Shopify Email is now called Shopify Messaging, and it's the email and SMS tool built into every Shopify plan. Every month you can send up to 10,000 manual or automated emails free, and after that Shopify charges $1 per 1,000 additional emails on its US page as of October 2026.
The catch is in what "free" counts. The 10,000 is a monthly send count, not a contact count, so a weekly newsletter to a big list uses it up far faster than the same list emailed once a month. SMS is charged separately on top, and it's only available in select countries. These are Shopify's US prices; UK, Australian and Canadian readers will see other numbers on their local Shopify site.
From Shopify Email to Shopify Messaging
Shopify's email tool now sits under the Shopify Messaging name. Shopify describes it as one place to create email and SMS campaigns with ready-made templates, edit emails quickly with Sidekick, its AI assistant, and see your results, with pricing that scales with your sends. Shopify says over 500k entrepreneurs use it.
It's available on all Shopify plans, with every Shopify Messaging feature included, SMS among them. There are no monthly commitments, so you're not locked into a tier you've outgrown or don't use.
Shopify Messaging pricing tiers
Here's how Shopify lays out the pricing on its US page, as of October 2026:
| Item | Shopify's US pricing as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Free emails each month | Up to 10,000, manual or automated |
| Extra emails | $1 per 1,000, or $0.001 per additional email |
| After your first 300,000 emails a month | Lower rates applied automatically |
| SMS marketing | Charged separately, select countries |
| Monthly commitment | None |
| Which plans | All Shopify plans |
The free allowance covers automated emails too, so your welcome and winback flows count toward the 10,000 alongside your campaigns. Shopify's page has a calculator where you type in how many emails you'll send this month and it shows the price, which is worth a minute before a big seasonal push.
Building an email without a designer
Shopify Messaging is built for stores, so most of the design work is done for you:
- Drag-and-drop editor with customisable templates, so you can build an email without touching code.
- Your branding pulled in automatically. Your logo, products, prices and store colours are applied to the templates.
- Dynamic product sections that show your best sellers and recently added products.
- Sidekick copy. Shopify's AI assistant can generate on-brand copy for the email.
- Express checkout buttons you can add to any email, so customers can buy straight from the inbox.
That last one is the feature I'd test first. Every extra click between the email and the payment page loses buyers, and an express checkout button removes several of them.
Automations that run while you sleep
Shopify Messaging comes with ready-to-use automations such as welcome, winback and upsell emails. They have pre-selected conditions, triggers and actions, so Shopify says they're active in a few clicks. If you want more control, you can build a custom workflow: set the trigger and conditions, then add conditional logic or wait steps. You can analyse how each automation performs and tweak it, all inside Shopify.
Sending and tracking campaigns
When you send a campaign, you pick recipients from your customer lists or customer segments, personalise the email, and preview exactly how it'll look in your customers' inboxes. Shopify also offers a recommended send time, powered by Sidekick, aimed at higher click-through rates. Afterwards, the dashboard reports open rates, sales and more, and SMS results sit alongside your email metrics.
Shopify's point here is that you send and track emails from the same place you manage your products, customers and other marketing, and that you own your own data. Its advice is to analyse each campaign and try new designs, offers or messaging, refining your approach over time. That's sound: one test per send, and you'll build up your own picture of what your customers respond to.
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SMS from the same dashboard
SMS marketing runs from the same platform as your email campaigns. Shopify pitches it for timely offers and updates, with expert-built templates you can customise to fit your brand, and SMS results tracked alongside your email metrics. You pay only for what you send, but SMS is billed separately from the email allowance, so the 10,000 free emails don't cover texts. It's also only available in select countries, so check it's switched on for yours before you plan a campaign around it.
How to send your first Shopify Messaging campaign
- Open Marketing in your Shopify admin.
- Create a campaign and pick a template. Your logo, products and colours fill in automatically.
- Choose the customer list or segment, preview the email and set a send time.
- Turn on a welcome or winback automation so new and lapsed customers hear from you without extra work.
If you don't have a Shopify store yet, Shopify's page offers a 3-day free trial to get started.
My verdict
If you run a Shopify store, Shopify Messaging is the easiest email tool you'll find. It already knows your products, your prices and your customers, and it costs nothing until you pass 10,000 sends in a month. I'd only move to a specialist email platform if you need heavy segmentation or very complex customer journeys. Before you add another subscription, check what you're already paying in Shopify's fees. And if you're still choosing a platform, my Square vs Shopify comparison is a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Email free?
Up to a point. Shopify lets you send up to 10,000 manual or automated emails a month for free, as of October 2026, then charges $1 per 1,000 additional emails.
How much does Shopify Messaging cost after 10,000 emails?
Shopify charges $1 per 1,000 additional emails, or $0.001 per email, as of October 2026. After your first 300,000 emails a month, you automatically pay lower rates.
Is Shopify Email now called Shopify Messaging?
Yes. Shopify's email tool is now Shopify Messaging, which brings email and SMS campaigns, templates, Sidekick editing and reporting into one place.
Can Shopify Messaging send SMS?
Yes, in select countries. SMS marketing is charged separately from email and runs from the same platform.
Can I automate a welcome email in Shopify?
Yes. Shopify Messaging has ready-made welcome, winback and upsell automations with pre-selected triggers, or you can build a custom workflow with conditional logic and wait steps.
Do I need a Shopify store to use Shopify Messaging?
It runs inside Shopify. If you don't have a store yet, Shopify's page offers a 3-day free trial to get started.
