Best Email Marketing Tool for Shopify (2026)
If you're running a Shopify store and need more than basic welcome and abandoned cart emails, Klaviyo is the best email marketing tool for most operators. It balances Shopify-native integration, powerful segmentation, and scalable automation without requiring a dedicated email engineer.
Quick Answer
Klaviyo is the best email marketing tool for Shopify stores once you outgrow Shopify Email's basic flows. It offers behavior-based segmentation (browse abandonment, predicted LTV, product affinity), pre-built automation templates, and deep Shopify integration. Most stores should start with Shopify Email for months 0-3, then migrate to Klaviyo when advanced segmentation becomes revenue-driving.
How We Evaluate Tools
We evaluate Shopify tools based on real use, documentation review, and comparison against direct alternatives. Our focus is on whether a tool solves a real problem for Shopify stores at a given stage—not on feature lists or affiliate commissions. Read our full editorial policy and review methodology.
Evaluation Summary
Klaviyo was reviewed for how well it supports retention workflows for growing Shopify stores without adding unnecessary complexity. It is suitable for stores that want predictable automation and behavior-based segmentation, but may not be a fit for brand new stores under 500 subscribers where Shopify Email is more cost-effective.
Who This Is For
- Stores with 500+ email subscribers who need segmentation beyond basic demographic data
- Operators running multiple email flows (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase, browse abandonment, win-back)
- Brands that test different messaging by customer behavior, purchase history, or product affinity
- Growing stores (500+ orders) where email contributes 15-30% of revenue
Who This Is Not For
- Brand new stores (under 100 subscribers)—start with Shopify Email instead, it's simpler and cheaper
- Operators who only send monthly newsletters and basic abandoned cart emails—Shopify Email is sufficient
- Stores with ultra-tight margins where Klaviyo's pricing (scales with list size) erodes profitability
Why Klaviyo Wins
- Shopify-native integration: One-click setup pulls all customer, order, and product data automatically. No API configuration or developer needed.
- Behavior-based segmentation: Target customers by browse history, predicted next purchase date, product category affinity, engagement tier, and more—not just "bought once" vs "bought twice."
- Pre-built flows that work: Templates for abandoned cart, welcome series, post-purchase, browse abandonment, and win-back campaigns. Customize or deploy as-is.
When to Choose Something Else
If you're in months 0-3 of your store and have fewer than 500 subscribers, start with Shopify Email. It's free for your first 10,000 emails per month, integrates natively, and covers welcome + abandoned cart flows. Our Klaviyo vs Shopify Email comparison breaks down the exact migration triggers.
If you need SMS alongside email and want unified campaigns, Klaviyo still wins because it includes SMS credits and unified flows. For email-only stores, the decision is about list size and segmentation needs.
See the full email platform comparison — Compare Klaviyo vs Shopify Email side-by-side, including cost breakdowns and migration checklist.
Next Steps
- If you're starting from zero, launch with Shopify Email and set up welcome + abandoned cart flows first.
- Once you hit 500 subscribers or need behavior-based targeting, sign up for Klaviyo's free tier.
- Rebuild your core flows in Klaviyo (welcome, abandoned cart, post-purchase) using their templates.
- Add advanced flows like browse abandonment and win-back campaigns after 30 days of baseline data.
- Review our minimum viable Shopify app stack to see how email fits into your broader tool strategy.