Customer.io

👥Team Choice

Automated messaging platform

Founded 2012Website

Overview

Customer.io is a messaging automation platform purpose-built for developers and product-led companies that want to harness their product data for sophisticated customer communications. Unlike traditional marketing automation tools designed around email templates, Customer.io is built on the idea that your users' behavior within your product is your most valuable signal.

For solo founders, Customer.io becomes your entire marketing operations department. You can trigger onboarding sequences when users sign up, send re-engagement campaigns when they become inactive, and build retention flows based on specific in-app actions—all without manual intervention or hiring a marketing operations specialist. The platform's unlimited profile attributes mean you can capture and act on any data point your product generates, from feature usage to subscription tier to custom business metrics.

The combination of API-first design and visual workflow builder makes Customer.io accessible to both technical and non-technical founders. You can manage complex multi-channel campaigns (email, SMS, push, in-app) from a single platform with exceptional deliverability that ensures your messages reach user inboxes. With startup discounts and enterprise-grade compliance (HIPAA, SOC Type II, GDPR), Customer.io scales elegantly from your first customer to thousands of users.

Pricing

Paid

Essentials

$100/mo

5,000 customer profiles
1 million emails per month
Basic multi-channel messaging (email, SMS, push, in-app)
Behavioral triggers and segmentation
+2 more features

Premium

$1000/mo

Unlimited customer profiles
All messaging channels included
HIPAA compliance
Priority support
+3 more features

Enterprise

Contact Sales

Unlimited everything
Managed infrastructure
Dedicated customer success manager
Quarterly business reviews
+3 more features

Essentials plan at $100/month includes 5,000 profiles and 1 million emails per month. Premium plan at $1,000/month (annual commitment required) includes unlimited profiles, HIPAA compliance, and premium support with 90-day onboarding. Enterprise plan available by consultation with managed infrastructure, dedicated customer success manager, and quarterly reviews. Email overages at $0.12 per thousand additional emails. Startup discount available for companies with less than $10M in funding.

Best for: SaaS companies, Product-led businesses, Startups and scale-ups, EdTech companies, FinTech companies, Marketplaces, Mobile applications, Development teams

The Good

Powerful API-first architecture with unlimited profile attributes
Developer-friendly with comprehensive documentation
Excellent deliverability for transactional emails
Flexible data model for complex customer journeys
Intuitive visual workflow builder
Advanced segmentation capabilities
Strong multi-channel support
Great customer support and onboarding
HIPAA and SOC Type II compliant

The Bad

No free tier available
Steep learning curve without technical expertise
Expensive pricing as volume grows
Requires developer involvement for complex setups
Limited template customization options
Dense documentation can be overwhelming for beginners
Limited built-in SMS/visitor targeting features
Premium features require annual commitment

Best For

SaaS companies, Product-led businesses, Startups and scale-ups, EdTech companies, FinTech companies, Marketplaces, Mobile applications, Development teams

Customer.io lets solo SaaS founders automate sophisticated customer messaging across email, SMS, and push notifications based on real product behavior. Build powerful onboarding flows, re-engagement campaigns, and retention sequences without hiring a marketing operations team.