Drip is an e-commerce marketing automation platform (ECRM) that competes head-to-head with Klaviyo for Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce stores. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the {{ subscriber.unsubscribe_url }} Liquid merge tag placed in email templates, backed by an account-wide unsubscribed status on the subscriber record. Drip auto-embeds the unsubscribe link in every default template footer and enforces RFC 8058 one-click compliance for all marketing sends when the sending domain is authenticated. This guide covers the exact token, the Workflow-vs-Broadcast distinction, the preference center configuration, and common issues.
Drip unsubscribe link: quick reference
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Unsubscribe merge tag | {{ subscriber.unsubscribe_url }} |
| Preferences merge tag | {{ subscriber.manage_subscription_url }} |
| Default placement | Auto-embedded in every Broadcast, Workflow, and Rule email footer |
| Config path | Settings > Account > Email defaults |
| Scope | Account-wide subscriber state (Active, Unsubscribed, Removed) |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, auto-generated for all Marketing sends when domain is authenticated |
How Drip handles unsubscribes
Drip tracks three subscriber states: Active (opted in and receiving), Unsubscribed (opted out via the unsubscribe link, will not receive marketing but the record persists), and Removed (hard-deleted, no record, cannot be re-added without a full re-import). Clicking the unsubscribe link flips the state to Unsubscribed and immediately halts every Workflow, Broadcast, and Rule for that subscriber.
Like Klaviyo (its closest competitor), Drip is subscriber-centric rather than list-centric. There is no “unsubscribe from this list” concept; a single opt-out removes the subscriber from every marketing send. For topic-level opt-out, use the Manage Preferences URL (which lets subscribers toggle Tags per topic) rather than the full unsubscribe URL.
Adding the unsubscribe token in a Drip template
Method 1: default footer (recommended)
Drip auto-injects a compliance footer in every Broadcast, Workflow, and Rule email, containing the unsubscribe link, the physical address block, and (optionally) a Manage Preferences link. You do not add a merge tag manually; the footer is enforced on send. Edit the default footer in Settings > Account > Email defaults.
Method 2: custom placement in a template
For header, mid-email, or a specific styled block, insert the token in an anchor tag:
{{ subscriber.unsubscribe_url }}<a href="{{ subscriber.unsubscribe_url }}">Unsubscribe from these emails</a>The account footer link stays in place; custom placement is additive. Drip refuses to send a Broadcast without at least one unsubscribe link in the body or footer.
Method 3: manage preferences link
{{ subscriber.manage_subscription_url }}Use this when you want to retain the subscriber but let them narrow the subscription. The default preference page shows all Tags the subscriber has, with a checkbox per Tag. Removing a Tag stops any Workflow filtered on that Tag from delivering.
RFC 8058 one-click compliance in Drip
Since February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo require senders exceeding 5,000 daily emails to those providers to support one-click unsubscribe via the List-Unsubscribe-Post header defined in RFC 8058. Drip emits the correct headers automatically for every Broadcast and Workflow send when the sending domain is authenticated with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC.
- Go to Settings > Account > Sending domain
- Add your domain and copy the DKIM CNAME records
- Add records at your DNS provider; verification usually completes within minutes
- Publish a DMARC policy at the parent domain (at least
p=none) - Verify the delivered message headers:
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:...>, <https://www.getdrip.com/subscribers/.../unsubscribes/...>
List-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-ClickTesting your Drip unsubscribe link
- Send a preview. In the Broadcast editor, click Preview and send to a controlled Gmail address
- Click the footer unsubscribe. Confirm the landing page and opt-out
- Check the subscriber. Search your test email in People; the status should be Unsubscribed within seconds
- Test the one-click flow:
curl -X POST -d "List-Unsubscribe=One-Click" "https://www.getdrip.com/subscribers/.../unsubscribes/..."Expected: HTTP 200. The subscriber state flips to Unsubscribed immediately and every Workflow in flight halts for that subscriber.
Common issues and how to fix them
A Workflow keeps sending after unsubscribe
Cannot happen with default settings; Drip halts every Workflow node immediately when the subscriber state flips to Unsubscribed. If you observe delivery after opt-out, the message was already generated and queued for delivery before the state change. Check the send log for exact timestamps.
The token renders as literal text
The token was placed in a plain text block without Liquid support enabled, or was pasted URL-encoded. Solution: use the HTML editor with the token in an href attribute unencoded.
Gmail one-click button not showing
Domain authentication is incomplete. Verify DKIM CNAME records resolve at your DNS provider and DMARC is published. Wait 24 hours for full propagation before re-testing.
Removed vs Unsubscribed confusion
An Unsubscribed subscriber keeps their historical data, purchase events, and Tags; you can re-subscribe them via a signup form. A Removed subscriber is hard-deleted; the record and all associated events are gone. Use Removed only for GDPR erasure requests; use Unsubscribed for standard opt-outs.
Related unsubscribe guides
- Klaviyo unsubscribe link: uses
{% unsubscribe %}, direct e-commerce competitor to Drip - ConvertKit unsubscribe link: uses
{{ unsubscribe_url }}, creator alternative for non-e-commerce - Mailchimp unsubscribe link: uses
*|UNSUB|*, common migration source - ActiveCampaign unsubscribe link: uses
%UNSUBSCRIBELINK%, mid-market marketing automation - MailerLite unsubscribe link: uses
{$unsubscribe}, SMB alternative - HubSpot unsubscribe link: uses
{{ unsubscribe_link }}, CRM alternative for B2B
For the full 222-platform reference table and the compliance landscape, see the pillar guide How to add an unsubscribe link: the complete 2026 guide. For the legal side, see CAN-SPAM Act, GDPR, and global unsubscribe laws.
Drip unsubscribe FAQ
Can I unsubscribe a subscriber via the Drip API?
Yes. Use the REST API endpoint POST /v2/{account}/subscribers/{id_or_email}/unsubscribe_all. This is the right integration for CRM-driven opt-outs, imports of migrated suppressions, or GDPR right-to-object requests. Drip flips the state to Unsubscribed synchronously and halts every Workflow in flight.
Can a subscriber resubscribe on their own?
Yes, via any Drip signup form or the Manage Preferences page. The record and historical data are retained; only the state flips from Unsubscribed to Active. Drip logs the resubscribe event with source attribution for GDPR compliance.
Does an unsubscribe in Drip also unsubscribe the customer from Shopify?
No, unsubscribe state is not synced back to Shopify by default. If you want the Shopify email marketing consent flag to reflect the Drip state, use the Shopify Admin API to update the customer’s email_marketing_consent.state field via a Drip Workflow webhook. Otherwise, Shopify Email may still send to the same customer even after they unsubscribed in Drip.
About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
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