Drip vs ActiveCampaign
Choose Drip if you sell online and want email automation centered on shopping behavior; choose ActiveCampaign if you need marketing automation alongside sales pipelines or a wider range of channels. Drip emphasizes store-connected workflows, segmentation, and revenue reporting. ActiveCampaign offers ecommerce automation too, but separates capabilities such as pipeline management and SMS into plan-dependent add-ons.
Last updated October 24, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Drip | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | B2C online-selling automation | Marketing automation and sales workflows |
| Sales pipelines | Not published | Pipelines add-on on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise |
| SMS | One-way add-on; limited US rollout | Two-way add-on on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise |
| Published entry price | $39/month for 1–2,500 people | Not published |
| Plan structure | Same core features at every list size | Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise |
| Monthly email sends | Unlimited at the 1–2,500-person tier | 10×–15× contact limit, by plan |
| Ecommerce platforms | Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce | Shopify and WooCommerce on all plans; BigCommerce on Enterprise |
| Integrations | 90+ | 1,000+ |
| Revenue reporting | Store-connected email revenue | Ecommerce reporting on Plus and above |
| Included user seats | Not published | 1–5, by plan |
| Support | Weekday email; weekday chat at $99/month and above | Email and chat; priority on Pro and Enterprise |
| Free trial | 14 days; no credit card required | 14 days |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Drip if
- Online sellers building campaigns around browsing and purchases
- Teams that want ecommerce workflows and revenue reporting
- Buyers who prefer a published entry price for up to 2,500 people
Choose ActiveCampaign if
- Teams that need marketing and sales pipeline workflows
- Buyers who need two-way SMS through an eligible paid add-on
- Businesses connecting marketing to a broad range of apps
The verdict
The deciding factor is what your team needs to manage beyond email. Drip is the better fit when purchase-triggered campaigns and store revenue are the priority. ActiveCampaign is the better fit when the same team also needs sales pipeline tools, two-way SMS, or integrations across a broader software stack. Check add-on eligibility before choosing ActiveCampaign for CRM or SMS; check access requirements before choosing Drip for SMS.
Drip vs ActiveCampaign: common questions
- Is Drip or ActiveCampaign a better fit for an online store?
- Drip is a good fit when store behavior, purchase-triggered email, and revenue reporting are the main requirements. ActiveCampaign also supports ecommerce automation and abandoned-cart campaigns, and may fit better if the store also needs sales pipeline or broader cross-channel workflows.
- Does ActiveCampaign include a sales CRM?
- ActiveCampaign includes contact profiles on its marketing plans. Pipeline management and deal records are part of a separate Pipelines add-on available on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise, not Starter.
- Can Drip send SMS?
- Drip offers one-way SMS as a separately billed add-on starting at $39 per month. Access is currently rolling out to existing US-based paid customers with Support All People enabled; two-way replies are not supported.
- Can ActiveCampaign send two-way SMS?
- Yes. ActiveCampaign lists an SMS add-on with an inbox and two-way messaging for Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. The add-on is not available on Starter.
- How much do Drip and ActiveCampaign cost?
- Drip publishes a $39-per-month price for 1–2,500 people and says costs can vary with active people and monthly email volume. ActiveCampaign lists Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise, but its current pricing page does not display a dollar price for those plans.
- Are email sends unlimited on both products?
- Drip advertises unlimited email sends at its $39-per-month, 1–2,500-person tier, though it says pricing also depends on send volume. ActiveCampaign lists monthly sends at 10 times the contact limit on Starter and Plus, 12 times on Pro, and 15 times on Enterprise.
- Do both products connect to Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce?
- Drip lists integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. ActiveCampaign includes Shopify and WooCommerce among its standard ecommerce integrations on every plan; it lists BigCommerce as a premium integration on Enterprise.
- Can I try Drip and ActiveCampaign before paying?
- Both vendors offer a 14-day trial. Drip says no credit card is required and notes that unlimited email sends are unavailable during its trial.