Email marketing platforms are essential for business owners who want to connect with their customers and grow their businesses.
In this article, we’ll compare Mailchimp vs. Drip, two popular platforms, to determine which is better based on features, price and value.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing
Overview: Mailchimp vs. Drip
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that is being around since 2001. It caters to businesses of all sizes and provides a wide range of features. With Mailchimp, you can automate emails, create customized templates and track the performance of your campaigns.
On the other hand, Drip is a relatively new player in the email marketing area, founded in 2012. It's recognized as an ecommerce CRM platform, focusing on personalized marketing automation. Drip's most popular features are advanced segmentation, detailed customer profiles and integration with various ecommerce platforms.
Pricing and Plans: Mailchimp vs. Drip
When choosing an email marketing platform, pricing is an important factor to consider.
Mailchimp offers a variety of plans based on the number of subscribers, including a free plan.
| Plan | Price | Subscribers | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 500 | Basic email templates, marketing CRM, audience management |
| Essentials | $17 – $546 | Up to 50,000 | Custom templates, A/B testing, basic automation |
| Standard | $26 – $932 | Up to 100,000 | Advanced automation, retargeting ads, custom branding |
| Premium | $465 – $2,009 | Up to 200,000 | Advanced segmentation, multivariate testing, phone support |
| Customized Plan | $2,010+ | 250,000+ | Extra features |
Mailchimp's free plan offers basic email templates, marketing CRM, and audience management for up to 500 subscribers at no cost.
It also offers a paid plan starting at $35 per month for 1,500 subscribers, making it an affordable choice for businesses in their early stages.
After that, the price continues to increase depending on the plan you choose and based on the number of subscribers in your email list, reaching up to $2,003 per month for a list of 200,000 subscribers.
Drip also offers paid plans with different features and subscriber tiers. It also offers a 14-day free trial which is great for testing out the platform.
| Price Range Per Month | Subscribers | Unlimited Emails | Chat & Support | Free Migration | Customer Success Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $39 – $408 | 2,500 – 25,000 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| $409 – $1,199 | 25,001 – 100,000 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| $1,299 – $1,199 | 100,001 – 170,000 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Paid plan prices go from $39 per month for 2,500 subscribers, a cheap option for businesses that are just getting started. After which a 2,500-entry contact list will cost $10 more per month for every 500 extra subscribers. So if you have a list of 3,000 subscribers you’ll have to pay $49.
If your email list has more than 170,000 subscribers, you need to schedule a call with them to determine a fixed price for your plan.
Mailchimp’s free plan is the cheapest plan but only suitable for small businesses, while Drip’s pricing may be more suitable for those needing advanced automation and ecommerce features.
With the Drip plan priced at just $39 per month, you can enjoy 2,500 contacts and unlimited email sends. This option is more cost-effective compared to Chip's Essentials plan, which costs $52.39 per month for the same number of contacts and only 25,000 monthly email sends.
Email Automation and Campaign Management: Mailchimp vs. Drip
Email automation allows businesses to simplify their campaigns and deliver personalized content. Both Mailchimp and Drip excel in email automation and campaign management.
Mailchimp offers a wide range of automation features, such as:
- Automated workflows
- Segmented audiences
- Targeted campaigns
It also has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to set up automated welcome emails, trigger messages based on specific actions, and conduct A/B testing for optimization.
Drip specializes in ecommerce automation, delivering personalized workflows based on user behavior and purchase history.
Integrated with popular ecommerce platforms, Drip enables businesses to:
- Automate cart abandonment emails
- Product recommendations
- Post-purchase follow-ups
Mailchimp's versatility and ease of use make it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, while Drip's specialized focus on ecommerce automation caters specifically to the unique needs of online retailers.
Integrations and Third-Party Tools: Mailchimp vs. Drip
Mailchimp and Drip both offer integration options to connect with various CRM systems, ecommerce platforms, and social media tools.
Mailchimp provides a wide range of integrations, enabling you to sync data and track conversions. It integrates with platforms like Salesforce, Shopify, WordPress, Facebook, and Instagram, among others.
Drip, with its ecommerce focus, offers integration with leading platforms such as Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. This allows ecommerce businesses to sync customer and purchase data, trigger targeted email campaigns, and automate personalized workflows to enhance the overall customer experience.
If you have an ecommerce business, Drip's specialized integrations make it a strong choice. However, if you don't own an ecommerce business, Mailchimp can still be a great option, allowing you to connect with CRMs, social media platforms, and more.
Pros and Cons: Mailchimp vs. Drip
| Mailchimp | Drip | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Simple and intuitive interface | Pricing can be costly as the subscriber list grow | Interface tailored to ecommerce workflows | A learning curve that makes it not suitable for beginners |
| Wide range of features for email marketing | Advanced features may require technical expertise | Ecommerce automation and personalization | Expensive plans that depend on your business size and needs |
| Integrates with various CRMs, social media platforms, and other marketing tools | Ecommerce features are not its main specialization | Ecommerce integrations | Drip's focus on ecommerce may have limited appeal for non-ecommerce businesses |
| Offers a free plan | Personalized workflows based on user behaviour and purchased history | ||
| Basic personalization and targeting | |||
Final Thoughts: Mailchimp vs. Drip
Choosing between Mailchimp and Drip depends on your specific needs, budget, and business focus. Mailchimp appeals to a broad user base with its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and strong reputation. Drip excels in personalized automation and integration with ecommerce platforms.
Consider your requirements, evaluate the pros and cons discussed in this article, and make an informed decision based on what aligns best with your marketing goals.
