For a [Shopify](/entry/shopify-s-chunky-eur-priced-tiers-vs-stripe-s-lean-per-transaction-fees) store specifically, this is really Klaviyo vs Omnisend — Mailchimp is the cheapest but the weakest for ecommerce, and it lost its Shopify integration privileges for years before regaining them.
| Entry paid | ~20,000 contacts | Free plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omnisend | $16/mo (500 contacts) | ~$265/mo | Free Forever, all core features, 24/7 support |
| Klaviyo | ~$20/mo (251–500 profiles) | ~$375/mo | 250 contacts, all core features |
| Mailchimp | cheapest headline | scales sharply | free plan has no automation |
Klaviyo is the ecommerce email standard — the deepest segmentation, the best predictive analytics, the tightest Shopify data sync. If email and SMS are a top revenue channel and you'll actually build and maintain the segmentation, Klaviyo's extra cost pays back. It's roughly 40% more than Omnisend at 20,000 contacts.
Omnisend is the smart-money pick for most stores: most of Klaviyo's capability — automation flows, segmentation, SMS, popups — at a lower price, with a genuinely usable Free Forever plan that's the only one here with 24/7 support. If you don't need the very deepest automation branching, Omnisend gets you there for less.
Mailchimp makes sense only if you're already on it, or you run marketing well beyond the Shopify store (a blog, events, a broader audience). Its free plan has no automation at all, which is disqualifying for an ecommerce use case where abandoned-cart and post-purchase flows are the whole point.
New Shopify store choosing fresh: Omnisend for the value and the free tier, Klaviyo if email is a major revenue channel and the budget supports the deeper tooling. Skip Mailchimp for ecommerce unless it's already your marketing hub.