The ActiveCampaign Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ActiveCampaign 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.
ActiveCampaign
The Insider’s Guide
Email marketing and multi-step automation priced by contacts
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email marketing and newsletter tools, read from ActiveCampaign’s own pages.
Made by ActiveCampaign · checked Oct 17, 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 ActiveCampaign’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ActiveCampaign’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade
ActiveCampaign is an email marketing and automation platform for small and mid-sized businesses. Its visual builder chains emails, waits, branches and CRM updates into multi-step automations, and AI tools draft campaigns, copy and images. SMS, WhatsApp, sales pipelines and transactional email are sold as add-ons to the four contact-based plans.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about ActiveCampaign, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No App Store rating on record, and this is a web app where the work is building automations and segments.
- 1
Best for long automated email sequences
ActiveCampaign is built for automations: long chains of emails, waits and branches that run on their own, with a CRM on the side if you sell.
- 2
Paid plans start at $15 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $15 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($19 monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial, no credit card needed
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Multi-step automations
A visual builder links actions, waits and branches into automations. Starter allows 5 actions per automation; Plus and above have no limit.
- 6
Email designer and AI tools
Drag-and-drop and HTML designer, 250+ templates and A/B testing, plus an AI campaign builder and AI text and image generation.
- 7
Segmentation and personalization
Segmentation runs from limited on Starter to premium on Enterprise. Conditional content and predictive sending start at Pro.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 5 of 24
That is against the other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace ActiveCampaign you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
ActiveCampaign at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $15 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($19 monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card needed
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- ActiveCampaign, since 2003
- Category
- Email Marketing & Newsletters
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for long automated email sequences
ActiveCampaign is built for automations: long chains of emails, waits and branches that run on their own, with a CRM on the side if you sell. It starts at $15 a month for 1,000 contacts on yearly billing. But there's no free plan, and the cheapest plan stops each automation at 5 actions, so the good stuff starts at $49.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $15 a month for 1,000 contacts on yearly billing, or $19 monthly, a little above the middle of what email tools charge. Starter has 1 user and 5 actions per automation, though. Unlimited steps and landing pages need Plus at $49, and Starter is $149 a month at 10,000 contacts. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan at all, but there's a 14-day trial with no credit card needed. Long enough to build an automation or two and see if it clicks. |
| Features | B | Multi-step automations, a drag-and-drop designer with 250+ templates and A/B tests, segmentation, forms, reports and AI drafting. It covers the whole job. SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email and sales pipelines cost extra on top. |
| Ease of use | C | No App Store rating on record, and this is a web app where the work is building automations and segments. Powerful, but expect a learning curve before it pays off. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but it connects to Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Salesforce, Stripe, Slack, Zapier and Calendly, and has an API. No desktop or phone app is listed. |
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 ActiveCampaign is for
- Great if your marketing is mostly automated sequences, like onboarding, nurture and win-back emails
- Handy when you want email and a sales CRM sharing the same contacts
- Good for online stores on Shopify, WooCommerce or Square that tie orders to emails
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan to grow into, as there isn't one
- Tight if you're on Starter, since each automation stops at 5 actions and there's only 1 user
- Pricey if your list is big, at $149 a month for 10,000 contacts even on Starter
Good to know
Good for
- Businesses that run long automated sequences rather than one-off newsletters
- Teams that want email marketing tied to a sales CRM
- Online stores on Shopify, WooCommerce or Square that tie orders to email
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; after the 14-day trial every plan is paid.
- Monthly email sends are capped at 10 times your contact limit on Starter and Plus, 12 times on Pro and 15 times on Enterprise.
- SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email, sales pipelines and extra users are paid add-ons on top of the plan price.
- Starter has one user and stops at 25,000 contacts; landing pages need Plus and conditional content needs Pro.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$15
A month to start
ActiveCampaign is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($19 monthly).
Long enough to build an automation or two and see if it clicks.
Starter
$15
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($19 monthly)
1 user, limited segmentation, 5 actions per automation, up to 25,000 contacts. Price rises with the list: $149 a month at 10,000 contacts, billed annually.
Plus
$49
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($59 monthly)
1 user, unlimited automation actions, standard segmentation and landing pages. $189 a month at 10,000 contacts, billed annually.
Pro
$79
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($99 monthly)
3 users, advanced segmentation, conditional content, predictive sending and attribution. $375 a month at 10,000 contacts, billed annually.
Enterprise
$145
per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($179 monthly)
5 users, premium segmentation, custom objects, single sign-on and a dedicated account team. $589 a month at 10,000 contacts, billed annually.
Trying it first
14-day free trial, no credit card needed
Read from activecampaign.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 20% off with annual billing
At 1,000 contacts, annual billing brings Starter to $15 a month from $19 monthly, Plus to $49 from $59 and Pro to $79 from $99.
Stated on activecampaign.comNonprofit
20% off for nonprofits
ActiveCampaign's FAQ offers nonprofits a 20% discount on proof of nonprofit status, requested from the sales team or, for existing accounts, from support.
Stated on activecampaign.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
Email marketing and multi-step automation priced by contacts. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, sales pipeline, marketing automation, forms, reports, email campaigns.
SMS, WhatsApp, transactional email and sales pipelines cost extra on top.
- Multi-step automations
- A visual builder links actions, waits and branches into automations. Starter allows 5 actions per automation; Plus and above have no limit.
- Email designer and AI tools
- Drag-and-drop and HTML designer, 250+ templates and A/B testing, plus an AI campaign builder and AI text and image generation.
- Segmentation and personalization
- Segmentation runs from limited on Starter to premium on Enterprise. Conditional content and predictive sending start at Pro.
- CRM and pipelines
- Every plan keeps contact profiles, tags and custom fields. Pipelines, deals, lead scoring and win probability come with the paid CRM add-ons.
- Forms, landing pages and site messages
- Starter has standard and inline forms only; Plus adds landing pages. Site messages and Google, Facebook and LinkedIn ad audiences are also available.
- Reporting and attribution
- Campaign, automation and contact reports on every plan. Attribution starts at Pro; custom reports are included on Enterprise and an add-on on Plus and Pro.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- WordPress
- Salesforce
- Stripe
- Slack
- Zapier
- Calendly
ActiveCampaign is made by ActiveCampaign, and has been around since 2003.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/24
Other email marketing and newsletter tools it is graded above
ActiveCampaign's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on features (B, above 3 of 24) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $15 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 12 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 25 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. ActiveCampaign’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 24
- CFree plan and trialAbove 2 of 24
- BFeaturesAbove 3 of 24
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 24
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 24
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 23 email marketing and newsletter tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. ActiveCampaign 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 ActiveCampaign you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach 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: 10 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools grade higher. It costs $180 a year.
What you could make
- Forms, sales pipeline and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Email sent in volume that still reaches the inbox.
- It plugs into other products, Shopify, WooCommerce and WordPress among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. ActiveCampaign’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
Mailchimp, GetResponse, Brevo, Klaviyo and Drip
The 5 tools ActiveCampaign is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Mailchimp
Free plan · from $13/mo
Email and SMS marketing with automations, priced by contact count.
- Mailchimp has a free plan. ActiveCampaign does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Mailchimp lists iOS and Android apps.
- ActiveCampaign also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.4GPA
GetResponse
Free plan · from $19/mo
Email marketing with automation, webinars, courses and landing pages.
- GetResponse has a free plan. ActiveCampaign does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only GetResponse lists iOS and Android apps.
- ActiveCampaign also covers sales pipeline and reports.
- 2.6GPA
Brevo
Free plan · from $9/mo
Email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing priced by emails sent, with a CRM.
- Brevo has a free plan. ActiveCampaign does not, though it has a free trial.
- ActiveCampaign also covers reports.
- Brevo also covers live chat.
- 2.4GPA
Klaviyo
Free plan · from $20/mo
Email, text and push marketing built on online-store customer data.
- Klaviyo has a free plan. ActiveCampaign does not, though it has a free trial.
- ActiveCampaign also covers sales pipeline.
- 2.0GPA
Drip
Free trial · from $39/mo
Email automation and pop-ups for online stores.
- ActiveCampaign also covers sales pipeline and reports.
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 ActiveCampaign free?
No, ActiveCampaign is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card needed.
How much does ActiveCampaign cost?
ActiveCampaign lists 4 plans. Starter: $15 per month for up to 1,000 contacts, billed annually ($19 monthly).
What platforms does ActiveCampaign work on?
ActiveCampaign is available on Web.
Does ActiveCampaign offer any discounts?
ActiveCampaign publicly lists the following: About 20% off with annual billing; 20% off for nonprofits.
Does ActiveCampaign have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. ActiveCampaign is listed for Web.
Does ActiveCampaign have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. ActiveCampaign is listed for Web.
Is ActiveCampaign open source?
ActiveCampaign is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does ActiveCampaign have an API?
Yes. ActiveCampaign offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does ActiveCampaign integrate with?
ActiveCampaign's listing names Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Salesforce, Stripe, Slack, Zapier and Calendly.
Who makes ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is made by ActiveCampaign. It dates from 2003.
What are the alternatives to ActiveCampaign?
The closest alternatives to ActiveCampaign in our directory are Mailchimp, GetResponse, Brevo, Klaviyo and Drip.
How does ActiveCampaign compare with other email marketing and newsletter tools?
ActiveCampaign's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 24 other email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is ActiveCampaign good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ActiveCampaign C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $15 a month, against a middle price of $13 for the category: 12 of the 22 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of ActiveCampaign?
To replace ActiveCampaign you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ActiveCampaign’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ActiveCampaign's own pages on 17 October 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 ActiveCampaign. Prices change, so check activecampaign.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,858
Tools graded, in 46 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.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,858
tools graded
46
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- ActiveCampaign, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/activecampaign
- 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, "ActiveCampaign: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/activecampaign
Know someone choosing between email marketing and newsletter tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/activecampaign/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email marketing and newsletter tools after ActiveCampaign, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Marketing & Newsletters Insider's GuideEvery one of the 25 email marketing and newsletter tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Campaigns Insider's GuideEmail, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns that tie into Zoho's apps3.0 GPA
- EmailOctopus Insider's GuideSimple, low-cost email marketing with a free plan for 2,5002.8 GPA
- Mailchimp Insider's GuideEmail and SMS marketing with automations, priced by contact count2.8 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 ActiveCampaign’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. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. ActiveCampaign is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ActiveCampaign. Prices and plans change: check activecampaign.com before you buy.