Omnisend wins for most UK Shopify stores

Mailchimp is the default starting point for email marketing, but UK Shopify stores have specific reasons to consider alternatives. This guide covers the four best replacements and which profile of store each is best suited to.

Why UK Shopify stores switch from Mailchimp

The Shopify integration. In 2019, Shopify removed the official Mailchimp app from its App Store following a commercial dispute. Mailchimp now integrates with Shopify via a third-party connector (ShopSync). This works but introduces a dependency — occasional sync delays and reduced reliability compared to the native integrations offered by Klaviyo and Omnisend.

GDPR data residency. Mailchimp is owned by Intuit (US) and stores all data in the United States. No EU or UK data residency option exists. UK businesses using Mailchimp must rely on standard contractual clauses (SCCs) for lawful data transfer under UK GDPR. Every alternative on this list offers EU data residency at standard pricing.

Price increases since the Intuit acquisition. Mailchimp’s pricing has risen significantly since 2021. The free tier was reduced from 2,000 contacts to 500 contacts, and the monthly send limit was capped at 1,000 emails. Several alternatives now offer more generous free tiers.

The best Mailchimp alternatives

1. Omnisend — Best overall for UK Shopify stores

Omnisend is the most natural Mailchimp replacement for UK Shopify stores. Native Shopify integration (4.8 app store rating), EU data residency by default, and pricing that is competitive with Mailchimp’s paid tiers.

Best for: Stores switching because of the Shopify integration or GDPR Price from: Free (250 contacts), ~£16/month (500 contacts paid)

Read the full Omnisend review →

2. Klaviyo — Best for data-driven Shopify stores

Klaviyo has the deepest Shopify integration of any tool — predictive CLV, browse abandonment, machine learning product recommendations. More expensive than Mailchimp at equivalent tiers, but significantly more capable for stores that use purchase behaviour in their segmentation.

Best for: Stores with 500+ contacts investing seriously in email automation Price from: Free (250 contacts), ~£20/month (500 contacts paid)

Read the full Klaviyo review →

3. GetResponse — Best free tier replacement

GetResponse’s free plan covers 500 contacts with unlimited sends — a better free tier than Mailchimp’s (500 contacts, 1,000 sends/month). EU data residency by default. The Shopify integration is less deep than Omnisend’s, but sufficient for stores in the early stages.

Best for: Stores switching because of GDPR or wanting a more generous free tier Price from: Free (500 contacts), ~£11/month (1,000 contacts paid)

Read the full GetResponse review →

4. Brevo — Best for high-volume, budget-conscious stores

Brevo’s per-email pricing model makes it significantly cheaper than Mailchimp for stores with large lists that send email infrequently. EU data storage by default and the most thorough DPA of any tool reviewed.

Best for: Stores with large lists (2,000+) that send email weekly or less frequently Price from: Free (unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day), ~£19/month (20,000 sends)

Read the full Brevo review →

How to migrate from Mailchimp

The migration process is the same regardless of which tool you choose.

Step 1: Export your Mailchimp audience. In Mailchimp: Audience → Manage Audience → Export Audience → Export as CSV.

Step 2: Note your active automations. Automations cannot be migrated automatically. List each automation you currently have active — welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase — and you will rebuild these in the new tool using its templates.

Step 3: Create your new account. If choosing Klaviyo: select EU data region at account creation. This is easy to miss and cannot be changed afterwards.

Step 4: Import your CSV. All four alternatives accept standard Mailchimp CSV exports. Tags and segments are mapped during import.

Step 5: Connect Shopify. Each tool has a native Shopify app. Install it and verify that order and customer data is syncing correctly before disabling your Mailchimp connection.

Step 6: Rebuild your automations. Use the pre-built templates as a starting point — each tool has templates for welcome series, abandoned cart, and post-purchase sequences.

Step 7: Run both tools in parallel for 30 days. Keep Mailchimp active and paused while you confirm deliverability and automation performance in the new tool. Then cancel Mailchimp.

Average migration time: 3–4 hours including automation rebuilds.

Comparison table

Tool	Free tier	Price at 1,000 contacts	EU GDPR	Shopify integration
Mailchimp	500 contacts, 1,000 sends/mo	~£25/mo	US only	Third-party (ShopSync)
Omnisend	250 contacts, 500 sends/mo	~£26/mo	✓ Default	Native (4.8 stars)
Klaviyo	250 contacts, 500 sends/mo	~£35/mo	✓ Manual setup	Native (4.0 stars)
GetResponse	500 contacts, unlimited sends	~£11/mo	✓ Default	Native (4.2 stars)
Brevo	Unlimited contacts, 300/day	~£19/mo (20k sends)	✓ Default	Native (3.9 stars)

Our recommendation

For most UK Shopify stores, Omnisend is the best Mailchimp replacement. It has the best Shopify integration rating, EU data residency by default, and pricing comparable to Mailchimp’s paid tiers without the integration limitations.

If budget is the primary constraint: GetResponse has the best free tier available from any EU-hosted tool and competitive paid pricing.

If your store has 500+ contacts and you want the most powerful Shopify-native automation: Klaviyo is the right direction.

See our migrating from Mailchimp UK guide for the full step-by-step process.