Feeling trapped in your email marketing platform?
Like you’re stuck with sky-high prices and features you don’t even use? You’re not alone.
Tons of businesses are ditching ActiveCampaign and switching to alternatives that offer better value and more flexibility.
In this post, we’ll break down the 15 best ActiveCampaign alternatives.
We’ll explore key features, pricing, and pros and cons to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.
What is the Best ActiveCampaign Alternative?
That’s the million-dollar question, right?
It really depends on what you’re looking for.
Maybe you need something cheaper, or perhaps you want more features. Some folks just want something easier to use.
Whatever your reason for switching, we’ve got you covered with our list of top picks.
1. Gohighlevel
Ever wished you could have all your marketing tools in one place?
That’s what GoHighLevel aims to do. It’s a platform designed to be an all-in-one solution for marketing agencies and businesses.
Think of it like a Swiss Army knife for your marketing needs.
You get CRM features, email marketing, landing page builders, and even a call-tracking system. It’s pretty powerful stuff.
Our Take
GoHighLevel is a solid choice for agencies and businesses that need a comprehensive marketing solution. The automation features are top-notch, and the white-labeling options are a big plus. However, the pricing may be a barrier for some, and the sheer number of features can feel overwhelming at first.
Key Benefits
- Automation powerhouse: GoHighLevel lets you automate pretty much anything, from email sequences to appointment scheduling. This frees up your time to focus on what matters most.
- White-label friendly: Want to offer these tools to your clients under your own brand? GoHighLevel makes it easy with white-labeling options.
- Built-in courses and training: They have a ton of resources to help you learn the platform and get the most out of it.
Pricing
- Starter: $97/seat per month.
- Unlimited: $297/seat per month.
Pros
Cons
2. Keap
Keap is a CRM designed with small businesses in mind.
It aims to simplify your sales and marketing efforts by bringing everything under one roof.
Think of it as your digital marketing assistant, helping you organize contacts, automate tasks, and close more deals.
Our Take
Keap is a fantastic option for small businesses to streamline their sales and marketing efforts. It’s user-friendly and packed with valuable features. However, it may not be best for larger companies with more complex needs.
Key Benefits
- Built-in email marketing: Send targeted emails to your audience.
- Easy-to-use automation: Automate tasks like sending follow-up messages and assigning leads.
- Sales pipeline management: Track your deals and identify opportunities.
- Ecommerce integrations: Connect Keap with your online store to manage orders and customers.
Pricing
Keap offers a free trial and a simple pricing structure to get you started.
- Starting at $299/month for 2 users and 1500 contacts.
Pros
Cons
3. Salesforce
Salesforce is one of the most well-known and widely used CRM platforms on the planet.
It’s a comprehensive solution that caters to businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
Think of Salesforce as the ultimate CRM powerhouse, with a vast ecosystem of features and integrations.
Our Take
Salesforce is a powerful CRM solution ideal for businesses with complex needs and a growing team. However, it may not be the best fit for small businesses or those new to CRM.
Key Benefits
- Highly customizable: Tailor the platform to the specific needs.
- Scalable for growth: Easily adapt as your business expands.
- Large app marketplace: Extend functionality with a variety of integrations.
- Strong reputation and reliability: Trusted by many large enterprises.
Pricing
- Starter Suite: $25/user per month
- Pro Suite: $100/user per month
- Enterprise: $165/user per month
- Unlimited: $330/user per month
- Einstein 1 Sales: $500/user per month
Pros
Cons
4. Freshsales CRM
Freshsales is a CRM designed to help businesses attract, manage, and close deals.
It’s known for its user-friendly interface and focus on improving sales productivity.
Think of it as a refreshing take on CRM, with a modern design and intuitive features.
Our Take
Freshsales CRM is a solid choice for businesses prioritizing ease of use and affordability. It’s a great way to use CRM without a steep learning curve.
Key Benefits
- User-friendly interface: Easy to navigate and learn.
- Built-in phone and email: Connect with customers directly from the platform.
- AI-powered insights: Get helpful suggestions and predictions.
- Affordable pricing: Offers a free plan and competitive paid plans.
Pricing
Freshsales CRM has a free forever plan for up to three users. Paid plans start at $15/ user per month. Here’s a look at their pricing tiers:
- Free: Basic CRM features for small teams.
- Growth: $9/user per month
- Pro: $39/user per month
- Enterprise: $59/user per month
Pros
Cons
5. Instantly
Instantly aims to streamline your outreach efforts by combining email automation, a robust deliverability network, and a built-in CRM.
It’s a good option for businesses that rely heavily on cold email outreach and want to improve their deliverability rates.
Our Take
Instantly is a valuable tool for businesses that want to ramp up their outreach efforts. However, it’s important to note that it’s primarily an outreach platform, not a complete CRM solution.
Key Benefits
- Multi-channel outreach: Connect with prospects through email, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more.
- Personalized messaging: Tailor your messages to each recipient.
- Automated follow-ups: Stay top-of-mind without lifting a finger.
- Detailed analytics: Track your progress and identify what’s working.
Pricing
- Growth: $37/month for 5000 emails
- Hypergrowth: $97/month for 100000 emails
- Light Speed: $358/month for 500000 emails
Pros
Cons
6. HubSpot
HubSpot is often the first name that comes to mind when people think of CRM.
It’s a powerful platform that offers a wide range of tools for marketing, sales, customer service, and operations.
Think of it as a comprehensive suite that can help you attract, engage, and delight customers throughout their entire journey.
Our Take
HubSpot is a powerful platform with many features, but you must consider your budget and needs before committing. It’s a good choice for businesses that want a comprehensive solution & are willing to invest in it.
Key Benefits
- Free CRM: Start with a free plan with basic CRM features.
- All-in-one platform: Access a marketing, sales, and service tools suite.
- Extensive community and resources: Benefit from a wealth of knowledge and support.
- Inbound marketing focus: Attract and engage leads with valuable content.
Pricing
- Marketing Hub Starter: $20/month/seat
- Starter Custom Platform: $20/month/seat
- Marketing Hub Professional: $890/month/seat
- Marketing Hub Enterprise: Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
7. HoneyBook
HoneyBook is a CRM specifically designed for small businesses and freelancers in the creative industry.
It helps you manage projects, book clients, send invoices, and get paid, all in one place.
Think of it as a client management platform tailored to the needs of creative professionals.
Our Take
HoneyBook is a valuable tool for freelancers and small businesses wanting to simplify client management processes.
Key Benefits
- Project management tools: Keep your projects organized and on track.
- Invoicing and payment processing: Get paid faster and easier.
- Client communication tools: Stay connected with your clients throughout the project lifecycle.
- Beautiful templates and branding: Create professional proposals and contracts.
Pricing
- Starter: $19/month
- Essential: $39/month
- Premium: $79/month
Pros
Cons
8. Zendesk
Zendesk is a well-known name in the customer service world, but they also offer a CRM called Zendesk Sell.
It’s designed to be a simple and intuitive sales CRM that helps teams close more deals.
Think of it as a streamlined tool that focuses on the essentials of sales management.
Our Take
Zendesk Sell is a good choice for businesses that want to combine their sales and support efforts. However, it may not be the best choice for companies with complex sales needs.
Key Benefits
- Integrated with Zendesk Support: Connect your sales and support teams.
- Focus on customer interactions: Track all customer communications in one place.
- Easy to use and navigate: User-friendly interface for efficient workflows.
- Built-in reporting and analytics: Track your progress and identify areas for improvement.
Pricing
- Suite Team: $55/user per month.
- Suite Growth: $89/user per month.
- Suite Professional: $115 per month.
- Suite Enterprise; Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
9. Creatio CRM
Creatio CRM is a low-code platform that offers a suite of CRM tools for sales, marketing, and service.
It’s designed to help businesses automate their processes and improve customer engagement.
Think of it as a flexible and powerful CRM that can adapt to your unique needs.
Our Take
Creatio CRM is a powerful solution for businesses that need a highly customizable CRM. However, it may not be the best fit for those new to CRM or with limited technical resources.
Key Benefits
- Low-code platform: Customize and automate your workflows without coding.
- Visual process designer: Easily map out and manage your sales processes.
- AI-powered features: Get insights and predictions to improve your sales performance.
- Scalable for growth: Adapt the platform as your business evolves.
Pricing
- Growth: $25/user per month.
- Enterprise: $55/user per month.
- Unlimited: $85/user per month.
Pros
Cons
10. Copper CRM
Copper is a CRM designed specifically for Google Workspace users.
It integrates seamlessly with Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, making it a great choice for businesses that rely heavily on Google’s ecosystem.
Think of it as a CRM that lives within your Google Workspace, streamlining your workflows and improving productivity.
Our Take
Copper CRM is a very good choice for businesses that rely heavily on Google Workspace and want a simple and efficient CRM solution.
Key Benefits
- Deep Google Workspace integration: Works seamlessly with your favorite Google apps.
- Simple & intuitive interface: Easy to learn and use.
- Automated data entry: Saves you time and reduces manual effort.
- Focus on relationship building: Helps you nurture and strengthen customer relationships.
Pricing
- Starter: $12/seat per month
- Basic: $29/seat per month
- Professional: $69/seat per month
- Business: $134/seat per month
Pros
Cons
11. Nimble CRM
Want a CRM that helps you build stronger relationships?
Nimble CRM is a relationship-focused platform that enables you to connect with your contacts across different channels.
It pulls together information from various sources to give you a complete view of your contacts and their interactions with your business.
Our Take
HoneyBook is a valuable tool for freelancers and small businesses wanting to simplify client management processes.
Key Benefits
- Unified contact management: See all your contact information in one place.
- Social media integration: Connect with your contacts on social media.
- Relationship insights: Get a deeper understanding of your contacts and their needs.
- Email tracking and templates: Improve your email communication.
Pricing
Nimble CRM offers a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $29/ user per month. They also provide a “Nimble Business” plan that includes additional features for teams.
Pros
Cons
12. Monday CRM
Monday.com is a popular project management platform that also offers CRM functionality.
It’s a great choice for teams that want to manage their projects and customer relationships in one central hub.
Think of it as a visual and collaborative platform that brings your work and customer interactions together.
Our Take
Monday CRM is a good choice for businesses that want a visually appealing and easy-to-use CRM. However, it may not be best for those with complex sales needs or large teams.
Key Benefits
- Visually appealing interface: Easy to navigate and understand.
- Flexible and customizable: Adapt the platform to your specific needs.
- Collaboration features: Work seamlessly with your team.
- Integrations with popular apps: Connect with your favorite business tools.
Pricing
- Free: $0/ 2 seats per month
- Basic: $9/ seat per month
- Standard: $12/seat per month
- Pro: $19/ seat per month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing.
Pros
Cons
13. Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is like a digital office in a box. It has a CRM, plus tools for communication, collaboration, and task management.
It’s a great option for businesses that want to consolidate their tools and streamline their workflow.
Our Take
Bitrix24 gets a 7.5 because it offers incredible value for the price, especially with its free plan. The sheer number of features is impressive. However, it can be a bit overwhelming to navigate at first, and the mobile app could use some improvement.
Key Benefits
- All-in-one platform: Combines over 35 tools to streamline your workflow.
- Collaboration focus: Built-in chat, video conferencing, and social intranet.
- Free plan available: Includes CRM, task management, and website builder for up to 12 users.
Pricing
- Basic: $61 user per month.
- Standard: $124 users per month.
- Professional: $249 users per month.
- Enterprise: $499 users per month.
Pros
Cons
14. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a well-established CRM that offers a wide range of features to help businesses manage their sales, marketing, and customer support activities.
Think of it as a comprehensive platform that can grow with your business, offering tools for everything from contact management to advanced analytics.
Our Take
Zoho CRM is a solid choice for businesses of all sizes that need a comprehensive and customizable CRM. Its wide range of features, integrations, and affordable pricing make it a popular option. However, it’s important to consider the potential learning curve and interface design compared to some newer CRMs.
Key Benefits
- Scalable for growth: Adapt the platform as your business expands.
- Project management features: Keep your projects organized and on track.
- Customizable dashboards and reports: Get the insights you need to make informed decisions.
- Integrations with popular apps: Connect with your favorite business tools.
Pricing
- Standard: $20/user per month
- Professional: $35/user per month
- Enterprise: $99/user per month
- Ultimate: $65/month
Pros
Cons
15. Close CRM
Close CRM aims to be a sales powerhouse by combining communication tools, automation, and a user-friendly interface.
It’s a good option for sales-driven teams that want to streamline their workflows and maximize their outreach efforts.
Our Take
Close CRM is a solid choice for sales teams that want a CRM with built-in communication tools and a focus on productivity. Its calling and email features are particularly strong. However, it’s important to consider the limited marketing automation capabilities and potentially higher cost for larger teams.
Key Benefits
- Built-in Calling: Close CRM includes a built-in power dialer and call tracking features, allowing you to make and receive calls directly within the platform.
- Email Automation: Automate your email outreach with sequences, templates, and tracking features to nurture leads and stay top-of-mind.
- Pipeline Management: Visualize and manage your sales pipeline with ease, track deals, and identify bottlenecks.
- Reporting and Analytics: Track your sales performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions with Close CRM’s reporting tools.
Pricing
Startup: $59/user per month
Professional: $109/user per month
Enterprise: $149/user per month
Pros
Cons
Buyers Guide
When searching for the best ActiveCampaign alternatives, we took a deep dive to make sure our recommendations were truly top-notch.
Here’s how we approached our research:
- Identified Key Features: We pinpointed the essential elements of a strong email marketing software and marketing automation platform. This included features like automation features, a drag-and-drop editor, the ability to create targeted campaigns, and robust customer data management.
- Explored the Market: We extensively researched the landscape of ActiveCampaign alternatives, examining a wide range of marketing automation software offers and marketing automation solutions.
- Compared Pricing: We carefully analyzed the pricing structures of each alternative to ActiveCampaign, considering value for money and different budget needs.
- Evaluated Features: We delved into the specific automation features and capabilities of each platform, assessing their strengths and weaknesses in facilitating effective email marketing campaigns.
- Assessed User Experience: We considered the user-friendliness of each platform, including the ease of creating email campaigns and managing advanced marketing automation workflows.
- Analyzed Customer Support: We investigated the availability of support resources, including community forums, documentation, and responsive customer service, to ensure users have adequate assistance when needed.
- Considered Reviews: We examined user reviews and feedback to understand real-world experiences and identify any recurring issues or highlights.
Wrapping Up
That’s a wrap on our exploration of ActiveCampaign alternatives!
We’ve covered a lot of ground, from pricing and features to user experience and support.
Remember, the best choice for your business depends on your unique needs and goals.
Don’t be afraid to try out a few different options before making a decision.
Most platforms offer free trials or freemium plans, so you can test the waters without any risk.
We’ve done our homework to bring you the best of the best.
With our guide, you can ditch the frustration and find an email marketing platform that truly helps your business thrive.
Happy emailing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I consider ActiveCampaign alternatives?
You might consider alternatives if ActiveCampaign’s pricing doesn’t fit your budget, its features are too complex for your needs, or you’re looking for a platform with a more user-friendly interface.
What are the most important features to look for in an ActiveCampaign alternative?
Key features include robust email marketing capabilities, marketing automation tools, ease of use, reliable customer support, and integrations with other platforms you use.
Are there any free ActiveCampaign alternatives?
Yes! Several platforms offer free plans with basic features, like MailerLite and Moosend. These are great options for small businesses or those just starting with email marketing.
What is the best ActiveCampaign alternative for small businesses?
MailerLite is often a top choice for small businesses due to its affordability, ease of use, and essential features. ConvertKit is also a strong contender, especially for creators and those focused on audience growth.
Do these alternatives offer similar automation features to ActiveCampaign?
Many alternatives offer comparable or even more advanced automation features. GetResponse, for instance, boasts powerful automation workflows, while Omnisend excels in e-commerce-focused automation.