
Many reviews from the users cited that they had a bad experience with customer support.
It is a double-whammy that email marketing software with complex functionalities doesn’t have reliable customer support to guide the customers.
Ensuring every detail in triggers, campaigns, and flows is properly configured can be very time-consuming and leave room for errors.
How to choose an alternative to Klaviyo?
Choose an alternative to Klaviyo by prioritizing the must-have features and determining the maximum you can reasonably spend. This will help narrow down the best alternatives to Klaviyo.
Here are the factors to consider when choosing an alternative to Klaviyo.
Determine the level of complexity you need for automation.
Consider how complex your automation workflows need to be. More complex workflows demand more time and effort from your end.
Highly complex workflows involving dynamic content, advanced segmentation, behavioral triggers, and comprehensive analytics.
Note the complexity of each workflow. For example, do you need
- Simple triggers like email opens or,
- More complex ones such as multi-step triggers involving purchase history, browsing behavior, or engagement scores
Evaluate your budget
Clearly define how much are you willing to spend on email marketing. Consider if your budget can accommodate growth in your email list and additional features over time.
Prioritize essential features
List the must-have features for your business, such as automation, segmentation, analytics, and customer support. Are you looking for ecommerce email marketing or a tool to grow your newsletter?
Identify secondary features that are beneficial but not essential. This can include advanced reporting, custom templates, and CRM integration.
Best Klaviyo Alternatives Comparison Chart
| Klaviyo alternative | Key Features | Best for | Free plan |
| Retainful | Ecommerce email marketing and easy-to-setup email automation. | Small to medium ecommerce businesses | Available |
| Mailchimp | Small-to-medium scale business looking for advanced automation. | Scaling ecommerce businesses | Available |
| Omnisend | Omnichannel capabilities and cross-channel workflows. | Ecommerce brands wanting multichannel marketing | Available |
| Activecampaign | Omnichannel, event, and site tracking | Businesses focused on advanced email automation and CRM integration | Available |
| Brevo | Omnichannel + CRM | Small businesses prioritizing transactional emails and affordable pricing | Available |
ConvertKit | Selling digital products | Content Creators and solopreneurs | Available |
| Constant Contact | Event management tools | Local businesses and nonprofits needing built-in event management tools | Not available |
| SendLane | Data-driven and cross-channel automation | Ecommerce brands seeking data-driven automation | Not available |
| MailerLite | Features for high email deliverability | Small teams or bloggers wanting simplicity and budget-friendly email marketing | Available |
| Drip | Lead scoring and tag-based segmentation | D2C ecommerce brands aiming for personalized marketing | Has a free trial |
10 Best Klaviyo Alternatives
These Klaviyo alternatives not only match Klaviyo’s capabilities but also provide unique advantages tailored to diverse business needs.
10 best alternatives to Klaviyo are:
- Retainful – Best for small and medium ecommerce businesses
- Mailchimp – Best for scaling ecommerce businesses
- Omnisend – Best for ecommerce brands wanting multichannel marketing
- ActiveCampaign – Best for businesses focused on advanced email automation and CRM integration
- Brevo – Best for small businesses wanting transactional emails and affordable pricing
- ConvertKit – Best for content creators and solopreneurs
- Constant Contact – Best for local businesses and nonprofits needing built-in event management tools
- SendLane – Best for ecommerce brands seeking data-driven automation.
- MailerLite – Best for small teams or bloggers wanting simplicity and budget-friendly email marketing
- Drip – Best for D2C ecommerce brands aiming for personalized marketing
Let’s see these Klaviyo alternatives in detail.
1. Retainful – Best for small and medium ecommerce businesses
57.8% more affordable than Klaviyo.
Retainful is an all-in-one email marketing software tailor-made for e-commerce that enables you to automate every stage in the email marketing funnel – acquire, nurture, and retain customers.
You can capture the email addresses of the visitors and grow your email list with targeted sign-up forms.
At the core of Retainful lies easy-to-setup email automation that allows you to send email campaigns at every stage of the customer journey – from welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, thank you emails, win-back emails, and more.
Unlike Klaviyo, it is not an omnichannel platform and doesn’t support cross-channel flows.
You can segment your customers based on demographics, purchase history, email engagement, and life-cycle stages without configuring rules after rules.
It integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce and Shopify.
How affordable Retainful is compared to Klaviyo?
Sending 20,000 emails costs only $19, while Klaviyo costs $45.
Here is a pricing comparison between Retainful and Klaviyo:
- Forever Free plan: 500 Emails (with access to all the features and email support)
- $19/month: 20,000 Emails
- $49/month: 50,000 Emails
Why is Retainful easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
- Easy-to-setup email automation workflows that don’t need a 3-page manual to set it up.
- Pre-built segmentation templates.
- Intuitive beginner-friendly drag-and-drop email editor.
- Pricing that doesn’t puzzle you.
Why is Retainful the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- One of the most affordable email marketing software in the market and is tailor-made for e-commerce.
- Beginner-friendly automation workflows and email editor.
- Dedicated onboarding and technical support.
Related Reading: Retainful vs. Klaviyo – See the full comparison here – Feature and Pricing comparison between Retainful and Klaviyo
Use the beginner-friendly interface of Retainful to send email campaigns with minimum effort from your end.
2. Mailchimp – Best for scaling ecommerce businesses
Mailchimp email automation tool’s strength lies in its all-in-one platform – combining email marketing, SMS, basic CRM, and social ads in one place.
Automation triggers in Mailchimp include basic actions such as signup, specific dates, and purchase activity. These are adequate for straightforward marketing needs.
This best Klaviyo alternative’s visual automation builder is very intuitive and easy to set up. It doesn’t let you do the heavy lifting. Make some tweaks, and you are good to go.
How affordable Mailchimp is than Klaviyo?
Sending 10,000 emails costs $19.40, while Klaviyo costs $35.
Price tiers and Email Volume:
- Free plan: 1000 Emails
- $4.60/month: 5000 Emails
- $6.87/month: 6000 Emails
- $137.41/month: 150,000 Emails
Why is Mailchimp easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop email builder that requires no code to design on-brand emails.
- Has a mobile app.
- All-in-One Marketing Hub
- Comprehensive onboarding processes and tutorials that guide users through the setup.
Why is Mailchimp the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- User-friendly interface and intuitive design.
- Extensive customer support options.
- Has features that are best suited for scaling and growing businesses.
Related Reading: Explore top MailChimp Alternatives in our comparison blog: 8 Best Mailchimp Alternatives in 2024
3. Omnisend – Best for ecommerce brands wanting multichannel marketing
Omnisend is an omnichannel marketing platform that supports emails, SMS, and push notifications. While Klaviyo is primarily focused on email and SMS, it does offer web push notifications as an additional channel.
It features cross-channel automation workflows so that you can automate messages of all the channels in one place.
While Klaviyo has a steep learning curve, Omnisend is known for being very user-friendly and easy to set up.
This Klaviyo alternative provides pre-built automation workflows for common use cases like abandoned carts, browse abandonment, post-purchase emails, and more. These workflows can be easily customized with an intuitive drag-and drop editor.
To not compromise on email personalization, this best Klaviyo alternative allows you to include dynamic content using customer data and behavior, ensuring each recipient receives tailored email content.
The best thing about Omnisend’s pricing is that there is no cap on features in any of its basic plans. Only a limit on contacts and emails.
How affordable is Omnisend compared to Klaviyo?
Sending 10,000 emails costs $26.65, while Klaviyo costs $35.
Price tiers and Email Volume:
- Free plan: 500 Emails
- $16/month: 6000 Emails
- $59/month: Unlimited Emails
Why is Omnisend easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
- Easy to navigate and use even for those without extensive email marketing experience.
- Users have access to 24/7 customer service through live chat and email.
Why is Omnisend the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Has omnichannel capability like Klaviyo.
- User-friendly interface.
- Reliable 24/7 customer support.
4. ActiveCampaign – Best for businesses focused on advanced email automation and CRM integration
ActiveCampaign is an all-in-one email marketing and CRM tool designed to help you engage with your audience, nurture leads, and drive sales.
This best Klaviyo alternative offers site and event tracking capabilities that allow you to monitor user behavior on websites and trigger automated workflows based on specific actions.
When it comes to triggers, Activecampaign covers almost everything under the sun. It covers most of the possible events and customer actions.
ActiveCampaign offers advanced conditional content features that allow you to tailor email content dynamically based on various conditions, such as user behavior, demographics, and preferences.
One of the disadvantages of this Klaviyo alternative is its complex visual marketing automation builder. It requires a steep learning curve before start setting up email automation in minutes.
How affordable ActiveCampaign compared to Klaviyo?
Sending 10,000 emails costs $15, while Klaviyo costs $35.
Pricing tiers:
- No free plan
- $29/month – 1000 contacts
- $49/month – 1000 contacts, Landing page builder, and more features
Why Activecampaign is easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
- The platform offers drag-and-drop email builders, pre-built automation workflows, and comprehensive onboarding resources to help users get up and running quickly.
Why is Activecampaign the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Has omnichannel capability + CRM.
- ActiveCampaign offers powerful automation capabilities, including advanced conditional content, site tracking, and predictive sending.
Related Reading: Explore the best email automation software and their detailed comparison in our blog: 8 Best Email Automation Software Comparison
5. Brevo – Best for small businesses prioritizing transactional emails and affordable pricing
Brevo provides a suite of marketing tools that include email marketing, SMS marketing, chat, CRM, and marketing automation.
Brevo provides comprehensive onboarding resources, including tutorials and documentation, to help users get up and running quickly.
Compared to all the visual marketing automation workflow builders – Brevo falls short.
This Klaviyo alternative uses developer-style language and shows six prompts before taking us to the visual workflow builder. The values and the email content are not pre-configured. You have to configure them from scratch.
Why is Brevo easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
- Setting up automation workflows is straightforward with Brevo’s visual workflow editor.
How affordable is Brevo compared to Klaviyo?
Sending 10,000 emails costs $17, while Klaviyo costs $35. You can do omni-channel marketing even in the free plan.
Price tiers and email volume:
- Free plan: 300 emails/day
- $25/month: 20k emails
- $65/month: 20k emails + Push notifications and landing page features
Why is Brevo the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Has omnichannel capability + CRM.
- Allows page tracking in the free plan.
- Its unique combination of advanced segmentation and multichannel capabilities offers solutions for engaging customers across different channels.
6. ConvertKit – Best for Content Creators and solopreneurs
ConvertKit is designed for creators and solopreneurs, offering tools that cater to content creators’ specific needs – like managing audiences, building email funnels, and selling digital products directly through email.
It doesn’t require a technical background, which makes it perfect for creators who want to spend more time on content and less time on tech.
ConvertKit integrates smoothly with popular platforms for creators like WordPress, Teachable, and Patreon.
If you’re running a large ecommerce business with complex product catalogs and deep analytics needs, ConvertKit is not for you.
How affordable is Kit compared to Klaviyo?
There are no sending limits on any of the plans in this Klaviyo alternative. You can send as many emails as you want on any of the plans.
For 5000 subscribers, ConvertKit costs $66, and Klaviyo costs $100 – 34% more affordable.
Why is ConvertKit easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
Many customer reviews praise ConvertKit for its intuitive interface that is easy to navigate, even for beginners.
Why is ConvertKit the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Selling digital products directly through their emails without needing a complex ecommerce setup.
- Mapping out their email sequences and see how subscribers move through them.
7. Constant Contact – Best for local businesses and nonprofits needing built-in event management tools
Constant Contact integrates event management tools, allowing users to send invites, track RSVPs, and manage online registrations – making it ideal for small businesses that host events.
This Klaviyo alternative offers multi-channel marketing capabilities – email + SMS + Ads + Social Media.
While not as advanced as Klaviyo’s, Constant Contact’s segmentation tools are adequate for small businesses needing to create email lists based on customer activity or preferences.
How affordable is Constant Contact compared to Klaviyo?
For 5000 subscribers, Constant Contact costs $80, and Klaviyo costs $100.
Why is Constant Contact the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Perfect for businesses that host events, webinars, or workshops
8. SendLane – Best for ecommerce brands seeking exceptional customer support and data-driven automation
Sendlane’s automation is not limited to email. The platform also integrates with SMS marketing, allowing businesses to set up cross-channel automated workflows.
Sendlane’s ability to optimize the timing of emails based on individual user behavior is a key differentiator from Klaviyo.
The extra tools like Integrated CRM and landing page builder make this Klaviyo alternative an all-in-one solution for ecommerce businesses that want to manage everything from a single platform.
SendLane takes customer support very seriously – offering 27/7 support, monthly program reviews, and deliverability monitoring.
If you are looking for top-notch customer support in a Klaviyo alternative, choose Sendlane.
How affordable is Sendlane compared to Klaviyo?
SendLane’s plans are based on what feature you use, not on the number of contacts.
For 50,000 email sends Klaviyo costs $100 and Sendlane costs $600 with unlimited contacts.
Pricing tiers and email volume:
- 60-day free trial – 100 contacts & 500 email sends
- 50,000 email sends – $600/month
Why is SendLane is easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
Reviews highlight that Sendlane’s dashboard is clean, intuitive, and less cluttered compared to Klaviyo’s.
Why is it the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Praised for the exceptional onboarding process and customer support.
- Email marketing, SMS, behavioral tracking, and landing page creation are all in one platform.
9. MailerLite – Best for small teams or bloggers wanting simplicity and budget-friendly email marketing
MailerLite stands out as the best alternative to Klaviyo, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses or those new to email marketing. It offers a simpler, more affordable solution without sacrificing key features.
MailerLite provides essential automation tools that are easy to set up. It covers basic needs such as welcome email sequences, drip campaigns, and basic behavior-triggered emails like cart abandonment.
How affordable is MailerLite compared to Klaviyo?
It offers a generous free plan offering 12,000 emails per month and unlimited emails for just $9/month. But, has a separate plan for transactional emails.
For 50,000 contacts, Klaviyo costs $259 while MailerLite costs $260 and offers unlimited email sends.
Pricing tires and email volume:
- Free plan – 12,000 emails/month
- $10/month – 500 contacts and unlimited email sends
- $260/month – 50,000 subscribers
Why is MailerLite easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
Offers a simple drag-and-drop editor, customizable templates, and a straightforward automation setup.
Why is it the best alternative to Klaviyo?
- Affordable pricing and reliable customer support
10. Drip – Best for D2C ecommerce brands aiming for personalized marketing
What is unique about Drip is its segmentation system. It is based on unlimited tags, which provides more freedom for you to categorize and target different segments of customers dynamically. This allows you to automatically assign tags based on customer behavior and lifecycle.
Unlike Klaviyo, Drip provides a lead-scoring feature that allows you to score customers based on their actions. This makes Drip a better choice for businesses that want to use a points-based system to rank leads and prioritize follow-ups.
How affordable is Drip compared to Klaviyo?
Drip costs $89 for 5000 contacts, while Klaviyo costs $100.
Why is Drip easy to use compared to Klaviyo?
Drip has one of the easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editors that makes designing emails effortless.
Why is Drip the best alternative to Klaviyo?
While Klaviyo is feature-rich, Drip’s simpler and more affordable structure makes it better suited for smaller businesses or startups.
What’s the best alternative for Klaviyo in terms of pricing?
Out of the listed alternatives to Klaviyo, Retainful is the most affordable option – up to 64% more affordable.
If you want an affordable option and do omni-channel marketing – choose Omnisend. But only 23% more affordable than Klaviyo.
If you want pricing based on email sends rather than active profiles, choose Sendlane.
What is the best alternative to Klaviyo for large businesses?
If you are looking for an enterprise solution without compromising on advanced automation, choose MailChimp or ActiveCampaign.
Wrapping Up!!
While Klaviyo is a powerful email marketing tool with advanced features, it is not the perfect fit for all businesses due to its complexity and cost.
Exploring Klaviyo alternatives like Retainful can offer more affordability, ease of use, and reliable customer support.
Ultimately, the best alternative to Klaviyo will depend on your specific needs, budget, and the level of complexity you are comfortable with.
Switch to Retainful and experience easy-to-setup email automation and reliable technical support and get value for money.
Also Read:
- 8 Best Email Capture Software Compared
- 9 Best WordPress Email Marketing Plugins (+ Comparison Chart)
There are many email marketing apps tailor-made for ecommerce, like Retainful and Omnisend. They have e-commerce-focused automation workflows like abandoned cart, back-in-stock, product recommendation, and more.
Klaviyo is worth it for businesses that can utilize its advanced features and comprehensive automation capabilities.
Retainful is an email marketing software tailor-made for ecommerce. It offers easy-to-setup email automation and pre-designed email templates to send email campaigns easily.
Klaviyo can be challenging for beginners due to its advanced features and complex interface.
No, Klaviyo is not only for email marketing. It also supports SMS marketing, enabling businesses to create integrated multi-channel campaigns.
Yes. Sending 10,000 emails costs $19.40 in MailChimp, while Klaviyo costs $35.
