Best Email Marketing for Shopify That Converts

Choosing the Right Email Tool Is Only Half the Battle

Email marketing is one of the highest-ROI channels available to Shopify store owners. Studies consistently show that every dollar spent on email marketing can return $36 to $40 on average—far outpacing social media ads and paid search. But here's the thing most guides won't tell you: the platform you use matters less than how your emails connect to the actual shopping experience.

You can have the best subject lines, the most beautiful templates, and perfectly segmented lists. However, if your customer clicks through to your store and can't see the discount you promised, that email just wasted everyone's time.

This guide covers the best email marketing platforms for Shopify, what each one does well, and, most importantly, the one conversion killer that no email tool can fix on its own.

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What Makes Shopify Email Marketing Actually Work

Before diving into platforms, it's worth understanding what separates emails that generate revenue from emails that just get opened.

The best email marketing for Shopify isn't about sending more emails; it's about creating a seamless path from inbox to checkout.

That means three things need to happen:

• The Attention: The email grabs the user's interest in a crowded inbox.
• The Promise: The click-through delivers exactly what was offered.
• The Checkout: The final purchase experience is entirely frictionless.

Most store owners obsess over the first part—open rates, subject lines, send times. But the drop-off usually happens after the click. A customer opens your "20% OFF" email, clicks through excitedly, and lands on a product page showing full price. Now they have to remember a coupon code, find the checkout field, and manually apply it. That friction is where conversions die.

Keep that in mind as we look at each platform below. The email tool gets customers to your door. What happens next is up to your store.

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Klaviyo: Best for Data-Driven Stores

Klaviyo has become the go-to email marketing platform for serious Shopify merchants, and for good reason. With over 117,000 brands using it, Klaviyo's deep Shopify integration syncs customer data in real time, letting you build highly targeted campaigns based on browsing behavior, purchase history, and engagement patterns.

• What it does well: Klaviyo's automation flows are where it really shines. You can set up abandoned cart sequences, welcome series, post-purchase follow-ups, and win-back campaigns that trigger based on specific customer actions. The segmentation is incredibly granular. You can target customers who viewed a specific product but didn't buy, or who haven't purchased in 60 days.
• Where it falls short: Pricing. Klaviyo charges based on your total number of contacts, even those you don't email. For growing stores, costs can climb quickly. The learning curve for advanced segmentation is also steep. Concepts like Boolean data types and custom dimensions can feel overwhelming if you're not technically inclined.
• Best for: Mid-size to large Shopify stores that want advanced analytics and are willing to invest time (and budget) in sophisticated email strategies.
• Pricing: Free for up to 250 contacts. Paid plans start at $20/month for up to 500 contacts.

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Omnisend: Best Balance of Power and Simplicity

Omnisend is built specifically for e-commerce and hits a sweet spot between Klaviyo's complexity and Shopify Email's simplicity. It combines email, SMS, and push notifications in one platform, with pre-built automation workflows that you can launch in minutes.

• What it does well: The pre-built automation templates are a standout feature. Abandoned cart recovery, welcome series, browse abandonment, and order confirmation flows are ready to go with minimal setup. Omnisend also includes a product recommender that dynamically inserts relevant products into your emails based on customer behavior.
• Where it falls short: While Omnisend's segmentation is solid, it doesn't match Klaviyo's depth for stores that need hyper-specific targeting. The free plan is limited to 250 contacts and 500 emails per month, which is quite restrictive for testing.
• Best for: Small to mid-size Shopify stores that want powerful automation without the steep learning curve. Great for merchants who also want SMS marketing built in.
• Pricing: Free plan available. Standard starts at $16/month for 500 contacts. Pro starts at $59/month with unlimited emails and SMS credits.

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Shopify Messaging: Best for Getting Started

Shopify Messaging (formerly Shopify Email) is the built-in option that comes with every Shopify plan. It's simple, affordable, and works directly from your Shopify admin, no third-party integration needed.

• What it does well: The biggest advantage is convenience. You can create campaigns using your existing product catalog, customer segments, and store data without leaving your Shopify dashboard. It includes 10,000 free emails per month, and after that, it's just $1 per additional 1,000 emails. For basic campaigns like sale announcements, new product launches, and simple newsletters, it gets the job done.

• Where it falls short: Shopify Email is limited when it comes to automation and advanced segmentation. You can set up basic automated workflows, but they lack the complexity and multi-channel support of dedicated platforms. SMS was added in late 2025 (now called Shopify Messaging), but there's no A/B testing for email content, and segmentation options are more basic compared to Klaviyo or Omnisend.
• Best for: New Shopify stores, budget-conscious merchants, or anyone who wants simple email marketing without extra apps or monthly fees.
• Pricing: 10,000 free emails/month included with any Shopify plan. $1 per 1,000 additional emails.

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Mailchimp: Best for Multi-Channel Marketing

Mailchimp is one of the most recognized names in email marketing. While it's not built specifically for Shopify, its broad feature set and massive template library make it a popular choice for merchants who also do content marketing, social media, and brand building.

• What it does well: Mailchimp offers a huge library of templates, a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, and strong integrations beyond just Shopify. If you're running marketing across multiple platforms (email, social, landing pages, postcards), Mailchimp brings it all under one roof. Its analytics dashboard is clean and easy to understand.
• Where it falls short: E-commerce-specific features lag behind Klaviyo and Omnisend. Automation workflows are less sophisticated, and Shopify integration isn't as deep or real-time. Pricing can also escalate quickly. Mailchimp charges based on contacts across all audiences, and advanced features are locked behind higher-tier plans.
• Best for: Shopify stores that need a general marketing platform covering email, social media, and content, not just e-commerce-focused campaigns.
• Pricing: Free for up to 500 contacts. Standard starts at $13/month.

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Quick Comparison

Here's how the four platforms stack up:

• Shopify integration: Klaviyo and Omnisend lead with deep, real-time data syncing. Shopify Messaging is built-in. Mailchimp connects but with less depth.
• Automation: Klaviyo offers the most advanced flows. Omnisend is close behind with easier setup. Shopify Messaging handles basics. Mailchimp covers mid-range needs.
• SMS included: All four platforms now support SMS. Klaviyo includes 150 free monthly credits. Omnisend offers SMS but meaningful credits only come with the Pro plan ($59/mo). Shopify Messaging has native SMS with pay-per-message pricing. Mailchimp offers SMS as a paid add-on.
• Free plan: All four offer free options, but Shopify Messaging's 10,000 free emails/month is the most generous for volume.
• Best for scaling: Klaviyo for data-heavy brands. Omnisend for balanced growth. Shopify Messaging for starting out. Mailchimp for multi-channel strategies.

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The Missing Piece No Email Platform Can Fix

Here's the part most email marketing guides skip entirely.

You've chosen your platform. Your automation flows are set. Your abandoned cart emails are recovering sales. Your welcome series is converting subscribers into buyers. Everything looks great on the email side.

But there's a gap between the email and the checkout that none of these platforms can close.

When you include a discount code in an email—for example, "Use code WELCOME15"—you are adding friction to the customer journey. The customer has to remember the code, navigate to checkout, find the coupon field, type it in, and hit apply. Every one of those steps is a chance for them to get distracted, confused, or frustrated.

And if they see that empty coupon code field without a code? They might leave your checkout entirely to search for a better deal. With cart abandonment rates exceeding 70%, adding friction at checkout is the last thing your store needs. Yet research shows that most digital coupons shoppers find online work less than half the time.

No email platform, not Klaviyo, not Omnisend, not any of them, can control what happens on your store's product pages and checkout.

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How to Close the Gap Between Email and Checkout

The fix is simple: stop sending coupon codes in your emails. Instead, send links that auto-apply the discount.

When a customer clicks your email CTA, the discount should already be active on your store. They should see strike-through pricing on product pages, collection pages, and in the cart, no codes to remember, no fields to fill out, and no friction.

This is exactly what Adsgun does. It works alongside whatever email platform you choose, turning your discount links into a visible, automatic shopping experience. Instead of telling customers to "use code SPRING20 at checkout," your email link takes them directly to a store where the discounted price is already showing.

This approach pairs especially well with platforms like Klaviyo and Omnisend, where you can build sophisticated automation flows. Imagine an abandoned cart email where the customer clicks through and instantly sees their discount applied, with savings displayed right on the product. No extra steps, no coupon hunting, no reason to leave.

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Making Your Email Campaigns Convert More

Here are a few practical ways to combine your email marketing with visible, automatic discounts:

• Welcome series: Instead of sending a code like "WELCOME10," send a link that auto-applies 10% off. New subscribers see discounted prices the moment they land on your store.
• Abandoned cart recovery: The customer already showed purchase intent. Don't add friction with a code; instead, send a recovery link with the discount built in. When they return, prices are already reduced.
• VIP and loyalty campaigns: Segment your best customers and send exclusive discount links. They click through and see their special pricing across your entire store. It feels personalized because it is.
• Flash sales: Time-sensitive campaigns work better when the urgency is visible. Pair your email countdown with strike-through pricing on your store so the deal feels real the moment they arrive.

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The Bottom Line

Choosing the best email marketing for Shopify depends on your store's size, budget, and goals. Klaviyo is ideal for data-driven brands ready to invest. Omnisend offers the best balance of features and ease of use. Shopify Messaging is perfect for getting started. And Mailchimp works well for broader marketing needs.

But no matter which platform you choose, your emails are only as good as the experience they lead to. If customers click through to full-price pages and empty coupon fields, even the best email in the world won't save the sale.

The combination that actually converts is a strong email platform for getting customers to your store, and a tool like Adsgun for making sure the discount is visible the moment they arrive.