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ConvertKit vs Klaviyo

A side-by-side comparison for teams choosing between ConvertKit and Klaviyo.

Last updated: December 25, 2025

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Quick Overview

Creator-friendly simplicity vs data-driven personalization depth

The biggest difference between ConvertKit and Klaviyo is where each product puts its “center of gravity.” ConvertKit is built around straightforward email marketing workflows—tagging, segmentation, and visual automations that are designed to stay clean and quick to ship—while Klaviyo prioritizes personalization powered by richer customer data, using unified profiles and behavior-driven segmentation to tailor messaging more precisely across lifecycle moments.

That tradeoff exists because ConvertKit’s product bets emphasize clarity and speed of setup for running email campaigns and subscriber management, whereas Klaviyo’s bets start from a data platform approach—pulling in signals from across a tech stack into unified customer profiles—so targeting can be continuously refined from browsing and purchase behavior over time. In practice, ConvertKit’s simpler model reduces friction in building and maintaining automations, while Klaviyo’s deeper data foundation enables more granular audience logic and more context-aware messaging.

For buyers, this difference changes what “good” looks like day-to-day: how much effort goes into maintaining segments and automations, how tightly messaging can map to real behavior, and how far you can extend campaigns into broader lifecycle orchestration. The rest of the comparison breaks down what that means for automation depth, segmentation sophistication, cross-channel reach, reporting expectations, and the operational overhead required to keep everything accurate as your marketing gets more complex.

Quick Comparison

At a Glance

Category ConvertKit Klaviyo
Best for Content creators and newsletters Ecommerce email and SMS
Core strength Email sequences, tags, landing pages Customer data, segmentation, omnichannel
Automation depth Visual automations and sequences Flow builder with split logic
Pricing model Subscriber-based tiers, unlimited emails Contact-based tiers, email send limits
Learning curve Straightforward interface, setup time Learning can be tricky

Vendor Snapshot

Company Snapshot

Background data gathered from our market research (founding year, HQ, team size, specialties, etc.).

ConvertKit

Visit website
C
12+ years operating Team 51-200
Founded
2013
Team
51-200
Industry
Marketing Services

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is an email-first operating system for creators. It helps creators craft email campaigns, build automations, and manage their audience in a simple, intuitive platform.

Specialties

Creator Economy Email Marketing
K
13+ years operating Team 1001-5000
Founded
2012
HQ
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Team
1001-5000
Industry
Marketing Services

Klaviyo is the B2C CRM. Powered by its built-in data platform and AI, it combines marketing automation, analytics, and customer service into one unified solution to help businesses know their customers, deliver 1:1 experiences at scale, and grow faster.

Why These Platforms Feel So Different

ConvertKit grew out of the creator economy, where publishing and audience-building were the core jobs to support. Klaviyo started in commerce, where brands already had piles of customer events but lacked a way to use them. That split shaped the systems each product built first: messaging workflows versus customer data infrastructure.

Because ConvertKit was built to help creators run email-first publishing, it prioritizes a single contact record with flexible tags over heavy data modeling. This leads to faster setup for common newsletter and sequence patterns, but less depth when you need many behavioral signals. One clear example is its tag-based subscriber management, which avoids duplicate contacts across separate lists.

Because Klaviyo was built to solve a “customer data problem,” it prioritizes collecting, storing, and acting on high-volume events from commerce systems. This leads to richer context for decisions, but it also creates more structure to manage and more moving parts to configure. One concrete example is that Klaviyo began as a customer database and only later added email marketing, reflecting the platform’s data foundation.

Those starting assumptions explain why the two products feel different once you move beyond surface-level capabilities. The next sections unpack how these early priorities show up as practical tradeoffs during day-to-day use.

Key Takeaways

Key Differences

ConvertKit and Klaviyo differ across core dimensions like audience, automation depth, data model, integrations, and reporting.

Market focus

Creator vs commerce-first

ConvertKit targets creators and publishers, while Klaviyo is built primarily for ecommerce retention and revenue workflows.

Data model

Subscriber-centric vs event-centric

ConvertKit organizes around subscribers and tags, while Klaviyo centers on behavioral events, product data, and predictive attributes.

Automation model

Simpler flows vs advanced orchestration

ConvertKit emphasizes straightforward visual automations, while Klaviyo supports deeper branching, conditional logic, and multi-channel orchestration.

Integrations

General tools vs store ecosystems

ConvertKit integrates broadly with creator tools, while Klaviyo is tightly aligned with ecommerce platforms and their data pipelines.

Reporting

Basic insights vs revenue attribution

ConvertKit reporting focuses on email performance and subscribers, while Klaviyo emphasizes revenue attribution, cohorting, and funnel analysis.

Workflow complexity

Fast setup vs deep configuration

ConvertKit is optimized for quick list building and broadcasts, while Klaviyo typically requires more setup to fully leverage data-driven campaigns.

Feature Comparison

Feature-by-feature comparison

Compares core messaging, automation, segmentation, analytics, and ecommerce-related marketing capabilities.

Email campaign management

Create, schedule, and manage email campaigns.

ConvertKit

Email campaign management with tagging, scheduling, and automation.

Klaviyo

Build, schedule, and monitor campaigns with block-based templates.

Marketing automation

Workflow automation for triggered lifecycle messaging.

ConvertKit

Visual automation builder for sequences, tagging, and audience segmentation.

Klaviyo

Flows with conditional logic, triggers, and templates for lifecycle automation.

Segmentation

Audience grouping and targeting rules.

ConvertKit

Tagging and segmentation tools for organizing subscribers.

Klaviyo

Customer segmentation with dynamic filters and behavioral triggers.

Subscriber management

Contact organization, importing, and profile management.

ConvertKit

List management to avoid duplicates, track engagement, and manage subscribers.

Klaviyo

Subscriber management with list handling and profile tracking.

Landing pages and forms

Lead capture pages and signup form tools.

ConvertKit

Unlimited landing pages and forms with customizable templates.

Klaviyo

Signup forms with 70+ pre-built form templates.

A/B testing

Test variants to improve campaign performance.

ConvertKit

Advanced A/B testing for campaigns, including multiple subject lines.

Klaviyo

A/B testing supported for email marketing and optimization.

Reporting and analytics

Performance dashboards, metrics, and insights.

ConvertKit

Insights dashboard plus reporting and analytics.

Klaviyo

Campaign analytics with real-time performance dashboards.

Deliverability tools

Monitoring and controls for inbox placement.

ConvertKit

Deliverability reporting available on Creator Pro.

Klaviyo

Deliverability monitoring with branded domains, dedicated IPs, and engagement metrics.

SMS marketing

Text messaging campaigns and automation.

ConvertKit

—

Klaviyo

SMS and MMS with automation, segmentation, and performance tracking.

Integrations

Native connections and app ecosystem support.

ConvertKit

Integrations via App Store for analytics, scheduling, ecommerce, and more.

Klaviyo

350+ integrations plus APIs for data activation and automation.

Feature Analysis

Feature Explanation: How These Capabilities Differ in Practice

You’ve already seen which boxes are checked. This section clarifies how the key capabilities behave day-to-day in each platform.

#1 Automation & Flows

ConvertKit uses visual automations to move subscribers through sequences, apply tags, and segment audiences inside workflows.

Klaviyo uses a flow builder with branching and split logic, including conditional and trigger splits tied to events like purchases.

#2 Customer Segmentation

ConvertKit segments are typically driven by tagging and basic segmentation rules used for targeting and automation entry.

Klaviyo segments update in real time and can use profile data plus behavioral event history, including predictive analytics fields.

#3 Multichannel Messaging

ConvertKit focuses on email and does not offer SMS messaging.

Klaviyo supports email and SMS, and can also coordinate push and WhatsApp within campaigns and flows.

#4 Ecommerce Data & Integrations

ConvertKit integrates with tools like Shopify and WooCommerce, often using tags to reflect customer actions for follow-ups.

Klaviyo integrates broadly with ecommerce platforms and uses the synced event stream to power segmentation and trigger flows.

#5 Reporting & Attribution

ConvertKit offers reporting, with more detailed reporting features available on higher tiers.

Klaviyo includes dashboards and custom reports, with attribution settings that can be adjusted and applied retroactively.

#6 Experimentation / Testing

ConvertKit supports A/B testing on higher tiers.

Klaviyo supports A/B testing for campaigns and within flows, including testing subject lines, content, and send times.

Pricing

Pricing & Plans

Compare tiers, caps, and upgrade paths at a glance.

ConvertKit

Per contact Volume pricing

Public, per-contact monthly pricing through 100,000 contacts, with custom pricing at higher volumes.

Klaviyo

Per contact Volume pricing

Public, per-contact monthly pricing with email send allowances shown by tier; higher volumes require custom pricing.

1,000 contacts

PLAN

$39

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing for subscriber lists
  • ✓ List growth via signup forms/landing pages
  • ✓ Automations for sequences and broadcasts

Limitations

  • • SMS is not available on this tier (email-only).

PLAN

$30

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes 10,000 emails
  • ✓ Email marketing with tiered send allowance
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeted campaigns
  • ✓ Automation flows

Limitations

  • • SMS is available but not included as credits in this tier (SMS billed separately/credits not provided).
10,000 contacts

PLAN

$139

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing for subscriber lists
  • ✓ List growth via signup forms/landing pages
  • ✓ Automations for sequences and broadcasts

Limitations

  • • SMS is not available on this tier (email-only).

PLAN

$150

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes 100,000 emails
  • ✓ Email marketing with tiered send allowance
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeted campaigns
  • ✓ Automation flows

Limitations

  • • SMS is available but not included as credits in this tier (SMS billed separately/credits not provided).
50,000 contacts

PLAN

$379

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing for large subscriber lists
  • ✓ Automation workflows for scaling campaigns
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting

Limitations

  • • SMS is not available on this tier (email-only).

PLAN

$720

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes 500,000 emails
  • ✓ Email marketing for larger audiences
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting at scale
  • ✓ Automation flows for lifecycle messaging

Limitations

  • • Email sends are capped to the included allowance (500,000) for the tier.
100,000 contacts

PLAN

$679

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing at high list volume
  • ✓ Automation workflows for scaling campaigns
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting

Limitations

  • • SMS is not available on this tier (email-only).

PLAN

$1,380

per month

What's included

  • ✓ Includes 1,000,000 emails
  • ✓ Email marketing for high-volume audiences
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting at scale
  • ✓ Automation flows for lifecycle messaging

Limitations

  • • Email sends are capped to the included allowance (1,000,000) for the tier.
500,000 contacts

PLAN

Contact sales

—

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing at enterprise list volume
  • ✓ Automation workflows for scaling campaigns
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting

Limitations

  • • Custom pricing requires contacting sales (contracted pricing).

PLAN

Contact sales

—

What's included

  • ✓ Includes custom emails
  • ✓ Enterprise-scale email program support
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting at scale
  • ✓ Automation flows for lifecycle messaging

Limitations

  • • Custom pricing requires contacting sales (contracted pricing).
1,000,000 contacts

PLAN

Contact sales

—

What's included

  • ✓ Includes Unlimited emails
  • ✓ Email marketing at enterprise list volume
  • ✓ Automation workflows for scaling campaigns
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting

Limitations

  • • Custom pricing requires contacting sales (contracted pricing).

PLAN

Contact sales

—

What's included

  • ✓ Includes custom emails
  • ✓ Enterprise-scale email program support
  • ✓ Segmentation for targeting at scale
  • ✓ Automation flows for lifecycle messaging

Limitations

  • • Custom pricing requires contacting sales (contracted pricing).

Customer Voices

Reviews & Ratings

See how ConvertKit vs Klaviyo compare based on verified customer reviews (pros, cons, sentiment).

ConvertKit

4.6 / 5.0

Based on 237 reviews

Positive sentiment
Top Pros
  • • Easy to use, clean interface
  • • Automations feel powerful but simple
  • • Tagging and segmentation are very flexible
  • • Free plan offers strong value
Top Cons
  • • Pricing feels high for small lists
  • • Email design and layouts feel limited
  • • Takes time to learn sequences and automations
  • • Contact imports can be frustrating

Klaviyo

4.6 / 5.0

Based on 512 reviews

Positive sentiment
Top Pros
  • • Segmentation is extremely strong
  • • Flows make behavior-based automation easy
  • • Shopify integration works really well
  • • Analytics help track performance quickly
Top Cons
  • • Pricing is confusing and escalates fast
  • • Advanced analytics costs extra
  • • Editor can glitch or slow down
  • • Not beginner-friendly at first

Real-World Scenarios

How ConvertKit and Klaviyo behave in real marketing workflows

Seeing a feature in a matrix is one thing; knowing how it behaves in day-to-day work is what shapes outcomes. These scenarios show how workflows differ once campaigns, lists, and reporting are in motion.

#1 Subscriber onboarding cadence

ConvertKit: Teams run simple onboarding sequences with ongoing tweaks, keeping handoffs light and schedules predictable as new subscribers enter daily.

Klaviyo: Teams coordinate onboarding alongside other recurring automations, adjusting timing weekly as more segments and channels compete for attention.

#2 Audience updates and targeting changes

ConvertKit: Marketers manage audiences with straightforward rules, making quick adjustments during bursts without creating extra review cycles or complex handoffs.

Klaviyo: Marketers refresh targeting frequently, with recurring checks to keep segments aligned as behavior shifts and more stakeholders request visibility.

#3 Campaign production and approvals

ConvertKit: Campaigns move fast with fewer steps, so small teams can ship weekly sends and make same-day edits without heavy coordination.

Klaviyo: Campaigns often involve structured reviews, enabling larger teams to run recurring promotions while tracking changes across drafts and stakeholders.

#4 Coordinating promotions across channels

ConvertKit: Promotions are usually paced as periodic sends and sequences, with manual coordination when timing overlaps across different pushes.

Klaviyo: Promotions are coordinated as ongoing programs, with schedules updated weekly to keep messages aligned when multiple channels run in parallel.

#5 Performance visibility and iteration loop

ConvertKit: Teams check results quickly after sends, making light ongoing adjustments to copy and timing without needing deep reporting routines.

Klaviyo: Teams review performance on a recurring cadence, using shared visibility to drive weekly iteration and align campaign changes across owners.

#6 Commerce and revenue workflow alignment

ConvertKit: Revenue workflows are managed with simpler signals, so teams adapt messaging in bursts when launches happen and then return to steady cadence.

Klaviyo: Revenue workflows operate continuously, with ongoing adjustments tied to shopping behavior, helping teams keep recurring programs aligned with sales cycles.

Decision Guide

Which Platform Should You Choose?

Use these cues to quickly see which platform fits how you work.

ConvertKit

Best for

Solo operators and small teams running a creator-led publishing cadence where audience relationships are built through consistent, repeatable communication.

This platform is a good fit if:

  • ✓ You publish on a steady rhythm (weekly or near-weekly) and your workflow revolves around getting the next issue out.
  • ✓ Your content calendar is driven by what you’re making next (posts, lessons, launches) rather than a product catalog.
  • ✓ Segmentation decisions happen as part of writing and sending—tags and groups evolve as your audience responds over time.
  • ✓ Most campaigns are owned end-to-end by one person (or a tiny team) who switches between creating, editing, and sending in the same day.

Klaviyo

Best for

Marketing teams operating on an experiment-and-iteration loop where messaging changes frequently based on customer actions and performance targets.

This platform is a good fit if:

  • ✓ Your team reviews performance on a set cadence (often weekly) and adjusts messaging based on what moved key numbers.
  • ✓ Campaign planning is tied to commercial moments (promotions, inventory pushes, seasonal peaks) with coordinated deadlines.
  • ✓ Workflows depend on customer behavior events, and you routinely refine audience definitions as new patterns show up.
  • ✓ Multiple people touch the same program—one builds logic, another handles creative, and someone else owns reporting and next steps.

Need-to-know

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about comparing these platforms.

How much work is it to migrate from ConvertKit to Klaviyo (or the other way), and what data won’t come across cleanly?

Expect a migration to focus on three buckets: contacts (and their fields/tags), consent status, and automation logic. Subscriber lists and basic custom fields can be moved between ConvertKit and Klaviyo, but you typically need to rebuild automations and forms because each platform’s triggers, templates, and segmentation rules don’t translate 1:1.

Historical engagement (opens/clicks) and ecommerce events often won’t import in a way that preserves native reporting, so teams commonly start fresh for analytics while keeping raw exports for reference. Plan time for mapping fields (e.g., tags vs. properties), re-verifying domains, and running parallel sends during cutover.

What happens if I switch to one platform and later need to switch back—will I lose data or break my sending?

Switching away is mostly about exporting contacts and rebuilding the workflow layer, since ConvertKit and Klaviyo store automation steps, templates, and reporting differently. If you leave either platform, you can export subscriber data, but you should assume you’ll recreate sequences/flows, forms, and preference centers in the new system.

To reduce risk, keep a copy of your exports, document field mappings, and maintain your sending domain authentication settings (SPF/DKIM) so you can reconfigure them quickly. If you used platform-hosted forms or checkout/event tracking, those site embeds/scripts may need to be swapped when you revert.

Do I still own my list, and can I export everything I need without paying or opening a support ticket?

You can export subscriber/contact data from both ConvertKit and Klaviyo, including core profile fields and segmentation-relevant attributes. What you can’t always export in a fully reusable way is the platform’s internal reporting (aggregated performance dashboards) or certain event histories in the same structure used for native analytics.

Before committing, confirm you can export: contacts with all custom fields, suppression/unsubscribe status, and consent timestamps/metadata. Also verify how each platform handles exporting templates and automation/flow definitions, which may be available but not importable into the other system.

How do ConvertKit and Klaviyo handle GDPR consent, tracking, and regional privacy rules if I have EU/UK subscribers?

Both ConvertKit and Klaviyo support collecting consent-related fields and honoring unsubscribe requests, but compliance depends on how you configure forms, tracking, and data retention. If you use cookies or onsite tracking for personalization/segmentation, you’ll need a compliant consent banner and to ensure tracking only fires after consent where required.

For GDPR requests (access, deletion), the practical workflow is: locate the profile, export if needed, then delete/suppress according to your policy—each platform provides tools for these actions, but you must coordinate across connected systems (shop, CRM) so data isn’t re-synced back in. If you operate across regions, document which lists/segments rely on consent vs. legitimate interest and keep that logic consistent in ConvertKit or Klaviyo.

I run multiple stores/brands—can I keep them separate without mixing audiences or automations?

Multi-brand setups typically require separate audiences, dedicated sender identities, and careful segmentation so customers don’t receive cross-brand messaging. In Klaviyo, multi-store management is often handled through separate accounts or carefully structured properties/events per store, while ConvertKit setups commonly rely on tags/segments and separate forms/landing pages.

Edge cases show up with shared subscribers (one email across brands), unsubscribe handling (global vs. brand-specific preferences), and reporting boundaries. Before building, decide whether you need hard separation (different accounts/workspaces) or soft separation (one account with strict conventions) and align that with how ConvertKit or Klaviyo models subscribers and consent.

Are there API limits or integration constraints that could break my sync or automations?

Both ConvertKit and Klaviyo offer APIs and prebuilt integrations, but integrations can be constrained by rate limits, payload size, or the way each platform models events and profiles. The most common failures are delayed updates during high volume, missing fields due to mapping limits, or events not firing because the integration only supports certain actions.

If your workflow depends on near-real-time triggers (purchase, subscription renewal, lead source), validate the integration’s supported events and whether it uses polling vs. webhooks. For custom builds, plan for backoff/retry logic, idempotency, and a way to reconcile records if ConvertKit or Klaviyo rejects a request or throttles traffic.

Can I send SMS everywhere, and what happens with restricted countries, quiet hours, or consent rules?

SMS is highly region-dependent: some countries require specific consent language, sender registration, or impose message content/quiet-hour rules. Klaviyo and ConvertKit workflows can store consent and segmentation fields, but the actual ability to send SMS may be limited by where you’re sending, carrier policies, and any required registration steps.

Expect to manage: explicit opt-in capture, proof of consent, HELP/STOP handling, and suppression enforcement. If you market across regions, you’ll likely maintain country-based segments and sending windows so SMS is only triggered where Klaviyo or ConvertKit (and your SMS provider) can legally and technically deliver.

If my emails start landing in spam, what safeguards and controls do I actually have inside the platform?

Deliverability recovery usually involves tightening list hygiene, reducing risky acquisition sources, and controlling send cadence—not just changing templates. In both ConvertKit and Klaviyo you can segment by engagement, suppress unengaged contacts, and adjust automation timing to avoid sudden volume spikes that can trigger filtering.

You’ll also want to verify domain authentication (SPF/DKIM and, if supported/available to you, DMARC alignment) and ensure you’re not mixing transactional and marketing streams on the same domain without a plan. When investigating, look at bounce types, complaint indicators, and whether a specific segment/source is driving issues, then isolate that segment in ConvertKit or Klaviyo before resuming full-volume sends.

What should I realistically expect from support—especially during a migration or if a campaign breaks right before a launch?

Support access and response times depend on plan level and the type of request (account/billing, deliverability, bugs, integrations). With ConvertKit or Klaviyo, assume that urgent “right now” fixes are easier when you can provide concrete artifacts: campaign IDs, timestamps, affected segments, error messages, and integration logs.

For time-sensitive launches, build a fallback: pause triggers, switch to a simpler broadcast, and keep an export of the target segment so you can send from an alternative system if needed. Also document who on your team has admin access, since many recovery steps (domain/auth, API keys, suppression changes) require elevated permissions in ConvertKit or Klaviyo.

What are the scaling ceilings—at what point do automations, segmentation, or reporting become hard to operate?

Operational ceilings tend to show up as workflow complexity (too many branching rules), data volume (large event histories), and governance (multiple teams editing the same assets). In Klaviyo, event-driven segmentation and high-volume ecommerce data can require stricter naming conventions and archiving to keep flows and reports manageable; in ConvertKit, scaling often stresses tag/segment sprawl and automation readability.

Regardless of platform, teams usually need: a taxonomy for fields/tags, change control for automations, and periodic cleanup of unused segments/templates. If you anticipate rapid growth, test performance on your largest segments, confirm any limits around custom fields/events, and standardize how data is written into ConvertKit or Klaviyo so reporting remains consistent.

Final Thoughts

Our Recommendation

This choice is about how your team runs its messaging engine: creator-led relationship building versus tightly coordinated lifecycle operations.

Choose ConvertKit when your cadence is steady and your program is managed by a small team that values low coordination overhead and fast iteration. It fits organizations that prefer lightweight processes and clear ownership over sprawling cross-team orchestration.

Choose Klaviyo when your workflows are scheduled, segmented, and owned across marketing, ecommerce, and analytics with frequent handoffs. It works best when you can support operational rigor, routine monitoring, and structured execution without cutting corners.

Map the platform to your operating rhythm and the decision becomes straightforward. Pick ConvertKit for creator-first momentum, or Klaviyo for disciplined lifecycle coordination, then standardize the workflow and move forward.