Drip vs Flodesk
Drip and Flodesk are both popular choices in the email marketing platform space. Drip has been around since 2013, giving it a 6-year head start over Flodesk (founded 2019). Flodesk starts at $38/mo versus $39/mo for Drip. Flodesk offers a free plan (Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan), while Drip does not. Drip stands out with A/B testing and SMS marketing, while Flodesk offers landing pages.
Quick Verdict
Drip wins on deliverability, integrations.
Flodesk wins on price, rating, free tier.
Best for most users: Flodesk (designers).
Drip
Marketing automation for ecommerce
Drip is a focused ecommerce marketing platform known for its powerful visual automation builder and behavior-based segmentation. It's designed specifically for online stores that want sophisticated marketing automation without the complexity of enterprise tools.
Flodesk
Design emails people love to get
Flodesk is a design-first email marketing platform known for its stunning templates and flat-rate pricing model. It's particularly popular among creative professionals who prioritize visual design over advanced marketing features. The unlimited subscriber pricing makes it excellent value for growing lists.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Drip | Flodesk |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Starting Price | $39/mo | $38/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | Free list-building tools (forms, landing pages, audience tools); email sending requires paid plan |
| Founded | 2013 | 2019 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 40 |
| Integrations | 150 | 20 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98% | 96% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Landing Pages | ✕ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✓ | ✕ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✓ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✕ |
| Multi-Language | ✕ | ✕ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✕ | ✕ |
| Live Chat | ✕ | ✕ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✕ |
Drip: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Excellent ecommerce automation
- +Visual workflow builder
- +Strong Shopify integration
- +Revenue attribution
- +Behavior-based segmentation
Cons
- −No free plan
- −More expensive starting price ($39)
- −No landing page builder
- −Limited to ecommerce focus
- −Smaller company, less known
Flodesk: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Beautiful, design-focused email templates
- +Flat-rate pricing regardless of list size
- +Unlimited subscribers on all plans
- +Simple and intuitive interface
- +Built-in checkout and digital product sales
Cons
- −No A/B testing
- −No API access
- −Very limited integrations
- −No SMS marketing
- −Basic automation compared to competitors
The Verdict
Drip and Flodesk are closely matched — both score within 0.2 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, Drip reports 98% compared to 96% for Flodesk — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Drip | Flodesk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $39/mo | $38/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 150 | 20 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Drip if…
- + You need SMS marketing
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need A/B testing
- + You need advanced analytics
Choose Flodesk if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($38/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a designers