Constant Contact
Constant Contact provides an accessible platform for small businesses to create,...
Drip
Drip is an email marketing automation platform designed for B2C ecommerce busine...
Constant Contact vs Drip: Which Is Better in 2026?
Comprehensive comparison of Constant Contact and Drip covering features, pricing, pros & cons, and our expert verdict to help you make the right choice for your business.
Constant Contact vs Drip: Overview
Choosing between Constant Contact and Drip is a common dilemma for email marketing users. Both tools offer robust solutions, but they cater to different needs and budgets.
Constant Contact starts at $12/monthly, while Drip begins at $39/monthly. But pricing is just one factor—let's dive into features, use cases, and which tool fits your specific needs.
Constant Contact is best known for easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns, whereas Drip stands out for high deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team. In this detailed comparison, we'll analyze both tools across pricing, features, ease of use, and ideal use cases.
Quick Overview
Constant Contact
- Best for: Small businesses starting email campaigns, Nonprofits seeking discounted marketing
- Starting price: $12/mo
- Category: email marketing
- Founded: 1996
Drip
- Best for: Ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods, B2C creators, brands, travel, and education businesses
- Starting price: $39/mo
- Category: email marketing
- Founded:
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side feature comparison to help you understand the key differences between Constant Contact and Drip.
| Feature | CC Constant Contact | Dr Drip |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop email editor | Available on all plans | |
| AI copy generator | Available on all plans | |
| Premade templates | Hundreds of templates available | |
| AI-powered branding tools | Available on all plans | |
| Email automation | Standard and Premium plans | |
| Contact segmentation | Standard and Premium plans | |
| SMS marketing | $10/month add-on, included in Premium | |
| Website builder | 1-5 sites depending on plan | |
| GDPR compliance tools | Available on all plans | |
| CAN-SPAM compliance | Available on all plans | |
| Live 1:1 onboarding | All plans, priority in Premium | |
| Phone and chat support | All plans, dedicated priority in Premium | |
| Inbox preview | Premium plan only | |
| Multi-account management | Custom plans only | |
| Mobile-responsive designs | All templates are mobile-responsive | |
| Visual drag-and-drop workflow builder | Complex automations and one-off rules | |
| Smart behavioral and lifecycle segmentation | Auto-updating segments | |
| Prebuilt workflows and 50+ ecommerce email templates | Cart abandonment, onboarding, event reminders | |
| Dynamic product blocks | Insert top-sellers or abandoned cart items | |
| Brand style syncing | Logo, colors, fonts customization | |
| A/B testing | Up to four email variations or subject lines | |
| Onsite popups, embedded forms, and quizzes | List growth tools | |
| Advanced reporting and ROI metrics | Campaign optimization insights | |
| 99%+ email deliverability | Dedicated team support | |
| Visual point-and-click email builder | Device previews and liquid personalization | |
| Dynamic content | Personalized email content | |
| Cart abandonment recovery | Automated ecommerce workflows |
Features Deep Dive
Both Constant Contact and Drip offer core email marketing functionality, but their feature sets differ in key areas.
Shared features: Core functionality.
Constant Contact unique strengths: Drag-and-drop email editor, AI copy generator, Premade templates. This makes it ideal for small businesses starting email campaigns.
Drip unique strengths: Visual drag-and-drop workflow builder, Smart behavioral and lifecycle segmentation, Prebuilt workflows and 50+ ecommerce email templates. This makes it better suited for ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods.
Constant Contact offers 15 core features with 6 integrations, while Drip provides 12 features and 8 integrations.
Our Verdict
After extensive testing and analysis, Drip edges out as the winner in this comparison. While both tools excel in their respective areas, Drip offers better overall user satisfaction. Constant Contact remains a strong alternative, especially for users who prioritize small businesses starting email campaigns.
Drip
Best for Ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods and B2C creators, brands, travel, and education businesses. High deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team.
Try DripConstant Contact
Best for Small businesses starting email campaigns and Nonprofits seeking discounted marketing. Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns.
Try Constant ContactPros & Cons
Constant Contact Pros & Cons
Pros
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns
- Award-winning support including phone, onboarding, and tutorials
- Strong templates and AI tools for non-designers
- Mobile-responsive designs and compliance features
- Flexible prepay discounts and 30-day refund
- Scalable for growing contact lists
- Proven for small business customer conversion
Cons
- Pricing scales up with contacts/sends, plus overage fees
- SMS as $10/month add-on (not core included)
- Limited sites/users in Lite plan
- Custom pricing required for enterprises/multi-locations
- No perpetual free tier beyond trial
Drip Pros & Cons
Pros
- High deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team
- Powerful automation and segmentation for revenue growth
- Ecommerce-specific tools like dynamic products and cart recovery
- Exceptional customer support with 99% satisfaction rate
- Seamless setup and free migration for large lists
- Proven ROI with 61% workflow open rates
- Scalable for small businesses with enterprise features
Cons
- Usage-based pricing may become unpredictable with growth
- Ecommerce-heavy focus may limit non-sales B2C appeal
- No free tier beyond 14-day trial
- Advanced features could overwhelm absolute beginners
Pricing Comparison
Compare the pricing plans and see which tool offers better value for your budget.
Constant Contact
subscription- 1 user
- 1 site
- Basic features
- 3 users
- 3 sites
- Automation
- Unlimited users
- 5 sites
- Priority support
Drip
usage-based- Up to 2,500 contacts
- Unlimited emails
- Basic automations
- Up to 5,000 contacts
- Advanced segmentation
- Visual workflow builder
- Up to 10,000 contacts
- Advanced reporting
- Custom fields
- Up to 20,000 contacts
- Dedicated support
- Advanced integrations
Pricing Comparison Analysis
Constant Contact Pricing: Paid plans start at $12/monthly. 3 plans available: Lite, Standard, Premium.
Drip Pricing: Paid plans start at $39/monthly. 4 plans available: Starter, Growth, Scale, Enterprise.
Verdict: Constant Contact is more affordable at the entry level. However, Drip may offer better value at scale with Scalable for small businesses with enterprise features.
For budget-conscious teams, Constant Contact is the clear winner. For teams prioritizing ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods, Drip's pricing may be justified.
Which Tool Is Best For You?
Choose Constant Contact if you need:
- Small businesses starting email campaigns
- Nonprofits seeking discounted marketing
- Agencies/franchises needing multi-account control
- Retailers converting social/website traffic
- Service providers building customer relationships
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns
- Award-winning support including phone, onboarding, and tutorials
Choose Drip if you need:
- Ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods
- B2C creators, brands, travel, and education businesses
- List growth and nurturing for course/coaching providers
- Behavioral marketing automation and VIP offers
- Small-to-mid businesses scaling revenue
- High deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team
- Powerful automation and segmentation for revenue growth
Final Verdict
Choose Constant Contact if: You need small businesses starting email campaigns or nonprofits seeking discounted marketing. It excels at easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns and award-winning support including phone, onboarding, and tutorials.
Choose Drip if: You prioritize ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods or b2c creators, brands, travel, and education businesses. It's particularly strong for high deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team and powerful automation and segmentation for revenue growth.
Overall: Drip has a slight edge with a 4.5/5 rating from our analysis.
Both tools are solid choices in the email marketing space. Your decision should ultimately depend on your specific requirements, team size, and budget.
Constant Contact vs Drip FAQ
What are the main differences between Constant Contact and Drip?
Constant Contact focuses on small businesses starting email campaigns with easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns, while Drip excels at ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods with high deliverability (99-99.8%) backed by dedicated team. Key differences include pricing structure, feature depth, and target user base.
Is Constant Contact or Drip better for small businesses?
Both tools have paid plans. For small businesses with limited budgets, consider starting with the tool that offers Constant Contact's lower starting price of $12/month.
What is the pricing difference between Constant Contact and Drip?
Constant Contact starts at $12/month, while Drip starts at $39/month. Both offer multiple pricing tiers with different feature sets.
Can Constant Contact integrate with Drip?
While direct integration may vary, both Constant Contact and Drip support third-party integrations through platforms like Zapier. Constant Contact integrates with Square, Xero, Social Media Platforms, while Drip works with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento.
Which tool is easier to use, Constant Contact or Drip?
Based on user reviews, Drip generally receives higher marks for ease of use with a 4.5 rating. However, ease of use can depend on your specific needs and technical background. Constant Contact is known for award-winning support including phone, onboarding, and tutorials.
Does Constant Contact or Drip offer better customer support?
Both Constant Contact and Drip provide customer support, with options varying by plan tier. Constant Contact offers support through standard support channels. Check each tool's specific plan for support details.
What are the pros of Constant Contact compared to Drip?
Constant Contact's main advantages include: Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor for quick campaigns, Award-winning support including phone, onboarding, and tutorials, Strong templates and AI tools for non-designers. Compared to Drip, it's particularly strong for small businesses starting email campaigns.
What are the cons of Constant Contact compared to Drip?
Constant Contact's potential drawbacks include: Pricing scales up with contacts/sends, plus overage fees, SMS as $10/month add-on (not core included). Drip may be a better choice if these limitations affect your use case.
Should I switch from Constant Contact to Drip or vice versa?
Consider switching if your current tool doesn't meet your needs. Key factors include: current pain points, migration complexity, team training, and total cost of ownership. Use our ROI calculator to estimate the potential impact of switching.
Which tool is best for email marketing in 2026?
In 2026, Drip leads in this comparison with a 4.5 rating. However, the best choice depends on your specific requirements. Constant Contact excels for small businesses starting email campaigns, while Drip is ideal for ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods.