DripvsMailchimp

Drip vs Mailchimp

E-commerce focus vs general marketing

TL;DR

Drip is purpose-built for e-commerce with all features included at every tier and strong automation. Mailchimp is more affordable and beginner-friendly but lacks e-commerce depth. Choose Drip for serious e-commerce automation; choose Mailchimp for budget-conscious general marketing.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

E-commerce Specialization
Drip wins

Drip is built specifically for e-commerce with features like browse abandonment, revenue tracking per campaign, and deep store integrations. Mailchimp is a general-purpose tool that has added e-commerce features but lacks the same depth.

Pricing and Value
Mailchimp wins

Mailchimp is significantly cheaper at $100/month for 10k subscribers compared to Drip's $184. For businesses with simpler needs or tighter budgets, Mailchimp offers good value. Drip's higher price includes all features at every tier.

Feature Access
Drip wins

Drip includes all features regardless of your subscriber count - you only pay for contacts. Mailchimp uses tiered plans where advanced features require higher tiers. Drip's approach is simpler and more transparent.

Beginner Friendliness
Mailchimp wins

Mailchimp has a gentler learning curve, a free plan to start, and more mainstream brand recognition. Drip is more powerful but requires more e-commerce marketing expertise to use effectively.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 subscribers

Drip
$184/month

All features included at every tier

Visit Drip
Mailchimp
$100/month

Standard plan with automation and A/B testing

Visit Mailchimp
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

Best for SaaS, Stripe integration, not e-commerce focused

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Drip
Mailchimp
Sequenzy
E-commerce Features
Revenue tracking
Built-in per-campaign
Basic
Stripe MRR
Shopify integration
Deep integration
Basic integration
WooCommerce integration
Abandoned cart
Browse abandonment
Product recommendations
Basic
Basic
Automation & Workflows
Visual workflow builder
Behavioral triggers
Advanced
Basic
Tagging system
Powerful tagging
Tags and segments
Pre-built automations
E-commerce focused
General templates
SaaS focused
Conditional logic
General Features
Email builder
Drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
Visual builder
A/B testing
Landing pages
Full builder
Forms and popups
SMS marketing
Discontinued for new users
Add-on
Pricing & Access
Free plan
14-day trial only
Up to 500 contacts
14-day trial
Feature availability
All features every tier
Tiered features
All features included
Price at 10k
$184/month
$100/month
$49/month
Pricing transparency
Simple, subscriber-based
Complex tiers
Simple tiers

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Drip if you...
  • E-commerce stores wanting specialized automation
  • Businesses needing revenue tracking per campaign
  • Teams who want all features without tier restrictions
  • Stores using Shopify or WooCommerce seriously
  • Marketers comfortable with advanced automation
Choose Mailchimp if you...
  • Small businesses with limited budgets
  • Beginners starting with email marketing
  • Companies needing landing page builders
  • Non-e-commerce businesses
  • Teams wanting a familiar, mainstream platform
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS companies (not e-commerce)
  • Founders building on Stripe
  • Software businesses needing billing-aware automation
  • Teams seeking unified transactional + marketing email

Note: Sequenzy Is for SaaS, Not E-commerce

Built for Software Businesses

Sequenzy is designed for SaaS companies, not e-commerce stores. If you sell products through Shopify, Drip or Mailchimp are better choices. For software subscriptions, Sequenzy offers relevant automation.

Stripe Instead of Shopify

Where Drip and Mailchimp integrate with e-commerce platforms, Sequenzy integrates with Stripe for subscription billing. It is the SaaS equivalent of e-commerce email marketing.

Different Metrics

Drip tracks order revenue; Sequenzy tracks MRR and subscription events. If your business model is subscriptions rather than orders, Sequenzy's metrics are more relevant.

Overview

Drip and Mailchimp both offer email marketing, but they serve different primary audiences. Drip was built specifically for e-commerce with features like revenue tracking, browse abandonment, and deep store integrations. Mailchimp is a general-purpose platform that works for many business types.

The choice between them depends on whether you need e-commerce specialization or prefer a more affordable, beginner-friendly platform.

E-commerce Capabilities

Drip's strength is e-commerce automation. It tracks revenue per campaign, offers browse abandonment (not just cart abandonment), and provides detailed behavioral data from your store. Every feature is available at every price tier.

Mailchimp offers basic e-commerce features like cart abandonment emails and product recommendations, but lacks Drip's depth. Features like browse abandonment are not available, and revenue tracking is more basic.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 subscribers, Mailchimp costs $100/month compared to Drip's $184 - a significant 45% savings. For businesses with simpler needs, Mailchimp's pricing is attractive.

However, Drip includes all features at every tier. With Mailchimp, you may need higher-tier plans to access advanced features, which can close the price gap. Consider what features you actually need.

Ease of Use

Mailchimp is generally easier for beginners. It has a familiar interface, extensive documentation, and a free plan to start with. The brand recognition also means more third-party tutorials and resources.

Drip requires more e-commerce marketing knowledge to use effectively. The interface is powerful but can feel overwhelming if you are new to marketing automation.

When Each Platform Shines

Choose Drip when: You run an e-commerce store and want specialized automation with revenue tracking. You want all features included without worrying about plan tiers.

Choose Mailchimp when: You have a limited budget, you are new to email marketing, or your business is not primarily e-commerce. You want landing pages and a gentler learning curve.

For SaaS Companies

Neither Drip nor Mailchimp is designed for SaaS businesses. Both focus on e-commerce or general marketing rather than subscription software. SaaS companies should consider Sequenzy, which offers Stripe integration and subscription-focused automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Drip is better for serious e-commerce. It offers deeper store integrations, revenue tracking per campaign, and browse abandonment. Mailchimp works for e-commerce but lacks the same specialization.

Drip includes all features at every price tier and focuses on e-commerce specialization. Mailchimp uses tiered pricing where advanced features require higher plans. Drip's pricing is simpler but higher.

Yes, Mailchimp offers abandoned cart emails. However, it lacks browse abandonment (when someone views products without adding to cart), which Drip provides.

Mailchimp is easier for beginners. It has a familiar interface, free plan to start, and more mainstream resources. Drip is more powerful but has a steeper learning curve.

No, Drip only offers a 14-day free trial. Mailchimp has a free plan for up to 500 contacts, making it easier to start without commitment.

Yes, but it is overkill. Drip's features and pricing are optimized for e-commerce. Non-e-commerce businesses would likely find Mailchimp or other general platforms more cost-effective.

Drip discontinued SMS for new users. Mailchimp offers SMS as an add-on. Neither is strong for SMS marketing - consider dedicated SMS platforms if that is important.

Neither is ideal for SaaS. Both focus on e-commerce or general marketing. SaaS companies should consider platforms like Sequenzy that offer Stripe integration and subscription-focused features.

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 20k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 125k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 875k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 2M emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 4.5M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Up to 100 subscribers in sequences
  • 2,000 emails/month
  • Email campaigns
  • Email sequences
  • Advanced analytics
  • Advanced segments
  • Stripe integration
  • API access
  • "Built by Sequenzy" branding

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Subscribers in sequences
  • Monthly email quota
  • Email campaigns
  • Email sequences
  • Advanced analytics
  • Advanced segments
  • Stripe integration (Segment by LTV & MRR)
  • API access
  • Priority support
  • No branding

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Unlimited subscribers
  • Unlimited emails
  • Advanced analytics
  • Advanced segments
  • Stripe integration
  • Dedicated support
  • Custom integrations
  • SLA guarantee
  • No branding

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

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