Email Marketing · head to head
Dotdigital vs Loops
Dotdigital
Email Marketing
UK-listed email and cross-channel marketing platform with deep Adobe Commerce and Dynamics connectors
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Loops has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Dotdigital pricing is anchored on contact tiers, so inactive and unsubscribed contacts keep counting until you actively delete them and the bill grows with list decay rather than with sending.; Loops free plan limited to 1000 subscribed contacts
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Dotdigital and Loops actually diverge.
| Attribute | Dotdigital | Loops |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, REST API | Web |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Email Marketing).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Dotdigital
- Automation builder
- Commerce connectors
- Dynamics 365 integration
- Regional data residency
- Liquid personalisation
- SMS and WhatsApp
Only in Loops
Nothing recorded that Dotdigital does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Dotdigital
- A Microsoft Dynamics 365 organisation that needs marketing automation without building the CRM sync itselfnot Loops
- An Adobe Commerce retailer that wants basket and order data in campaigns without middlewarenot Loops
- A European buyer that needs contact data held in the UK or EU with a named hosting region in the contractnot Loops
- A procurement team that wants to review published financial statements before committing to a multi-year platformnot Loops
Loops
- Setting up lifecycle email from onboarding to winbacknot Dotdigital
- Consolidating product, marketing, and transactional emailsnot Dotdigital
- Designing email themes picked up automaticallynot Dotdigital
- Tracking revenue attribution to specific emailsnot Dotdigital
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Dotdigital
- Pricing is anchored on contact tiers, so inactive and unsubscribed contacts keep counting until you actively delete them and the bill grows with list decay rather than with sending.
- SMS, WhatsApp and chat are add-ons billed on top of the platform fee, so cross-channel programmes cost noticeably more than the headline quote suggests.
- The automation builder handles scheduled and behavioural triggers well but is not designed for high-frequency real-time orchestration, which is where growing teams outgrow it.
- Attribution reporting beyond opens, clicks and connected commerce revenue is thin without the additional analytics module.
- Automation logic is not portable, so migrating away means rebuilding programmes by hand after exporting contacts and data through the API.
Loops
- Free plan limited to 1000 subscribed contacts
- Free plan limited to 4000 sends per month
- Free plan includes Powered by Loops branding footer
- Paid plan pricing not publicly specified, requires using pricing calculator
Pricing, plan by plan
Dotdigital
On request- Dotdigital$undefined/month
- Priced on a contact tier combined with a monthly email send allowance
- SMS, WhatsApp and additional channels billed separately
- Annual contracts standard, monthly available on entry tiers
Loops
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 1000 subscribed contacts
- Up to 4000 sends per month
- Up to 10 emails per second
Which should you pick?
Choose Dotdigital if
- You need automation builder.
- You work on Web, REST API.
- You also want commerce connectors.
Questions people ask
- Is Dotdigital or Loops better?
- Neither clearly leads. Dotdigital starts at On request and Loops at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Dotdigital or Loops?
- Loops has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Dotdigital and Free for Loops.
- Does Dotdigital or Loops run on more platforms?
- Dotdigital runs on Web, REST API. Loops runs on Web.
- Can I use Loops for free?
- Yes. Loops has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dotdigital starts at On request.
- What is Dotdigital best used for?
- Dotdigital is most often used for a microsoft dynamics 365 organisation that needs marketing automation without building the crm sync itself, an adobe commerce retailer that wants basket and order data in campaigns without middleware, a european buyer that needs contact data held in the uk or eu with a named hosting region in the contract, a procurement team that wants to review published financial statements before committing to a multi-year platform. Of those, a microsoft dynamics 365 organisation that needs marketing automation without building the crm sync itself and an adobe commerce retailer that wants basket and order data in campaigns without middleware are not what Loops is typically brought in for.
- What can Dotdigital do that Loops cannot?
- Dotdigital covers Automation builder, Commerce connectors, Dynamics 365 integration, Regional data residency.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Dotdigital: Are unsubscribed contacts billed?
Yes, if they remain in the account. Contact tiers count stored contacts, so suppression lists still consume allowance until records are removed.
Loops: Does Loops have a free plan?
Yes, Loops is free to start with no credit card required. The free plan supports up to 1000 subscribed contacts and up to 4000 sends per month, with up to 10 emails per second.
SourceDotdigital: Is it a real alternative to enterprise engagement platforms?
For scheduled and behavioural ecommerce and B2B programmes, yes. For real-time cross-channel orchestration at scale it is not competing in the same bracket.
Loops: What are the limitations of Loops' free plan?
The free plan includes all features but is limited to 1000 subscribed contacts and 4000 sends per month. The free plan displays a Powered by Loops footer in emails.
SourceDotdigital: Where is contact data stored?
In the region contracted, with UK, EU, US and Australian hosting available, which is why it appears on European shortlists with residency requirements.
Loops: How much do Loops paid plans cost?
Loops paid plans use contact-based pricing, meaning costs scale with the number of subscribed contacts synced to Loops. Exact pricing requires using Loops' pricing calculator based on your subscriber count.
SourceRelated pages
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