July 10, 2023

9 Best ActiveCampaign Alternatives for 2024

Reading time about 12 min

Search for the top email marketing solutions, and ActiveCampaign is among the most recommended providers. It’s robust, it’s feature-rich, and it can get extremely expensive as your email list grows. But what ActiveCampaign alternatives are out there?

If you like ActiveCampaign’s functionality but need a more affordable tool, there are a lot of alternatives you can choose from. In this post, we’ll compare top ActiveCampaign competitors to help you pick the best one to switch to.

What ActiveCampaign offers

ActiveCampaign is a broad marketing automation solution. The platform covers tools for email marketing, sales pipeline management, multichannel marketing, and customer relationship management that can be purchased separately or in bundles. Here are the pros and cons of the software:

  • ActiveCampaign prices for email and marketing automation grow with the size of your email list. The cheapest plan starts at $29/month for 1,000 contacts, but the price jumps quickly and then grows steadily as you exceed the limit.
  • The platform only offers a 14-day free trial.
  • The CRM toolkit (which is a billable add-on) allows sales and marketing teams to automatically qualify leads.
  • There’s a mobile app where customer data, performance reports, and to-do lists can be managed directly.
  • Users can create iPad forms to collect contact information in person even when there’s no internet connection (for in-store purchases).
  • 600+ pre-built automation workflows can be used to build sequences of any complexity.
  • ActiveCampaign can be connected to over 870 apps, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and WordPress.
  • ActiveCampaign acquired Postmark to provide a transactional email server.

ActiveCampaign email marketing pricing

Here’s how ActiveCampaign’s prices (billed monthly, per annual subscription) increase depending on the number of contacts.

So you may be wondering if there’s a free plan on ActiveCampaign. No, there’s only a limited trial to test some of the features for 14 days.

Transactional emails are billed separately, starting at $15/month for 10,000 and additional in batches of 1,000.

The price and the lack of a free plan are major reasons to look for an ActiveCampaign alternative.

9 ActiveCampaign competitors and alternatives

Not sure whether ActiveCampaign is suitable for you? There are plenty of alternatives to ActiveCampaign in the market.

1. Brevo

A screenshot of email templates by Brevo, the best ActiveCampaign alternative.

Brevo’s email template gallery

Brevo is a cost-effective ActiveCampaign alternative — especially if you send bulk emails. The marketing automation software offers all email features and even more:

  • Drag and drop email builder
  • Landing page builder
  • A/B testing functionality
  • Detailed real-time reporting
  • Easy-to-use automation workflow editor
  • Collection of pre-built automation workflows
  • Advanced segmentation and contact management
  • Email & SMS personalization
  • Free Sales Platform
  • Transactional email service
  • Multichannel marketing features (SMS & WhatsApp marketing, Facebook ads, push notifications, live chat)
  • GDPR-compliant signup forms for lead generation

Brevo works for SMBs, ecommerce, SaaS, offline businesses, agencies, and nonprofits.

Why Brevo is a better alternative to ActiveCampaign

Read here: A full comparison of ActiveCampaign vs Brevo

  • Pricing plans: Brevo doesn’t charge for the size of your contact list. For $25/month, you access 20,000 email credits and unlimited contact storage.
  • Free access: In a forever-free plan, users can send up to 300 emails/day and store an unlimited number of contacts.
  • CRM: Brevo offers a Sales Platform that can be used with the email functionality on all plans. ActiveCampaign offers sales automation features starting only on the Plus plan.
  • Live chat: ActiveCampaign’s live chat feature has been discontinued. Brevo lets you install a chat widget for free and only charges $15 per additional seat per month.
  • SMS marketing: All Brevo users can send transactional SMS and bulk SMS marketing campaigns. ActiveCampaign offers SMS marketing as a paid add-on starting on the Plus Plan. 
  • Transactional email: Email API and SMTP relays are accessible on all Brevo plans. If you only need a transactional service, plans start at just $15/month for 20,000 transactional emails. ActiveCampaign’s SMTP service is actually Postmark, which they acquired, on an additional plan.
  • Facebook advertising: Brevo users can create and run Facebook Ads directly from their Brevo accounts.

2. Mailchimp

A screenshot of email marketing automation workflow by Mailchimp, an ActiveCampaign alternative.

Mailchimp is a world-famous marketing automation platform and that makes it a possible ActiveCampaign alternative. It combines a wide range of features in one *not overly intuitive* interface. If you’re looking to build your mailing list and create simple email campaigns, Mailchimp is a more convenient solution than ActiveCampaign.

  • The main difference between Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign is that Mailchimp offers a free plan. Although it’s not generous, it gives you 500 contacts and 1,000 emails a month.
  • However, the Mailchimp interface isn’t as user-friendly as ActiveCampaign’s. The layout differs from other popular email marketing platforms, and it takes time before users learn to navigate the tool.
  • Mailchimp’s Customer Journey builder allows you to create simple customer journey-based automation.
  • Mailchimp users can send transactional emails if they purchase a paid add-on.
  • Mailchimp is a good option for small businesses that are just getting started with email marketing and aren’t planning to dig too deep.

Read more: Cheap email marketing services

3. Klaviyo

Klaviyo Email Drag and Drop Builder Screenshot

Klaviyo, an email and SMS marketing automation tool, is another contender for an ActiveCampaign alternative. Users choose it for advanced automation workflows and ecommerce-specific features.

  • Similar to ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo gets expensive quite fast as your mailing list grows. The platform is free for up to 250 contacts, but once you exceed the limit, you’ll start paying $20/month or more. 
  • On the bright side, Klaviyo offers more powerful features for ecommerce, such as advanced segmentation rules, dynamic contact profiles, dynamic coupons for Shopify and Magento platforms, etc.
  • Klaviyo’s performance reports display not only open and click rates but also revenue by attributed channel.
  • Free and paid users are allowed to send SMS messages to customers within the US. 50 SMS contacts and 150 SMS sends are included in all plans. You can buy extra credits if you exceed the limit.

Is Klaviyo better than ActiveCampaign? Depends on your business needs. Discover more Klaviyo alternatives here.

4. ConvertKit

A screenshot of email templates by ConvertKit, an alternative to activecampaign.

ConvertKit is the ActiveCampaign alternative for creators. Bloggers and YouTubers use it to build their mailing lists, run newsletters, and monetize their content.

  • ConvertKit starts at $9/month for a mailing list of 300 subscribers. 
  • There’s a free plan available for users that don’t store more than 1,000 contacts. The free tier doesn’t include automated email sequences, lead scoring, or advanced reporting functionality.
  • Integrations with affiliate management tools, webinar services, and educational platforms allow creators to successfully run promotional campaigns with ConvertKit.
  • ConvertKit offers integrated payment processing (powered by Stripe) with low transaction fees (3.5%+30c per transaction).

Related: 9 Top ConvertKit Alternatives

5. AWeber

A screenshot of email templates by AWeber, an activecampaign alternative.

AWeber is email marketing software with robust ecommerce features for small businesses. 

  • In a forever-free plan, AWeber users can store up to 500 contacts, send 3,000 emails/month, tag and segment subscribers, set up automated flows, and use ecommerce-specific features.
  • AWeber starts at $12.50/month for up to 500 subscribers. 
  • Unlimited landing page and email templates, a drag and drop editor, split testing functionality, AMP emails, behavioral automation, and advanced analytics are included in AWeber’s paid plan.
  • Both AWeber and ActiveCampaign integrate directly with PayPal.
  • AWeber fully integrates with Canva – users can design visual elements for their email marketing campaigns without leaving the AWeber interface.
  • AWeber offers assistance with developing customizable email or landing page templates for an additional fee.

6. Drip

A screenshot of email workflow automation by Drip, an activecampaign alternative.

Drip is a good ActiveCampaign alternative for Shopify merchants.

  • Drip isn’t the cheapest alternative to ActiveCampaign. It begins at $39/month for 2,500 contacts. Users will pay more to add contact credits and/or include SMS notifications in their packages. For instance, a package with 3,00 contacts will cost $49/month.. 
  • Drip doesn’t offer a free plan. To test it, you can start a 14-day free trial.
  • Similar to AWeber, Drip has only one paid plan – starting at $39/month, users access all the advanced features, including pre-built workflow templates, custom automations, dynamic segmentation, and A/B testing.
  • Both Drip and ActiveCampaign provide integrations with Facebook Custom Audiences.
  • Close integrations with a variety of ecommerce platforms make Drip one of the best ActiveCampaign alternatives for ecommerce brands.

7. MailerLite

A screenshot of email templates by MailerLite, an ActiveCampaign alternative.

MailerLite is a viable option for individual creators and small businesses looking for a combination of email marketing tools and an affordable CMS solution.

  • MailerLite is probably the cheapest ActiveCampaign alternative. Unlimited monthly emails and 1,000 contacts will cost you $9/month.
  • A free plan allows for 12,000 monthly emails, 1,000 subscribers, 1 user seat, up to 10 landing pages, and unlimited embedded sign-up forms and pop-ups.
  • CMS users can create custom domains, build unlimited landing pages, and see click map reports in both Growing Business ($9/month) and Advanced ($18/month) plans.
  • To help creators monetize their content, MailerLite provides Stripe integration.
  • Ecommerce brands can connect their online stores, set up behavior-triggered campaigns, and track sales performance in any paid plan.

8. GetResponse

A screenshot of email templates by GetResponse, an alternative to activecampaign.

If you need a marketing automation solution that won’t cost a fortune, GetResponse is the answer.

  • The Basic plan with 1,000 contacts costs $13.30/month. 
  • In the Basic plan, users access autoresponders, unlimited landing pages, basic segmentation, A/B testing, SPAM check, ecommerce tools, and paid ads.
  • Features, like webinar creation, lead scoring, and advanced email marketing automation workflows, are available only in higher-tier plans.
  • Users are allowed to reach up to 500 contacts in a forever-free plan.
  • SMS marketing and transactional email sending aren’t included unless you go for a custom enterprise-level plan.

9. Campaign Monitor

A screenshot of email templates by Campaign Monitor, an alternative to activecampaign.

Campaign Monitor is very similar to ActiveCampaign except for a few distinct features.

  • The pricing packages of Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign are pretty much the same – Campaign Monitor’s pricing also starts at $9/month and follows a similar model for increasing credit limits.
  • Similar to ActiveCampaign, Campaign Monitor doesn’t have a free plan.
  • Campaign Monitor’s features include a drag and drop email editor, HTML editor, marketing automation, advanced segmentation, split testing, multi-user access, and real-time reporting analytics.
  • Campaign Monitor has a unique feature, called Link Review — the tool identifies broken links in current emails before you click the ‘Send’ button.
  • One of the advantages of Campaign Monitor over ActiveCampaign is the transactional email service that’s included in all plans.
  • To help users address any email deliverability issues, Campaign Monitor offers a dedicated customer support team.
  • Overall, if you don’t want to go further than the cheapest plan, Campaign Monitor is a more cost-effective option since it offers more features in the Basic plan than ActiveCampaign does in the Lite plan.

Looking for an ActiveCampaign alternative?

ActiveCampaign works well for email marketing pros that have the time and budget to set up complex workflows. For a small business, it’s better to choose a more affordable and easy-to-use alternative.

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