Drip vs Mailchimp
Drip is a email marketing platform while Mailchimp is a all-in-one marketing platform. Mailchimp has been around since 2001, giving it a 12-year head start over Drip (founded 2013). Mailchimp is the more affordable option at $13/mo — that's $26 less than Drip's $39/mo entry point. Mailchimp offers a free plan (250 contacts, 500 emails/month), while Drip does not. Mailchimp has the edge with landing pages. Both tools work well for ecommerce.
Quick Verdict
Drip wins on deliverability, rating.
Mailchimp wins on price, integrations, free tier.
It's a close call — your choice depends on your specific needs.
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.
Mailchimp
Turn emails into revenue
Mailchimp is the most widely recognized email marketing platform, used by millions of businesses worldwide. Acquired by Intuit in 2021, it offers a full suite of marketing tools but has become increasingly expensive compared to alternatives.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Drip | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $39/mo | $13/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | 250 contacts, 500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2013 | 2001 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 100 |
| Integrations | 150 | 300 |
| 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
Mailchimp: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Most recognized brand in email marketing
- +Excellent drag-and-drop editor
- +300+ integrations with third-party tools
- +Strong analytics and reporting
- +Good for beginners with guided setup
Cons
- −Free plan severely limited (500 contacts, 1,000 sends)
- −Premium plan is expensive ($350/mo)
- −Charges for unsubscribed contacts
- −Affiliate marketing restricted
- −Deliverability has declined in recent years
The Verdict
Drip and Mailchimp are closely matched — both score within 0.1 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 Mailchimp — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Drip | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $39/mo | $13/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% | 96% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 150 | 300 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Drip if…
- + You're a d2c brands
- + You're a shopify
- + Excellent ecommerce automation
Choose Mailchimp if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($13/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a small businesses