Drip vs Mailchimp: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Drip and Mailchimp side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Drip leads on higher user rating; Mailchimp leads on lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Drip
Ecommerce marketing automation
Best for you if:
- • You want e-commerce focused
Mailchimp
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Drip | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $39/mo, billed monthly 2,500 People plan | Free plan, paid from $13/mo, billed monthly Essentials plan |
Category | Marketing Automation Email Marketing | Marketing Automation Email Marketing |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 480 reviews | 3.9/5 Capterra 4.5 · G2 4.3 · Trustpilot 2.6 31,997 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists |
Choose Drip or Mailchimp?
Choose Drip if
- You want e-commerce focused
- You want strong integrations
Choose Mailchimp if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- You want comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- Budget matters ($13/mo, billed monthly vs $39/mo, billed monthly)
In-Depth Analysis
Drip
Ecommerce marketing automation
Drip's pricing is on the higher side for smaller contact lists, with the 2,500 People tier at $39/month offering standard features.
Strengths
- Pro: E-commerce focused
- Pro: Strong integrations
- Pro: Behavior-based automation
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricey for small stores
- Con: Learning curve
Key features
Mailchimp
Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing
Mailchimp was once the default email marketing tool for small businesses, and its free tier was legendary.
Watch out
ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists
Strengths
- Pro: Intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- Pro: Comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- Pro: Powerful automation workflows rivaling dedicated automation platforms
- Pro: Extensive template library with mobile-responsive designs
- Pro: Strong deliverability rates backed by Intuit infrastructure
Weaknesses
- Con: Free plan capped at just 250 contacts and 500 sends per month
- Con: Pricing scales steeply as contact lists grow beyond initial tiers
- Con: Advanced segmentation and multivariate testing require higher tiers
- Con: Phone support only available on the highest tier
- Con: Removing Mailchimp branding requires a paid plan
Key features
Plans and prices: Drip vs Mailchimp
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drip |
| drip.com/pricing read Oct 7, 2026 |
| Mailchimp |
| mailchimp.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Drip pricing and Mailchimp pricing.
Key Takeaways
Drip
- Higher user rating: 4.4/5 vs 3.9/5
Mailchimp
- Lower entry price: $13/mo, billed monthly vs $39/mo, billed monthly
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Drip leads on higher user rating; Mailchimp leads on lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Drip has the higher user rating (4.4/5 from 480 reviews for Drip, 3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp).
- Mailchimp has the lower entry price: $13/mo, billed monthly (Essentials) against $39/mo, billed monthly (2,500 People) for Drip.
- Only Mailchimp has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Drip and Mailchimp compare in 2026?
On the data below, Drip leads on higher user rating; Mailchimp leads on lower entry price and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Drip has the higher user rating (4.4/5 from 480 reviews for Drip, 3.9/5 from 31,997 reviews for Mailchimp). Mailchimp has the lower entry price: $13/mo, billed monthly (Essentials) against $39/mo, billed monthly (2,500 People) for Drip. Only Mailchimp has a free plan.
What are Drip and Mailchimp used for?
Drip: Ecommerce marketing automation. Mailchimp: Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing.
What does Drip cost vs Mailchimp?
Drip's cheapest paid plan is 2,500 People at $39/mo, billed monthly. Mailchimp's cheapest paid plan is Essentials at $13/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 26, 2026.
What's the main difference between Drip and Mailchimp?
Drip's main strength: e-commerce focused. Mailchimp's main strength: intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users.