Drip vs Privy
Drip and Privy are both popular choices in the email marketing platform space. Privy is the more affordable option at $30/mo — that's $9 less than Drip's $39/mo entry point. Drip has the edge with advanced analytics, API access. Both tools work well for ecommerce.
Quick Verdict
Drip wins on deliverability, integrations.
Privy wins on price, rating.
Best for most users: Privy (shopify stores).
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.
Privy
Ecommerce email and SMS marketing built for Shopify stores
Privy is an ecommerce-focused email and SMS marketing platform built specifically for Shopify stores, combining conversion popups, email campaigns, and abandoned cart recovery in one tool. With unlimited email sending on all paid plans and a native Shopify integration, it's designed for DTC brands and small online stores that want to grow their list and revenue without the complexity of enterprise marketing platforms.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Drip | Privy |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Starting Price | $39/mo | $30/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | No free plan |
| Founded | 2013 | 2011 |
| Email Templates | 50 | 50 |
| Integrations | 150 | 20 |
| Deliverability Rate | 98% | 95% |
| 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
Privy: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Deep native Shopify integration with one-click install and automatic product syncing
- +Unlimited email sending on all paid plans — no volume limits that punish growth
- +Excellent popup and conversion tools including spin-to-win, exit intent, and cart savers
- +Combined email + SMS marketing eliminates need for separate communication tools
- +Built specifically for ecommerce with abandoned cart recovery and welcome series automation
Cons
- −Limited to ecommerce use cases — not suitable for B2B, SaaS, or non-store businesses
- −No public API, limiting custom integrations and developer extensibility
- −Pricing scales by contacts, getting expensive at higher subscriber counts
- −Reporting and analytics are basic compared to full-featured email marketing platforms
- −Template selection is limited compared to competitors like Klaviyo or Omnisend
The Verdict
Drip and Privy 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 95% for Privy — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Drip | Privy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $39/mo | $30/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 98% | 95% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 150 | 20 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | No |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Drip if…
- + You need API access for custom integrations
- + You need advanced analytics
- + You're a d2c brands
- + You're a shopify
Choose Privy if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($30/mo)
- + You're a shopify stores
- + You're a small online stores