Email · 6 min read
Email marketing for young marketers: Klaviyo vs Mailchimp in 2026
A young UK marketer's honest take on Klaviyo vs Mailchimp — pricing, features, and which to pick for different client types in 2026.
By Jack Frampton, Apprentice Advocate working at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 10 July 2026
Email is still the highest-ROI channel in a young marketer's toolkit. The platform choice matters less than the flows you build.
Pick by client type
Flows before campaigns
Welcome, abandoned cart/browse, post-purchase, win-back. These four flows do 60–70% of email revenue. Build them first.
Segmentation depth
3–5 segments minimum: engaged, disengaged, purchasers, VIP, cold. Sending the same email to everyone kills deliverability.
Measurement
Revenue per email, click-to-open rate, list growth net of unsubscribes. Open rate is broken since iOS 15 — don't optimise for it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Klaviyo worth the price?
- For ecommerce over £10k/month revenue, yes. Below that, Mailchimp or Omnisend is fine.
- How often should I email my list?
- Weekly for ecommerce, bi-weekly for services. Under-emailing loses more revenue than over-emailing.
- What's a good email open rate in 2026?
- 25–40% for niche B2B, 15–25% for ecommerce. But focus on click-through and revenue instead.
- Do I need a copywriter?
- For weekly campaigns, yes eventually. For flows, one-time expert build pays for itself.