Overview
Shopify Email is free and built into your store. Mailchimp is the email platform everyone knows. But for Shopify stores specifically, neither is the best choice for serious email marketing.
Shopify Email is too basic for real automation. Mailchimp is a generalist that is not specialized in e-commerce. If you are upgrading from Shopify Email, e-commerce-focused platforms like Omnisend, Klaviyo, or Sequenzy usually offer more value for Shopify stores.
Pricing Comparison
- Shopify Email: ~$10/month at 10k subscribers
- Mailchimp: $110+/month at 10k contacts (counts unsubscribed too)
- Sequenzy: $29/month for 50,000 emails
Mailchimp's contact-counting policy is worth understanding: you pay for unsubscribed contacts unless you manually archive them. This makes the effective cost higher than the listed price.
Where Mailchimp Wins
More than email
Landing pages, social posting, website builder, and a huge template library. If you need marketing tools beyond email, Mailchimp bundles them together.
Familiarity
Most people have used Mailchimp before. The learning curve is minimal.
Where Shopify Email Wins
Price
Almost free. If all you need is basic email sends, there is no reason to pay $110+/month for Mailchimp.
Shopify integration
Built into your admin with zero setup. Mailchimp's Shopify integration works but requires installation and configuration.
A Better Path for Shopify Stores
For most Shopify stores, the best upgrade from Shopify Email is not Mailchimp. It is an e-commerce-focused platform. Sequenzy gives you AI-built automations and native Shopify integration for $29/month. Omnisend adds SMS alongside email. Klaviyo offers the most powerful e-commerce email available.