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ActiveCampaign alternatives: what to consider when prices won't stand still
By Cathy Riddell · Facts checked 12 Nov 2026
Affiliate disclosure: Reader-supported. Some links on this page are affiliate links (marked with rel="sponsored"). If you buy through one I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. HighLevel links open gohighlevel.com directly; Systeme.io and Kartra still use /go/ redirects. It never changes my ratings. Full disclosure
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Currency: Plan prices on this page are quoted in USD as shown on each vendor's official pricing page, checked 12 Nov 2026. Your bank or card converts the billed amount and may add a foreign-transaction fee. I don't invent converted local-currency figures.
What I could and could not verify: ActiveCampaign pricing lists four plans that scale with contact-list size: Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise. On 12 Nov 2026 the dollar amounts did not render (the plan cards showed placeholders), so I am not stating a current monthly price. The page advertises a 14-day free trial with no credit card, a 30-day money-back guarantee, no setup fees, and SMS as a paid add-on. activecampaign.com/pricing. I am not restating an entry price from memory. This site's CRM pricing comparison recorded an ActiveCampaign entry figure of US$15 billed yearly on 1 Nov 2026; I could not reconfirm that figure today, so treat it as dated until the official page shows a number again.
What ActiveCampaign officially includes
From the pricing page checked 12 Nov 2026, every plan includes multi-step marketing automation, an AI automation and campaign builder, and email campaigns. The default comparison is shown for 1,000 contacts, with email-send caps expressed as a multiple of the contact limit (10× on Starter and Plus, 12× on Pro, 15× on Enterprise). Seats listed: 1 on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise. Landing pages and site messages start at Plus. Predictive sending and conditional content start at Pro. Enhanced CRM (pipelines, sales engagement) is a paid add-on on Plus, Pro and Enterprise, and is not listed on Starter. SMS and WhatsApp are add-ons. HIPAA and SSO are listed on Enterprise.
Alternatives, with prices I could verify today
| Tool | Best for | Official pricing checked 12 Nov 2026 | Trial or free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighLevel | Agencies and service businesses that want CRM, funnels, email and SMS together | From US$97/mo flat; unlimited users and contacts; SMS usage-billed | 14-day trial on the pricing page; 30-day bootcamp offer on this site |
| Systeme.io | Budget all-in-one for funnels, email and courses | Free, then US$17 / US$47 / US$97 a month; 0% transaction fees | Free plan, no card |
| HubSpot | A free sales CRM you can grow into marketing hubs later | Free CRM: 2 users, 1,000 contacts; Starter from US$15/seat/mo* | Free plan, no expiry |
| Kartra | Course and membership sellers who also want email and funnels | From US$59/mo (5% fee on Essentials; 0% from Starter) | 30-day money-back |
*HubSpot Starter's US$15/seat price is a new-customer discount that can end anytime (hubspot.com/products/crm). Sources: gohighlevel.com/pricing, systeme.io/pricing, hubspot.com/products/crm, kartra.com/pricing, activecampaign.com/pricing.
When I'd switch, and when I wouldn't
Stay with ActiveCampaign if email automation is the job and the rest of your stack already works. Look at HighLevel if you also need a pipeline, SMS, calendars, funnels and — for agencies — a sub-account per client. That's the daily setup I run. Look at Systeme.io if cost is the main pressure and a free or US$17 plan would cover funnels and email. Look at HubSpot if you want a free CRM first and marketing later.
I have not used ActiveCampaign as my daily agency tool, so I won't invent a migration diary. Test any alternative in its official trial before you move a list.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is ActiveCampaign?
I can't state a current monthly price. The official page lists Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans that scale with contacts, but the dollar amounts did not render on 12 Nov 2026. Use activecampaign.com/pricing and the in-app calculator for a live figure.
Does ActiveCampaign have a free trial?
Yes. The official pricing page advertises a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and a 30-day money-back guarantee (checked 12 Nov 2026).
What's the best ActiveCampaign alternative for an agency?
From the tools I use, HighLevel. It is flat-priced from US$97 a month with unlimited users and contacts, plus SMS, funnels and client sub-accounts (gohighlevel.com/pricing, checked 12 Nov 2026).
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About the author: Cathy RiddellAgency owner who uses HighLevel daily for client work. How we review →