Klaviyo vs Customer.io: E-commerce vs SaaS Focus
Comparing Klaviyo and Customer.io. Shopify excellence for e-commerce vs behavioral automation for SaaS. Match the tool to your model.
Overview
Klaviyo and Customer.io are both powerful automation platforms, but for different business models. Klaviyo dominates e-commerce with deep Shopify integration. Customer.io excels at product-led SaaS with behavioral automation.
The choice is straightforward: e-commerce goes to Klaviyo, SaaS goes to Customer.io (or Sequenzy for simpler needs).
| Feature | Klaviyo | Customer.io |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $45/mo | $100/mo |
| Best For | E-commerce | SaaS |
| Shopify Integration | Excellent | Basic |
| Behavioral Triggers | Product-focused | Any event |
| Multi-channel | Email + SMS | Email, SMS, Push, In-app |
| Predictive Analytics | E-commerce focused | General |
Key Differences
E-commerce vs Product-Led
Klaviyo is built for e-commerce. Product data, purchase history, browse behavior all flow automatically from Shopify. Pre-built flows (abandoned cart, post-purchase, win-back) are optimized from millions of stores. Predictive analytics forecast next purchase and churn.
Customer.io is built for product-led SaaS. Track any user event in your product, segment by behavior, trigger messages based on feature usage. The event-driven architecture handles complex user journeys.
Integration Depth
Klaviyo has the deepest e-commerce integrations in the market. Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce - product data syncs automatically. For e-commerce, this depth is unmatched.
Customer.io integrates broadly with SaaS tools: Segment, Mixpanel, Clearbit. The focus is on behavioral data from your product, not e-commerce platforms.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Klaviyo if:
- You run an e-commerce business
- Shopify/WooCommerce integration matters
- Product-based sequences are your focus
- E-commerce predictive analytics are valuable
Choose Customer.io if:
- You build product-led SaaS
- Behavioral triggers based on app usage
- Multi-channel beyond email matters
- Enterprise-grade automation is needed
The Bottom Line
Klaviyo is the default for e-commerce. Don't use it for SaaS.
Customer.io excels at SaaS behavioral automation. For simpler SaaS needs at lower cost, consider Sequenzy.