# Klaviyo vs Mailchimp: active profiles, free limits, and automated messages By Feature Ledger. Documentation reviewed 2026-11-12. Canonical page: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/email-marketing/compare/klaviyo-vs-mailchimp/#analysis Scope: Klaviyo Free and the Email plan at 500 active profiles, and Mailchimp Free, Essentials, and Standard at their listed contact tiers. Notes in the table mark the limits that apply only to Shopify-connected Klaviyo accounts. Both free plans cap sending at 500 emails a month. Klaviyo counts active profiles, while Mailchimp uses contact tiers. Their workflow limits count different things, such as messages, flow steps, or flows. Our reading of vendor documentation. We have not tested these products. ## Compare a small free newsletter Check both the audience limit and the sending allowance on each free plan. The same monthly allowance does not mean the same features. - Klaviyo Free, contacts: 250 active profiles. Profiles suppressed from email do not count. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050759151, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-free-contacts - Mailchimp Free, contacts: 250 contacts. Source: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-free-contacts - Klaviyo Free, sends: 500 / month. Campaigns and flow messages share the allowance. Sending stops when it runs out. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050759151, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-free-sends - Mailchimp Free, sends: 500 / month · 250 / day. Source: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-free-sends ## Plan an automated follow-up Klaviyo's paid Email plan includes flow emails. Mailchimp Essentials allows four steps per flow, and Standard adds branching. Confirm the trigger and sequence you need. - Klaviyo Email, automation: Flow emails included. The paid Email plan removes Free's cap on live messages. Flow sends still count against the email allowance. Klaviyo does not promise unlimited steps. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/56142459211675, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-email-automation - Mailchimp Essentials, automation: Up to 4 steps / flow. This limits steps in a flow, not the number of flows. Branching and multiple starting points require Standard or Premium. Source: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-essentials-automation ## Count your audience each provider's way Klaviyo's paid tier is priced by active profiles and includes a set number of monthly sends. Mailchimp's paid price uses its contact tier. Work out your billable audience under each definition before comparing prices. - Klaviyo Email, contacts: 500 active profiles at listed price. This is the entry tier we priced. Larger tiers are available. Source: https://www.klaviyo.com/pricing?emailListSize=0&smsContacts=0, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-email-contacts - Mailchimp Essentials, contacts: 500 at listed price. Source: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-essentials-contacts ## Free plans limit more than sending Both free plans limit support. Klaviyo offers email support for the first 60 days, and Mailchimp for the first 30. Mailchimp also caps sending at 250 emails a day. Klaviyo blocks links on landing pages for newer free accounts, and Shopify-connected accounts have their own limits on forms and live automated messages. Those Shopify limits apply only to those accounts. - Klaviyo Free, support: Email for first 60 days. Community and education resources remain after that period. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050759151, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-free-support - Mailchimp Free, support: Email for first 30 days. Guides and tutorials remain available. Source: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-free-support - Mailchimp Free, sends: 500 / month · 250 / day. Source: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/mailchimp/#mailchimp-free-sends - Klaviyo Free, landing: Hosted pages · link restrictions. Free accounts created after March 5, 2026 cannot add links or use redirects. Older free accounts keep those features. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/45373923808155, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-free-landing - Klaviyo Free, automation: Flow emails · limits vary. Shopify-connected accounts can have three live automated messages, including ones created at klaviyo.com. That is three messages, not three multi-email workflows. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/56142459211675, checked 2026-11-12. Record: https://feature-ledger.lehmanrylan790521.chatgpt.site/services/klaviyo/#klaviyo-free-automation ## Common questions ### Does one automated message equal a workflow? No. One workflow can contain several messages. Klaviyo's Shopify cap on live messages is not comparable to Mailchimp's step or flow limits. Source: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/56142459211675 Source: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/ ## Sources - About Mailchimp pricing plans: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. - Compare Mailchimp Marketing plans: https://mailchimp.com/pricing/marketing/compare-plans/, checked 2026-11-12. - Klaviyo pricing and plan comparison: https://www.klaviyo.com/pricing?emailListSize=0&smsContacts=0, checked 2026-11-12. - Understanding how free and paid plans differ: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360050759151, checked 2026-11-12. - Getting started with Klaviyo Landing Pages: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/45373923808155, checked 2026-11-12. - Understanding free plan limits and upgrading with Klaviyo in Shopify: https://help.klaviyo.com/hc/en-us/articles/56142459211675, checked 2026-11-12.