Braze: The Best Omnichannel CRM for B2C

In a world where brands fight every day for user attention, CRM tools have evolved from simple campaign managers into true product engines. And among all available platforms, Braze has earned a special place. Not because it’s the cheapest or the easiest to implement, but because—when used well—it can completely transform how a company communicates with its users.

This article isn’t trying to sell you Braze

In fact, you probably don’t need it if your business is just starting out or if you don’t have a technical team to support you. But if you work at a digital company with some scale, and you're starting to outgrow tools like Klaviyo or HubSpot, this analysis may interest you.

What is Braze?

Braze is a customer engagement platform originally designed for mobile apps but has evolved into a full omnichannel solution. In essence, it allows you to orchestrate personalized messages to users based on their behavior, context, and preferences, across multiple channels: email, push, in-app, SMS, WhatsApp, content cards, and more.

It’s a CRM in the modern sense of the word—event-driven, real-time, focused on activation and retention, and integrated with your data stack.

What makes it special?

There are many tools that let you send beautiful emails or automate basic flows. What sets Braze apart is its power and flexibility, combined with a surprisingly good user experience for marketing or CRM teams. Here are some key points:

1. Truly Multichannel

You can connect a mobile app, a website, and multiple data platforms, and have a single view of the user. Then, you can reach them with a contextual message, at just the right moment, through any available channel. It’s not just another email in the inbox—it could be an in-app card, a push notification, a WhatsApp message, or all at once, if it makes sense.

2. Powerful, Real-Time Segmentation

Segmentations in Braze are easy to build and update in real time. You can use user properties, events they’ve performed, or even import segments from Amplitude or your CDP. Plus, you can filter and branch at every step of an automation—no analyst required every time.

3. Real Experimentation

A/B testing in Braze is not just easy—it’s part of the natural flow. You can launch a new onboarding variation, test two versions of a content card, or see if a new channel works better for certain user profiles. And you don’t need developers every time you want to test something.

4. Automation Without Rigidity

Automations in Braze are not fixed sequences. You can set up complex journeys that react in real time to user behavior, with delays, conditions, custom actions, and channel fallbacks. Ideal for onboarding, retention, reactivation, or cross-selling flows.

5. Surprisingly Easy to Use

Even though it's powerful and complex under the hood, the interface is really good. Creating a new web push campaign or an in-app card takes seconds. And that makes a big difference for teams that want to iterate quickly without depending on engineering.

How does it integrate?

Braze doesn’t live in isolation. It works best when connected to a Customer Data Platform (like Segment), which sends it clean, structured data. It also integrates with analytics tools like Amplitude, your backend systems, and external data sources to enrich user experiences.

That said, let’s be clear: the initial implementation isn’t trivial. It requires some technical planning, well-defined events, and a good understanding of your data flow. But once that’s done, the value it delivers far outweighs the initial effort.

How we use it in our projects

I’ve personally used Braze in several types of tech companies, especially when the goal was to improve retention, onboarding, or accelerate experimentation.

For example:

• We automated newsletters that were previously done manually, saving over 30 hours a month.

• We improved retention by iterating in-app content cards, measuring clicks and reactions without going through developers.

• We launched onboarding flows that adapted content based on user behavior, increasing engagement without changing the product.

In all cases, Braze helped us build more personal, useful, and timely experiences.

Advantages over other tools

Compared to tools like Klaviyo, Braze is in another league. Klaviyo works well for e-commerce and integrates strongly with Shopify, but it falls short when you need to work with multiple channels, mobile apps, or real-time data. Braze shines in those scenarios.

Also, the day-to-day experience for the team is vastly better—more intuitive, faster, and more flexible. You don’t need developers for every new test, and you’re not blocked by missing data.

That said, it's not perfect.

What should you consider?

Braze isn’t cheap. The pricing model is based on Monthly Tracked Users (MTUs), which can quickly increase costs if not managed carefully. Its documentation can be lacking at times, and you need to be cautious when scaling certain automations.

Also, if you just want to send email campaigns, Braze probably isn’t the right fit. It’s too powerful for such a limited use case. But if you want a platform that supports your user across all touchpoints, then yes—it’s worth it.

Who is it for?

Braze makes the most sense for companies that:

• Have a user base with some volume

• Offer a mobile app and/or a personalized web experience

• Already work with structured data or have a CDP

• Want to experiment fast and need frictionless control

• Focus on user retention and value, not just quick conversion

And most importantly, companies with a product-savvy and technically mature team. Braze isn’t for improvisation—but you also don’t need an army to make it work.

Tips if you're considering implementing it

• Start small, with a clear use case: onboarding, newsletters, activation…

• Work with someone who’s done it before. The learning curve is easier with experience on the team.

• Don’t treat it as a standalone marketing tool. Braze works best when seen as part of your product and data system.

• Invest time in training your team. Even though it’s intuitive, knowing its full capabilities changes the kind of solutions you can build.

In summary

Braze is a serious tool, built for companies that want to take user relationships seriously. It’s not magical or perfect, but when well-integrated and used with intention, it becomes a real lever for growth, retention, and continuous product improvement.

If you’re at that stage of maturity, it’s worth considering.
Contact us if you need help implementing a winning Braze strategy or any other B2C CRM.