Omnisend vs Retainful
Omnisend and Retainful are ecommerce-focused email and SMS automation tools for Shopify and WooCommerce merchants. Omnisend targets broader multichannel personalization and analytics, while Retainful focuses on cart recovery, WhatsApp/email workflows and affordable contact-based pricing.
Last updated
The summary above and the “Which should you choose?” section are written with AI from our two listings. The tables and answers come straight from the listings. Prices and features change, so check each vendor's website before you decide. How we use AI
Omnisend
Email Marketing Software - SMS & Email for Ecommerce
Free plan, paid from $11.2/mo
Visit Omnisend
Retainful
Ecommerce Email, SMS & WhatsApp marketing and automation
Free plan, paid from $14/mo
Visit RetainfulAt a glance
| Listing | Omnisend | Retainful |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan, paid from $11.2/mo | Free plan, paid from $14/mo |
| Cheapest paid plan for a year | $134.4 a year | $168 a year |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | No |
| Works with | Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix | Shopify, WooCommerce |
| Features | 15 features listed | 7 features listed |
| Integrations | 8 integrations listed | 4 integrations listed |
| Public API | Yes | No |
| Business size | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market |
| Listing data checked | Sep 24, 2026 | Aug 30, 2026 |
Pricing compared
Omnisend
- Free Free
- Standard $11.2/mo
- Pro $41.3/mo
- Custom Custom pricing
- Custom/Enterprise Custom pricing
- Free Free Free trial
- Standard $11.2/mo Free trial
- Pro $41.3/mo Free trial
Features compared
Both list 7 of these features. 8 are listed only for Omnisend.
| Feature | Omnisend | Retainful |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Listed | Listed |
| Drag & Drop | Listed | Listed |
| Listed | Listed | |
| Reporting | Listed | Listed |
| Segmentation | Listed | Listed |
| SMS | Listed | Listed |
| Templates | Listed | Listed |
| AI | Listed | Not listed |
| Analytics | Listed | Not listed |
| API | Listed | Not listed |
| Import | Listed | Not listed |
| Multi-channel | Listed | Not listed |
| Personalization | Listed | Not listed |
| Scheduling | Listed | Not listed |
| White Label | Listed | Not listed |
Platforms and integrations
Ecommerce platforms
| Platform | Omnisend | Retainful |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Listed | Listed |
| WooCommerce | Listed | Listed |
| BigCommerce | Listed | Not listed |
| Wix | Listed | Not listed |
Integrations
Both list 4 of these integrations. 4 are listed only for Omnisend.
| Integration | Omnisend | Retainful |
|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Listed | Listed |
| Mailchimp | Listed | Listed |
| Shopify | Listed | Listed |
| WooCommerce | Listed | Listed |
| BigCommerce | Listed | Not listed |
| Listed | Not listed | |
| Google Analytics | Listed | Not listed |
| Zapier | Listed | Not listed |
More details
| Detail | Omnisend | Retainful |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Tiered subscription based on contact count and plan tier (Free, Standard, Pro, Custom/Enterprise) with optional add-ons and separate SMS credits; billed monthly or with discounted upfront options. | Free tier plus contact-based monthly pricing (starter/pro plans). SMS/WhatsApp are billed directly to the user's Twilio/Meta accounts with no markup from Retainful. |
| Support | 24/7 live chat and email support, help center knowledge base, agency/partner network, migration specialists 24/7 | Dedicated onboarding specialist, personalized onboarding, live chat support, help docs, book-a-demo and email/knowledge base support referenced. 24x6 |
| Security and compliance | Omnisend publishes a Data Processing Agreement and privacy policy; site links to DPA and privacy documents. GDPR/TCPA consent collection features are available for forms. | Signup forms mention GDPR consent collection; no other explicit security certifications or compliance claims are shown on the cited pages. |
| Product maturity | Mature, enterprise-capable platform trusted by 150,000+ brands with thousands of reviews across marketplaces and an established app marketplace and developer docs. | Mature SMB-focused product with a broad feature set, templates and onboarding; cited as "trusted by 20,000+ e-commerce stores" on the site. |
| Not a good fit for | Not ideal for businesses that need a full enterprise B2B CRM or deep ERP/order management features outside ecommerce marketing. | Not a good fit for businesses that need built-in SMS/WhatsApp credit billing or require explicit public API documentation and enterprise compliance details. |
Pros and cons
From each app's App4Ecom listing.
Omnisend
Pros
- Omnichannel messaging in one platform: email, SMS, and web push
- Free 5-day migration service from other ESPs (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, etc.)
- AI-assisted tools for forms, segmentation, subject lines, and product recommendations
- Wide integration ecosystem (280+ pre-built integrations) and public APIs
- 24/7 award-winning live chat and email support with fast response times
Cons
- Free plan is limited (500 monthly emails and 250 contacts) compared to paid tiers
- SMS is charged separately and per-country rates vary; SMS costs can add up for international sends
- Some advanced personalization features are available as add-ons or require higher-tier plans
- Pricing is billed by contact volume and automation sends which may increase costs at scale
Retainful
Pros
- Unified email and WhatsApp automations in one dashboard for omnichannel cart recovery and post-purchase flows.
- Large library of pre-built automation workflows and 200+ email templates to accelerate setup.
- Free migration from Klaviyo/Mailchimp and white-glove onboarding available.
- Free tier and contact-based starter pricing provide an affordable entry for small stores.
Cons
- Free plan limits email sends to 500 emails per month which can stop sends if exceeded.
- SMS and WhatsApp require connecting and paying third-party accounts (Twilio/Meta), adding setup overhead.
- Higher-volume pricing is contact-based and requires careful monitoring of contact counts to control costs.
- No explicit public API or API docs linked on the cited pages (public API not shown).
Which should you choose?
Choose Omnisend if you want broader multichannel features, personalization and an API; choose Retainful if your priority is cost-effective cart recovery workflows, WhatsApp/email flows and contact-based starter pricing.
Omnisend: Best for ecommerce brands that need broader multichannel marketing, API access and built-in personalization and analytics across multiple platforms.
Retainful: Best for small-to-mid ecommerce stores focused on cart recovery and cost-effective contact-based pricing with WhatsApp/email automations.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Omnisend or Retainful?
Omnisend is cheaper to start: its lowest paid plan is $11.2/mo, against $14/mo for Retainful. Plans include different limits, so compare what you get at the volume you need.
Do Omnisend and Retainful have a free plan?
Yes, both list a free plan. Omnisend offers a free trial.
Which platforms do Omnisend and Retainful work with?
Omnisend works with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and Wix. Retainful works with Shopify and WooCommerce. Both work with Shopify and WooCommerce.
What features do Omnisend and Retainful have in common?
Both list Automation, Drag & Drop, Email, Reporting, Segmentation, SMS and 1 more. Only Omnisend lists AI, Analytics, API, Import, Multi-channel, Personalization and 2 more.
Do Omnisend and Retainful have an API?
Omnisend lists a public API; Retainful doesn't.
Where this data comes from
Omnisend
Listing data refreshed September 24, 2026.
- omnisend.com/pricing Official website
- omnisend.com Official website
- api-docs.omnisend.com Documentation
Retainful
Listing data refreshed August 30, 2026.
- retainful.com/pricing Official website
- retainful.com Official website