Klaviyo

Klaviyo was founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen. The two met while working at a business analytics company and realized that while consumer brands were sitting on mountains of data, they had no easy way to actually use that data to drive revenue. They founded Klaviyo in a tiny office in Boston with a simple mission: to help creators and businesses of all sizes own their destiny through better data. Andrew, who has a background in physics and astrophysics from Harvard, brought a highly analytical and scientific approach to the product, ensuring that "precision" was always at the core of the platform.

For the first few years, Andrew and Ed famously bootstrapped the company, focusing on building a product that customers were actually willing to pay for rather than chasing venture capital. This "customer-first" mentality paid off, leading to a massive strategic partnership with Shopify in 2022, where Klaviyo became the recommended email solution for their entire ecosystem. In 2023, Klaviyo went public on the NYSE, marking its transition from a scrappy startup to a global tech giant. In early 2026, the company entered a new era with Andrew Bialecki transitioning to Co-CEO alongside Chano Fernandez, ensuring that while the company scales into new industries like travel and restaurants, it remains rooted in its technical and analytical heritage.

Klaviyo is built for the Modern Ecommerce Founder who is serious about scaling. If you are running a shop on Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce and your revenue is stagnating, Klaviyo is your catalyst. It is for the brand that has outgrown the simple newsletters of Mailchimp and needs sophisticated, behavior-based automations. If you want to send a different email to a customer who has spent $500 versus one who has spent $5, Klaviyo makes that process effortless.

It is also a sanctuary for Data-Driven Marketing Teams. Because the platform is so deep, it allows expert marketers to build highly complex customer journeys that can involve dozens of variables. In 2026, it has also become a favorite for DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) Brands that want to combine their marketing and customer service, using the new Klaviyo Customer Agent to handle support and sales in one unified interface.

• • Shopify Power Users: Who want the tightest possible integration between their store data and their marketing.
• • Omnichannel Retailers: Brands that need to reach customers via SMS and Email simultaneously based on their engagement history.
• • Retention Specialists: Marketers who focus on maximizing customer lifetime value and churn prevention.

Klaviyo is a revenue engine. Its most famous feature is Flows—a visual automation builder that allows you to map out every possible customer interaction. You can build a "Welcome Series" that changes based on whether the customer signed up from a specific pop-up or a "Post-Purchase Flow" that encourages a second purchase by suggesting products that complement what they just bought. In 2026, these flows are smarter than ever, with Flow Re-entry settings that allow customers to go through an automation multiple times if they repeat a specific behavior.

Segmentation is where Klaviyo truly flexes its muscles. You can create a segment of "VIPs" defined as anyone who has placed more than 3 orders, has spent at least $200, and has opened an email in the last 30 days. This list updates in **real-time**, meaning the second a customer hits those criteria, they are automatically added to the group and can be targeted with a special "VIP Only" offer. It takes the guesswork out of personalization, ensuring that your messages are always relevant.

In 2026, the **K:AI Marketing Agent** acts as an AI-powered assistant that can write entire campaigns for you. You can give it a prompt like "Create a 3-day sale campaign for our summer collection," and the AI will generate the subject lines, the email copy, and the SMS content. Furthermore, the **Customer AI Agent** can now handle "Coupon Retrieval" inside a chat, automatically giving a customer their unique discount code if they ask for it, which significantly reduces friction at the checkout page.

• • Predictive Analytics: Predicts when a customer will buy next and what their total lifetime value will be.
• • Localized Marketing: Native support for Shopify Markets ensures customers always see the right currency and language.
• • Video Messaging: Embed video directly into SMS and WhatsApp messages to make your mobile marketing feel more personal and engaging.

Klaviyo's pricing model in 2026 is strictly based on the number of Active Profiles in your account. An active profile is any contact that has been on your list and is eligible to receive messages. The Free Plan is a great starting point, allowing you to manage up to 250 profiles and send 500 emails per month for $0. However, most businesses will outgrow this quickly once they start running ads or sign-up forms.

The Email Plan starts at **$20 per month** for up to 500 profiles. This tier unlocks unlimited email sends, A/B testing, and 24/7 live chat support. As your list grows, the price scales incrementally (e.g., $45 for 1,000 profiles, $150 for 10,000 profiles). If you want to include mobile messaging, the Email + SMS Plan starts at **$35 per month** for 500 profiles and includes 150 monthly SMS/MMS credits.

It is important to note that Klaviyo is a "premium" product. While the initial costs are manageable, as your list hits 50,000+ contacts, you can expect to pay $700+ per month. Furthermore, brands spending over $10,000/month are automatically enrolled in Klaviyo One, which adds a 20% platform fee in exchange for dedicated enterprise support and advanced data features. To save money, it is vital to regularly "suppress" inactive profiles who aren't engaging with your emails so you don't pay for dead weight.

• • Free ($0): 250 profiles, 500 emails/mo, 150 SMS credits.
• • Email ($20+): Unlimited sends, full automation, and predictive analytics.
• • Email + SMS ($35+): Combined omnichannel power with included mobile credits.

The biggest "red flag" with Klaviyo in 2026 is its Aggressive Pricing Scaling. Because you pay per profile, a successful list-building campaign can actually become a financial burden if you aren't turning those new subscribers into customers quickly. You must be proactive about "cleaning" your list every 30-60 days to remove unengaged contacts. If you don't, you will find yourself paying hundreds of dollars for people who never even open your emails.

Another thing to watch is the Learning Curve. While the basic email builder is easy to use, the "Flows" and "Segments" require a deep understanding of data logic. If you don't have the time to learn the system or the budget to hire a Klaviyo agency, you will likely only use about 20% of the platform's power while paying 100% of the price. Lastly, pay attention to SMS Compliance. In 2026, laws around texting have become much stricter, and while Klaviyo manages things like "Quiet Hours," you are still legally responsible for ensuring you have explicit consent for every text you send.

If Klaviyo's pricing feels too steep, the 2026 market offers several high-quality alternatives. Omnisend is the top choice for ecommerce brands that want nearly identical features (Email, SMS, Push) at a significantly lower price point. Omnisend is often seen as more "approachable" for small business owners who don't need the enterprise-level data depth of Klaviyo.

For those who want a more "all-in-one" solution that includes a full Sales CRM, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a fantastic option. Brevo allows you to store up to 100,000 contacts for free and only charges you for the actual emails you send, which is the complete opposite of Klaviyo's model.

• • Mailchimp: Best for absolute beginners who want a simple interface and basic automation without the data complexity.
• • Maestra: A powerhouse for mid-market brands that want to combine loyalty programs and on-site personalization with their email marketing.
• • Sendlane: Built specifically for DTC brands with a heavy focus on high-volume deliverability and retargeting.

• Does Klaviyo have a mobile app? Yes, and it's quite robust. In 2026, the Klaviyo mobile app allows you to track campaign performance, monitor real-time revenue, and even approve and send campaigns directly from your iPhone or Android.

• How long does the free trial last? Klaviyo doesn't have a "timed" trial. You can use the Free plan for as long as you want, provided you stay under the 250-profile limit. Once you exceed that, you will be prompted to upgrade to a paid tier.

• Can I use Klaviyo if I'm not on Shopify? Absolutely. While the Shopify integration is the most famous, Klaviyo has world-class native integrations with WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, and even custom-built stores via their API.

• What is "Flow Re-entry"? This is a feature that allows a customer to enter an automation multiple times. For example, if you have a "Product Review" flow, a customer can enter it every time they make a new purchase, rather than only once in their lifetime.

• Is SMS included in the base price? No. While you get 150 credits to start, SMS is billed separately based on the number of messages you send and the country you are sending to. You can either pay-as-you-go or subscribe to a monthly SMS plan.