Email for Stores

Shopify Email vs Mailchimp (2026): Cost, Automations and Which to Use

Shopify Messaging (formerly Shopify Email) vs Mailchimp for Shopify stores: what each costs at 1,000 to 10,000 subscribers, automation limits, SMS, and when to pick each.

By Vincent · Published · Prices checked against official sources November 2, 2026 · How we review

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On this page
  1. Side by side
  2. What each costs
  3. Automations
  4. When Mailchimp still makes sense
  5. Verdict
  6. Key takeaways
  7. Frequently asked questions

Short answer: For most Shopify stores, Shopify Messaging (the new name for Shopify Email) beats Mailchimp on price and simplicity: 10,000 free emails a month, free abandoned checkout emails, and everything inside your Shopify admin. Mailchimp costs more because it charges by contacts, and its free plan has no automations. If automated flows are where you expect your email revenue, skip both and look at an ecommerce-first tool like Omnisend.

Prices are regular US list prices from Shopify’s Help Center and Mailchimp’s pricing page, checked November 2, 2026 (see our pricing tracker). We haven’t run either tool on a live store for this comparison.

Side by side

Shopify MessagingMailchimp
How you payPer email sentPer contact (including unsubscribed and non-subscribed)
Free allowance10,000 emails/month on paid Shopify plans250 contacts, 500 sends/month (max 250/day)
Entry paid price$1 per 1,000 emails over 10,000Essentials $13, Standard $20 (500 contacts)
Abandoned checkout emailsIncluded, always freeNot on the free plan; Essentials flows limited to 4 steps
SMSYes, US $0.012 per message + $2.15/month toll-free numberRequires an approved Mailchimp SMS program, billed separately
Where you workInside Shopify adminSeparate app, synced via the Mailchimp for Shopify app
Shopify requirementPaid plan with Online Store channel; can’t send on a free trialConnects through the Mailchimp for Shopify app

Swipe to see the full table →

What each costs

Monthly cost for a store sending four campaigns a month to its whole list (our assumption):

SubscribersShopify MessagingMailchimp EssentialsMailchimp Standard
1,000$0$26.50$45
5,000$10$75$100
10,000$30$110$135

Swipe to see the full table →

Mailchimp’s 1,000-subscriber figures are its 1,500-contact tier, the smallest tier that fits. Shopify Messaging’s cost grows with how much you send, so a store mailing weekly pays more than these figures; Mailchimp’s grows with the size of your list, including contacts who never open.

Bar chart of monthly cost at 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 subscribers: Shopify Messaging $0, $10, $30; Mailchimp Essentials $26.50, $75, $110.
Four campaigns a month to the whole list (our assumption).

Automations

Shopify Messaging can automate email and SMS – abandoned checkout and cart, welcome messages, browse abandonment, win-back and more – and abandoned checkout emails never count toward your allowance. For custom or multi-app workflows, Shopify points you to its Flow app.

Mailchimp’s free plan has no automation flows, and Essentials limits flows to four steps; you need Standard ($20 at 500 contacts) for more. That’s why stores that rely on flows usually compare Omnisend vs Shopify Email or Shopify Email vs Klaviyo instead.

See Omnisend's plans

When Mailchimp still makes sense

  • You already run a Mailchimp audience for another business or a blog and want one tool.
  • You value Mailchimp’s template library, landing pages and audience tools more than ecommerce flows.
  • Your list is small and you send rarely, so the per-contact price stays low.

Read more in Mailchimp for Shopify and Mailchimp pricing.

Verdict

Start with Shopify Messaging – it’s effectively free for a new store and covers campaigns plus the essential abandoned checkout email. When you outgrow it, move to a tool built for ecommerce automation rather than to Mailchimp. Compare every option at your list size in the email cost calculator, or see every Shopify rate in Shopify Messaging pricing.

Compare Omnisend plans

Key takeaways

  • Shopify Email is now called Shopify Messaging. It includes 10,000 free emails a month, then costs $1 per 1,000; abandoned checkout emails are always free.
  • Mailchimp prices by contacts: Essentials from $13 and Standard from $20 a month at 500 contacts; its free plan (250 contacts) has no automation flows.
  • At 5,000 subscribers and four campaigns a month, Shopify Messaging costs about $10 versus $75 for Mailchimp Essentials.
  • Mailchimp counts unsubscribed and non-subscribed contacts toward your plan; Shopify Messaging only charges for emails sent.
  • Pick Shopify Messaging for low-cost campaigns and basic automations; pick a tool built for ecommerce flows (Omnisend or Klaviyo) before Mailchimp if automations drive your sales.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify Email better than Mailchimp?

For most Shopify stores, yes on cost and setup: Shopify Messaging lives in your admin, includes 10,000 free emails a month and free abandoned checkout emails. Mailchimp gives more design and audience tools, but you pay by contacts and the free plan has no automations.

Is Shopify Email free?

Your first 10,000 emails each month are free on the Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus plans. After that it's $1 per 1,000 emails up to 300,000, then less. Abandoned checkout emails don't count toward the limit.

Does Mailchimp still work with Shopify?

Yes. Intuit Mailchimp publishes an official app on the Shopify App Store that syncs customers and orders to a Mailchimp audience.

Can I use Shopify Email on a free trial?

You can build campaigns and send test messages to yourself, but Shopify says you can't send to subscribers until you're on a paid plan.

Sources