ActiveCampaign alternatives, matched to why you're switching
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · Campaign Monitor Reviews · Updated October 4, 2026 · Grounded in 100 recent ActiveCampaign reviews
Disclosure: this site reviews Campaign Monitor and earns a commission if you sign up for it through our links. Campaign Monitor is one option below, and we say where it isn't the right fix.
Why buyers look past ActiveCampaign
We read the 50 most recent ActiveCampaign reviews on Trustpilot and 50 recent ones on G2. The G2 group is mostly happy: the 49 rated reviews average 4.19 out of 5, and the automation builder gets the most praise. Trustpilot is harsher. Of its 50 reviews, 39 were organic, written without any invitation from the company, and they average 1.74 out of 5. The same reasons for leaving come up again and again.
Support moved to an AI assistant
Nineteen of the 39 organic reviews describe trouble reaching a person. Several long-time customers, one of them with the company for 12 years, say live chat and calls with staff were replaced by a bot. Human support is chat and email only, and the phone number in the help center reaches an AI virtual assistant.
“Active Campaign will NOT talk to you on the phone.”Adam Schaffer, Trustpilot, Oct 2026
The price keeps rising
Long-time users describe yearly increases, moves to pricier plans when old ones were retired, and annual contracts that renewed before they noticed. On G2, 13 of the 50 reviewers list cost among their dislikes.
“Every year I pay more, but didn't get more in return.”Letitia陳芷苓, Trustpilot, Apr 2026
It takes time to learn, and it can feel slow
Reviewers who like ActiveCampaign still mention a steep start. On Trustpilot, the organic reviews add slow pages, an AI assistant that gets in the way, and an editor that drops formatting when you paste copy.
“it can feel overwhelming when you’re first getting started”Nitesh C., G2, Aug 2026
The trial is small
The free trial runs 14 days with up to 100 contacts and 100 emails. Two organic reviewers say that was too little to judge the product.
“Free trial limits contacts to only 100, it is too small a sample size to make it worth it.”Mike M, Trustpilot, Aug 2026
Match the ActiveCampaign alternative to your reason for leaving
| Compared on | Best alternative | Check before switching |
|---|---|---|
| You want something easier to learn | Campaign Monitor: G2 Easiest To Use, Fall 2026; Capterra reviewers rate ease of use 8.8/10 | Automation is simpler than ActiveCampaign's, so test your most complex flow in the trial |
| You want a lower bill at a small list size | Campaign Monitor: Essentials is $31/mo at 500 contacts with unlimited sends; ActiveCampaign Plus is $49/mo billed annually | From 501 to 2,500 contacts, Lite is $47/mo; ActiveCampaign Starter is $15 at 1,000 and $39 at 2,500 (billed annually), with 5 actions per automation |
| You run email for several clients | Campaign Monitor: client sub-accounts, private labeling, and markup billing on every paid plan | ActiveCampaign offers white-label options through its reseller partner program; compare terms if you resell |
| You want a longer, larger trial | Campaign Monitor: 30 days, 500 contacts and 500 emails, no card at signup | There is no permanent free plan after the trial |
| You want a person on the phone | Constant Contact: phone and chat support on every plan | Lite allows one active automation path; custom paths are Premium only |
| You want a lower bill as the list grows | MailerLite: Power is $49/mo at 2,500 and $129 at 10,000 with unlimited sends | No phone support, and no sub-accounts: each account needs its own plan |
| You sell online and want store-driven flows | Klaviyo: flows and segments built on Shopify data | Priced by active profiles ($150/mo at 10,000); no phone support published |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-10-04. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
The 6 best ActiveCampaign alternatives
Campaign Monitor
Easier to learn, built for agenciesCampaign Monitor is the simpler tool, and that is where it leads. It holds G2's Easiest To Use and Best Support (Small Business) badges for Fall 2026, and the 159 Capterra reviewers in our pull rate its ease of use 8.8 out of 10. At 500 contacts, Essentials costs $31 a month with unlimited sends and unlimited automated emails, against $49 for ActiveCampaign Plus at its smallest 1,000-contact tier, billed annually. Lite is $13. Agencies get client sub-accounts, private labeling, and markup billing on every paid plan. The free trial runs 30 days with 500 contacts and 500 emails, and signup asks for no card. Automation is simpler than ActiveCampaign's, and phone support is on Premier.
Full Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign comparison →Constant Contact
A person on the phoneIf the move to AI support is what's pushing you out, Constant Contact still staffs a phone line: 8am to 8pm ET on weekdays and 10am to 6pm ET on Saturdays, with chat on weekdays. Its pricing page lists phone and chat support on every plan, with Lite from $12 a month at 500 contacts. A 30-day money-back guarantee covers the base plan, requested by calling billing. Automation is the trade-off: Lite runs one active path and Standard three, and custom paths are Premium only.
Campaign Monitor vs Constant Contact →MailerLite
Lower price as the list growsMailerLite gives every paid plan the full feature set and charges for list size and sending. Power, with unlimited monthly emails under a fair-use policy, costs $25 a month at 500 subscribers, $49 at 2,500, and $129 at 10,000, and unsubscribed or bounced contacts don't count toward the bill. There is a free plan for up to 250 subscribers and a 14-day trial with no card. Support is email on Comfort and live chat on Power, with no phone line, and there are no sub-accounts: each account needs its own plan.
Campaign Monitor vs MailerLite →Brevo
Free plan, priced by email volumeBrevo prices by how many emails you send each month, which suits a large list you email rarely. The free plan sends 300 emails a day and stores up to 100,000 contacts. Starter is $9 a month for 5,000 emails and Standard is $18; Standard removes the Brevo branding and the 2,000-contact cap on automation. Phone support starts on Professional at $499 a month, and sub-accounts are an Enterprise feature.
Campaign Monitor vs Brevo →Klaviyo
For online storesTwo organic ActiveCampaign reviewers in our pull point to Klaviyo, one as their next tool and one as the cheaper option. Klaviyo has one paid email plan priced by active profiles: $20 a month at 500, $60 at 2,500, and $150 at 10,000, with sends at 10 times profiles. Unsubscribed and suppressed contacts don't count. G2 reviewers praise its Shopify integration and flows. Support is chat and email with no phone line published, and price is the most common complaint in its own G2 reviews.
Campaign Monitor vs Klaviyo →Mailchimp
Cheaper automation at small sizesMailchimp Standard is $20 a month at 500 contacts, with up to 200 automation flows and 24/7 email and chat support. The free plan covers 250 contacts and 500 sends a month. Check two things before you move: unsubscribed contacts count toward the bill, and phone support is only on Premium at $350 a month.
Campaign Monitor vs Mailchimp →
When to stay with ActiveCampaign
Stay if your business runs on automation logic. G2 reviewers in our pull describe multi-branch journeys built on tags, site behavior, and deal stages, along with predictive sending and a sales pipeline, and several critical Trustpilot reviewers still praise the automation. ActiveCampaign lists more than 950 automation recipes and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you have spent years building automations there, the cost of rebuilding them is real. One customer of 12 years says that is why people stay.
If your email is mostly newsletters, announcements, and a few welcome or follow-up journeys, Campaign Monitor covers it with less setup. Ease of use is its strongest score, Essentials costs less than ActiveCampaign Plus at 500 contacts, and agencies get client sub-accounts and private labeling without joining a reseller program. Read its full review record, check the current pricing, or see its G2 and MarTech Breakthrough awards.
Try Campaign Monitor freeHow we sourced this: on October 4, 2026 we pulled the 50 most recent ActiveCampaign reviews on Trustpilot (April 28 to October 4, 2026) and 50 recent reviews on G2 (July 30 to September 30, 2026). Trustpilot labels how each review was collected: 39 were organic, written without a link or invitation from the company, and 11 came through a company review link. We compare organic reviews only, because invited reviews mostly reflect how many a company asks for. For Campaign Monitor, the 18 organic reviews among its 50 most recent average 1.44 and span 3.7 years, so ActiveCampaign leads on that measure and we don't cite Trustpilot as a reason to switch. Both samples are small and the windows differ. Prices come from each company's pricing page on the same date: ActiveCampaign shows only annual-billing prices, and Campaign Monitor's are monthly (annual billing takes 10% off). Quotes are verbatim.
ActiveCampaign alternatives FAQ
What are the best ActiveCampaign alternatives?+
Campaign Monitor if you want something easier to learn, a lower price at 500 contacts, or client sub-accounts for agency work. Constant Contact if you want phone support on every plan, MailerLite for a lower bill as your list grows, Brevo for a free plan and pricing by email volume, Klaviyo for online stores, and Mailchimp for cheaper automation at small list sizes.
What do ActiveCampaign reviews say?+
On G2, the 49 rated reviews in our October 4, 2026 pull average 4.19 out of 5, and most praise the automation builder. On Trustpilot, 39 of the 50 most recent reviews were organic (written without an invitation) and average 1.74; the 11 that came through a company review link average 4.0. The organic reviews center on support moving to an AI assistant, price increases and annual renewals, and a slow, hard-to-learn interface.
Is Campaign Monitor better than ActiveCampaign?+
For newsletters, simple journeys, and agency work, Campaign Monitor is easier to learn and cheaper at 500 contacts ($31 for Essentials against $49 for ActiveCampaign Plus, billed annually). ActiveCampaign has deeper automation and a sales CRM. It also scores higher on organic Trustpilot reviews (1.74 against 1.44) and on G2 overall (4.4 against 4.1), so the right pick depends on how complex your automations are.
Does ActiveCampaign publish pricing?+
Yes, for annual billing. At up to 1,000 contacts, Starter is $15 a month, Plus $49, Pro $79, and Enterprise $145, all billed annually; monthly rates are not shown on the pricing page. The free trial lasts 14 days with up to 100 contacts and 100 emails and no card, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does ActiveCampaign have phone support?+
Human support is chat and email. The phone number in ActiveCampaign's help center reaches an AI virtual assistant, and no plan lists human phone support. Campaign Monitor includes phone support on Premier, and Constant Contact lists it on every plan.