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Comparison

Klaviyo vs Customer.io

Klaviyo and Customer.io are both in Retention. I copied the category, the job, the pricing note and the verdict from each listing. This page does not pick one.

Klaviyo · Customer.io · All Retention tools · Best AI Retention tools · Klaviyo alternatives · Customer.io alternatives

Short verdict

Klaviyo and Customer.io are both Retention tools. Klaviyo lists this pricing note: Free tier up to 250 profiles; paid plans priced by profile count. Customer.io lists this pricing note: From $100/mo (Essentials); Premium from $1,000/mo billed yearly. Klaviyo: The incumbent for ecommerce brands running email and SMS off store data. Customer.io: For product-led companies that want lifecycle messages triggered by what users do in the product. The full catalog verdicts are below. This comparison does not pick one.

Side by side

Klaviyo and Customer.io compared by category, what each tool does, the catalog pricing note and the opening line of each catalog verdict
FieldKlaviyoCustomer.io
CategoryRetentionRetention
What it doesB2C CRM for email and SMS marketing, built on ecommerce data, with AI agents.Sends automated email, push, SMS and in-app messages based on user behavior and product data.
PricingFree tier up to 250 profiles; paid plans priced by profile countFrom $100/mo (Essentials); Premium from $1,000/mo billed yearly
Best forThe incumbent for ecommerce brands running email and SMS off store data.For product-led companies that want lifecycle messages triggered by what users do in the product.

Best for is the opening line of that tool's verdict. The full verdict is below. Pricing is the catalog note, not a quote I calculated.

Catalog verdicts

Klaviyo

B2C CRM for email and SMS marketing, built on ecommerce data, with AI agents.

The incumbent for ecommerce brands running email and SMS off store data. Most DTC brands fit, so before you add another tool, check which core flows you haven't built here yet. Start with abandoned cart and post-purchase.
Independent. Never paid.
How we review

Customer.io

Sends automated email, push, SMS and in-app messages based on user behavior and product data.

For product-led companies that want lifecycle messages triggered by what users do in the product. It fits when engineering can send clean events, since every campaign keys off that data. Agree on event names and properties before you build the first campaign.
Independent. Never paid.
How we review

Klaviyo vs Customer.io FAQ

What is the difference between Klaviyo and Customer.io?
Klaviyo: B2C CRM for email and SMS marketing, built on ecommerce data, with AI agents. Customer.io: Sends automated email, push, SMS and in-app messages based on user behavior and product data. Both are listed under Retention.
How much do Klaviyo and Customer.io cost?
These notes are copied from the listings. Klaviyo: Free tier up to 250 profiles; paid plans priced by profile count. Customer.io: From $100/mo (Essentials); Premium from $1,000/mo billed yearly.
How do the Klaviyo and Customer.io verdicts differ?
Klaviyo: The incumbent for ecommerce brands running email and SMS off store data. Customer.io: For product-led companies that want lifecycle messages triggered by what users do in the product. Match those lines to the job you have. This page does not pick one.