Shopify Email vs. Klaviyo: A Comprehensive Comparison [Updated for 2025] | How to Choose the Best Email Marketing Tool for Your E-Commerce Growth Phase

This article is for Shopify store owners who want to: Shopify Emailand KlaviyoDeeply understand the functional differences between Best email marketing toolsI hope this helps you to choose.

To maximize sales on an e-commerce site, it is essential to nurture existing customers (improve engagement) and encourage repeat purchases. Email Marketingis.

For Shopify stores, the main options are "Shopify Email," which has similar standard features, and "Klaviyo," which has more advanced features. Find the tool that best suits your business scale and marketing strategy.

The key to success in email marketing is detecting customer behavior and automatically sending emails. Trigger Functionis.

•  Shopify Email
  Only basic triggers are supported Example: Cart abandonment, purchase completedetc.
  * Shopify Flow has many triggers available (reference: Shopify Flow triggers), it also offers automation similar to Klaviyo, but the setup can be complicated.
  
  

• Klaviyo
  Advanced triggers can be set based on detailed customer behavior.

  EX:
  ① Product Viewing Based
  Automatically send reviews and outfit suggestions to customers who have viewed a specific product multiple times.
  ② Back in stock notification
  Automatically send emails to registered customers when items are back in stock
  ③ Price Change Notification
  Get notified when your favorite items drop in price
  ④ Low Stock Notification
  Sending "limited stock" alerts to customers who have viewed or added items to their carts

If you are a small business looking to keep costs down or if your distribution volume is still low Shopify EmailOn the other hand, if your delivery volume increases as you grow, Klaviyo's custom pricing may be worth considering.

•  Shopify Email
  Up to 10,000 emails per month freeAfter 10,000 emails, you'll be charged per 1,000 emails, up to 300,000 emails, at a cost of $1 per 1,000 emails.
  
  

•  Klaviyo
  Up to 250 emails per month freeFrom there, a custom pricing system is available based on the number of emails, SMS, and other combinations.
  
  Example: If you want to send 20,000 emails per month
  Shopify Email: $10
  ◾️Klaviyo: BelowPricing for KlaviyoMore references

If you want simplicity, low cost, and integration with Shopify

Major features

• Simple design creation: 
  Our intuitive editor makes it easy for anyone to create on-brand emails.

• Basic Segment Delivery: 
  It is possible to narrow down the delivery based on customer lists (tags, country, purchase history, etc.).

• Auto-follow emails: 
  Thank you emails to first-time buyers, reminder emails to customers who have abandoned their cart, etc. automationcan be set.

• Operate from the Shopify admin screen: 
  You can send emails directly from your Shopify admin panel without using any external apps.

Standard template example

• Abandoned cart email: 
  Send reminder emails to customers who added items to their cart but didn't proceed to checkout.

• Checkout abandonment email: 
  Send an email to customers who proceeded to checkout but did not place an order, encouraging them to complete their purchase.

• Thank you email after purchase:
  Automatically send different thank you emails after the first and second purchase.

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If you are aiming for "full-scale customer development and sales maximization"

Major features

• High integration with e-commerce sites: 
  Seamlessly integrates with major platforms such as Shopify.

• Advanced use of customer data: 
  Analyzing purchase history, browsing history, and attributes, Automatic and precise segment generationis possible.

• Personalized Delivery: 
  Automatically send emails and SMS messages optimized for each customer.
  *Klaviyo SMS is not available in some countries.
  Check countries where SMS is available >>

• Automated Workflows: 
  Cart abandonment, post-purchase follow-up, repeat customer promotion, etc. Complex multi-step automationcan.

• External service integration: 
  It works in conjunction with a wide range of social media advertising, review apps, loyalty programs, and more.

Klaviyo's unique strengths

1. Detailed analysis and reports

Email and SMS campaigns Track conversion rates (CVR) in real time and evaluate the ROI (return on investment) of your marketing activitiesThis directly leads to improvements in the next measures. Custom ReportsIt is also possible to create.

2. Email and SMS Integrated Marketing

Leverage customer behavior data to send timely reminders and promotions to customers. Automatically deliver optimal messages across multiple channelsYes, you can (Klaviyo SMS is available in select countries).

3. Advanced segmentation

You can combine customer data from multiple angles to generate sophisticated groups.

• Segmentation based on LTV (lifetime value): 
  Send special discounts and advance sales information to "customers who have made the most purchases in the past 12 months" and "customers with the highest LTV."

• Engagement-based segments: 
  Segment "customers who have not opened an email in three months" and run a campaign to encourage re-engagement.

• Segments that combine multiple behavioral data:
  Send more personalized messages, such as "Customers who have made a purchase within the past 30 days and opened email newsletters at least twice, but have not clicked on a specific campaign email."
  
  

4. Multi-step and A/B testing

Klaviyo's Flow (automated workflow) can have multiple steps and conditional branches.

• Dynamic Flow Steps: 
  After the initial email is sent, depending on whether the customer opens it or clicks on a link, Automatically change the content and timing of your next emailI will.

• Built-in A/B testing: 
  A/B test subject lines, content, send times, etc. within the same flow. Automatically optimize performanceI will.
  
  

Advanced features (additional fees)

• Review function: 
  Klaviyo Reviews can automatically request reviews from targeted customers via email or SMS.

• Customer Support: 
  Customer Hub allows you to streamline support responses by setting up chat scenarios, suggesting answers using AI functions, and automating returns based on order information.

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 Shopify Email

The simple and intuitive customization screen allows you to quickly create your website by simply adding sections.

per delivery Open rate, click rate, number of deliveriesYou can check the delivery status directly from the Shopify admin panel.

 claviyo

The intuitive UI allows for more advanced customization via drag and drop.

Not only can you check the open rate, click rate, and sales contribution of each delivery, but you can also identify areas for improvement by comparing with industry benchmarks, visualize customer increases and decreases by segment, and perform campaign analysis on the dashboard.

How to use each tool

 Shopify Email

•  It is suitable for small-scale, simple distribution and is effective when you want to keep costs down.
•  This is sufficient for e-commerce and small businesses with less than 20,000 profiles.

claviyo

•  An essential tool if you are aiming for serious customer development and sales maximization.
•  Recommended for mid- to enterprise-sized businesses.
•  It excels in design, variety of trigger settings, sales analysis, and more.

in conclusion

Depending on your current business phase and marketing strategy, the best choices are:

• Initial stage (prioritizing cost, simple functionality is OK):
  First Shopify EmailStart with:
  
  

• Growth phase (urgent need to improve LTV and repeat rates):
  If you want to leverage more advanced customer data and expand the scope of personalization and automation,KlaviyoWe recommend the introduction of the following.

GO RIDE will support you in maximizing your sales, from building Klaviyo flows to operational support. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

*A separate fee will be incurred for implementation. Please contact us for details.