# The best Shopify email and SMS apps in 2026, beyond Klaviyo and Omnisend

Shopify Messaging, Mailchimp, Brevo, Privy, Postscript and Attentive. Free allowances, what each bill counts and the SMS costs to plan for.

By Rohin Aggarwal · 2026-10-12

Most visitors leave without buying. Email and SMS are how a store gets a second chance. The bills count very different things. Some count contacts, some count sends, and SMS counts every message part. Here are six apps beyond Klaviyo and Omnisend, and what each one counts.

**Quick answer**

- **Most free email:** Shopify Messaging, with 10,000 emails a month.
- **Free by the day:** Brevo, with 300 emails a day.
- **SMS-first:** Postscript from a $49 monthly minimum, or Attentive on contract.
- **Pop-ups plus email:** Privy, with a 15-day trial.
- We make Idukki. We make no email or SMS tool.

## Build four flows first

Build the automated flows before any campaign. Start with welcome, abandoned checkout, browse abandonment and post-purchase. Those four run every day without you. Campaigns come after.

**The four flows**
1. **Welcome** — Sent when someone signs up.
2. **Abandoned checkout** — Sent when checkout starts but stops.
3. **Browse abandonment** — Sent after product views with no cart.
4. **Post-purchase** — Thanks, care tips, then a review request.
_Every app below can run these._

| App | What the bill counts | Free allowance or trial |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shopify Messaging | Emails sent; SMS per message | 10,000 emails a month |
| Mailchimp | Contacts, with a send limit | 250 contacts, 500 sends a month |
| Brevo | Emails sent | 300 emails a day |
| Privy | Pageviews for pop-ups; contacts for email | 15-day trial |
| Postscript | SMS and MMS sent | 30-day trial with $100 credit |
| Attentive | Base fee plus each message | 30-day trial at least |

_From each vendor's pricing page, help centre or Shopify listing, checked 12 October 2026._

## Shopify Messaging: the most free email

Shopify Messaging, once Shopify Email, sends 10,000 emails a month free. After that it costs $1 per 1,000, falling at higher volumes. Abandoned checkout emails are free and do not count. SMS costs $0.012 per message in the US. A long text counts as several messages. Charges land on your Shopify bill.

## Mailchimp: the familiar name

Mailchimp's free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. Over the contact limit, sending stops until you upgrade or trim the list. Paid plans price by contacts. Essentials allows sends of 10 times your contact limit. Standard allows 12 times. Its pages show promotional prices, so check the price after year one.

## Brevo: billed by sends

Brevo's free plan sends 300 emails a day. A campaign to more than 300 people reaches only 300 that day. Paid plans price by emails sent. Contact count does not set the price. Starter begins at $9 a month for 5,000 emails. That suits a large list you email rarely.

## Privy: pop-ups plus email

Privy builds sign-up pop-ups and sends email and SMS. It has a 15-day trial and no permanent free plan. Pop-ups start at $24 a month and price by monthly pageviews. Email prices by mailable contacts. Its Email + SMS plan includes 250 SMS credits a month.

## Postscript: SMS billed by use

Postscript is SMS-first. Starter has no plan fee but a $49 monthly minimum. It charges $0.009 per SMS plus carrier fees. Growth costs $100 a month and lowers SMS to $0.008. The 30-day trial includes a $100 credit.

## Attentive: SMS on contract

Attentive is free to install and bills outside Shopify. It charges a monthly base fee plus each message sent and each reply. Carrier fees are added. Rates sit in your contract, with no public price list. A trial of at least 30 days comes first. Read the term before you sign.

### Two ways SMS is billed
_From each vendor's billing help, checked 12 October 2026._

**Published rates: Shopify Messaging, Postscript**
A per-message price you can see up front.
- ✓ Easy to forecast
- ✓ Month to month
- ✗ Long texts count as several messages
- ✗ Carrier fees on Postscript

**Contract rates: Attentive**
A base fee plus rates set in your contract.
- ✓ Rates negotiated to volume
- ✗ No public price
- ✗ Contract terms to check

**Which one to try**
Q: What do you need first?
- Email on a budget: **Shopify Messaging** — 10,000 free emails a month.
  - Large list, few sends: Compare Brevo
- A list to grow first: **Privy** — Pop-ups, then email.
  - Need deep segments: Read Klaviyo vs Omnisend
- SMS as a main channel: **Postscript** — Published per-message rates.
  - High volume: Get an Attentive quote too

## Where Idukki fits (ours)

We make Idukki. It sends no email or SMS. It displays customer photos and video on your store. Idukki also publishes a web feed of tagged posts that Klaviyo's web feeds can read. For Klaviyo and Omnisend, read [Klaviyo vs Omnisend](/blog/klaviyo-vs-omnisend-for-shopify-2026).

**The takeaway:** Start with free email and the four flows. Add SMS once email works. Price SMS by message parts. One long text can bill as two.

### Questions store owners ask

**Q: Is Shopify Email still free?**

A: Shopify Messaging, once Shopify Email, sends 10,000 emails a month free. Then it costs $1 per 1,000.

**Q: How much does SMS cost on Shopify?**

A: Shopify Messaging charges $0.012 per message in the US. A long text counts as several messages.

**Q: Does Mailchimp have a free plan?**

A: Yes, for 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.

**Q: Does Attentive publish its prices?**

A: No. It charges a monthly base fee plus per-message rates set in your contract.

### Sources
- [Shopify Help: Messaging email pricing](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/create-marketing/shopify-messaging/email/pricing) — Free allowance and rates.
- [Shopify Help: Messaging SMS pricing](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/create-marketing/shopify-messaging/sms/pricing) — Per-message rates.
- [Mailchimp: pricing plans](https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-pricing-plans/) — Free plan and send limits.
- [Brevo: free plan limits](https://help.brevo.com/hc/en-us/articles/208580669-FAQs-What-are-the-limits-of-the-Free-plan) — 300 emails a day.
- [Privy pricing](https://www.privy.com/pricing) — Trial and plans.
- [Privy: 2025 plans and billing](https://help.privy.com/docs/learn/account-settings-and-billing/account-settings/2025-plans-and-billing) — SMS credits.
- [Postscript pricing](https://postscript.io/pricing) — Plans and rates.
- [Attentive on the Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/attentive) — Billing and trial.
- [Attentive: messaging and billing FAQs](https://help.attentivemobile.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407276120340-FAQs-Messaging-and-billing) — How messages are billed.

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Canonical: https://idukki.io/blog/best-shopify-email-and-sms-apps-2026
Tags: email, sms, best-of, shopify-apps, mailchimp, postscript