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Top 10 Best Retention Automation Software of 2026

Discover top 10 retention automation software to boost loyalty & reduce churn. Explore expert picks now!

Sarah Mitchell

Sarah Mitchell

Feb 11, 2026

10 tools comparedExpert reviewed
Independent evaluation · Unbiased commentary · Updated regularly
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In competitive markets, customer retention is a cornerstone of sustainable growth, and retention automation software empowers businesses to deliver personalized, timely engagement at scale. The tools listed here—from e-commerce-focused platforms to AI-driven cross-channel solutions—reflect the breadth of options available, with the right choice directly impacting lifetime value and operational success.

Quick Overview

  1. 1#1: Klaviyo - Automates personalized email and SMS campaigns to boost e-commerce customer retention and lifetime value.
  2. 2#2: Braze - Powers cross-channel customer engagement with AI-driven retention journeys across email, push, and in-app messaging.
  3. 3#3: Iterable - Enables data-driven, personalized marketing automation for retention across multiple channels.
  4. 4#4: Customer.io - Delivers behavioral-based automated messaging to drive user retention and engagement.
  5. 5#5: Intercom - Automates customer messaging, support, and retention workflows through chat, email, and product tours.
  6. 6#6: ActiveCampaign - Provides email automation and CRM features focused on customer segmentation and retention nurturing.
  7. 7#7: HubSpot - Offers integrated marketing automation and CRM tools to nurture leads and retain customers.
  8. 8#8: Retention.com - Identifies anonymous website visitors and automates personalized retention campaigns for e-commerce.
  9. 9#9: ChurnZero - Automates customer success playbooks to predict and prevent churn while boosting retention.
  10. 10#10: Gainsight - AI-powered customer success platform that automates retention, expansion, and churn reduction.

We selected and ranked these tools by evaluating features (e.g., personalization, multi-channel integration), usability, performance (e.g., churn reduction), and overall value, ensuring a balanced list that caters to small businesses through enterprise-level needs.

Comparison Table

Retention automation software is critical for sustaining customer engagement and fostering long-term loyalty, with leading tools like Klaviyo, Braze, Iterable, Customer.io, and Intercom shaping its landscape. This comparison table explores their key features, strengths, and ideal use cases, providing a clear overview to help businesses choose effectively. Readers will learn how each platform differentiates, ensuring alignment with their unique retention and growth objectives.

1Klaviyo logo9.5/10

Automates personalized email and SMS campaigns to boost e-commerce customer retention and lifetime value.

Features
9.8/10
Ease
8.7/10
Value
9.2/10
2Braze logo9.2/10

Powers cross-channel customer engagement with AI-driven retention journeys across email, push, and in-app messaging.

Features
9.6/10
Ease
8.4/10
Value
8.1/10
3Iterable logo8.9/10

Enables data-driven, personalized marketing automation for retention across multiple channels.

Features
9.4/10
Ease
7.8/10
Value
8.2/10

Delivers behavioral-based automated messaging to drive user retention and engagement.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
7.8/10
Value
7.6/10
5Intercom logo8.7/10

Automates customer messaging, support, and retention workflows through chat, email, and product tours.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
8.0/10
Value
7.5/10

Provides email automation and CRM features focused on customer segmentation and retention nurturing.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
7.8/10
Value
8.1/10
7HubSpot logo8.1/10

Offers integrated marketing automation and CRM tools to nurture leads and retain customers.

Features
8.5/10
Ease
8.8/10
Value
7.2/10

Identifies anonymous website visitors and automates personalized retention campaigns for e-commerce.

Features
8.5/10
Ease
9.0/10
Value
7.8/10
9ChurnZero logo8.7/10

Automates customer success playbooks to predict and prevent churn while boosting retention.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
8.4/10
Value
8.2/10
10Gainsight logo8.3/10

AI-powered customer success platform that automates retention, expansion, and churn reduction.

Features
9.2/10
Ease
7.4/10
Value
7.8/10
1
Klaviyo logo

Klaviyo

specialized

Automates personalized email and SMS campaigns to boost e-commerce customer retention and lifetime value.

Overall Rating9.5/10
Features
9.8/10
Ease of Use
8.7/10
Value
9.2/10
Standout Feature

Built-in Customer Data Platform (CDP) with real-time behavioral profiling for one-to-one personalization at enterprise scale

Klaviyo is a leading customer data and marketing automation platform tailored for e-commerce brands, specializing in retention through hyper-personalized email, SMS, and push notification campaigns. It leverages a robust customer data platform (CDP) to sync behavioral data from online stores, enabling automated flows like abandoned cart recovery, win-back sequences, and birthday offers. Klaviyo's advanced segmentation, A/B testing, and predictive analytics empower businesses to nurture customer lifetime value with precision at scale.

Pros

  • Unmatched e-commerce integrations (e.g., Shopify, BigCommerce) for seamless data syncing
  • Sophisticated automation flows with dynamic personalization and predictive analytics
  • Comprehensive reporting and revenue attribution to measure retention ROI directly

Cons

  • Pricing scales quickly with contact volume and send limits, becoming costly for large lists
  • Steep learning curve for advanced features despite intuitive drag-and-drop editor
  • Limited non-marketing automation capabilities compared to full CRM suites

Best For

Scaling e-commerce brands seeking data-driven retention automations via email and SMS to maximize customer lifetime value.

Pricing

Free for up to 250 active profiles; paid plans start at $20/month (Pay-as-you-go) or $45/month (annual), tiered by active profiles (up to 100K+ at $3,000+/month) with additional costs for SMS volume.

Visit Klaviyoklaviyo.com
2
Braze logo

Braze

enterprise

Powers cross-channel customer engagement with AI-driven retention journeys across email, push, and in-app messaging.

Overall Rating9.2/10
Features
9.6/10
Ease of Use
8.4/10
Value
8.1/10
Standout Feature

Canvas: a visual, no-code journey builder for orchestrating dynamic, behavior-triggered retention workflows

Braze is a powerful customer engagement platform specializing in retention automation, enabling marketers to deliver personalized, cross-channel experiences across email, push notifications, SMS, in-app messaging, and web. Its Canvas tool allows for the creation of sophisticated, multi-step customer journeys triggered by user behavior and real-time data. With advanced segmentation, predictive analytics, and A/B testing, Braze helps optimize retention strategies to reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value.

Pros

  • Exceptional multichannel support for seamless retention campaigns
  • Advanced AI-driven personalization and predictive analytics
  • Highly scalable for enterprise-level user bases

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for complex features
  • High cost unsuitable for small businesses
  • Setup requires significant integration effort

Best For

Enterprise marketing teams managing large-scale, data-driven retention programs across multiple channels.

Pricing

Custom enterprise pricing based on monthly active users and message volume, typically starting at $100,000+ annually.

Visit Brazebraze.com
3
Iterable logo

Iterable

specialized

Enables data-driven, personalized marketing automation for retention across multiple channels.

Overall Rating8.9/10
Features
9.4/10
Ease of Use
7.8/10
Value
8.2/10
Standout Feature

AI-Powered Journeys with predictive behavioral targeting for hyper-personalized retention automation

Iterable is an AI-powered cross-channel engagement platform designed for customer retention through personalized automation across email, SMS, push, and in-app messaging. It excels in orchestrating behavioral journeys, segmentation, and predictive analytics to re-engage users and boost lifetime value. As a retention automation tool, it automates win-back campaigns, loyalty programs, and churn prevention with real-time triggers and A/B testing.

Pros

  • Advanced AI-driven personalization and predictive modeling for retention
  • Robust multi-channel orchestration and journey builder
  • Strong analytics, experimentation, and data integration capabilities

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for non-technical users
  • High pricing suitable only for mid-to-large enterprises
  • Complex setup and customization can delay time-to-value

Best For

Mid-market to enterprise marketing teams needing scalable, sophisticated retention automation across multiple channels.

Pricing

Custom enterprise pricing based on contacts and message volume; typically starts at $10,000–$20,000/month for mid-tier plans.

Visit Iterableiterable.com
4
Customer.io logo

Customer.io

specialized

Delivers behavioral-based automated messaging to drive user retention and engagement.

Overall Rating8.4/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
7.8/10
Value
7.6/10
Standout Feature

Real-time behavioral data platform with event-based triggers and Liquid for complex, code-like personalization logic

Customer.io is a customer data and automation platform designed for personalized messaging across email, SMS, push notifications, and in-app channels. It excels in retention automation by leveraging behavioral data to trigger dynamic journeys, segments, and experiments that re-engage users and reduce churn. Businesses use it to build sophisticated retention strategies like win-back campaigns, onboarding sequences, and milestone-based nudges.

Pros

  • Powerful behavioral data integration for hyper-personalized automations
  • Visual journey builder with A/B testing and experimentation tools
  • Multi-channel support including email, SMS, and webhooks

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for advanced customizations using Liquid templating
  • Pricing can escalate quickly with high message volumes
  • Limited native analytics; relies on integrations for deeper insights

Best For

Mid-sized SaaS or e-commerce teams needing scalable, data-driven retention automations without heavy engineering resources.

Pricing

Free plan for testing; Essentials starts at $150/mo; Growth and Enterprise are custom/usage-based on monthly tracked users and messages.

5
Intercom logo

Intercom

enterprise

Automates customer messaging, support, and retention workflows through chat, email, and product tours.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
8.0/10
Value
7.5/10
Standout Feature

Series automated workflows that trigger personalized retention sequences based on real-time user behavior

Intercom is a comprehensive customer messaging platform that automates retention through targeted in-app messages, emails, and chatbots based on user behavior and segmentation. It enables businesses to create automated workflows like Series for re-engagement campaigns, churn prediction, and personalized nurturing to reduce customer loss. With its customer data platform, it unifies user data for precise targeting across web, mobile, and email channels.

Pros

  • Advanced segmentation and behavior-based triggers for precise retention campaigns
  • Multi-channel automation including chat, email, and push notifications
  • AI-powered insights like Fin for churn prediction and proactive engagement

Cons

  • Pricing scales quickly and becomes expensive for high-volume users
  • Steep learning curve for setting up complex automations
  • Limited standalone CRM capabilities, best paired with other tools

Best For

Mid-sized SaaS and e-commerce companies seeking sophisticated, multi-channel retention messaging automations.

Pricing

Starts at $74/month (Essential plan, billed annually) for up to 1,000 monthly active users; Advanced ($139/month) and Expert plans scale based on users and features, with custom enterprise pricing.

Visit Intercomintercom.com
6
ActiveCampaign logo

ActiveCampaign

specialized

Provides email automation and CRM features focused on customer segmentation and retention nurturing.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
7.8/10
Value
8.1/10
Standout Feature

Customer Experience Automation (CXA) with AI-driven predictive sending and machine learning content recommendations

ActiveCampaign is a comprehensive marketing automation platform that excels in retention automation through personalized customer journeys, behavioral triggers, and multi-channel messaging including email, SMS, and site messages. It leverages site tracking and CRM integration to monitor user interactions and automate re-engagement, win-back, and loyalty campaigns. With machine learning-powered content recommendations and predictive sending, it helps businesses nurture long-term customer relationships and reduce churn effectively.

Pros

  • Powerful visual automation builder for complex retention workflows
  • Deep behavioral tracking and CRM integration for personalized retention
  • Multi-channel support including SMS and site messaging for re-engagement

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for advanced automations
  • Pricing scales quickly with contact volume
  • Reporting lacks depth for pure retention analytics compared to specialists

Best For

Mid-sized e-commerce and SaaS businesses needing robust, all-in-one automation for customer retention across multiple channels.

Pricing

Starts at $29/month (Lite, up to 500 contacts, billed annually); Plus ($49), Professional ($149), and custom Enterprise plans for advanced retention features.

Visit ActiveCampaignactivecampaign.com
7
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

enterprise

Offers integrated marketing automation and CRM tools to nurture leads and retain customers.

Overall Rating8.1/10
Features
8.5/10
Ease of Use
8.8/10
Value
7.2/10
Standout Feature

Customer health scoring and proactive workflow automation that predicts and prevents churn across the customer lifecycle

HubSpot is a comprehensive CRM platform with Marketing, Service, and Operations Hubs that automate customer retention through personalized workflows, email campaigns, and churn prediction tools. It enables businesses to track customer health scores, trigger re-engagement sequences, and analyze retention metrics in one unified system. While powerful for mid-market users, its broad scope makes it less specialized than dedicated retention tools.

Pros

  • All-in-one CRM integration streamlines retention across marketing, sales, and service
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop workflow builder for automated campaigns and churn prevention
  • Robust analytics and AI-powered insights for customer health scoring

Cons

  • Pricing escalates quickly for advanced retention features and higher contact volumes
  • Overkill and complex for small teams focused solely on retention automation
  • Limited depth in niche retention tools like loyalty program builders compared to specialists

Best For

Mid-sized SaaS, e-commerce, or B2B businesses needing scalable retention automation integrated with full CRM capabilities.

Pricing

Free CRM starter; Marketing/Service Hubs from $20/month (Starter) to $800+/month (Professional), up to $3,600+/month (Enterprise) based on contacts and features.

Visit HubSpothubspot.com
8
Retention.com logo

Retention.com

specialized

Identifies anonymous website visitors and automates personalized retention campaigns for e-commerce.

Overall Rating8.2/10
Features
8.5/10
Ease of Use
9.0/10
Value
7.8/10
Standout Feature

Cookie-independent identity resolution that matches 70%+ of anonymous visitors to emails using first-party signals

Retention.com is a retention automation platform for e-commerce stores that identifies anonymous website visitors using first-party data and cookie-less identity resolution. It enables businesses to capture emails from incognito or new visitors and trigger personalized retention campaigns via integrations with ESPs like Klaviyo or Attentive. The tool focuses on recovering lost revenue by automating nurture sequences and reducing cart abandonment without relying on third-party cookies.

Pros

  • Cookie-less identity resolution captures high-value anonymous traffic effectively
  • Seamless integrations with major ESPs for quick campaign deployment
  • Proven ROI with reported 20-30% revenue lift from retention emails

Cons

  • Pricing scales aggressively with traffic volume, pricey for high-traffic sites
  • Limited to email/SMS retention; lacks broader multichannel automation
  • Requires pixel installation and some setup for optimal data capture

Best For

Mid-sized DTC e-commerce brands focused on email-based retention marketing to recover anonymous visitors.

Pricing

Starts at $100/month for low-traffic sites, scales to $1,000+/month based on monthly visitors and resolved identities; custom enterprise plans available.

Visit Retention.comretention.com
9
ChurnZero logo

ChurnZero

enterprise

Automates customer success playbooks to predict and prevent churn while boosting retention.

Overall Rating8.7/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
8.4/10
Value
8.2/10
Standout Feature

Success Playbooks for automating personalized customer journeys and interventions

ChurnZero is a customer retention platform that empowers SaaS teams to monitor customer health in real-time, automate success workflows, and deliver personalized in-app experiences to reduce churn and drive expansion. It offers tools like health scoring, success playbooks, surveys, and messaging to proactively engage at-risk customers. The software integrates deeply with CRMs and product analytics for a unified view of customer behavior and sentiment.

Pros

  • Real-time customer health scoring and alerts
  • Robust automation via success playbooks and workflows
  • Extensive integrations with tools like Salesforce and Intercom

Cons

  • Pricing is enterprise-focused and can be steep for SMBs
  • Initial setup and configuration require significant time
  • Advanced reporting lacks some native customization options

Best For

Mid-market and enterprise SaaS companies with dedicated customer success teams seeking proactive retention automation.

Pricing

Custom pricing starting at around $10,000-$20,000 annually, based on monthly active users and features; contact sales for quote.

Visit ChurnZerochurnzero.com
10
Gainsight logo

Gainsight

enterprise

AI-powered customer success platform that automates retention, expansion, and churn reduction.

Overall Rating8.3/10
Features
9.2/10
Ease of Use
7.4/10
Value
7.8/10
Standout Feature

Customer 360, providing a unified, real-time view of all customer data across touchpoints for proactive retention.

Gainsight is a comprehensive customer success platform designed to automate retention and expansion efforts for SaaS companies. It offers tools like Customer 360 views, health scoring, churn prediction, success plans, and automated CTAs (Calls to Action) to proactively manage customer health. The platform integrates deeply with CRM systems like Salesforce and leverages AI for insights, helping teams reduce churn and drive renewals at scale.

Pros

  • Deep integrations with Salesforce and other CRMs
  • Powerful AI-driven health scores and churn prediction
  • Robust automation for success playbooks and workflows

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for setup and customization
  • High cost unsuitable for small teams
  • Overly complex for basic retention needs

Best For

Mid-to-large enterprises with dedicated customer success teams managing complex B2B customer relationships.

Pricing

Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $50,000+ annually based on customer volume and features.

Visit Gainsightgainsight.com

Conclusion

The reviewed retention automation tools each offer unique strengths, but Klaviyo leads as the top choice, renowned for its personalized email and SMS campaigns that drive e-commerce customer retention and lifetime value. Braze and Iterable, while strong alternatives, stand out for their AI-driven cross-channel journeys and data-driven personalization respectively, catering to distinct needs. Ultimately, Klaviyo’s dedicated focus on retention solidifies its position as a must-have for businesses seeking to boost engagement.

Klaviyo logo
Our Top Pick
Klaviyo

Don’t miss out—try Klaviyo today to automate impactful retention strategies and build long-term customer loyalty.