If you want to build a robust email marketing strategy, you need to rely on a platform that can automate most of your work and help you track your results. Both Drip and ConvertKit offer numerous handy features that can support you. Discover them in this Drip vs ConvertKit review.
Written by Ria du Plessis - Digital Marketing Expert Updated 9/1/2021 |
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Score | 8/10 | 8.3/10 |
Summary | Drip is a powerful email automation platform you can safely rely on to create audience segments or workflows. | ConvertKit is an intuitive email marketing platform that mainly targets bloggers with features such as a simple email builder, forms, and landing pages. |
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Pros |
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Cons | Limited forms Third-party apps are necessary for landing pages Limited support | No phone support Limited reports Limited A/B testing |
Key Features | Automation A/B testing Forms Segmentation | Segmentation Forms Automation Landing pages |
Pricing | $19/month for 500 contacts $49/month for 2,500 contacts $122/month for 5,000 contacts $184/month for 10,000 contacts | Free plan $29/month - Creator Plan $59/month - Creator Pro Plan |
Support | Knowledge base Live chat | Knowledge base Live chat Community |
Ease of Use | Intuitive automation builder User-friendly interface Guides | Intuitive email builder Visual automation builder Good support |
Best fit for | eCommerce, B2B | Bloggers, marketers of any experience level |
An automation-focused email marketing platform can help you save valuable time when communicating with customers. Here are the different automation features of Drip vs Convertkit.
One of this platform’s key features is automation. There are two different automation methods you can use: apply rules or create workflows. The ‘Rules’ option is similar to ConvertKit’s automation system based on triggers. The ‘Workflows' option is more suitable for experienced marketers, who want to build complex sequences. An essential feature of these workflows is that you can set them up with ease in just a couple of minutes. The platform also offers plenty of flexibility in applying tags through automations or moving contacts from one flow to another.
ConvertKit’s automation process is based on triggers. There are numerous options you can choose from. You can easily create workflows by using a visual builder. The builder allows you to choose the actions, conditions, and events that will make up the flow, as well as the tags users can get based on their behavior. The best part of the automation process is that you can view the entire flow with ease and see at what stage your subscribers arrived.
Winner
ConvertKit is easier to use when it comes to the automation process.
Here are the split tests you can carry out with these two platforms.
Drip offers different split testing capabilities. In order to obtain better results with your email marketing campaigns, Drip allows you to test subject lines and email copy. Then, you can use the version giving better results. You can compare two email variants at a time and track their open rates, click rates, or see what revenue each one brings.
Split-testing is one area where ConvertKit lags behind other email marketing platforms. The tool only allows you to carry out basic split-testing by experimenting with different subject lines. The testing feature is easy to use since it is not complex. Furthermore, you can choose to cancel the tests at any time.
Winner
Drip offers more advanced testing.
Segmenting your audience allows you to create more personalized email campaigns leading to higher open rates.
Drip offers detailed segmentation capabilities. When initiating a new campaign, you can send it to different groups in your list that are created according to behavioral factors. Some of the segmentation criteria include page views, clicked links, offers customers accepted, or their purchase history. You can also target people who have not opened your emails.
Drip also offers excellent lead nurturing features. For example, it allows you to qualify your leads according to their engagement. In this way, you can better target those who were not active and haven't clicked on your links or opened your emails. To accurately score your leads, you can assign them points.
ConvertKit offers flexible segmentation features. You can use an unlimited number of conditions to segment your audience, either to exclude or include contacts in a list. Some of the main conditions you can use include location, behavioral factors, or the date your contacts joined your list. The segmentation process can also be carried out by applying tags.
Winner
Both tools offer great segmenting options.
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Forms allow you to collect customer data smoothly. Both Drip and ConvertKit offer different options to help you create and embed forms into your website.
Drip provides different form types that allow you to optimize lead acquisition: pop-us, side tab forms, embedded forms. You can easily add or delete custom fields from an intuitive builder. Some of the options you can customize include background colors, form size, borders, spacing, buttons. You also get different options for choosing how and when you want the forms to appear (e.g. - delay before reappearing).
With ConvertKit, you can create three different form types: inline, pop-ups, slide-in. The forms are highly customizable, as well as mobile-responsive. Besides different style options, you also get advanced setting options such as automatic delivery, which provides incentives to customers after each subscription takes place, or double-opt in. Moreover, you can embed them into your website with no effort.
Winner
ConvertKit is more flexible.
Different landing page options are a great addition most email marketing platforms offer nowadays. These help users improve their lead generation strategy.
You can connect third-party tools such as ConvertFlow or Leadpages to design landing pages with Drip.
ConvertKit makes landing page creation easier through its multiple ready-made templates, tailored for different purposes. You can easily customize these templates by changing their color, font, adding forms, or custom CSS, and use custom domains to host them. There are more than 100,000 stock images you can use.
Winner
ConvertKit has a flexible in-build landing page builder.
Find out which one of these platforms is easier to use.
Drip is altogether easy to apprehend, even for beginners. It offers an excellent visual automation builder, fast and intuitive. The email editor is equally easy to use. Previous HTML experience is not necessary to build your campaigns with this platform. Customer support is another area where Drip stands out, which gives it another point in terms of usability.
This platform allows you to import your contacts list easily enough and uses a checklist approach during the initial setup. As soon as you start using a function for the first time, the platform provides you a demo video to help you out. Numerous training resources are also available in ConvertKit's knowledge base. However, the interface offers each feature in a separate section without displaying all of them in one main menu, which makes navigation slightly hard.
Winner
ConvertKit wins by a hair.
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Here is a quick summary of the main pricing options of Drip vs ConvertKit.
Drip is not one of the most affordable email marketing tools. Yet, if you are looking for advanced automation and segmentation, their pricing is fair. Drip offers a free account and a 21-days free trial for all its plans. No matter what subscription plan you purchase, you will be able to access the same features. The entry price is $19 for up to 500 contacts.
With ConvertKit, you get a free plan that supports a maximum of 1,000 contacts. There are two paid plans. The Creator costs $29 per month for up to 1,000 contacts. The Creator Pro plan costs $59 per month and includes all the platform's features, for example, its entire range of templates.
Winner
ConvertKit offers a more affordable option for 1,000 contacts.
To streamline your marketing operations, you should be able to connect your email marketing tool with other third-party apps. Both Drip and ConvertKit allow you to do this.
Drip offers a generous array of integrations, well-organized into different categories according to their purpose (eCommerce, social media, etc.). There are more than 50 native integrations available. Some of the tools you can connect to Drip include Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, Privy, 3dcart, 1ShoppingCart. An effective integration with Facebook ads is also available.
ConvertKit offers around 80 integrations with third parties such as eCommerce platforms, landing page providers, content management tools, etc. Some of the existing integrations include Zapier, WordPress, Teachable, Shopify, LeadPages, WooCommerce, RightMessage.
Winner
Both platforms offer similar integrations.
One of the main reasons you want to use an email marketing platform is the ability to track your campaign performance with the help of reports.
Drip offers multiple reports. You can see at a glance in Drip's dashboard all the necessary campaign metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, bounces, or unsubscribe rates. The platform also allows you to get different revenue reports, which is understandable since one of its principal audience segments is eCommerce businesses. One of these advanced reports permits you to see, for example, how much revenue per person you have generated. Conversion and engagement reports are also available.
ConvertKit offers different campaign metrics such as click-throughs, open rates, unsubscribes, etc. Reports are easy to access and understand. The platform retains subscriber statistics for the past 30 days. A few automation reports can also be accessed. However, overall, the platform’s reporting features are not very advanced.
Winner
Drip is more advanced.
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If you are not already an experienced marketer, you specifically need a tool that provides reliable support. Discover what options are available with Drip vs ConvertKit.
Drip offers different support channels. You can contact their agents via email or live chat.
Moreover, an extensive knowledge base with different articles and guides showing how to use the platform is available. Their support is reliable, but you can't access live chat help if you're not paying for a higher-priced plan, nor get phone support.
ConvertKit's comprehensive knowledge base contains tons of convenient articles. There is also a forum where you can communicate with other users. Regular webinars, live chat support, and a ticket-based support system are also available.
Winner
ConvertKit offers more options.
Each one of these email marketing platforms is suitable for a particular audience. Discover where you fit in.
Drip is centered chiefly around B2B companies and eCommerce. It offers the right set of automation and segmentation tools to support their email strategy. Small to medium companies can also rely on this platform. It is a good choice if reporting, autoresponders, and good segmentation features are your priority.
ConvertKit has a different primary audience as it targets bloggers and content creators. It is an excellent choice for creatives, marketing agencies, and small companies.
Both ConvertKit and Drip have different pros and cons. Here is a summary.
Drip is a powerful tool that offers extensive email automation capabilities, a highly detailed and efficient segmentation process, along with handy extras such as SMS marketing. However, it is somewhat limited when it comes to customer support, landing pages, and forms.
ConvertKit is an excellent choice if you are looking for robust segmentation features or multiple automation features. This platform also offers a good array of landing pages, a simple way to create emails, and good customer support. However, ConvertKit has limited reporting features.
Here are two good alternatives that can successfully replace ConvertKit or Drip.
ActiveCampaign is a robust cloud-based software that offers numerous email design options, great automation features, a reliable CRM, and a good array of integrations.
GetResponse is an affordable email marketing tool. It offers numerous email design choices, good site and campaign tracking features, landing pages, and different automation capabilities.
Since it came out on top in most categories, including pricing, support, or landing pages, ConvertKit is our final winner.
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