If you’re in a rush and you can’t read this full guide, check out that image 👆👆.
It’s the shortest and most straight-forward answer to Customer.io’s pricing, because it is actually a screenshot of their actual pricing plans as of 2025.
For the full answer, join me as I break down everything:
The real cost of Customer.io
The hidden fees at Customer.io as your account grows
The help you need to decide which plan’s best for your use case
And more helpful info
Consider this the ultimate buyer’s cost guide for Customer.io!
Context: I’ve been testing Customer.io and similar software for over +4 years now. I’ve personally been through their pricing, features, nice parts , and the less nicer parts.
All of this info helped me put together this ultimate pricing guide, which I’m happy to share with you.
I’m confident that by the end of this guide you’ll know what’s best for you!
Contents
What is Customer.io? Who is it for?
Answer: Customer.io is a messaging automation platform built for companies that care about sending the right message at the right time.
It’s mostly used by product-led SaaS companies and startups that want full control over their customer comms — emails, push, in-app, SMS, you name it.
It’s for teams who already have data flowing in from their app and want to use that data to trigger smarter campaigns.
So if you’ve got engineers who can help set it up and a marketing team that wants to build custom journeys — this is the kind of tool that makes sense.
But if you’re just getting started or want something plug-and-play? Might be overkill.
Pricing Overview: What Do I Get?
If their pricing feels a bit confusing — don’t worry, you’re not alone.
There’s a lot of info, but this section breaks it all down in plain English so you can actually compare and decide what makes sense for your business.
Core Plans at Customer.io
Essentials: $100/month – Ideal for small teams getting started with automation and 5,000 profiles
Premium: $1,000/month (billed yearly) – Built for fast-growing companies that need scale, support, and more flexibility
Enterprise: Custom pricing – Best for large orgs needing top-tier support, compliance, and custom infrastructure
screenshot of customer.io’s pricing page
Extras & Add-Ons at Customer.io
Additional 1,000 emails: $0.12
Additional profiles (people + objects): $0.009 each
Support packages: Premium and Enterprise plans only
Startup Program: Free for startups with under $10M raised
Parcel (email builder): Included
Data Pipelines Premium Integrations: Included on Premium and Enterprise
HIPAA & Audit Logging: Enterprise only
With this being said, let’s jump into the proper breakdown of each plan.
1. Customer.io Essentials Plan: Starting at $100/mo
Customer.io’s “Essentials” plan is their entry-level paid tier — made for small teams that are picking up traction and want to start sending behavior-based emails without overcomplicating things.
You get 5,000 profiles included, 1 million emails per month, and access to the visual workflow builder, which makes it easy to build automations without needing to code.
There’s also support for 2 object types (like users and accounts), email + community support, and basic Data Pipelines integrations.
It’s not the cheapest tool on the market, but it gives you a lot of sending power upfront — more than most starter plans.
What Essentials Includes
5,000 profiles (people + objects)
1M monthly email sends
2 object types
Visual workflow builder
Email & community support
Ad audience sync
Data Pipelines (basic integrations)
Cost of Essentials As You Grow
Profiles
Monthly Price
0–5,000
$100
5,001–10,000
$145
10,001–20,000
$235
20,001–30,000
$325
30,001–40,000
$415
40,001–50,000
$505
50,000+
Starts at $505+ (they suggest switching to Premium)
Who the Essentials Plan is Best For
If you’re a small startup or a product-led company just getting serious about lifecycle marketing, this is the plan for you. But if you’re planning to scale fast, those price jumps will add up — and “Premium” might actually end up being the better deal.
Before you commit: If you’re looking for something simpler to manage, but still powerful enough to run complex automations, Customer.io alternatives like Encharge give you similar features without the price jumps.
At Encharge, you get unlimited emails on every plan and don’t pay extra as you scale. Worth a look if you’re trying to avoid surprise bills.
2. Customer.io Premium Plan: Starting at $1,000/mo
The “Premium” plan is for companies that are growing fast and need more flexibility than what Essentials offers — both in how much they send and how much support they get.
This tier is all about custom everything — profile volume, email volume, object types.
You’re also getting access to HIPAA compliance, premium Data Pipelines integrations, and 90-day onboarding support. Plus, support gets a boost with premium chat and email, which is a big upgrade from just email and forums.
What Premium Includes
Custom profile volume & pricing
Custom email volume & pricing
10 object types
Premium chat & email support
90-day onboarding support
HIPAA Compliance
Premium Data Pipelines integrations
Everything in “Essentials”
Who the Premium Plan is Best For
If you’re sending millions of messages and need to connect more complex data — this is the plan made for you. Especially if you’ve got strict compliance requirements like HIPAA or need a smoother onboarding process.
Worth noting is that at this price, you’re paying for flexibility and support. But you’ll need to talk to sales for exact pricing once you go above the included volumes.
3. Customer.io Enterprise Plan: Custom
The “Enterprise” plan is built for companies that are scaling across regions or managing complex setups.
Think big teams, high compliance needs, and large volumes of data flying around.
It includes everything from “Premium”, plus extra firepower like dedicated hardware, priority technical support, and audit logging.
You’ll also get a Customer Success Manager and migration support, which helps if you’re moving from another platform or need someone on-call.
If your team is global, moving fast, and needs hands-on help plus tight security — this plan is made for you.
But nothing is self-serve here. You’ll have to talk to sales for every detail.
Is Customer.io Good Value For Money?
Shortly: Yes, if you’re the right kind of company.
Customer.io gives you deep control over customer journeys, with advanced segmentation, object-based data, and strong automation logic.
If you’ve got engineers who can wire it up and a team that knows what to build, it’s a solid investment. Especially at scale, where the flexibility starts to pay off.
But if you’re not sending millions of emails or don’t need granular data structures (like custom objects), it can feel like overkill — and expensive.
The “Essentials” plan starts at $100, but grows fast as your list grows.
And “Premium”? $1,000+/mo, billed yearly, just to unlock support and HIPAA.
Enterprise is a different story, though.
Only you and their sales team can decide if that plane is actually good value for money in your scenario.
Encharge gives you 90% of what most people actually use — at a fraction of the cost. For small to mid-sized SaaS, it does the job faster, with no need for a dev team and no hidden volume fees.
Customer.io is clearly built for companies with complex needs.
But that also means you’re paying for features you might never touch — like custom objects, HIPAA compliance, or dedicated hardware.
If you’re not careful, your $100/month plan becomes $400+ just because your list grew.
Add in support or onboarding…
Then you’re locked into yearly contracts pretty fast.
It’s not bad value. It’s just made for a specific kind of business.
If that’s not you, there are easier and cheaper ways to run smart email automation.
Customer.io Products & Their Real Cost
Customer.io offers Journeys, Data Pipelines, and Parcel. Journeys start at $100/month, advanced data features need a “Premium” plan, and Parcel is free.
Free tools: calendar link generator, email scroller, mailto builder
Pricing: Free to use with any Customer.io account — also available as a standalone product.
Customer.io Discounts & Special Offers
Not all of Customer.io’s pricing is listed upfront — but if you’re a startup or willing to negotiate, there are ways to save.
From free plans to multi-year discounts, here’s how to get more value without paying full price.
Startup Program: 1 Free Year of Customer.io
If your company has raised less than $10 million and hasn’t used Customer.io before, you might qualify for up to 12 months free on their Startup Plan.
It includes everything in the “Essentials” plan plus 30,000 profiles, with limited support and access to all core messaging channels (email, SMS, push).
They’ve partnered with big names like Y Combinator, Techstars, Seedcamp, and more — so if you’re part of any of those, it’s worth applying.
Pricing: $0 for up to 12 months (based on eligibility)
Parcel, their email coding tool, is also 100% free — whether or not you’re a Customer.io user. If you’re hand-coding emails, it’s a solid bonus.
How to Secure a Discount on Customer.io
Like most enterprise tools, Customer.io pricing is negotiable — but only if you know how to ask.
Here’s what typically works:
Commit to a multi-year contract: You can usually knock off 5% more per extra year. So 1 year = standard price, 2 years = ~5% off, 3 years = ~10%–15% off.
Ask for volume discounts: If your contact list or email volume is large, there’s often room to bring down the per-profile or per-email price.
Negotiate support or onboarding upgrades: You might be able to get Premium-level support added to Essentials if you’re committing longer term.
Use a SaaS buyer or procurement team: Companies like Vertice or Vendr can sometimes help you get better rates without having to do the back-and-forth yourself.
Bottom line… Don’t take the sticker price as final — there’s usually some wiggle room, especially if you’re willing to commit.
However, this bring us to the next section.
How to Negotiate a Better Price on Customer.io
Their pricing is flexible if you know how to play the game. Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise, there’s almost always room to negotiate.
Here’s how to lower your bill without cutting back on features.
1. Go annual or multi-year
Committing to a longer contract usually unlocks better pricing.
Most vendors offer 5%+ off per year when you go multi-year.
Just be sure you’re in it for the long haul. These contracts are hard to break, and you don’t want to be locked in if your needs change.
2. Push for volume discounts
If you’re handling large email volumes or contact lists, don’t accept the default pricing. They can usually shave off cost-per-email or profile.
The key is to show them your growth plan. If you’re scaling fast, they’re more likely to give you better long-term rates.
3. Bundle products
Using both Journeys and Data Pipelines? Let them know upfront.
Bundling two products often gives you extra leverage in negotiations.
Even if you don’t need both yet, showing intent to use more of the platform can help you unlock enterprise perks early.
4. Use competitor pricing as leverage
Know what other tools (like Encharge) charge for similar features. Come prepared with actual numbers during your call.
This isn’t about bluffing — it’s about showing you’ve done your homework.
Vendors respect that and often match or beat pricing.
5. Get help from a SaaS buyer
Third-party platforms like Vendr or Vertice negotiate SaaS pricing all day — they know what discounts are on the table.
If you’re spending thousands per year, it’s worth the cut they take. You’ll usually end up saving more than they cost.
Any Hidden Costs For Customer.io?
Yes — and they add up fast if you’re not paying attention.
You’ll start at $100/month, but that only covers 5,000 profiles.
Every 5k bump adds ~$90–$100/month.
Add extra emails, support, or advanced features like HIPAA, and suddenly you’re looking at $400–$500/month without realizing it.
Other potential surprises:
Overages on emails or profiles — charged automatically
Support tiers — premium chat and onboarding only come with higher plans
Annual contracts — you’ll need to commit upfront for the best rates
If you’re growing fast, you’ll want to keep an eye on your usage — and budget. Tools like Encharge keep things simpler with flat pricing and unlimited emails across all plans.
User Reviews of Customer.io’s Cost
Pricing is one of the most talked-about parts of Customer.io — especially for small teams trying to scale without blowing their budget.
Here’s what real users are saying about the value, pricing model, and what caught them off guard.
Good Testimonials about Customer.io’s Pricing
⭐️ Sue on G2: “Surprised by all the robust features + low cost.”
⭐️ Shaik on G2: “One overwhelmingly positive thing about CustomerIO is how much you can do with it given its price point.”
Unfortunately, when it comes to pricing, the tone leans more negative than positive. A lot of users mention unexpected costs and how quickly the price jumps as their contact list grows.
So let’s break down some of the reviews where people felt the pinch.
Bad Testimonials about Customer.io’s Pricing
⭐️ Angus on Trustpilot: “Think we are going to have to go with the competitor because we can’t get an answer about how much it costs…”
⭐️ John on Capterra: “The pricing can be steep for small businesses, which could make it less accessible.”
⭐️ Olivia on Capterra: “Sometimes it’s hard to understand their pricing schemes and some of the features are only available if you pay more.”
The verdict? People love the flexibility and power, but the cost ramps up fast — especially once you cross 10k profiles or want better support.
If you’re not using advanced features, that spend can feel hard to justify.
How Does Customer.io’s Pricing Compare to Other Customer Engagement Platforms?
When you’re shopping for an email automation tool, price matters — but so does what you actually get for that price.
To help you see where Customer.io stands, here’s a side-by-side comparison with other tools that offer similar features.
#
Alternative
Best For
Starting Price (USD/mo)
1
Encharge
SaaS & online businesses
$79
2
Customer.io
Product-led teams needing deep control
$100
3
Ortto
Data-driven marketing teams
$509
4
Drip
E-commerce marketers
$39
5
ActiveCampaign
Small to mid-sized businesses
$15
6
Braze
Large enterprises & cross-channel ops
Custom
Verdict: Encharge gives you advanced automation without the enterprise price tag — making it the smartest choice for growing SaaS teams.
Customer.io Support Options (By Pricing Plan)
When you’re running time-sensitive campaigns or dealing with complex data flows, support isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s critical.
One delay or unanswered ticket can cost you leads, revenue, or hours of dev time.
So before choosing a pricing plan, it’s worth knowing exactly what kind of help you’re getting.
Plan
Support Type
Essentials
Email support + community forum
Premium
Priority email + live chat support + 90-day onboarding
Enterprise
Everything in Premium + dedicated CSM + migration help
Essentials users get the basics — email support and access to the help docs and community forum. If you’re comfortable figuring things out on your own, it works. But there’s no live chat or onboarding help, which can slow you down when building advanced flows.
Premium is where the real support kicks in. You’ll get faster response times, live chat, and a 90-day onboarding program to help you hit the ground running. This is great if your team is launching big campaigns or migrating from another tool.
Enterprise unlocks white-glove support: a Customer Success Manager, priority technical assistance, and hands-on migration support. If you’re managing large volumes and complex data, this level of support can be a huge time-saver.
Bottom line, support is tied to your plan — so the more you pay, the more help you get.
Our Recommendation: Which Customer.io Plan is Best For You?
The right Customer.io plan depends on how complex your setup is — and how much you’re willing to spend as you grow.
If you’re a startup with dev resources and want full control over user data and triggers, the Essentials plan is a solid entry point.
But be ready — pricing jumps fast once your contact list grows past 5,000.
If you need HIPAA, premium integrations, or heavy support, you’ll have to jump to Premium or Enterprise — but those come with annual contracts and custom pricing that can easily climb into the thousands per month.
That’s why we recommend Encharge for most teams.
You get advanced automation, visual flows, and powerful triggers — without worrying about overages, locked features, or hitting a paywall as your business grows.
It’s a better fit if you want to move fast without dealing with enterprise pricing headaches.
FAQ About Customer.io Costs
Does Customer.io charge an entry-level setup fee?
No mandatory setup fee — but onboarding support is only included on Premium and Enterprise plans.
You can opt into paid support if needed, but it’s not required to get started.
What is the starting price for Customer.io?
Pricing starts at $100/month for the Essentials plan, which includes 5,000 profiles and 1 million monthly email sends.
Does Customer.io offer a free trial or freemium plan?
Yes — Customer.io offers a 14-day free trial, no credit card needed.
There’s no forever-free plan unless you’re accepted into the Startup Program.
Does Customer.io include premium consultation or integration services?
Yes, but they’re only available on Premium and Enterprise plans.
These tiers include onboarding, migration help, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager. Essentials users need to upgrade or pay extra to access the same level of support.
Thank you so much for reading this, David Ch Head of Marketing at Encharge
David Ch
David is the head of marketing at Encharge. David and the team are doing their best to provide you with the latest resources on email automation, SaaS marketing and every other category from our blog section.
David is the head of marketing at Encharge. David and the team are doing their best to provide you with the latest resources on email automation, SaaS marketing and every other category from our blog section.
Customer messaging tools don’t automate workflows outside your product and marketing automation tools are bad at behavior emails. Encharge is the best of both worlds — a marketing automation platform built specifically for B2B SaaS businesses
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