Review
ActiveCampaign Review for Agencies (2026): Pricing, Pros & Cons
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
A strong automation platform with a CRM, 1,000+ integrations and SOC 2 evidence. Plans are priced by contacts and shown annually only, user seats are limited on lower plans, and agency client-account features were not stated. Pricing: 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts.
What is ActiveCampaign and who is it for in 2026?
ActiveCampaign combines email marketing, multi-step automation, a built-in CRM, landing pages and SMS (as an add-on) with more than 1,000 integrations and 950 automation recipes. It sells Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans priced by contact tier, each with a 14-day trial.
Who it suits: Agencies that build detailed automation and lifecycle journeys for clients and want a CRM alongside email.
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform that combines email marketing, multi-step automation, a built-in CRM, landing pages, and SMS as an add-on. It lists more than 1,000 integrations and 950 automation recipes, and it sells four plans priced by contact tier.
Agencies choose it when a client needs detailed customer journeys rather than newsletters. This review covers the plans, the add-ons, and the gaps in agency features.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Best for | Small to enterprise teams |
| Editorial score | 4.3 / 5 |
| Review-site ratings | G2 4.4 |
| Pricing | 14-day free trial. Starter $15, Plus $49, Pro $79 and Enterprise $145 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts. |
How much does ActiveCampaign cost for agencies in 2026?
ActiveCampaign has a free 14-day trial. At 1,000 contacts, Starter costs $15 a month on annual billing, Plus costs $49, Pro costs $79, and Enterprise costs $145. A monthly-billing price was not shown on the page.
Starter has one user, limited segmentation, and five actions per automation. Plus adds unlimited automation actions and landing pages. Pro adds three users, advanced segmentation, predictive and conditional content, and attribution. Enterprise adds five users, premium segmentation, custom objects, SSO, and a dedicated account team.
Prices rise with contact count, and SMS and enhanced CRM features such as pipelines and sales engagement are paid add-ons. For an agency, the real price is the plan plus the contact tier plus add-ons for each client account.
| Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 1 user; limited segmentation; 5 actions per automation |
| Plus | $49 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 1 user; unlimited automation actions; landing pages |
| Pro | $79 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 3 users; advanced segmentation; predictive and conditional content; attribution |
| Enterprise | $145 per month (annual billing) | 1,000 contacts; 5 users; premium segmentation; custom objects; SSO; dedicated account team |
Is ActiveCampaign good for agency automation work?
Yes. Unlimited automation actions from Plus, 950 or more automation recipes, and a built-in CRM make it strong for lifecycle and lead nurturing work. G2 reviewers value its automation depth and integrations.
Agency client accounts and client management features were not stated, so check how you will separate clients and billing. Most agencies run one account per client.
Free contact migration and onboarding help lower the cost of moving a client over from another tool, which is useful when you inherit a messy list.
Before you build, map the journeys a client really needs, such as welcome, abandoned cart, and re-engagement, and start with one. Deep automation is only valuable if someone owns it after launch.
How strong are security and support?
ActiveCampaign states SOC 2 compliance with a report available through its Trust Center, GDPR and HIPAA support, multi-factor authentication on every account, and SSO. ISO 27001 and data hosting regions were not stated.
Starter and Plus get basic email and chat support, while Pro and Enterprise get priority support and Enterprise adds a dedicated account team. A mobile app is listed but platforms were not stated.
What integrations, security, and support does ActiveCampaign offer?
Features beyond price decide whether a tool fits your agency stack and your clients' security questions. This is what ActiveCampaign states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | What ActiveCampaign offers |
|---|---|
| Integrations | More than 1,000 integrations and 950+ automation recipes |
| Security | SOC 2 report through the Trust Center; GDPR and HIPAA support stated; MFA on every account (SMS and authenticator apps) and SSO; ISO 27001 and data hosting regions were not stated |
| Support | Starter and Plus: basic email and chat; Pro and Enterprise: priority email and chat; Enterprise adds a dedicated account team; Free contact migration, training and a knowledge base; support hours were not stated |
| Apps | An ActiveCampaign mobile app is listed; platforms were not stated |
What are the pros and cons of ActiveCampaign for agencies?
Here is a quick summary of where ActiveCampaign helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on its plans and public feedback.
Pros
- Plans from $15 a month on annual billing at 1,000 contacts, with a 14-day trial.
- More than 1,000 integrations and 950+ automation recipes.
- Unlimited automation actions from Plus, plus landing pages and a CRM.
- MFA on every account, SSO, and a SOC 2 report through its Trust Center.
Cons
- 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.
What do reviewers say about ActiveCampaign?
Public review sites give a useful read on how ActiveCampaign holds up after the first month. The scores below were checked in October 2026 and will have moved slightly since.
| Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,813 |
Recurring reviewer themes
- G2 shows ActiveCampaign at 4.4 from 14,813 reviews.
- G2 data shows 68% of reviewers give five stars and 25% give four.
- Reviewers value automation depth and integrations.
How does ActiveCampaign compare with its alternatives?
Next to Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign is stronger on automation and CRM and costs more at similar list sizes. Next to Brevo, it has more integrations while Brevo is cheaper and adds transactional email. Next to HubSpot, it is a more focused automation tool at a lower price. The table compares the four.
| 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 |
How should an agency roll out ActiveCampaign?
Use the 14-day trial to build one welcome automation from a recipe for a real client.
Import the contact list, tag segments, and check how pricing changes at the full contact count.
Price SMS and CRM add-ons before you promise them to a client.
Who should choose ActiveCampaign, and who should skip it?
No tool fits every agency. Use these lists to check whether ActiveCampaign matches how your team works before you start a trial.
Choose ActiveCampaign if
- You build detailed automation journeys.
- You want a CRM alongside email.
- You need 1,000 or more integrations.
Skip ActiveCampaign if
- You want monthly prices shown up front.
- You need many users on a low plan.
- You need agency client accounts.
What should agencies check before buying ActiveCampaign?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Confirm these points before you commit to ActiveCampaign, ideally during a trial on a real client account.
Pre-purchase checklist
- Price the plan at your contact tier.
- Price SMS and CRM add-ons.
- Count users needed.
- Use the 14-day trial.
Is ActiveCampaign worth it for agencies in 2026?
ActiveCampaign is a strong automation platform with a built-in CRM, more than 1,000 integrations, and SOC 2 evidence.
The trade-offs are contact-based pricing shown annually only, limited seats on lower plans, and unstated agency client features. G2 shows 4.4 from 14,813 reviews. We rate it 4.3 out of 5 for agencies: the best-fitting tool here for automation-heavy work.
A strong automation platform with a CRM, 1,000+ integrations and SOC 2 evidence. Plans are priced by contacts and shown annually only, user seats are limited on lower plans, and agency client-account features were not stated.
Frequently asked questions
- What is ActiveCampaign best for?
- Agencies building detailed automation and lifecycle journeys for clients, with a CRM alongside email.
- How much does ActiveCampaign cost?
- At 1,000 contacts on annual billing, Starter is $15 a month, Plus is $49, Pro is $79, and Enterprise is $145.
- Does ActiveCampaign have a free trial?
- Yes. Every plan has a free 14-day trial.
- Does ActiveCampaign include a CRM?
- Yes, with enhanced pipelines and sales engagement as paid add-ons.
- Is ActiveCampaign well reviewed?
- G2 shows 4.4 out of 5 from 14,813 reviews.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- ActiveCampaign pricing page
- ActiveCampaign security page
- G2