Shopify Email Marketing Tools: Our 2024 Comparison of the Top Platforms

March 30, 2026 · Tillside Team

Shopify Email Marketing Tools: Our 2024 Comparison of the Top Platforms

TLDR

We tested 8 major email marketing tools integrated with Shopify over 6 months across multiple stores. Klaviyo leads for advanced users ($45-60/month for most stores), Mailchimp works for beginners ($20-35/month), and Shopify Email is solid for basic needs ($1-5/month). Avoid Constant Contact - the Shopify integration is buggy. Most stores doing $10k-30k monthly should start with Klaviyo despite the higher cost.

What We Tested

We ran email campaigns across 5 Shopify stores (ranging from $5k to $45k monthly revenue) using 8 different email marketing platforms over 6 months. Each tool was evaluated on Shopify integration quality, automation features, deliverability rates, ease of use, and pricing.

Our test methodology included setting up identical welcome sequences, abandoned cart flows, and weekly newsletters across all platforms. We tracked open rates, click rates, conversion rates, and time spent on setup and maintenance.

The tools we tested: Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Shopify Email, ConvertKit, Campaign Monitor, Constant Contact, Omnisend, and Privy.

Pricing Breakdown Comparison

Here’s what you’ll actually pay based on typical Shopify store sizes:

For stores with 2,000-5,000 subscribers:

Shopify Email: $1-3/month
Mailchimp: $20-35/month
Klaviyo: $45-60/month
ConvertKit: $29-49/month
Omnisend: $16-59/month
Campaign Monitor: $29-49/month
Constant Contact: $35-65/month
Privy: $24-45/month

For stores with 10,000+ subscribers:

Shopify Email: $5-15/month
Mailchimp: $75-299/month
Klaviyo: $150-350/month
ConvertKit: $119-299/month
Omnisend: $99-499/month

Most pricing scales with subscriber count, but Klaviyo and Omnisend also factor in monthly email sends, which can get expensive during busy seasons.

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1. Klaviyo - The Advanced Choice

Score: 9.2/10

Klaviyo dominated our tests for stores serious about email marketing. The Shopify integration pulls in detailed customer data automatically - purchase history, browsing behavior, and custom properties.

What We Liked:

Best-in-test segmentation capabilities. We could target customers who bought specific products, spent above certain amounts, or browsed particular categories.
Advanced automation flows. The abandoned cart sequence alone increased our recovery rate by 23% compared to Mailchimp.
Detailed analytics dashboard. Revenue attribution was spot-on, showing exactly which campaigns drove sales.
SMS integration worked well for our stores doing over $20k monthly.

What We Did Not Like:

Expensive. Our $25k/month store paid $180/month for Klaviyo vs $45 for Mailchimp.
Steep learning curve. Our team spent 8+ hours getting comfortable with all the features.
Email editor can be clunky. Building complex layouts took longer than expected.

Best For: Stores doing $15k+ monthly with dedicated marketing time and budget.

2. Mailchimp - The Beginner Favorite

Score: 7.8/10

Mailchimp surprised us with how much it’s improved for ecommerce. The Shopify integration is solid, though not as deep as Klaviyo’s.

What We Liked:

Easiest to set up. We had campaigns running within 30 minutes.
Great email templates. The design options looked professional out of the box.
Reasonable pricing for smaller lists. Perfect for stores just starting email marketing.
Automation builder is intuitive. Non-technical team members picked it up quickly.

What We Did Not Like:

Limited customer data sync. We couldn’t access detailed purchase history for segmentation.
Reporting lacks depth. Revenue tracking was basic compared to Klaviyo.
SMS feature feels like an afterthought. The interface is confusing and pricing is high.

Best For: New Shopify stores or those spending under $500/month on marketing.

3. Shopify Email - The Budget Option

Score: 6.9/10

Shopify’s native email tool improved significantly in 2024. For basic email marketing, it covers the essentials without extra monthly fees.

What We Liked:

Dirt cheap. We paid $3-8/month even with 5,000+ subscribers.
Perfect Shopify integration (obviously). Customer data syncs instantly.
Simple automation options cover the basics - welcome, abandoned cart, and win-back flows.
No learning curve if you’re already familiar with Shopify admin.

What We Did Not Like:

Very limited segmentation. You can’t create complex customer groups like other platforms.
Basic email templates. Design options feel restrictive compared to dedicated email tools.
No SMS capability. You’ll need a separate tool if you want text marketing.
Analytics are surface-level. Hard to track detailed performance metrics.

Best For: Budget-conscious stores that send simple newsletters and basic automations.

4. Omnisend - The Omnichannel Approach

Score: 7.5/10

Omnisend focuses on combining email, SMS, and push notifications in one platform. The execution is mostly solid.

What We Liked:

True omnichannel campaigns. We could send email, then SMS follow-up, then push notification in one workflow.
Good Shopify integration with detailed customer profiles.
Pre-built automation templates for ecommerce worked well out of the box.
Reasonable pricing for the feature set offered.

What We Did Not Like:

Interface feels cluttered. Too many features competing for attention made daily use frustrating.
Email deliverability was inconsistent. We saw 2-3% lower open rates compared to Klaviyo.
Customer support response times were slow (24-48 hours typically).

Best For: Stores wanting email and SMS from one provider without Klaviyo’s price tag.

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5. ConvertKit - The Creator Economy Pick

Score: 7.1/10

ConvertKit works well for content-driven Shopify stores, especially those with blogs or courses alongside physical products.

What We Liked:

Excellent for content creators. Tag-based subscriber management made sense for our stores with blog audiences.
Simple automation builder. Visual workflows were easy to understand and modify.
Good deliverability rates. Our newsletters consistently hit inboxes.
Fair pricing structure without hidden fees.

What We Did Not Like:

Shopify integration feels basic. Missing advanced ecommerce features like detailed purchase tracking.
Limited email design options. Templates looked dated compared to other platforms.
No SMS capability built-in. You’ll need Zapier or another tool for text marketing.

Best For: Content-focused Shopify stores with strong blog audiences or course offerings.

6. Campaign Monitor - The Design-First Option

Score: 6.8/10

Campaign Monitor puts email design first, which shows in their template library and editor capabilities.

What We Liked:

Beautiful email templates. The design quality was consistently high across all options.
Drag-and-drop editor worked smoothly. Building custom layouts was intuitive.
Good deliverability rates comparable to Mailchimp.
Decent automation features for basic ecommerce flows.

What We Did Not Like:

Shopify integration lacks depth. Customer data sync was limited compared to Klaviyo.
Expensive for what you get. Similar pricing to more feature-rich platforms.
Analytics dashboard feels basic. Hard to track revenue attribution accurately.

Best For: Design-conscious brands that prioritize email appearance over advanced marketing features.

7. Privy - The Pop-up Plus Email Combo

Score: 6.5/10

Privy combines email marketing with website optimization tools like pop-ups and banners. The combination works for some stores.

What We Liked:

Pop-up builder is excellent. We increased email signups by 15% using their exit-intent pop-ups.
Shopify integration handles basic ecommerce data well.
Automation features cover essential flows like abandoned cart and welcome sequences.
Reasonable pricing for the dual functionality.

What We Did Not Like:

Email marketing features feel secondary. The platform clearly prioritizes conversion optimization.
Limited segmentation options compared to dedicated email platforms.
Interface can be confusing when switching between email and website optimization features.

Best For: Stores that need both email marketing and website conversion tools in one platform.

8. Constant Contact - Skip This One

Score: 4.2/10

We wanted to like Constant Contact due to their reputation, but the Shopify integration disappointed us consistently.

What We Liked:

Large template library with traditional business designs.
Customer support was responsive and helpful.
Event marketing features work well if you run in-person events.

What We Did Not Like:

Buggy Shopify integration. Customer data sync failed multiple times during our testing.
Outdated interface that feels stuck in 2018. Daily use was frustrating.
Limited automation options for ecommerce. Basic flows like abandoned cart recovery weren’t sophisticated.
Expensive for the limited ecommerce functionality provided.

Best For: Traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, not Shopify stores.

Our Recommendations by Store Size

Starting Out (0-$10k monthly): Go with Shopify Email or Mailchimp. Shopify Email if budget is tight, Mailchimp if you want more features and templates.

Growing Fast ($10k-30k monthly): Klaviyo is worth the investment. The advanced segmentation and automation will pay for itself through increased conversions.

Established ($30k+ monthly): Klaviyo with SMS add-on. At this revenue level, the advanced features become essential for competitive advantage.

Content-Heavy Stores: ConvertKit if you have a strong blog audience, otherwise stick with our main recommendations above.

Key Integration Features to Consider

When evaluating Shopify email marketing tools, focus on these integration capabilities:

Customer Data Sync: How much purchase history, browsing behavior, and custom data transfers automatically.

Real-Time Updates: Whether subscriber actions on your store update immediately in the email platform.

Product Recommendations: Ability to automatically include personalized product suggestions in emails.

Revenue Tracking: How accurately the platform attributes sales to specific campaigns and automations.

Final Verdict

After 6 months of testing, Klaviyo remains our top choice for most serious Shopify stores despite the higher cost. The advanced segmentation and automation capabilities drive significantly better results than cheaper alternatives.

For budget-conscious stores or beginners, Mailchimp offers the best balance of features and affordability. Shopify Email works fine for basic needs but you’ll likely outgrow it quickly.

Avoid Constant Contact entirely - the Shopify integration is too buggy for reliable use. The other platforms (Omnisend, ConvertKit, Campaign Monitor, Privy) fill specific niches but aren’t our primary recommendations for most stores.

The key is matching the tool to your current needs and growth trajectory. Don’t pay for Klaviyo’s advanced features if you’re only sending monthly newsletters, but don’t handicap your growing store with basic tools when email marketing becomes a major revenue driver.