These three dominate email marketing, but picking wrong is easy because they look similar on the surface. The difference is in what each platform treats as its core: Mailchimp optimizes for broad marketing, Klaviyo for store revenue, and Kit for the creator-audience relationship.
At a glance
| Mailchimp | Klaviyo | ConvertKit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 500 contacts | 250 contacts | 10,000 subs |
| Paid from | $13/mo | $20/mo | $15/mo |
| E-commerce | Good | Excellent | Basic |
| Creator features | Basic | Limited | Excellent |
| Best for | General marketing | Stores | Creators |
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is the most versatile, with email, landing pages, forms, and basic automation in one place, starting at $13/mo[1]. It's the right pick for a small business that wants marketing without juggling multiple tools — though its price climbs with list size.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is purpose-built for e-commerce: purchase-based segmentation, abandoned-cart flows, and revenue reporting out of the box[2]. It's pricier and overkill for a non-commerce audience, but for stores it typically pays for itself in recovered revenue.
ConvertKit (Kit)
Kit is the creator's tool, with the most generous free tier (10,000 subscribers), tag-based automation, and features for selling digital products[3]. It deliberately skips heavy e-commerce in favor of clean newsletters and simple automations.
The verdict
Choose Mailchimp for general small-business marketing, Klaviyo if you sell products, and Kit if you're growing a newsletter or audience.