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16 ActiveCampaign Alternatives for Serious Marketers (2025 Picks)

Campaign Monitor - May 30, 2025

Disclaimer: The features, pricing, and details mentioned for each product are as of May 2025, and may have changed since then.

While ActiveCampaign offers powerful automation capabilities, many online reviews suggest that users struggle with the platform’s complex interface, escalating costs, and limited features.

We’ve tested 16 leading alternatives to find solutions that might be a better fit for your specific needs. Ready? Let’s dive in.

(TL;DR) ActiveCampaign alternatives at a glance

What’s “wrong” with ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign is undeniably a robust marketing automation platform with impressive capabilities. However, after analyzing hundreds of reviews from G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and Reddit, several recurring issues kept surfacing:

• Complex interface with a steep learning curve that can overwhelm users without technical expertise
• Escalating costs as contact lists grow, creating budget challenges for scaling businesses
• Customer support delays with some users reporting days of waiting for resolution
• Limited customization options for templates compared to more design-focused alternatives
• Overwhelming feature set that many users pay for but never fully utilize

1) Campaign Monitor by Marigold – The #1 ActiveCampaign alternative in the market right now

4.7/5 (1000+ reviews)

Campaign Monitor by Marigold delivers powerful features and intuitive design that makes email marketing accessible to everyone. With its drag-and-drop email builder, prebuilt automated journeys, and straightforward yet effective segmentation capabilities, it’s ideal for businesses that want professional results without the complexity.

Campaign Monitor vs. ActiveCampaign: Key differences

Key features

• Drag-and-Drop Email Builder: Create visually stunning emails in minutes with an intuitive interface that requires zero coding knowledge.
• Prebuilt Automated Journeys: Leverage prebuilt journeys (welcome series, abandoned cart, anniversaries, and events) to save time, boost engagement, and drive conversions.
• Dynamic Content: Personalize emails by showing different content to different subscribers within the same campaign, increasing relevance and engagement.
• A/B Testing Engine: Test subject lines, content blocks, or CTAs to optimize results based on real user behavior, with the ability to set goals such as increasing open rates, click-through rates, and visits to a URL.
• 24/5 Global Support: Global support via multiple channels via multiple channels (email support on all tiers, phone support on premium)

What else can you do with Campaign Monitor?

Beyond email marketing, Campaign Monitor offers SMS marketing capabilities for customers in the US, Canada, Australia, and UK. For agencies, Campaign Monitor offers a range of features to simplify client management, including client dashboards, multi-account access, and custom user roles.

These tools, along with performance tracking and the ability to manage all clients from a single interface, help agencies optimize their workflow and campaign performance.

Campaign Monitor has a free plan, but pricing starts at $12 USD/month

2) Mailchimp – Multi-channel marketing tool

4.4/5 (5000+ reviews)

Mailchimp has evolved from a simple email service provider to a comprehensive marketing platform that includes email, website building, social media, and more. Its strength lies in providing small businesses with all the tools they need in one place, though its interface can sometimes feel cluttered compared to more focused alternatives.

Key features

• Comprehensive Marketing Hub: Access email, landing pages, social media, digital ads, and website building all from one platform.
• AI-Powered Tools: Generate content, design assets, and optimize campaigns with Mailchimp’s expanding suite of AI features.
• Website & Landing Page Builder: Create SEO-optimized, mobile-responsive websites with unlimited pages and bandwidth without additional tools.
• Customer Journey Builder: Design automated workflows with 60+ triggers based on user behavior, purchase history, or engagement.
• Predictive Analytics: Leverage customer lifetime value and purchase likelihood metrics to target your most valuable audience segments.

Mailchimp has a free plan, but pricing starts at $13/month

Considerations before going with Mailchimp

Mailchimp’s pricing structure has become increasingly expensive over recent years, with the Premium plan jumping to $350/month. Advanced tools like branching automation and multivariate testing are restricted to higher-tier plans, limiting functionality for budget-conscious users.

Additionally, the platform imposes strict automation limits on the Essentials plan (only 4 journey points), forcing upgrades for more complex workflows.

Read more: Top 17 Mailchimp Alternatives That Offer Better Pricing Plans

3) Brevo – Budget-friendly alternative

4.5/5 (2000+ reviews)

Formerly known as Sendinblue, Brevo offers one of the most generous free plans in the industry with unlimited contacts and 300 emails per day. Its strength lies in providing affordable access to email, SMS, WhatsApp, and chat marketing in a unified platform.

Key features

• Unlimited Contacts: Even the free plan allows unlimited contacts, charging only based on email volume rather than list size.
• Multi-Channel Communication: Integrate email, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat in one platform for cohesive customer interactions.
• AI-Powered Tools: Generate content, optimize send times, and summarize chat conversations automatically with Aura AI.
• Universal Inbox: Centralize communications from email, SMS, Facebook, Instagram, and live chat in one interface for streamlined customer service.
• Customer Data Platform: Unify data across marketing, sales, and service for comprehensive customer profiles and segmentation.

Brevo has a free plan, but pricing starts at $9/month

Considerations before going with Brevo

Some advanced features like A/B testing and multi-user access require higher-tier plans or add-ons. SMS and WhatsApp pricing varies widely depending on destination countries, which can lead to unpredictable costs.

Read next: We Compared 17 Brevo Alternatives – Here are the Top 3

4) Klaviyo – Good for ecommerce brands

4.6/5 (1000+ reviews)

Klaviyo specializes in ecommerce marketing with deep integrations for online stores and powerful predictive analytics. It’s designed for brands that want to leverage customer data for highly personalized, revenue-generating campaigns across email, SMS, and mobile apps.

Key features

• Unified Customer Data: Build comprehensive customer profiles that combine purchase history, browsing behavior, and engagement data.
• Predictive Analytics: Forecast customer lifetime value, churn risk, and next purchase date to optimize targeting and offers.
• Multi-Channel Orchestration: Coordinate messaging across email, SMS, and mobile push notifications from a single platform.
• Product Recommendations: Automatically suggest relevant products based on browsing or purchase history to drive repeat sales.
• Reviews Platform: Collect and display customer reviews for products with pre-built email flows for review solicitation.

Klaviyo has a free plan, but pricing starts at $45/month

Considerations before going with Klaviyo

Klaviyo’s platform is heavily optimized for e-commerce businesses, making it less suitable for service-based companies or B2B organizations. The platform’s reviews and advanced data platform features require add-on purchases beyond the base pricing.

Read more: 17 Klaviyo Alternatives That Offer Better Value for Small Businesses

5) Constant Contact – User-friendly event management tool

4.1/5 (6000+ reviews)

Constant Contact focuses on simplicity and accessibility, making it ideal for small businesses and nonprofits that want straightforward email marketing without a steep learning curve. Its standout feature is built-in event management, setting it apart from most competitors.

Key features

• Event Marketing: Host events, sell tickets, and process payments via Stripe or PayPal directly within the platform.
• AI Copy Generator: Automatically draft messaging based on campaign goals to accelerate content creation.
• Social Media Integration: Schedule and post content to Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn alongside email campaigns.
• Beginner-Friendly Interface: Navigate an intuitive platform designed specifically for users with limited technical expertise.
• Live Onboarding Support: Get personalized guidance during setup to ensure successful implementation.

Pricing starts at $12/month

Considerations before going with Constant Contact

Constant Contact offers limited automation capabilities in its lower-tier plans, with the Lite plan including just one automation template. Advanced reporting and unlimited segmentation require the Premium plan, which is significantly more expensive.

Read more: Constant Contact Alternatives That Offer Improved Automation Features

6) SendGrid – Developer-friendly marketing platform

4/5 (300+ reviews)

SendGrid, a Twilio company, offers a developer-first approach to email marketing with powerful APIs and reliable delivery infrastructure. It’s ideal for technical teams that need programmatic control over their email communications and transactional messages.

Key features

• Industry-Leading Deliverability: Benefit from 99% inbox placement rates and 1.9-second median delivery speed.
• Robust APIs and SDKs: Integrate email functionality directly into applications with well-documented code libraries.
• Dynamic Templates: Create reusable email designs with Handlebars syntax for advanced personalization.
• Dedicated IPs: Maintain sender reputation with dedicated IP addresses (available on higher-tier plans).
• Real-Time Analytics: Monitor delivery metrics, engagement, and performance with comprehensive dashboards.

SendGrid has a free plan, but pricing starts at $19.95/month

Considerations before going with SendGrid

SendGrid’s interface prioritizes functionality over user-friendliness, making it challenging for non-technical marketers. Many key features like automation, dedicated IPs, and validation are only available on higher-priced plans.

Read next: We Compared 12+ User-Friendly SendGrid Alternatives

7) GetResponse – Marketing platform for content creators

4.3/5 (700+ reviews)

GetResponse combines traditional email marketing with webinars, sales funnels, and course creation tools. It’s particularly well-suited for businesses that want to monetize knowledge through online courses and membership sites.

Key features

• AI Course Creator: Structure courses, modules, and quizzes automatically from simple topic descriptions.
• Webinar Functionality: Host live and on-demand webinars directly within the platform without additional software.
• Conversion Funnels: Build complete sales processes with integrated pages, forms, emails, and payment processing.
• Ecommerce Tools: Recover abandoned carts and create promo codes for your online store.
• AI Campaign Generator: Create complete campaigns including landing pages, emails, and newsletters from simple prompts.

Pricing starts at $19/month

Considerations before going with GetResponse

The platform has a learning curve for advanced features like funnels and courses. SMS marketing costs extra and is only available on the Enterprise tier, limiting multi-channel capabilities for smaller businesses.

Read next: We Compared 17 GetResponse Alternatives – Here’s our Feedback

8) ConvertKit (now Kit) – Good for independent creators

4.4/5 (200+ reviews)

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) is designed specifically for independent creators like writers, podcasters, and artists. It focuses on growing and monetizing audiences through newsletters, digital products, and creator recommendations.

Key features

• Creator Network: Grow organically by appearing in other creators’ sign-up flows or through paid recommendations.
• Integrated Commerce: Sell digital products, subscriptions, and accept one-off donations without third-party tools.
• Visual Automation Builder: Design subscriber journeys with an intuitive, visual workflow editor.
• Single List Management: Avoid duplicate billing with a tag-based system instead of multiple lists.
• Newsletter Referral System: Encourage subscribers to share your content with built-in referral tracking.

ConvertKit has a free plan, but pricing starts at $29/month

Considerations before going with ConvertKit

The platform is heavily focused on individual creators and may lack some features needed by larger teams or businesses. The learning curve for power users can be steep, as features like the Commerce and Sponsor Network require time to master.

Read more: ConvertKit Alternatives That Better Support Business Growth

9) AWeber – Reliable email marketing with AI assistance

4.2/5 (600+ reviews)

AWeber is one of the longest-standing email marketing platforms, known for exceptional deliverability and straightforward functionality. Recent AI enhancements have modernized the platform while maintaining its reliability.

Key features

• AI Writing Assistant: Generate full emails or newsletter drafts in your brand voice to overcome writer’s block.
• Landing Page Builder: Create conversion-focused pages with 100+ templates and integrated forms.
• Web Push Notifications: Re-engage site visitors with browser-based notifications alongside email.
• Ecommerce Tools: Sell digital goods, subscriptions, and accept donations with low transaction fees.
• Exceptional Deliverability: Benefit from a 99.8% delivery rate backed by in-house specialists.

Pricing starts at $15/month

Considerations before going with AWeber

AWeber’s deep feature set can also be overwhelming for absolute beginners, making the interface complex to navigate. While AWeber’s email features are robust, it lacks SMS and mobile push notifications, limiting communication channels.

Read more: 15 AWeber Alternatives That are Cost-Effective

10) Omnisend – Ecommerce-focused multi-channel marketing

4.6/5 (900+ reviews)

Omnisend specializes in ecommerce marketing with pre-built workflows and shoppable content blocks designed specifically for online stores. Its strength lies in coordinating email, SMS, and web push notifications for cohesive customer experiences.

Key features

• Multi-Channel Campaigns: Coordinate email, SMS, and web push notifications from a single platform.
• Product Reviews: Collect and display customer reviews with automated email/SMS requests post-purchase.
• Pre-Built Ecommerce Flows: Implement welcome series, cart abandonment, and browse abandonment campaigns instantly.
• Shoppable Content Blocks: Add product pickers, dynamic discount codes, and “Wheel of Fortune” elements to emails.
• Campaign Booster: Automatically resend campaigns to non-openers with different subject lines to increase engagement.

Pricing starts at $16/month

Considerations before going with Omnisend

Some features, particularly product reviews, are only available for Shopify stores. The platform’s quarterly pre-pay requirement for the 30% discount may not suit businesses with monthly-only budgets.

Read more: Omnisend Alternatives That Work Better for Non-Shopify Stores

11) Moosend – Email marketing with AI enhancement

4.7/5 (700+ reviews)

Moosend offers competitive pricing with a feature set that rivals more expensive platforms. It’s particularly appealing to budget-conscious marketers who need advanced capabilities without premium costs.

Key features

• Affordable Per-Contact Pricing: Pay based on your list size with no send volume caps on paid plans.
• AI-Enhanced Tools: Generate email copy, subject lines, and product descriptions with built-in AI.
• Visual Workflow Builder: Create automated sequences with triggers for opens, clicks, purchases, and custom events.
• SMTP Server Access: Send via Moosend’s infrastructure for reliable delivery of transactional emails.
• Landing Pages and Forms: Build conversion-focused pages and subscription forms without additional tools.

Pricing starts at $9/month

Considerations before going with Moosend

While Moosend offers excellent value, some users report occasional platform glitches and a less polished user experience compared to more established providers.

The template library, while functional, isn’t as extensive as some competitors. Advanced users might find some specialized features missing compared to higher-priced alternatives.

Read next: We Compared 12+ Moosend Alternatives with Better Pricing Models

12) Drip – Behavior-driven marketing for ecommerce

4.4/5 (400+ reviews)

Drip focuses on helping ecommerce brands create personalized customer journeys based on real-time behavior. Its strength lies in turning shopping data into automated, revenue-generating campaigns.

Key features

• Dynamic, Behavioral Segments: Create audience segments that update in real-time based on customer actions.
• Visual Workflow Builder: Design multi-step journeys with email, onsite messaging, and social retargeting components.
• Onsite Campaigns: Display targeted popups, slide-ins, and embedded forms based on visitor behavior.
• Ecommerce Data Sync: Pull in orders, product views, and customer attributes from major shopping platforms.
• Revenue Attribution: Track email and automation-driven sales with comprehensive dashboards.

Pricing starts at $39/month

Considerations before going with Drip

Drip offers only a single pricing tier that scales with list size, with no lower-cost option for very small lists. The platform focuses primarily on email and onsite messaging, lacking native SMS capabilities.

Read more: Drip Alternatives With Better Multi-Channel Capabilities

13) MailerLite – Decent for selling digital products

4.6/5 (1000+ reviews)

MailerLite combines simplicity with affordability, making it ideal for small businesses and creators. Beyond email marketing, it offers website building, digital product sales, and landing pages in one unified platform.

Key features

• Digital Product Sales: Sell ebooks, courses, and other digital products directly through the platform with no transaction fees.
• Website Builder: Create and host complete websites with blogs, SEO controls, and custom domains.
• Rich-Text & HTML Editors: Choose between simple text-based emails or fully customized HTML designs.
• Dynamic Content Blocks: Show or hide email sections based on subscriber segments for personalized messaging.
• Affordable Pricing: Access core features at lower price points than many competitors.

MailerLite has a free plan, but pricing starts at $10/month

Considerations before going with MailerLite

While MailerLite excels in simplicity, it lacks some of the advanced automation capabilities found in more sophisticated platforms.

The approval process for new accounts can sometimes delay getting started, and some users report occasional deliverability issues. The template selection, while high-quality, isn’t as extensive as some competitors.

Read next: We Compared 15 MailerLite Alternatives – Here’s the Winner

14) Sendlane – Decent E-commerce deliverability

4.7/5 (60+ reviews)

Sendlane specializes in high-performance email marketing with a focus on deliverability and conversion optimization for online retailers.

Key features

• Deliverability Optimization – Benefit from proactive monitoring and infrastructure designed to maximize inbox placement.
• Behavior-Based Automation – Create sophisticated workflows triggered by customer actions to drive more conversions.
• Deep Data Integration – Connect customer data from your store, CRM, and other tools to send targeted messages.
• Machine Learning Send Time Optimization – Automatically deliver emails when each subscriber is most likely to engage.
• Revenue Analytics – Track exactly how campaigns impact your bottom line with detailed attribution reporting.

Pricing starts at $100/month

Considerations before going with Sendlane

Sendlane’s pricing structure starts higher than many competitors, making it less accessible for small businesses or those just starting with email marketing. The platform is heavily optimized for e-commerce, so service businesses might not benefit from all the specialized features. Some users report a steeper learning curve.

15) HubSpot – Marketing platform with CRM integration

4.4/5 (12K+ reviews)

HubSpot Marketing Hub is part of a comprehensive CRM platform that includes sales, service, and operations tools. It’s ideal for businesses that want to align their entire customer journey from first touch to loyal customer.

Key features

• All-in-One Platform: Connect marketing with sales, service, and operations in a unified system.
• Content Management System: Create and optimize website content with built-in SEO tools.
• Marketing Automation: Build sophisticated workflows triggered by contact properties or behaviors.
• ABM Tools: Implement account-based marketing strategies with company scoring and targeting.
• Comprehensive Analytics: Track performance across marketing channels with attribution reporting.

HubSpot has a free plan, but pricing starts at $15/month

Considerations before going with HubSpot

HubSpot’s pricing increases significantly as you access more advanced features. The platform requires substantial investment to unlock its full potential, with many key capabilities reserved for higher-tier plans.

Read next: We Compared 15 Affordable HubSpot Alternatives – Here’s the Winner

16) Zoho Campaigns – Email marketing with CRM integration

4.4/5 (700+ reviews)

Zoho Campaigns offers cost-effective email marketing with deep integration into the broader Zoho ecosystem. It’s particularly valuable for businesses already using Zoho CRM or other Zoho applications.

Key features

• Seamless Zoho CRM Integration: Synchronize contacts, campaigns, and analytics with Zoho’s CRM platform.
• Autoresponders and Workflows: Create automated sequences based on subscriber actions or time intervals.
• Social Media Campaigns: Manage email and social media marketing from a single interface.
• A/B Testing: Optimize campaigns by testing subject lines, content, and sender information.
• Affordable Pricing: Access professional email marketing capabilities at budget-friendly rates.

Zoho Campaigns has a free plan, but pricing starts at $4

Considerations before going with Zoho Campaigns

The platform’s greatest strength—integration with Zoho products—can be a limitation for those using other CRM or business tools. The interface feels dated compared to more modern alternatives, with a steeper learning curve.

The Verdict: Which ActiveCampaign alternative should you choose? (Our top 3 picks)

After thoroughly testing all 16 alternatives, here are our top recommendations:

1. Campaign Monitor: The ideal balance of powerful features and usability. Its intuitive interface, outstanding design capabilities, and reliable deliverability make it our top pick for most businesses seeking an ActiveCampaign alternative. The platform’s 24/7 support and transparent pricing structure address two of ActiveCampaign’s most common pain points.
2. Brevo: Best for budget-conscious businesses that need multi-channel capabilities. With its generous free plan, unlimited contacts policy, and integrated email, SMS, and chat features, Brevo offers exceptional value for growing companies.
3. Klaviyo: The superior choice for ecommerce brands. Its deep data integration, predictive analytics, and multi-channel orchestration make it unmatched for online stores focused on customer retention and lifetime value.

Your ideal choice ultimately depends on your specific needs, technical expertise, and budget. Consider starting with free trials of your top contenders to find your perfect match.