Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing tool for small online shops and new brands that want automations, segmentation and reporting in one place. The catch, as of Oct 2026, is that the free plan stops at 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month, and the pricing page shows no paid prices, only a plan estimator.
Klaviyo's free plan comes up a lot when shop owners ask where to start with email, so I wanted to see exactly where it ends. I read Klaviyo's UK pricing page, which shows its amounts in US dollars, and the limits are tighter than the word free suggests.
Klaviyo's free tier and the paid plans after it
| Plan | Price | What's included | The limit that bites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Nothing, for as long as you stay under both limits | Up to 250 active profiles, 500 email sends a month, 5 dollars of mobile messages a month, 5 dollars of Composer usage a month, built-in reporting, email support | Full email support only for the first 60 days, and sending may be paused once you pass either limit |
| Paid plans | Depends on your profile count; use the page's estimator | Paid-plan features such as custom branding removal and advanced support | No fixed figure on the page, so you'll need the estimator to see the next step |
Figures as listed on Klaviyo's UK pricing page, shown in US dollars, as of Oct 2026, check the vendor's page before you buy. The page notes that the mobile message allowance depends on region and provider.
Where Klaviyo's free plan runs out
The free plan is real, and you can stay on it indefinitely. The condition is that you remain at or below 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month. Klaviyo defines an active profile as a contact who may receive marketing emails, so the number that counts isn't everyone you've ever collected, it's the people you're set up to email.
Go over either limit and things change. The page says you'll need to upgrade or your sending may be paused, and the same applies if you want paid-plan features such as removing custom branding or getting advanced support. That second point catches people out. You can be well under 250 profiles and still find the free plan doesn't cover something you want.
Support has its own clock. On the free plan you get full email support only for the first 60 days. After that you still have the Help Centre, community resources and training, but not the support channels kept for paid plans. If you're setting up your first automations, it's worth doing the fiddly parts inside those 60 days.
Then there's the next step up. The page I read doesn't list paid-plan prices at all. It points you to a 'Build a plan estimate' tool instead, so what you'll pay depends on your profile count. I'm not going to guess a figure, and I'd be wary of anyone who quotes one without asking how big your list is.
How to check Klaviyo's next step before you outgrow free
- Count your active profiles, meaning the contacts who may receive marketing emails, not every address you hold.
- Count how many emails you send in a typical month, including automations such as welcome and abandoned-cart emails.
- Compare both numbers with the free plan's 250 profiles and 500 sends.
- If you're close to either one, put your profile count into the page's 'Build a plan estimate' tool to see the paid figure.
- Plan any heavy setup work inside the first 60 days, while full email support is still included.
What Klaviyo does for an online shop
Klaviyo pulls your email and mobile messaging into one tool, with built-in reporting so you can see what each send did. The free plan includes a small allowance for mobile messages and for Composer usage each month, measured in dollars rather than messages. The page pitches the free plan at small businesses, start-ups and brands just getting started with marketing automation, which is the real use here: emails that go out by themselves when someone signs up, browses or leaves a basket behind. Segmentation lets you send different emails to different groups instead of one blast to everyone.
If you're planning those first automations, my notes on ecommerce email marketing best practices are a good place to start, and you can borrow wording from my abandoned cart email swipe file for the emails that bring shoppers back.
Who Klaviyo suits, and who'd do better elsewhere
It's a good fit for:
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- Small online shops and new brands with a list under 250 active profiles.
- Owners who want email, mobile messages, automations and reporting in one place.
- Anyone who'll do the setup work while the 60 days of full email support are running.
It's a weaker fit for:
- Anyone whose list is already above 250 active profiles, or who plans more than 500 sends a month.
- People who want a fixed, published price for paid plans, as the page uses an estimator.
- Sellers who need full support channels after the first 60 days without upgrading.
Klaviyo verdict: start free, but watch two numbers
I'd happily start a new shop on Klaviyo's free plan, as long as you know it's built for a small list. Keep an eye on two numbers, active profiles and monthly sends, because passing either one can pause your sending. Use the first 60 days for your setup while full support is on hand. And before you grow past the limits, run your profile count through the estimator, so the paid figure doesn't arrive as a surprise.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Klaviyo free?
Yes, there's a free plan for up to 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month. You can stay on it indefinitely while you remain under both limits.
What happens if I go over Klaviyo's free limits?
The pricing page says you'll need to upgrade or your sending may be paused. The same applies if you need paid-plan features such as custom branding removal or advanced support.
How much does Klaviyo cost after the free plan?
The page doesn't list a fixed paid price. It points to a 'Build a plan estimate' tool, and the figure depends on your profile count.
Does the Klaviyo free plan include support?
Full email support is included only for the first 60 days. After that you keep access to the Help Centre, community resources and training.
