Klaviyo dominates enterprise-scale email marketing with advanced segmentation and SMS capabilities, while Drip excels as a more affordable, user-friendly option for small-to-mid-sized ecommerce businesses seeking faster implementation.
Klaviyo vs Drip — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Ecommerce-focused email and SMS marketing platform with advanced segmentation and predictive analytics for online retailers.
User-friendly email marketing and automation platform optimized for small ecommerce businesses.
Starting Price. SMS Marketing Included. Native Ecommerce Integrations. Automation Workflows Limit (Entry Plan). Learning Curve (1-10 scale, 10=hardest). AI-Powered Content Generation. Monthly Active Users Peak (2025 Industry Data)
Choose Klaviyo if you're scaling an ecommerce business beyond 50,000 contacts and need native SMS, advanced segmentation, and predictive analytics capabilities. Choose Drip if you're a growing SMB with a tighter budget seeking rapid setup and simpler, more intuitive automation without complexity.
Klaviyo: All email features included | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: eCommerce-optimized templates | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Advanced behavior-led segmentation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Unified customer data foundation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Basic email features only | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Extensive custom via API | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Real-time behavioral graphs with continuous updates | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Email, SMS, push, in-app, direct mail | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Higher minimum investment required | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Mid-to-large ecommerce, Shopify Plus, data-driven brands | Drip: N/A
Average eCommerce Email Revenue Per Send
Klaviyo: $20/month (500 contacts) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Varies by plan features | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: B2C customer data platform | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Included in all plans | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 4,200% ROI (industry average) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Email, SMS, push (native) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Limited 2-way capability | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Native email + SMS + pop-ups | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Yes, multi-channel A/B testing | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Smart scheduling with AI optimization | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Active profiles (contacts with behavior) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Limited (plan-dependent) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Included (higher plans only) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Advanced behavioral data segmentation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 3 (Email, SMS, WhatsApp) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Personalized send time optimization | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Built-in CDP as core foundation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Steeper learning curve (data-focused) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Predictive send-time optimization (Q4 2025), AI-driven personalization | Drip: Limited or absent AI capabilities
Klaviyo: Enterprise-grade, proven at scale with dedicated infrastructure | Drip: Solid but requires manual Gmail monitoring for optimal inbox placement
Klaviyo: Unlimited triggered sequences with advanced conditional logic | Drip: Core automation flows with standard conditional branching
Klaviyo: SMB to Enterprise (all Shopify store sizes) | Drip: Small to Mid-Market (SMB focus)
Klaviyo: Industry average 4,200% | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Deep native with purchase-event segmentation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Behavioral purchase-event segmentation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: North America eCommerce focus | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Email, SMS, Web Push, Forms | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 24/5 email, phone 9-5 EST | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Behavioral, predictive, e-commerce segments, custom attributes | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 150,000+ e-commerce merchants | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: $0.01-0.03 (add-on) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Advanced multi-channel | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Native integration with major platforms | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: AI-powered with customer data platform | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: No, third-party required | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Native SMS included | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 200+ Shopify-optimized | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Unlimited with predictive optimization | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 10-15% with predictive send time | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 5 active automations | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: 150+ with AI generation | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: $20 (for 500 contacts) | Drip: $19
Klaviyo: 1-2 weeks (visual setup) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Native built-in integration | Drip: N/A
Mid-Tier Price (5K contacts/subscribers)
Enterprise Price (100K+ contacts/subscribers)
Klaviyo: Basic customer profiles only | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Basic behavioral and manual only | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Native deep integration with pre-built flows | Drip: Basic integration with standard e-commerce triggers
Klaviyo: Yes, included with segmentation | Drip: No, requires third-party integration
Klaviyo: Advanced (20+ trigger types) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: $0.01-0.015 (add-on) | Drip: N/A
Mid-Tier Plan Monthly Cost (10k contacts)
Klaviyo: Subject, content, send time, segment split | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Paid add-on ($0.02 per view) | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: Customer profiles and purchase history only | Drip: N/A
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: 1 week (48 hours for basic)
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: None (basic contact database only)
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: Deep (pre-built workflows, order sync)
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: 15-25% (industry-leading)
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: Limited (tag-based, basic rules)
Klaviyo: N/A | Drip: Basic contact segmentation only
Klaviyo vs Drip — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Klaviyo vs Drip. Contains 155 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Klaviyo vs Drip — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Klaviyo vs Drip.
Which platform is better for SMS marketing?
Klaviyo is the clear winner. It includes native SMS with advanced segmentation, send-time optimization, and compliance tools built-in. Drip requires third-party SMS integrations (like Twilio or Klaviyo SMS add-on), adding $30-100/month and complexity. For SMS-heavy campaigns, Klaviyo's integrated approach is superior.
At what contact count does Klaviyo become more expensive than Drip?
Drip becomes the more affordable option at approximately 25,000+ contacts. Drip caps pricing at $300/month for unlimited contacts, while Klaviyo's pricing scales: 50,000 contacts = $1,250/month, 100,000 contacts = $2,500/month. For large contact lists, Drip's flat pricing saves $1,200-2,200/month.
How long does it take to set up each platform?
Drip can be fully operational in 1-2 days due to its intuitive interface and quick integration process. Klaviyo typically requires 14-21 days of setup and training because of its more complex feature set, advanced segmentation options, and steeper learning curve. For businesses needing fast deployment, Drip wins significantly.
Which platform integrates better with Shopify?
Both integrate natively with Shopify, but Drip has a slight edge for SMB merchants. Drip's Shopify integration includes native product recommendations, abandoned cart recovery, and post-purchase flows optimized for SMBs out-of-the-box. Klaviyo's integration is more powerful but requires more configuration. For quick Shopify setup, Drip is faster.
Does either platform offer AI-powered content generation?
Klaviyo offers a built-in AI copywriting assistant for subject lines, email copy, and personalization at no extra cost. Drip does not have native AI tools and requires manual content creation or third-party AI integrations. If AI-assisted email copy matters to your team, Klaviyo is the only native solution.
Starting Price: Klaviyo has $20/month (up to 500 contacts), while Drip has $19/month (up to 500 contacts).
SMS Marketing Included: Klaviyo has Yes, native SMS with advanced segmentation, while Drip has No, SMS requires third-party integration.
Native Ecommerce Integrations: Klaviyo has 150+ including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, while Drip has 80+ with focus on Shopify and WooCommerce.
Consider: Automation Workflows Limit (Entry Plan)
Automation Workflows Limit (Entry Plan): Klaviyo has Unlimited workflows, while Drip has Unlimited workflows.
Consider: Learning Curve (1-10 scale, 10=hardest)
Learning Curve (1-10 scale, 10=hardest): Klaviyo has 7 (steeper for beginners), while Drip has 4 (more intuitive for SMBs).
AI-Powered Content Generation: Klaviyo has Yes, built-in AI copywriting assistant, while Drip has No, manual content creation only.
Consider: Monthly Active Users Peak (2025 Industry Data)
Monthly Active Users Peak (2025 Industry Data): Klaviyo has 2.8 million users, while Drip has 180,000 users.