Klaviyo: what it is, how it works & who it's for

B2C CRM for ecommerce email, SMS, forms and customer data

Updated · Pricing checked October 2026

What is Klaviyo?

Klaviyo is a B2C CRM and marketing platform that combines customer data with email, SMS and other messaging channels, mainly for ecommerce and consumer brands. It pulls in store, browsing and purchase data, builds a unified profile for each customer and lets marketers send targeted campaigns and automated flows based on that data. Sign-up forms, reviews and personalization tools sit in the same account.

Beyond email and text messages, Klaviyo offers WhatsApp, RCS, mobile push and social channels, a Helpdesk and an AI Customer Agent for support, and Composer, an AI agent that drafts campaigns. Its Klaviyo Data Platform works as a customer data platform (CDP), with an Advanced tier for larger data needs. Pricing starts with a free plan, and paid plans scale by active profiles and message volume.

Klaviyo at a glance

Klaviyo infographic: how it works in 5 steps, key features, pricing model and who it is best for
Klaviyo at a glance. Share or embed this infographic with a link to this page.

How does Klaviyo work?

  1. Connect your store and data

    Link Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce or another platform so orders, products and site activity flow into customer profiles.

  2. Capture subscribers

    Add sign-up forms and pop-ups to collect email addresses and phone numbers with consent.

  3. Segment your audience

    Build segments from purchase history, browsing, engagement and predictive insights.

  4. Send campaigns and flows

    Launch email and SMS campaigns and automated flows like welcome, abandoned cart and post-purchase messages, with help from AI tools.

  5. Analyze revenue

    Use built-in reports and dashboards to see how each message and channel contributes to sales.

Klaviyo key features

Email marketing

Campaigns and automated flows with a drag-and-drop editor and dynamic product content.

SMS and mobile messaging

Text messages plus WhatsApp, RCS and mobile app push, billed separately from email.

Sign-up forms

Web sign-up forms that collect email and SMS subscribers.

Klaviyo Data Platform

A built-in CDP that unifies customer data, with an Advanced tier for more complex data work.

Segmentation and predictive analytics

Segments based on real-time behavior and predictive insights.

Composer AI agent

An AI marketing agent that builds campaigns from your customer data.

Reviews and personalization

Collect product reviews and personalize site and message content.

Helpdesk and Customer Agent

Customer service tools, including an AI support agent, connected to the same profiles.

Why use Klaviyo?

  • It keeps customer data, email, SMS and forms in one place, so every message can use the same profile.
  • Deep ecommerce integrations make it quick to launch abandoned cart, browse and post-purchase flows.
  • Predictive analytics help target customers who are likely to buy again or about to lapse.
  • A free plan lets small stores start without upfront cost.
  • It scales from small shops to enterprise brands, with SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS compliance.

Who is Klaviyo best for?

A good fit for

  • Ecommerce brands on Shopify, WooCommerce or BigCommerce
  • Consumer brands that want email and SMS in one platform
  • Growing DTC companies that rely on customer data and segmentation
  • Hospitality, restaurant and fitness businesses with repeat customers

Less suited to

  • B2B companies that need sales pipelines and account-based workflows
  • Bloggers or nonprofits that only send simple newsletters
  • Budget-sensitive brands with large lists, since costs rise with active profiles

Klaviyo pricing

Pricing modelFreemium
Free planYes
Free trialNot confirmed
Starting priceFree plan; paid prices are shown only in the online plan builder

The free plan includes 250 active profiles, 500 email sends and $5 of SMS/MMS credit per month. Paid email plans scale by active profiles with a monthly send allowance, while SMS and other text channels are billed on a separate committed spend.

Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Klaviyo pricing page before you buy.

Klaviyo pros and cons

Pros

  • Powerful segmentation built on unified customer data
  • Email, SMS, forms, reviews and a CDP in one platform
  • Hundreds of integrations, with strong ecommerce coverage
  • Free plan for getting started

Cons

  • Costs grow quickly as active profiles increase
  • Paid pricing is not listed openly and must be built or quoted
  • The breadth of features can be complex for small teams

Klaviyo integrations and platforms

Works with

  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce
  • Magento
  • Wix
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Meta
  • Stripe
  • Zendesk

Available on

  • Web
  • API

Klaviyo alternatives

Klaviyo FAQ

Is Klaviyo free?

Yes. Klaviyo has a free plan that includes up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends per month, $5 of SMS or MMS messages per month and built-in reports. Email support is included for the first 60 days. Once you pass these limits, you need to move to a paid plan.

What is Klaviyo used for?

Klaviyo is used by ecommerce and consumer brands to run email and SMS marketing powered by customer data. Brands collect subscribers with forms, build segments from purchases and browsing, send automated flows like abandoned cart reminders and track revenue. It also offers reviews, a CDP and customer service tools.

Does Klaviyo integrate with Shopify?

Yes. Shopify is one of Klaviyo's core integrations, and it also connects with WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento and Wix among hundreds of others. Store data such as orders, products and cart activity syncs into customer profiles, which you can use for segments, product recommendations and automated flows.

Klaviyo vs Mailchimp: what's the difference?

Klaviyo is built around ecommerce data, with deep store integrations, predictive analytics, SMS and a customer data platform. Mailchimp serves a wider range of small businesses with simpler email marketing. Online stores that rely on segmentation and purchase-based automation often choose Klaviyo, while general small businesses may find Mailchimp simpler.

How does Klaviyo pricing work?

Klaviyo bills email plans by active profiles, meaning contacts you can reach, and each tier includes a monthly send allowance. Unsubscribed and suppressed contacts do not count. SMS, MMS, WhatsApp and RCS are billed separately on a committed spend that varies by message type and country.

Sources

This overview is based on Klaviyo's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.