Pick / avoid summary (fast)
Skim these triggers to pick a default, then validate with the quick checks and constraints below.
- ✓ Your store has 500+ orders and predictive analytics (CLV, churn) drive your segmentation
- ✓ Per-email revenue attribution granularity matters for optimizing individual sends
- ✓ You're on Shopify Plus and need enterprise-grade e-commerce data integration
- ✓ Your store has <500 orders—Klaviyo's predictive analytics won't be accurate yet
- ✓ Budget matters more than analytics depth—30-40% savings on equivalent features
- ✓ You want email + SMS + push in one plan without managing separate channel costs
- × Contact-based pricing gets expensive: 10,000 contacts is $150/mo (email only); 50,000 contacts is $720/mo
- × SMS pricing is separate and usage-based; combined email + SMS costs can double at scale
- × Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- × Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
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At 25,000 contactsKlaviyo $400/mo (email only) vs Omnisend $180/mo (email + SMS + push)—$220/mo difference
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The trade-offanalytics precision and prediction depth vs multi-channel value and lower cost
At-a-glance comparison
Klaviyo
E-commerce-focused email and SMS platform with native Shopify/BigCommerce integration, per-email revenue attribution, and predictive analytics. Free for 250 contacts; pricing scales with list and SMS volume.
- ✓ Native Shopify integration syncs order data, product catalog, and customer profiles in real time—deepest in market
- ✓ Per-email revenue attribution shows exactly which campaign, flow, or segment drives revenue
- ✓ Predictive analytics: customer lifetime value, next order date, and churn risk built in
Omnisend
E-commerce marketing automation with pre-built Shopify/WooCommerce workflows, email + SMS + push notifications in one plan. Free for 250 contacts; Standard at $16/mo for 500 contacts.
- ✓ Pre-built e-commerce automation workflows: cart abandonment, welcome, post-purchase, browse abandonment—ready to activate
- ✓ Email + SMS + web push notifications included in one plan (Standard+)—no separate channel fees
- ✓ Standard at $16/mo for 500 contacts is 30–40% cheaper than Klaviyo's equivalent tier
What breaks first (decision checks)
These checks reflect the common constraints that decide between Klaviyo and Omnisend in this category.
If you only read one section, read this — these are the checks that force redesigns or budget surprises.
- Real trade-off: Predictive analytics depth and per-email revenue precision versus 30-40% lower cost with email + SMS + push in one plan.
- Email Simplicity vs Automation Depth: Map your current automation needs: simple drip sequences vs multi-branch conditional flows
- Contact-Based vs Send-Based Pricing: Calculate total contacts vs average monthly sends to model cost on both pricing models
- E-commerce Native vs General Purpose: Determine if revenue-per-email and order-level attribution are must-have metrics
Implementation gotchas
These are the practical downsides teams tend to discover during setup, rollout, or scaling.
Where Klaviyo surprises teams
- Contact-based pricing gets expensive: 10,000 contacts is $150/mo (email only); 50,000 contacts is $720/mo
- SMS pricing is separate and usage-based; combined email + SMS costs can double at scale
- Primarily designed for e-commerce—limited B2B features like lead scoring or ABM
Where Omnisend surprises teams
- Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
- Contact-based pricing: 25,000 contacts on Standard is $180/mo; 50,000 contacts is $330/mo
Where each product pulls ahead
These are the distinctive advantages that matter most in this comparison.
Klaviyo advantages
- ✓ Predictive analytics: CLV, churn risk, and next order date scoring built in
- ✓ Most granular per-email revenue attribution in the e-commerce email space
- ✓ Deepest Shopify native integration with real-time catalog and profile sync
Omnisend advantages
- ✓ Email + SMS + web push included in one plan—no separate channel fees
- ✓ 30–40% lower cost at equivalent contact counts vs Klaviyo
- ✓ Pre-built automation workflows that activate instantly for common e-commerce scenarios
Pros and cons
Klaviyo
Pros
- + Your store has 500+ orders and predictive analytics (CLV, churn) drive your segmentation
- + Per-email revenue attribution granularity matters for optimizing individual sends
- + You're on Shopify Plus and need enterprise-grade e-commerce data integration
- + High AOV means the revenue lift from better predictions justifies the premium
- + You need advanced behavioral segmentation with custom events and computed properties
Cons
- − Contact-based pricing gets expensive: 10,000 contacts is $150/mo (email only); 50,000 contacts is $720/mo
- − SMS pricing is separate and usage-based; combined email + SMS costs can double at scale
- − Primarily designed for e-commerce—limited B2B features like lead scoring or ABM
- − No built-in CRM for sales pipeline management; relies on e-commerce platform as source of truth
- − Template builder is functional but less design-polished than Mailchimp's drag-and-drop editor
- − Predictive analytics accuracy depends on data volume; new stores with <1,000 orders get less value
- − No free plan above 250 contacts—competing platforms offer more generous free tiers
Omnisend
Pros
- + Your store has <500 orders—Klaviyo's predictive analytics won't be accurate yet
- + Budget matters more than analytics depth—30-40% savings on equivalent features
- + You want email + SMS + push in one plan without managing separate channel costs
- + You're on WooCommerce or BigCommerce where Omnisend's integration is strongest
- + Pre-built automation flows that work out-of-the-box matter more than customization
Cons
- − Predictive analytics and advanced segmentation less sophisticated than Klaviyo's—basic audience insights only
- − Revenue attribution exists but is simpler than Klaviyo's per-email granularity and CLV predictions
- − Contact-based pricing: 25,000 contacts on Standard is $180/mo; 50,000 contacts is $330/mo
- − No B2B features—no lead scoring, no CRM, no ABM; purely e-commerce focused
- − Template design quality is functional but less polished than Mailchimp's premium templates
- − SMS credits on Standard are limited (60/mo included); additional SMS purchased separately
- − Smaller integration ecosystem than Mailchimp or HubSpot—focused on e-commerce platforms only
Keep exploring this category
If you’re close to a decision, the fastest next step is to read 1–2 more head-to-head briefs, then confirm pricing limits in the product detail pages.
FAQ
How do you choose between Klaviyo and Omnisend?
Klaviyo wins for established e-commerce brands (500+ orders) where predictive CLV and granular revenue attribution drive strategy. Omnisend wins for small-to-mid e-commerce stores wanting solid automation at 30-40% less cost with SMS and push included.
When should you pick Klaviyo?
Pick Klaviyo when: Your store has 500+ orders and predictive analytics (CLV, churn) drive your segmentation; Per-email revenue attribution granularity matters for optimizing individual sends; You're on Shopify Plus and need enterprise-grade e-commerce data integration; High AOV means the revenue lift from better predictions justifies the premium.
When should you pick Omnisend?
Pick Omnisend when: Your store has <500 orders—Klaviyo's predictive analytics won't be accurate yet; Budget matters more than analytics depth—30-40% savings on equivalent features; You want email + SMS + push in one plan without managing separate channel costs; You're on WooCommerce or BigCommerce where Omnisend's integration is strongest.
What’s the real trade-off between Klaviyo and Omnisend?
Predictive analytics depth and per-email revenue precision versus 30-40% lower cost with email + SMS + push in one plan.
What’s the most common mistake buyers make in this comparison?
Paying Klaviyo's premium for predictive analytics when your store has <500 orders—the predictions won't be accurate enough to justify the cost.
What’s the fastest elimination rule?
Pick Klaviyo if your store has enough data (500+ orders) to fuel predictive analytics that justify the premium
What breaks first with Klaviyo?
Contact + SMS cost at scale: 50,000 contacts ($720/mo email) + SMS can exceed $1,200/mo combined. Teams wanting B2B features hit Klaviyo's ceiling fast—no lead scoring, no CRM, no attribution beyond e-commerce. Predictive analytics overpromise for small stores—<500 orders produces unreliable predictions.
What are the hidden constraints of Klaviyo?
SMS credits are separate from email pricing; a combined email+SMS program can cost 2x the email-only price. Predictive analytics require minimum order volume (~500+ orders) to generate meaningful predictions. Email pricing jumps at thresholds: 10,000 contacts ($150/mo), 25,000 ($400/mo), 50,000 ($720/mo).
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Sources & verification
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