Constant Contact

4.2 Our Rating

Constant Contact provides an accessible platform for small businesses to create,...

VS2026

Drip

4.5 Our Rating

Drip is an email marketing automation platform designed for B2C ecommerce busine...

Constant Contact vs Drip in 2026

Constant Contact (from $12/mo, 4.2★) vs Drip (from $39/mo, 4.5★). Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and real user opinions.

Constant Contact vs Drip — Quick Comparison (April 2026)
Constant ContactDrip
Pricefrom $12/mofrom $39/mo
Rating4.2★4.5★
Free TierNoNo
Best ForSmall businesses starting email campaignsEcommerce stores selling digital/physical goods

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
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Drip

  • Best for:Ecommerce stores selling digital/physical goods, B2C creators, brands, travel, and education businesses
  • Starting price:$39/mo
  • Category:email marketing
  • Founded:
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Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature comparison to help you understand the key differences between Constant Contact and Drip.

Feature
Constant Contact
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.

Winner

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 Drip
Alternative

Constant 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 Contact

Pros & 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.

💰 Prices last verified: April 20, 2026

Constant Contact

subscription
Starting from $12 /mo
Lite $12 /mo
  • 1 user
  • 1 site
  • Basic features
Premium $80 /mo
  • Unlimited users
  • 5 sites
  • Priority support

Drip

usage-based
Starting from $39 /mo
Starter $39 /mo
  • Up to 2,500 contacts
  • Unlimited emails
  • Basic automations
Scale $154 /mo
  • Up to 10,000 contacts
  • Advanced reporting
  • Custom fields
Enterprise $289 /mo
  • 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're a small business, nonprofit, or event organizer needing basic email marketing
  • You prioritize ease of use over advanced features and customization
  • You primarily send simple newsletters and don't need complex automation workflows

Constant Contact receives mixed-to-negative reviews, with Reddit users describing it as 'outdated', 'clunky', and 'total garbage'. While recognized as a reliable workhorse for basic, high-volume newsletter sends, users consistently criticize poor user experience, limited automation, difficult cancellation process, and high costs.

Try Constant Contact Free

Choose Drip if:

  • You're a B2C e-commerce brand with 2,500+ contacts needing advanced segmentation
  • You have technical expertise or resources to handle Liquid templating and complex workflows
  • Your focus is on behavior-based automation for digital/physical product sales

Drip is a powerful email marketing automation platform specifically designed for B2C e-commerce businesses, with segmented customers earning 5x more revenue than non-segmented ones. However, users consistently report it has a steep learning curve, expensive pricing starting at $39/month, and unintuitive design compared to competitors.

Try Drip Free

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.

Written by

DK
David Kim Marketing Tech Analyst

David has worked in digital marketing for 7 years, including roles at agencies and in-house teams. He evaluates marketing tools based on real campaign experience and focuses on measurable outcomes.

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