Alternatives
Best ActiveCampaign Alternatives for Agencies (2026)
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
ActiveCampaign is a solid choice, but it does not fit every agency. Mailchimp: Email marketing and automation for small businesses. Brevo: Email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing with transactional email and CRM. HubSpot: CRM and sales software with a free tier. Prices and ratings below were checked in October 2026.
What are the best ActiveCampaign alternatives for agencies in 2026?
ActiveCampaign is strong on automation, but it is priced by contacts, annual prices only were shown, and seats are limited on lower plans.
We compared each option with ActiveCampaign on price, automation, and public ratings, so you can see what you would gain and give up by switching. Price your contact tier first.
The three alternatives below are the usual comparisons: a simpler email tool, a low-cost multichannel tool, and a full CRM.
The shortlist is Mailchimp, Brevo, HubSpot. The table puts them next to ActiveCampaign.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.4 | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. | Small to enterprise teams |
| Mailchimp | 4.1 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free for 250 contacts. Essentials $13, Standard $20 and Premium $350 a month at the smallest contact tier (500 contacts, 10,000 for Premium); prices rise with contacts. | Small teams to mid-size |
| Brevo | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.5 | Free plan. Starter $8.08, Standard $16.17 and Professional $449.08 a month on annual billing ($9, $18 and $499 monthly); Enterprise from $2,499 a month. | Small to enterprise teams |
| HubSpot | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free tools for up to 2 users. Sales Hub Starter $7 and Professional $90 per seat per month on annual billing ($20 and $100 monthly); Enterprise starts at $150 per seat. | Small teams to enterprises |
Why do agencies look for ActiveCampaign alternatives?
Agencies usually look beyond ActiveCampaign for lower cost, simpler email, or SMS and transactional sending.
Others want a larger CRM platform.
Common limitations of ActiveCampaign
- Prices shown are annual at 1,000 contacts; monthly prices were not shown.
- Starter limits automations to 5 actions and includes only 1 user.
- SMS and pipelines are paid add-ons.
- Client accounts for agencies and data hosting regions were not stated.
Is Mailchimp a good ActiveCampaign alternative for agencies?
Mailchimp is easier and has a free plan and 300 or more integrations. Automation is weaker on lower plans.
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform with campaigns, automation flows, pop-up forms, templates and more than 300 integrations. It sells Free, Essentials, Standard and Premium plans priced by contact count, with a 14-day trial on paid plans.
Who it suits: Agencies that run newsletters and simple automation for small-business clients and want a familiar, easy tool.
Mailchimp pros
- A free plan for up to 250 contacts and 500 sends a month.
- Entry paid plans from $13 a month for 500 contacts, with 24/7 email and chat support.
- More than 300 integrations and 100+ pre-built templates.
- SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001 and 2FA; enterprise SSO on Premium.
Mailchimp cons
- Prices scale with contacts and the stated figures are for the smallest tier.
- Free has no automation, and Essentials limits flows to 4 steps.
- Premium costs $350 a month from 10,000 contacts.
- Data is hosted in US data centers, and client accounts for agencies were not stated.
Is Brevo a good ActiveCampaign alternative for agencies?
Brevo is cheaper by send volume with SMS, WhatsApp, and transactional email. It has fewer integrations and a lighter CRM.
Brevo is a customer platform with email marketing, SMS, WhatsApp, marketing automation, transactional email and sales tools. It has a free plan with 300 emails a day and priced plans by send volume, from Starter to Professional and Enterprise.
Who it suits: Agencies that want low-cost email with SMS and transactional sending, especially for EU-focused clients.
Brevo pros
- A free plan with 300 emails a day and transactional email features on every plan.
- Starter from $8.08 a month on annual billing.
- Unlimited automated multi-step workflows from Standard.
- Email, SMS and WhatsApp channels, with 150+ integrations.
Brevo cons
- Professional costs $449.08 a month on annual billing and Enterprise starts at $2,499 a month.
- Starter has basic reporting and no marketing automation.
- Security certifications and hosting regions were not captured (the security page returned an error).
- Only Professional lists phone support, and a mobile app was not stated.
Is HubSpot a good ActiveCampaign alternative for agencies?
HubSpot is a broader CRM with a free tier and SOC 2 Type 2 evidence. It costs more at Professional.
HubSpot Smart CRM and Sales Hub combine contact management, deal pipelines, sequences, forecasting and AI agents on one platform, with a free tier and Starter, Professional and Enterprise plans priced per seat. It has more than 2,000 app marketplace integrations and a Solutions Partner Program for agencies.
Who it suits: Agencies that want a mainstream CRM for their own sales pipeline, with a free start and room to grow into marketing and service tools.
HubSpot pros
- Free CRM tools for up to two users with no credit card.
- Starter from $7 per seat per month on annual billing.
- More than 2,000 integrations in the app marketplace.
- SOC 2 Type 2 report, GDPR consent tools, 2FA and an EU data center option.
HubSpot cons
- Professional costs $90 per seat per month and requires a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee.
- Enterprise requires a one-time $3,500 onboarding fee.
- Advanced SAML SSO is enterprise tier only.
- Client accounts and multi-account features for agencies were not stated.
What is the quick verdict on each ActiveCampaign alternative?
If you only have a minute, this table gives our verdict on each alternative to ActiveCampaign, based on the research above.
| Tool | Verdict | Editorial score |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | A familiar, easy email tool with a free plan and 300+ integrations. Prices rise with your contact count, automation and seats are limited on lower plans, servers are US-only, and Mailchimp does not offer client accounts for agencies. | 4.1 / 5 |
| Brevo | A low-cost email platform with transactional email on every plan and SMS and WhatsApp channels. Prices are by send volume and automation starts on Standard, and security detail was not captured because its security page returned an error. | 4.2 / 5 |
| HubSpot | A strong, well-supported CRM with a free tier, SOC 2 Type 2 evidence and a huge integration marketplace. Entry pricing is low but jumps sharply at Professional, which also carries a one-time onboarding fee, and agency-specific client account features were not stated on the pricing page. | 4.4 / 5 |
How much do ActiveCampaign and its alternatives cost?
ActiveCampaign Starter costs $15 a month at 1,000 contacts on annual billing. Mailchimp Essentials starts at $13, Brevo Starter costs $8.08, and HubSpot Sales Hub Starter costs $7 per seat.
| Tool | Pricing summary |
|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. |
| Mailchimp | Free for 250 contacts. Essentials $13, Standard $20 and Premium $350 a month at the smallest contact tier (500 contacts, 10,000 for Premium); prices rise with contacts. |
| Brevo | Free plan. Starter $8.08, Standard $16.17 and Professional $449.08 a month on annual billing ($9, $18 and $499 monthly); Enterprise from $2,499 a month. |
| HubSpot | Free tools for up to 2 users. Sales Hub Starter $7 and Professional $90 per seat per month on annual billing ($20 and $100 monthly); Enterprise starts at $150 per seat. |
What do reviewers say about ActiveCampaign and its alternatives?
Review-site scores are a useful signal for how happy teams are after the first few months. They are snapshots from October 2026, and review counts differ widely between tools.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,813 |
| Mailchimp | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 5,436 |
| Brevo | G2 | 4.5 / 5 | 2,768 |
| HubSpot | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,365 |
Which ActiveCampaign alternative suits which kind of agency?
The right pick depends mostly on team size, how clients interact with the tool, and whether you need money data. This table maps common situations to a recommendation.
| Agency situation | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Simple email | Mailchimp | An easier tool with a free plan. |
| High-volume senders | Brevo | Low cost by send volume. |
| CRM-led teams | HubSpot | A broader platform. |
How hard is it to switch away from ActiveCampaign?
Export contacts, tags, and automation maps from ActiveCampaign before you leave. Automations need rebuilding.
Document each automation so you can recreate it.
Move one client first and keep the rest until stable.
Before you leave ActiveCampaign
- List your automations and custom fields.
- Check CRM needs.
- Compare cost at your contact count.
- Export contacts.
- Warm up the new sender.
How do you choose the right ActiveCampaign alternative?
Decide how much automation you need.
Compare contact-based and send-based pricing.
A quick decision guide
- Choose Mailchimp for simple email.
- Choose Brevo for low-cost volume.
- Choose HubSpot for a larger CRM.
- Stay with ActiveCampaign for automation depth.
- Price each at your real contact count.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best ActiveCampaign alternative?
- Mailchimp for simplicity, Brevo for low cost, and HubSpot for a larger CRM.
- Why do agencies look beyond ActiveCampaign?
- Contact-based pricing, limited seats on lower plans, and no stated agency features.
- Which alternative is cheapest?
- Brevo, by send volume.
- Which alternative has a free plan?
- Mailchimp, Brevo, and HubSpot.
- Does ActiveCampaign have a free trial?
- Yes, 14 days.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- ActiveCampaign pricing page
- Mailchimp pricing page
- Brevo pricing page
- HubSpot pricing page