Klaviyo vs Mailchimp

Estimated monthly cost comparison — not just the headline price

Prices change often — confirm on the vendor's site before buying. Report incorrect pricing →

Quick Take

Mailchimp has the lower estimated monthly cost (~45%)

Based on advertised price plus documented recurring fees, not your exact usage.

Best for Klaviyo

E-commerce email and SMS marketing platform. Free for 250 contacts, then contact-based pricing that

Best for Mailchimp

Email marketing platform with automation. Free for 500 contacts, then contact-based pricing creates

K

Klaviyo

E-commerce email and SMS marketing platform. Free for 250 contacts, then contact...

Advertised

$0

/month

Estimated monthly cost

$205

/month (illustrative)

Documented Extra Fees (+$205/mo)

Steep Contact-Based Scaling

Free for 250 contacts. Then: 1K = $30/mo, 5K = $100/mo, 10K = $150/mo, 25K = $400/mo, 50K = $720/mo....

+$100/mo

SMS Credits Charged Separately

SMS marketing requires separate credit purchases. US SMS: $0.01-$0.015/message. 10K SMS/mo = $100-15...

+$75/mo

Email Send Limits Per Tier

Email sends are capped at 10x your contact limit on most plans. Exceeding requires upgrading to a hi...

+$30/mo

Pricing Tiers

Free
$0/mo
EmailPopular
$30/mo
Email & SMS
$45/mo
M

Mailchimp

Email marketing platform with automation. Free for 500 contacts, then contact-ba...

Advertised

$0

/month

Estimated monthly cost

$113

/month (illustrative)

Documented Extra Fees (+$113/mo)

Unsubscribed Contacts Count

Mailchimp counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your billing limit. A list of 10K w...

+$30/mo

Steep Contact Tier Scaling

Pricing jumps dramatically: 500 contacts = $13.99/mo, 2,500 = $45/mo, 10K = $100/mo, 50K = $350/mo. ...

+$50/mo

Pay-As-You-Go Email Credits

Over-limit sends cost extra as email credits. Standard plan allows 12x your contact limit per month....

+$20 per use

Advanced Automation Paywall

Free and Essentials include only basic automations. Customer journeys with branching, A/B testing, a...

+$13/mo

Pricing Tiers

Free
$0/mo
Essentials
$13/mo
StandardPopular
$20/mo
Premium
$350/mo

Key Differences

1

Klaviyo advertises $0/mo. Mailchimp advertises $0/mo.

2

Klaviyo has 3 documented hidden fees. Mailchimp has 4.

3

Klaviyo confidence: 78%. Mailchimp confidence: 80%.

Cost Comparison Summary

MetricKlaviyoMailchimpWinner
Advertised Price$0/mo$0/mo—
Estimated Monthly Cost$205/mo$113/moMailchimp
Recurring Extra Fees+$205/mo+$113/moMailchimp
One-Time Costs$0$0—
# Documented Fees34—
Pricing Tiers34—
Affiliate ProgramNoneNo public affiliate program (discontinued 2022)—

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Klaviyo or Mailchimp cheaper?

Klaviyo advertises $0/mo and Mailchimp advertises $0/mo. Klaviyo has 3 documented extra fees (recurring: +$205/mo), while Mailchimp has 4 (recurring: +$113/mo). On these illustrative assumptions, Mailchimp has the lower estimated monthly cost (about 45% less). Your real cost depends on seats and usage — use the calculator for your numbers.

What extra fees does Klaviyo have?

Klaviyo has 3 documented extra fees: Steep Contact-Based Scaling, SMS Credits Charged Separately, Email Send Limits Per Tier. Recurring fees add roughly $205/mo on top of the $0/mo advertised price.

What extra fees does Mailchimp have?

Mailchimp has 4 documented extra fees: Unsubscribed Contacts Count, Steep Contact Tier Scaling, Pay-As-You-Go Email Credits, Advanced Automation Paywall. Recurring fees add roughly $113/mo on top of the $0/mo advertised price.

Should I choose Klaviyo or Mailchimp?

Choose Klaviyo if: E-commerce email and SMS marketing platform. Free for 250 contacts, then contact-based pricing that . Choose Mailchimp if: Email marketing platform with automation. Free for 500 contacts, then contact-based pricing creates . The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.

How accurate is this Klaviyo vs Mailchimp comparison?

This comparison is compiled from public vendor pricing pages and documentation. It uses illustrative assumptions (see "Cost Comparison Summary"), not your exact seats or usage, and vendor prices change often. Confirm current prices on each vendor's site, and use our calculator with your own usage for a closer estimate. Spotted an error? Email hello@trulycritic.com.

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