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Updated November 6, 2026

ActiveCampaign alternatives in 2026: 8 tools compared

ActiveCampaign: Email marketing with some of the strongest automation available. People look for alternatives when they need a lower price, a free plan or a better fit for a specific job.

These 8 tools cover similar ground. Each entry explains who it suits, how pricing works and what to watch out for.

Key takeaways

  • HubSpot CRM: small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later.
  • Brevo: businesses with large contact lists that send moderate volumes.
  • Campaign Monitor: marketers and agencies who care about email design.
  • Constant Contact: small businesses and nonprofits that want hands-on support.
  • Kit: bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and course creators.
  • Klaviyo: online stores that want data-driven email and SMS.
  • Mailchimp: small businesses and beginners starting email marketing.
  • MailerLite: small businesses and creators on a budget.

Quick comparison

ToolBest forPricingFree plan
HubSpot CRMSmall and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools laterFreemiumYes
BrevoBusinesses with large contact lists that send moderate volumesFreemiumYes
Campaign MonitorMarketers and agencies who care about email designFree trialNo
Constant ContactSmall businesses and nonprofits that want hands-on supportFree trialNo
KitBloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and course creatorsFreemiumYes
KlaviyoOnline stores that want data-driven email and SMSFreemiumYes
MailchimpSmall businesses and beginners starting email marketingFreemiumYes
MailerLiteSmall businesses and creators on a budgetFreemiumYes

The best ActiveCampaign alternatives

1.

HubSpot CRM

Best for: Small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later

Visit hubspot.com

Free CRM that grows into a full marketing, sales and service platform.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later.

What we like

  • Genuinely useful free plan
  • Very easy to use
  • Huge integration marketplace

Watch out for

  • Paid tiers get expensive quickly
  • Advanced features locked to higher plans
Full HubSpot CRM review

2.

Brevo

Best for: Businesses with large contact lists that send moderate volumes

Visit brevo.com

All-in-one email, SMS and CRM platform priced by emails sent (formerly Sendinblue).

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Businesses with large contact lists that send moderate volumes.

What we like

  • Unlimited contacts on plans
  • Good value
  • Transactional email included

Watch out for

  • Daily sending limit on free plan
  • Template editor is basic
Full Brevo review

3.

Campaign Monitor

Best for: Marketers and agencies who care about email design

Visit campaignmonitor.com

Polished email marketing with strong design tools.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Marketers and agencies who care about email design.

What we like

  • Beautiful templates
  • Easy builder
  • Agency friendly

Watch out for

  • Pricing by contacts
  • Automation less deep than rivals
Full Campaign Monitor review

4.

Constant Contact

Best for: Small businesses and nonprofits that want hands-on support

Visit constantcontact.com

Beginner-friendly email marketing with events and phone support.

Free trial

Paid plans with a free trial.

Who it suits: Small businesses and nonprofits that want hands-on support.

What we like

  • Easy to use
  • Good phone support
  • Event tools

Watch out for

  • No free plan
  • Automation less advanced
Full Constant Contact review

5.

Kit

Best for: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and course creators

Visit kit.com

Email marketing for creators (formerly ConvertKit).

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters and course creators.

What we like

  • Built for creators
  • Free plan for growing lists
  • Simple and clean

Watch out for

  • Fewer design templates
  • Less suited to e-commerce
Full Kit review

6.

Klaviyo

Best for: Online stores that want data-driven email and SMS

Visit klaviyo.com

Email and SMS marketing built for e-commerce brands.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Online stores that want data-driven email and SMS.

What we like

  • Excellent e-commerce data
  • Powerful segmentation
  • Strong Shopify integration

Watch out for

  • Expensive at scale
  • Overkill for non-stores
Full Klaviyo review

7.

Mailchimp

Best for: Small businesses and beginners starting email marketing

Visit mailchimp.com

Well-known email marketing platform with templates and automation.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small businesses and beginners starting email marketing.

What we like

  • Easy to start
  • Many templates
  • Lots of integrations

Watch out for

  • Gets pricey as your list grows
  • Free plan is limited
Full Mailchimp review

8.

MailerLite

Best for: Small businesses and creators on a budget

Visit mailerlite.com

Simple, affordable email marketing with a generous free plan.

Freemium

Free plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.

Who it suits: Small businesses and creators on a budget.

What we like

  • Very affordable
  • Clean interface
  • Generous free plan

Watch out for

  • Strict account approval
  • Fewer advanced features
Full MailerLite review

How we chose

  • Every tool on this list does the core job of email marketing software, so it can replace ActiveCampaign for most people.
  • We weighed pricing and free plans, ease of use, and the trade-offs you take on when switching.
  • Pricing comes from each vendor’s public pricing page and changes often, so confirm before you buy.

Buying guide: what to check before you switch

Email marketing tools let you build a subscriber list, design emails, send campaigns and set up automations such as welcome series and abandoned-cart reminders. The right one depends on whether you are a creator, a store or a B2B company.

  • Free plan or price at your list size
  • Automation builder
  • Deliverability reputation
  • Integrations with your store or CRM

Prices and features change often. Check each vendor’s website for current plans before you buy.