Top 6 Drip Alternatives in 2026
Stores leave Drip in two directions: toward Klaviyo for deeper data and SMS, or toward cheaper general tools when they are not using the automation. Paid plans start at $39/mo for up to 2,500 active people. Every tool below starts cheaper. Klaviyo ($20/mo) is the ecommerce specialist, driven by store data and priced by active profiles. ActiveCampaign ($15/mo) offers the deepest automation here, with a learning curve and no free plan. Mailchimp ($13/mo) is the familiar all-rounder, priced by audience size.
01Quick Comparison
| Tool | Entry price | Free plan | Value score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | $20/mo | Yes | 4.3/5 |
| ActiveCampaign | $15/mo | No | 4.2/5 |
| Mailchimp | $13/mo | Yes | 4.5/5 |
| ConvertKit | $33/mo | Yes | 4.1/5 |
| Constant Contact | $10.20/mo | No | 4.2/5 |
| GetResponse | $15.58/mo | Yes | 4.3/5 |
| Drip (current) | $39/mo | No | 3.7/5 |
02The Alternatives
Klaviyo
From$20/moValue score4.3/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $20/mo, $19 a month less than Drip; it has a free plan, which Drip does not.
Klaviyo is built for online stores. It pulls order and browsing data from platforms such as Shopify and uses it for segmentation and automated flows: abandoned carts, post-purchase follow-ups, win-backs. Email and SMS run from the same data. It is the specialist’s choice for ecommerce and priced like one.
- Best for
- Ecommerce brands prioritizing retention and customer lifecycle revenue
- Pricing
- Email plan, billed monthly, 251-500 active profiles at this price. Free plan: up to 250 active profiles and 500 sends a month.
- Key features
- Behavior-based segmentation, Ecommerce automation flows, SMS marketing
Where it falls short: Pricing follows the number of active profiles and rises quickly, and it offers little to a business that is not selling online.
Klaviyo plans and pricing Drip vs Klaviyo in detail Visit Klaviyo
ActiveCampaign
From$15/moValue score4.2/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $15/mo, $24 a month less than Drip.
ActiveCampaign is an automation tool that also sends email. Its visual builder handles branching logic, lead scoring, site tracking and conditional content, and a sales CRM can be added on. It asks for more learning than its simpler rivals and repays it for businesses whose marketing depends on timing and behavior.
- Best for
- Businesses that prioritize automation and segmentation
- Pricing
- Starter plan, billed annually ($19 billed monthly), 1,000 contacts at this price.
- Key features
- Advanced automations, Segmentation and personalization, Built-in CRM
Where it falls short: There is no free plan, the learning curve is real, and the cost climbs with both contacts and tier.
ActiveCampaign plans and pricing ActiveCampaign vs Drip in detail Visit ActiveCampaign
Mailchimp
From$13/moValue score4.5/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $13/mo, $26 a month less than Drip; it has a free plan, which Drip does not.
Mailchimp is the email tool most small businesses try first. It covers campaigns, templates, basic automation, landing pages and forms, and connects to almost everything. It is a generalist: good at getting a newsletter out, less convincing once you need advanced automation, and priced by the size of your audience.
- Best for
- SMBs that want a familiar general-purpose email platform
- Pricing
- Essentials plan, billed monthly, 500 contacts at this price. Free plan: 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
- Key features
- Email campaigns and templates, Audience segmentation, Marketing automation journeys
Where it falls short: The price rises with every contact you add, the free plan is small, and automation is shallower than in specialist tools.
Mailchimp plans and pricing Drip vs Mailchimp in detail Visit Mailchimp
ConvertKit
From$33/moValue score4.1/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $33/mo, $6 a month less than Drip; it has a free plan, which Drip does not.
ConvertKit, now called Kit, is email marketing for creators: writers, podcasters, course sellers and newsletter operators. Subscribers are organized with tags instead of lists, automations are drawn as simple visual flows, and you can sell digital products and paid subscriptions from the same account. Emails are plain and text-first by intent.
- Best for
- Creators and newsletter businesses focused on audience building
- Pricing
- Creator plan, billed annually ($39 billed monthly), 1,000 subscribers at this price. Free plan: up to 10,000 subscribers.
- Key features
- Visual automations, Landing pages and forms, Creator commerce tools
Where it falls short: Design options and reporting are limited, and it is not built for stores or sales teams.
ConvertKit plans and pricing ConvertKit vs Drip in detail Visit ConvertKit
Constant Contact
From$10.20/moValue score4.2/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $10.20/mo, $28.80 a month less than Drip.
Constant Contact is a long-standing choice for small businesses and nonprofits. Beyond email it handles event registration, social posting and surveys, and it backs them with phone support and plenty of guidance. Automation is basic, and there is a trial instead of a free plan.
- Best for
- Small businesses that want straightforward email marketing
- Pricing
- Lite plan, billed annually ($12 billed monthly), 500 contacts at this price.
- Key features
- Email templates and campaigns, Audience segmentation, Event marketing tools
Where it falls short: Automation and segmentation are limited, and you pay from the start.
Constant Contact plans and pricing Constant Contact vs Drip in detail Visit Constant Contact
GetResponse
From$15.58/moValue score4.3/5
Compared with Drip: Starts at $15.58/mo, $23.42 a month less than Drip; it has a free plan, which Drip does not.
GetResponse packs a lot around its email tool: automation, landing pages, sign-up funnels, webinars and a website builder. It suits marketers who want one subscription for lead generation and follow-up. Breadth is the appeal, and no single part is the best in its class.
- Best for
- Marketers who want email plus funnels and webinars
- Pricing
- Starter plan, billed annually ($19 billed monthly), 1,000 contacts at this price. Free plan: up to 500 contacts.
- Key features
- Email campaigns and autoresponders, Marketing automation, Conversion funnels
Where it falls short: The interface is crowded, and the more advanced automation and webinar features need the higher tiers.
GetResponse plans and pricing Drip vs GetResponse in detail Visit GetResponse
03FAQ
What is the closest alternative to Drip?
Klaviyo. Klaviyo is built for online stores. Starts at $20/mo, $19 a month less than Drip; it has a free plan, which Drip does not.
What is the cheapest alternative to Drip?
Mailchimp: free plan, then $13/mo. Essentials plan, billed monthly, 500 contacts at this price. Free plan: 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
Which Drip alternatives have a free plan?
Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ConvertKit and GetResponse. Free plans differ a lot in what they limit, so check the plan tables on each tool’s pricing page.
Is Drip still worth using?
Yes, if you run a small online store and want automation that is easy to manage. Its strength is ecommerce automation without Klaviyo’s complexity. The weakness: there is no free plan, the integration catalog is smaller, and it offers little to businesses that are not stores.
04Bottom Line
If cost is why you are leaving Drip, start with Mailchimp. If you want the least disruption, Klaviyo is the closest in spirit: it is the ecommerce specialist, driven by store data and priced by active profiles. If you would rather simplify, Constant Contact is the easiest of the group to adopt.