The Act-On Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Act-On in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Act-On
The Insider’s Guide
B2B marketing automation priced by contacts you actually email
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email marketing and newsletter tools, read from Act-On’s own pages.
Made by Act-On Marketing Automation · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Act-On’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Act-On’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 2 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade
Act-On is a marketing automation platform covering email, landing pages and forms, lead scoring, journey orchestration and reporting. It prices by active contacts, the people emailed in a month, instead of the size of the whole database. Plans require an annual contract.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Act-On, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Programmes and scoring rules have to be built.
- 1
Best for B2B marketing automation priced by active contacts
Act-On covers email, landing pages, forms, lead scoring and reporting, priced by active contacts.
- 2
Paid plans start at $900 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $900 per month for up to 2,500 active contacts.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Active Contacts pricing
Billing follows the number of contacts emailed in a month, not the whole database, and non-active contacts keep their engagement history.
- 5
Automated engagement programs
Journey orchestration with behavior-based lists and targeting of emails and messages to segments.
- 6
Landing pages and forms
Pre-built templates for landing pages, forms and emails, with tracking of website and landing page visitors.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 2 of 102
That is against the other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Act-On you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Act-On at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $900 per month for up to 2,500 active contacts
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Act-On Marketing Automation
- Category
- Email Marketing & Newsletters
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for B2B marketing automation priced by active contacts
Act-On covers email, landing pages, forms, lead scoring and reporting, priced by active contacts. It starts at $900 a month for 2,500 contacts on an annual contract, and CRM integration needs Enterprise.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Professional is $900 a month for up to 2,500 active contacts, $1,375 at 10,000, far above the $149 mark for this category's dearest tenth. It is a marketing automation product, not a newsletter tool. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing free: no free plan or trial is described, and an annual contract is required. |
| Features | C | Email, landing pages and forms, scoring, journeys and reporting. But CRM integration and Data Studio are Enterprise or add-ons. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Programmes and scoring rules have to be built. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Salesforce, SugarCRM, NetSuite, Dynamics and Zapier integrations. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Act-On is for
- Fits if you run a B2B team that wants marketing automation and can commit to a year
- Works for teams with a CRM to connect on the Enterprise tier
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you are small: $900 a month for 2,500 active contacts
- Not for you if you want a free plan or trial
- Tight if you can't commit, as an annual contract is required
- Watch out: CRM integration and Data Studio are Enterprise items or add-ons
- Watch out: premium support is a paid extra
Good to know
Good for
- B2B marketing teams that email only part of a large database
- Teams that want marketing automation with CRM sync on a yearly contract
Worth knowing
- An annual contract is required, per the pricing page.
- CRM integration with Salesforce, SugarCRM, NetSuite and Dynamics, and Data Studio, are Enterprise items or add-ons.
- Professional includes the standard email support package; premium support is a paid extra and is recommended for Enterprise.
- No free plan or trial is described on the pricing page.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$900
A month to start
Act-On is a paid product, starting at $900 per month for up to 2,500 active contacts.
It is a marketing automation product, not a newsletter tool.
Professional
$900
per month for up to 2,500 active contacts, annual contract
Complete marketing automation program with standard email support. The price rises with active contacts: $1,375 a month at 10,000. Actual pricing may vary with add-ons.
Enterprise
Custom
Everything in Professional plus CRM integration, Data Studio for BI reporting, account-based marketing and 2x user accounts. Quoted through sales.
Read from act-on.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Nonprofit
Nonprofit discounts
The pricing page FAQ says discounts exist for 501(c)(3) nonprofits and asks visitors to contact Act-On for details.
Stated on act-on.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
B2B marketing automation priced by contacts you actually email. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, marketing automation, workflow automation, forms, reports, email campaigns.
Email, landing pages and forms, scoring, journeys and reporting.
- Active Contacts pricing
- Billing follows the number of contacts emailed in a month, not the whole database, and non-active contacts keep their engagement history.
- Automated engagement programs
- Journey orchestration with behavior-based lists and targeting of emails and messages to segments.
- Landing pages and forms
- Pre-built templates for landing pages, forms and emails, with tracking of website and landing page visitors.
- Scoring and AI
- Scores visitors, prospects and customers, and lists an AI predictive lead score and audience insights.
- Reporting
- Interactive analytics dashboards; Data Studio for BI integration is an Enterprise feature or add-on.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Salesforce
- SugarCRM
- NetSuite
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Zapier
Act-On is made by Act-On Marketing Automation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
2/102
Other email marketing and newsletter tools it is graded above
Act-On's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 2 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 31 of 102) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $900 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 76 of the 78 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 33 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 103 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Act-On’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 1 of 102
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 102
- CFeaturesAbove 4 of 102
- CEase of useAbove 11 of 102
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 102
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 82 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Act-On is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Act-On you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 91 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools grade higher. It costs $10,800 a year.
What you could make
- Reports and forms: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Act-On’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ActiveCampaign, Dotdigital and Acoustic
The 3 tools Act-On is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
ActiveCampaign
Free trial · from $15/mo
Email marketing and multi-step automation priced by contacts.
- Act-On also covers workflow automation.
- ActiveCampaign also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.0GPA
Dotdigital
Paid
Cross-channel marketing automation for ecommerce and B2B teams.
- Act-On also covers workflow automation, forms and reports.
- Dotdigital also covers sMS marketing and whatsApp messaging.
- 1.6GPA
Acoustic
Paid
Real-time customer engagement platform across email, SMS and push.
- Act-On also covers workflow automation, forms and reports.
- Acoustic also covers sMS marketing, whatsApp messaging and session replay.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Act-On free?
No. Act-On is a paid product, starting at $900 per month for up to 2,500 active contacts.
How much does Act-On cost?
Act-On lists 2 plans. Professional: $900 per month for up to 2,500 active contacts, annual contract.
What platforms does Act-On work on?
Act-On is available on Web.
Does Act-On offer any discounts?
Act-On publicly lists the following: Nonprofit discounts.
Does Act-On have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Act-On is listed for Web.
Does Act-On have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Act-On is listed for Web.
Is Act-On open source?
Act-On is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Act-On have an API?
Yes. Act-On offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Act-On integrate with?
Act-On's listing names Salesforce, SugarCRM, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics and Zapier.
Who makes Act-On?
Act-On is made by Act-On Marketing Automation.
What are the alternatives to Act-On?
The closest alternatives to Act-On in our directory are ActiveCampaign, Dotdigital and Acoustic.
How does Act-On compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
Act-On's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 2 of the 102 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is Act-On good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Act-On D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $900 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 76 of the 78 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Act-On?
To replace Act-On you would be making email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Act-On’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Act-On's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Act-On Marketing Automation. Prices change, so check act-on.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Act-On, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/act-on
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Act-On: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/act-on
Know someone choosing between email marketing and newsletter tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/act-on/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email marketing and newsletter tools after Act-On, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Marketing & Newsletters Insider's GuideEvery one of the 103 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, compared
- Substack Insider's GuideNewsletter, podcast and video publishing with paid subscriptions3.2 GPA
- Mailrelay Insider's GuideEmail marketing with a large free plan and SMS and WhatsApp add-ons3.0 GPA
- SendFox Insider's GuideEmail newsletters and list building for creators on a budget3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Act-On’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Act-On is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Act-On Marketing Automation. Prices and plans change: check act-on.com before you buy.