Grow your ecommerce store · Email marketing · 3 min read
The Top Email Marketing Software for Ecommerce
Short answer
For most growing online stores, Klaviyo is the strongest all-round choice because of its deep ecommerce data and automations. Omnisend is a capable, often cheaper alternative with built-in SMS. Shopify's own email tools suit new stores with simple needs, Mailchimp suits mixed businesses, and tools like ActiveCampaign or Drip fit more complex marketing automation.
Your email platform determines how easily you can send the right message to the right customer at the right time. For online stores, the best tools connect deeply to your store data so emails react to what people browse and buy.
What to look for
- Store integration: Syncs orders, products, carts and customer data automatically.
- Automations: Welcome, abandoned cart and checkout, browse abandonment, post-purchase, win-back, back in stock.
- Segmentation: Filter by purchase history, products viewed, spend, engagement.
- Dynamic product blocks: Show the items a customer viewed or similar products.
- Forms and pop-ups: Build your list without extra apps.
- SMS: Useful if you want both channels in one place.
- Attribution and reporting: Revenue per campaign and flow.
- Pricing that scales sensibly with your list.
The main options
Klaviyo
The default choice for many Shopify brands. Its integration captures detailed behavior and purchase data, and its flow builder and segmentation are built for ecommerce. Klaviyo's pricing page lists a free plan for up to 250 active profiles and 500 emails per month, with paid email plans starting at $20 a month for 500 profiles. Costs rise with list size, so pruning unengaged contacts matters. Read what Klaviyo is.
Omnisend
Built for ecommerce with email, SMS and push in one platform. It offers prebuilt automations, product pickers and segmentation, and it's frequently chosen by stores that find Klaviyo expensive. Check current pricing and free plan limits on Omnisend's site.
Shopify's built-in email tools
Shopify includes its own email and marketing automation features in the admin, with a free monthly sending allowance and paid usage beyond it. They're simple, tightly integrated and good enough for many new stores. As needs grow, stores often move to a dedicated platform.
Mailchimp
Well known and easy to use, with a Shopify integration and ecommerce automations. Mailchimp's pricing page lists a free plan for 250 contacts and 500 sends a month, with paid plans (Essentials, Standard, Premium) priced by contacts. It suits businesses that mix ecommerce with content or services. See Klaviyo vs Mailchimp.
ActiveCampaign
Strong marketing automation and CRM features. Popular with businesses that combine ecommerce with sales pipelines, courses or services. Compare in ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo.
Drip
Designed for ecommerce with visual workflows and segmentation. Its positioning sits between simple tools and enterprise platforms. See ActiveCampaign vs Drip.
Privy
Started as a pop-up and list-growth tool and expanded into email and SMS for Shopify stores. Good for smaller stores focused on capture. Read Privy vs Klaviyo.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Growing Shopify/DTC brands | Deep data, higher cost at scale |
| Omnisend | Value-conscious stores wanting SMS | Ecommerce-focused |
| Shopify built-in | New stores | Simple, integrated |
| Mailchimp | Mixed businesses, beginners | Easy editor |
| ActiveCampaign | Automation + CRM | Steeper learning curve |
| Drip | Ecommerce automation | Mid-market |
| Privy | List growth, small stores | Pop-ups first |
How to choose
- Start with your platform. Make sure the integration is native and well reviewed for your store builder.
- Map your must-have flows. If a tool makes them hard, skip it.
- Estimate cost at 2-3x your current list. Today's cheap tool can be tomorrow's expensive one.
- Try the editor. You'll use it weekly; it should feel comfortable.
- Check deliverability support: domain authentication, list cleaning, sunset flows.
The software isn't the strategy
The best platform won't help if you don't build the core automations and send relevant campaigns. Our guides to ecommerce email marketing strategies and optimizing email marketing cover the work that actually moves revenue.
Frequently asked questions
What features matter most in ecommerce email software?
A reliable integration with your store, prebuilt automations (welcome, cart, post-purchase, win-back), segmentation by purchase behavior, product blocks, signup forms, and revenue attribution.
Should a new Shopify store pay for email software?
Not necessarily. Shopify's built-in tools or a free plan from Klaviyo or Omnisend cover the basics until your list and revenue grow.
Is it hard to switch email platforms?
Moving contacts is easy; rebuilding flows, templates and forms takes time. Choose a platform you can grow into.
Sources and further reading
Platform features, prices and policies change. Check the official help pages linked above before you act on a detail that matters to your store.