Marketing automation tools cluster into three buyer segments: B2B nurture (HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot/Account Engagement), B2C/e-commerce (Klaviyo, Omnisend, Iterable), and SMB-friendly all-in-ones (ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, Brevo). Picking by segment beats picking by feature checklist.

Editor's pick

Read our hand-curated buyer's guide: Best Marketing Automation Software →

In-depth analysis with named leaders, real pricing, and decision framework. The ranked list below shows the top 10 of the 358 tools we evaluated in this category.

## Top 3 marketing automation tools

1. [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) #1 Top pick CRM platform for scaling businessesStarting priceFrom $7 /moCheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 20263.9 /5 across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, PeerSpot and more · 19,150 ratings, Sep 2026Our takeBest overall[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot)
2. [ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign) #2 Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation.Starting priceFrom $15 /moCheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 20264.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 17,363 ratings, Sep 2026[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign)
3. [HubSpot Marketing](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing) #3 Marketing automation by HubSpotStarting priceFrom $20 /moCheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 20264.4 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 14,991 ratings, Sep 2026Our takeMost reviewed[Read the review](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing)

## 10 top marketing automation tools compared

| Tool | Our take | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Rating | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) | Best overall | Price: $7/mo | 3.9 out of 5, from 19,150 ratings across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, PeerSpot and more G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 | Watch out: Contact pricing is the biggest trap: Marketing Hub Pro includes only 2,000 marketing contacts. |
| [ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign) |  | Price: $15/mo | 4.5 out of 5, from 17,363 ratings across G2 and Capterra G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.6 | n/a |
| [HubSpot Marketing](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing) | Most reviewed | Price: $20/mo | 4.4 out of 5, from 14,991 ratings across SourceForge and G2 G2 4.4 · SourceForge 4.6 | Watch out: Onboarding fees for higher tiers |
| [Mailchimp Transactional](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp-transactional) | Best free tier | Price: $11.09/mo | 4.3 out of 5, from 12,700 ratings on G2 G2 4.3 | Watch out: Overage fees if email limits exceeded |
| [Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp) |  | Price: $13/mo | 3.9 out of 5, from 31,997 ratings across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.5 · G2 4.3 | Watch out: ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists |
| [Brevo](https://toolradar.com/tools/brevo) |  | Price: $9/mo | 4.6 out of 5, from 6,219 ratings across G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.6 · G2 4.5 | Watch out: Removing branding is an add-on |
| [Instantly](https://toolradar.com/tools/instantly) | Highest rated | Price: $37.6/mo | 4.8 out of 5, from 4,158 ratings on G2 G2 4.8 | Watch out: Potential overage fees for exceeding email limits. |
| [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) |  | Price: $12/mo | 4.2 out of 5, from 10,413 ratings across G2 and Capterra G2 4.1 · Capterra 4.3 | Watch out: Potential for increased costs with additional users on Lite. |
| [SendPulse](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendpulse) |  | Price: Free | 4.6 out of 5, from 4,303 ratings across SourceForge, Trustpilot, G2 and more Trustpilot 4.5 · Capterra 4.6 | n/a |
| [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) |  | Price: $12/mo | 4.7 out of 5, from 3,514 ratings across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra Capterra 4.7 · G2 4.6 | n/a |

## Marketing Automation pricing compared

| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Billing basis |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) | Cheapest paid plan: Starter, $7/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign) | Cheapest paid plan: Starter, $15/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [HubSpot Marketing](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing) | Cheapest paid plan: Starter, $20/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Per user, billed monthly |
| [Mailchimp Transactional](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp-transactional) | Cheapest paid plan: Essentials, $11.09/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billing term not published |
| [Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp) | Cheapest paid plan: Essentials, $13/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Brevo](https://toolradar.com/tools/brevo) | Cheapest paid plan: Starter, $9/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Instantly](https://toolradar.com/tools/instantly) | Cheapest paid plan: Growth, $37.60/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [Constant Contact](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) | Cheapest paid plan: Lite, $12/mo | Free plan: No | Billing: Billed monthly |
| [SendPulse](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendpulse) | Cheapest paid plan: No paid plan | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Free |
| [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | Cheapest paid plan: Comfort, $12/mo | Free plan: Yes | Billing: Billed monthly |

Toolradar pricing data, last verified November 2026. Prices are the cheapest paid plan converted to a monthly figure; "Not published" means the vendor publishes no price for a self-serve paid plan. 9 of 10 tools publish a paid price; median cheapest paid plan $12/mo.

Toolradar data

## The marketing automation tools market in numbers

**Toolradar data:** Toolradar tracks 358 marketing automation tools as of November 4, 2026. 31% of the marketing automation tools on Toolradar are free, freemium or open source. The median cheapest paid plan for marketing automation tools is $49.50/mo, across the 130 that publish a price. Toolradar re-checked the pricing of 77% of marketing automation tools in the last 90 days. Toolradar aggregates 254,426 public user reviews (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites) across 270 rated marketing automation tools. The most cross-shopped marketing automation tool is HubSpot, listed as an alternative to 158 other tools on Toolradar. The most compared marketing automation tool on Toolradar over the last 90 days is HubSpot, with 745 side-by-side comparisons. Computed from the Toolradar catalog and on-site activity.

- 358 marketing automation tools tracked
- 31% are free, freemium or open source
- $49.50/mo median cheapest paid plan, across the 130 marketing automation tools that publish one
- 77% of prices re-checked in the last 90 days
- 254,426 public user reviews aggregated across 270 rated tools

| Rank | Tool | Listed as an alternative to |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) | 158 tools |
| 2 | [ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign) | 84 tools |
| 3 | [Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/tools/klaviyo) | 74 tools |

| Rank | Tool | Comparisons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) | 745 |
| 2 | [Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/tools/klaviyo) | 368 |
| 3 | [Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp) | 323 |

Source and method: [live marketing automation tools statistics](https://toolradar.com/statistics/marketing-automation) · [Toolradar Research report](https://toolradar.com/reports/marketing-automation-software-statistics)

## Marketing Automation leaderboards from Toolradar data

Toolradar ranks Marketing Automation tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.

CSV download of these Marketing Automation leaderboards, licensed CC BY 4.0

### Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit

Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.

Counted among 140 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.

| # | Tool | Entry plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [LadderFlow](https://toolradar.com/tools/ladderflow) | $1.58/mo, billed yearly |
| 2 | [Repostit](https://toolradar.com/tools/repostit) | $4/mo, billed yearly |
| 3 | [HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) | $7/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | [Moosend](https://toolradar.com/tools/moosend) | $7/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | [Multilogin](https://toolradar.com/tools/multilogin) | $7.08/mo, billed yearly |

### Lowest entry price, flat team plans

Counted among 22 tools priced as a flat team plan, verified price.

| # | Tool | Entry plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Bento](https://toolradar.com/tools/bento) | $5/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 2 | [BigMailer](https://toolradar.com/tools/bigmailer) | $7.50/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 3 | [Mailerlite](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) | $12/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 4 | [Aweber](https://toolradar.com/tools/aweber) | $15/mo flat, billed monthly |
| 4 | [Feedhive](https://toolradar.com/tools/feedhive) | $15/mo flat, billed monthly |

### Lowest entry price, per-user plans

Counted among 11 tools priced per user, verified price.

| # | Tool | Entry plan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Nutshell](https://toolradar.com/tools/nutshell) | $13/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | [EngageBay](https://toolradar.com/tools/engagebay) | $14.99/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | [Top Producer](https://toolradar.com/tools/top-producer) | $25/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | [Insightly](https://toolradar.com/tools/insightly) | $29/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | [Act!](https://toolradar.com/tools/act-crm) | $30/user/mo |

A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 173 of 357 Marketing Automation tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. [How we compute this](https://toolradar.com/how-we-rate#toolradar-data). Cite this: Toolradar, “Marketing Automation leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. [All Marketing Automation statistics](https://toolradar.com/statistics/marketing-automation).

## How the top marketing automation tools compare

5 of the 10 marketing automation tools listed here have a free plan (Mailchimp Transactional, Mailchimp, Brevo, SendPulse, Mailerlite); the other 5 (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing, Instantly, Constant Contact) are paid only. Teams on a budget should start with Mailchimp Transactional, our free pick.

Rankings are computed from G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions. [Editorial policy](https://toolradar.com/editorial-policy)

## Top marketing automation tools

Order: Toolradar ranking score, which is the public review volume times the average rating on G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites, plus media mentions (recent ones count more). Paid placements are labelled and never change the score. [How we rank](https://toolradar.com/how-we-rate).

### HubSpot

Paid

CRM platform for scaling businesses

3.9 /5 across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, PeerSpot and more · 19,150 ratings, Sep 2026

HubSpot is an AI-powered customer platform that unifies marketing, sales, customer service, content management, and operations software in a single system. Built around a free CRM, it provides tools for email marketing, lead management, pipeline tracking, live chat, ticketing, website building, and workflow automation. HubSpot organizes its products into five Hubs, Marketing, Sales, Service, Content, and Operations, that share a common contact database and reporting layer. The platform serves a large number of customers across many countries, from startups using the free tools to enterprises running complex multi-touch attribution. Its App Marketplace offers numerous integrations with tools like Salesforce, Slack, and Shopify.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot) [Visit website](https://www.hubspot.com) [HubSpot alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/hubspot)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used HubSpot? Rate it

- Pro: Generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
- Pro: Unified platform eliminates data silos between marketing, sales, and service teams
- Pro: Intuitive interface with short learning curve compared to Salesforce

- Con: Pricing escalates quickly, Professional and Enterprise tiers are expensive for SMBs
- Con: Marketing contacts model means you pay more as your database grows

Fair value

HubSpot's pricing is the most complex in SaaS, 7 Hubs, 4 tiers each, per-seat AND per-contact charges, plus mandatory onboarding fees.

Watch out

Contact pricing is the biggest trap: Marketing Hub Pro includes only 2,000 marketing contacts.

### ActiveCampaign

Paid

Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation.

4.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 17,363 ratings, Sep 2026

ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform that leverages AI (Active Intelligence) to help businesses create, personalize, and optimize cross-channel campaigns across email, SMS, WhatsApp, and more. It is designed for small to enterprise-level businesses, marketing agencies, and e-commerce stores looking to automate repetitive tasks, improve deliverability, and drive revenue. The platform includes a drag-and-drop email designer, multi-step automation builder, 1,000+ integrations, CRM with sales pipelines, and advanced segmentation. AI agents assist with campaign creation, image generation, brand kits, predictive sending, and content personalization, enabling teams to launch campaigns up to 8x faster and cut marketing busywork by 13 hours per week.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/activecampaign) [Visit website](https://toolradar.com/visit/activecampaign?p=best&c=marketing-automation) [ActiveCampaign alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/activecampaign)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used ActiveCampaign? Rate it

- Pro: AI agents dramatically speed up campaign creation and personalization.
- Pro: Excellent email deliverability with dedicated IP management and monitoring.
- Pro: Robust integration ecosystem connects with most major business tools.

- Con: Pricing can become expensive as contact lists grow, especially with add-ons.
- Con: Advanced features like WhatsApp, SMS, and enhanced CRM are paid add-ons.

### HubSpot Marketing

Paid

Marketing automation by HubSpot

4.4 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 14,991 ratings, Sep 2026

HubSpot Marketing Hub provides marketing automation integrated with HubSpot CRM. Email, landing pages, workflows, and analytics-marketing that connects to sales. The integration with CRM is the strength. Automation is accessible. Analytics show what works. Marketing teams using HubSpot CRM add Marketing Hub for integrated marketing automation.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing) [Visit website](https://www.hubspot.com/products/marketing)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used HubSpot Marketing? Rate it

- Pro: Complete inbound marketing platform
- Pro: Excellent CRM integration
- Pro: Powerful marketing automation

- Con: Very expensive, with paid tiers starting at a high price point
- Con: Steep learning curve

Good value

HubSpot Marketing's pricing is generous for small businesses with its robust Free Tools and Starter tier at $20/month.

Watch out

Onboarding fees for higher tiers

### Mailchimp Transactional

Free plan

Send targeted and event-driven emails and SMS messages with best-in-class deliverability.

4.3 /5 on G2 · 12,700 ratings, Oct 2026

Mailchimp Transactional, formerly Mandrill, is a robust platform designed for developers to send essential email and SMS messages. It specializes in transactional communications, such as purchase confirmations, password resets, and critical alerts, ensuring high deliverability and speed. The service offers both API and SMTP integration for sending, allowing developers flexibility in how they integrate it into their applications. Beyond sending, Mailchimp Transactional provides tools for processing inbound emails, tracking message activity with webhooks (like opens and clicks), and analyzing performance through detailed reports. It also includes a Rules Engine to automate actions based on specific criteria. The platform is built for scalability and reliability, leveraging Mailchimp's global infrastructure to help ensure messages reach the inbox, making it ideal for businesses requiring dependable, event-driven communication.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp-transactional) [Visit website](https://mailchimp.com/developer/transactional) [Mailchimp Transactional alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/mailchimp-transactional)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Mailchimp Transactional? Rate it

- Pro: High deliverability for critical messages
- Pro: Flexible integration options (API and SMTP)
- Pro: Comprehensive analytics and tracking

- Con: Requires a Mailchimp account
- Con: Email blocks are fixed at 25,000, no smaller purchases

Good value

Mailchimp Transactional's pricing is generally fair, with a generous Free tier for up to 250 contacts.

Watch out

Overage fees if email limits exceeded

### Mailchimp

Free plan

Grow your business with email, SMS, and AI marketing

3.9 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 31,997 ratings, Sep 2026

Mailchimp is an email marketing and automation platform serving millions of businesses worldwide, now part of Intuit. It enables users to create, send, and analyze email and SMS campaigns with drag-and-drop builders, pre-designed templates, and AI-powered content generation tools. The platform includes marketing automation workflows, audience segmentation, A/B and multivariate testing, landing pages, and a website builder. Mailchimp integrates with over 300 apps including Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, and social ad platforms. With predictive analytics and behavioral targeting, it helps small-to-midsize businesses convert subscribers into customers across email, SMS, and social channels.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp) [Visit website](https://mailchimp.com) [Mailchimp alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/mailchimp)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Mailchimp? Rate it

- Pro: Intuitive drag-and-drop editor accessible to non-technical users
- Pro: Comprehensive free plan to get started with basic email marketing
- Pro: Powerful automation workflows rivaling dedicated automation platforms

- Con: Free plan capped at just 250 contacts and 500 sends per month
- Con: Pricing scales steeply as contact lists grow beyond initial tiers

Fair value

Mailchimp was once the default email marketing tool for small businesses, and its free tier was legendary.

Watch out

ALL contacts count: subscribed, unsubscribed, non-subscribed, and 'cleaned' contacts all count toward your plan limit. You pay for contacts who unsubscribed last year unless you manually archive them. This inflates costs by 20-40% for most lists

### Brevo

Free plan

All-in-one marketing platform for email, SMS, and customer engagement

4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 6,219 ratings, Sep 2026

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is an all-in-one marketing platform offering email marketing, SMS campaigns, chat, CRM, and marketing automation. Founded in France in 2012, Brevo has grown to serve over 500,000 customers worldwide with a focus on affordability and ease of use. The platform is known for its generous free tier and competitive pricing compared to Mailchimp. Brevo offers transactional email services, landing pages, Facebook ads integration, and a sales CRM - making it a comprehensive solution for growing businesses.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/brevo) [Visit website](https://www.brevo.com) [Brevo alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/brevo)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Brevo? Rate it

- Pro: Very generous free tier (300 emails/day)
- Pro: Affordable paid plans
- Pro: All-in-one platform

- Con: Interface can be clunky
- Con: Limited templates

Good value

Brevo's pricing is quite competitive, especially at the entry level.

Watch out

Removing branding is an add-on

### Instantly

Paid

Scale cold email outreach with warm domains and performance analytics

4.8 /5 on G2 · 4,158 ratings, Sep 2026

Instantly scales cold email outreach. Warm up domains, send campaigns, manage multiple accounts-cold email infrastructure for sales teams. The warmup improves deliverability. The scaling is designed for volume. The analytics show performance. Sales teams doing cold outreach at scale use Instantly for email infrastructure that delivers.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/instantly) [Visit website](https://toolradar.com/visit/instantly?p=best&c=marketing-automation) [Instantly alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/instantly)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Instantly? Rate it

- Pro: Good cold email tool
- Pro: Unlimited accounts
- Pro: Warmup included

- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Can be overwhelming

Good value

Instantly's pricing is quite competitive, especially at the lower tiers.

Watch out

Potential overage fees for exceeding email limits.

### Constant Contact

Paid

Established email marketing for small businesses

4.2 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 10,413 ratings, Sep 2026

Constant Contact has done email marketing for small businesses since before most competitors existed. The platform handles the basics well-email campaigns, automation, contact management-without overwhelming complexity. Templates make creating emails straightforward. The list management is reliable. Deliverability benefits from years of sender reputation. Small businesses wanting established, reliable email marketing without learning curves choose Constant Contact for proven basics.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact) [Visit website](https://www.constantcontact.com) [Constant Contact alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/constant-contact)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Constant Contact? Rate it

- Pro: Easy to use
- Pro: Good for beginners
- Pro: Event marketing

- Con: Expensive for features
- Con: Limited automation

Fair value

Constant Contact's pricing is on the higher side compared to some market alternatives, especially for the Lite tier at $12/month which offers limited features and contacts.

Watch out

Potential for increased costs with additional users on Lite.

### SendPulse

100% free

Multi-channel marketing automation platform for email, chatbots, CRM, and online courses.

4.6 /5 across SourceForge, Trustpilot, G2 and more · 4,303 ratings, Sep 2026

SendPulse is a comprehensive multi-channel marketing automation platform designed to help businesses of all sizes manage their customer communications and sales processes. It offers a suite of integrated tools including email marketing, chatbot builders, a CRM system, a website builder, and an online course creator. The platform enables users to automate personalized offers, manage sales pipelines, and engage with customers across various channels like email, web push, and chatbots. The platform is ideal for sales managers, eLearning businesses, industry experts, business owners, and marketers looking to streamline their marketing efforts without needing multiple integrations. It provides drag-and-drop editors, pre-made templates, and AI-powered tools to simplify content creation and campaign management. SendPulse aims to boost conversion rates, improve customer engagement, and provide detailed analytics to optimize marketing performance. Key benefits include saving time with pre-integrated tools, enhancing team collaboration, segmenting audiences for personalized communication, and monitoring marketing performance with built-in analytics. It also offers 24/7 multi-language support and a knowledge base to assist users.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendpulse) [Visit website](https://sendpulse.com) [SendPulse alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/sendpulse)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used SendPulse? Rate it

- Pro: Comprehensive suite of integrated marketing tools on one platform.
- Pro: Offers a generous free plan with significant features.
- Pro: User-friendly drag-and-drop editors and pre-made templates.

- Con: Advanced features like unlimited emails and users are only available on higher-tier paid plans.
- Con: Pricing for larger subscriber lists can increase significantly.

Great value

SendPulse's Free tier is incredibly generous, offering a vast array of features including email, chatbots, CRM, and even an online course builder, which is rare for a free plan.

10

### Mailerlite

Free plan

Simple, affordable email marketing for growing businesses

4.7 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 3,514 ratings, Sep 2026

MailerLite provides email marketing with simplicity and value. Clean interface, solid features, and pricing that works for growing lists. The interface is intuitive. The automation is capable. The pricing is friendly. Growing businesses wanting straightforward email marketing choose MailerLite for accessible email.

[View details](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailerlite) [Visit website](https://www.mailerlite.com) [Mailerlite alternatives →](https://toolradar.com/alternatives/mailerlite)

Thanks, your review is with our moderators.Used Mailerlite? Rate it

- Pro: Affordable email marketing
- Pro: Good free tier
- Pro: Easy to use

- Con: Less powerful automation
- Con: Basic segmentation

Great value

Mailerlite's pricing is very fair and generous, especially with its robust free tier.

## Why other marketing automation tools didn't make our top 10

We evaluated 358 tools in this category and these 20 ranked 11 through 30. They're solid options that fell short on one or two axes (review depth, pricing transparency, feature parity), but worth a look if the leaders don't fit your stack or budget.

[GMassMass email & mail merge from your Gmail inbox](https://toolradar.com/tools/gmass)[airSlateAutomation products that keep work moving](https://toolradar.com/tools/airslate)[ZeroBounceAccurate, fast, and secure email verification and deliverability tools.](https://toolradar.com/tools/zerobounce)[LemlistMultichannel sales outreach with AI personalization and lead data](https://toolradar.com/tools/lemlist)[CventManage in-person, virtual, and hybrid events](https://toolradar.com/tools/cvent)[SenderCreate, automate, and send emails that people want to read, without complicated setup or high costs.](https://toolradar.com/tools/sender)[LoomlySocial media management for teams](https://toolradar.com/tools/loomly)[NimbleYour CRM for smarter AI email marketing, engagement, and growth, all from one simple AI-driven platform.](https://toolradar.com/tools/nimble)[OmnisendEmail, SMS, and push marketing for ecommerce](https://toolradar.com/tools/omnisend)[PublerSocial media scheduling and analytics](https://toolradar.com/tools/publer)[ChurnZeroProactively fight churn with real-time customer success](https://toolradar.com/tools/churnzero)[SendinblueOne AI-powered customer platform for all your marketing and sales needs.](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendinblue)[KlaviyoEmail marketing for e-commerce](https://toolradar.com/tools/klaviyo)[Snov.ioSnov.io is a B2B lead generation and outreach automation tool for finding leads and automating email & LinkedIn campaigns.](https://toolradar.com/tools/snov-io)[TextedlySMS marketing platform for businesses](https://toolradar.com/tools/textedly)[DeBounceFast & accurate email validation and verification to protect sender reputation and boost deliverability.](https://toolradar.com/tools/debounce)[GoTo WebinarHost engaging online events with end-to-end management](https://toolradar.com/tools/goto-webinar)[EngageBayAll-in-one marketing, sales, and support CRM](https://toolradar.com/tools/engagebay)[DotdigitalPersonalized cross-channel marketing automation platform for customer engagement.](https://toolradar.com/tools/dotdigital)[InsiderThe #1 AI-powered platform for customer engagement across every channel.](https://toolradar.com/tools/insider)

## Popular marketing automation comparisons

See how the leading marketing automation tools stack up head-to-head.

- [HubSpot vs ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/compare/activecampaign-vs-hubspot)
- [ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/compare/activecampaign-vs-klaviyo)
- [ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/compare/activecampaign-vs-mailchimp)
- [HubSpot Marketing vs ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/compare/activecampaign-vs-hubspot-marketing)
- [HubSpot Marketing vs Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/compare/hubspot-marketing-vs-klaviyo)
- [HubSpot Marketing vs Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/compare/hubspot-marketing-vs-mailchimp)
- [Mailchimp vs Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/compare/mailchimp-vs-klaviyo)
- [Mailchimp vs HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/compare/hubspot-vs-mailchimp)
- [Brevo vs Mailchimp](https://toolradar.com/compare/mailchimp-vs-brevo)
- [Brevo vs ActiveCampaign](https://toolradar.com/compare/activecampaign-vs-brevo)
- [Brevo vs HubSpot](https://toolradar.com/compare/brevo-vs-hubspot)
- [Brevo vs Klaviyo](https://toolradar.com/compare/brevo-vs-klaviyo)

Compare all 358 marketing automation tools side by side

## Pricing breakdowns for marketing automation tools

Real plans and the hidden costs for each tool.

- [HubSpot pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot/pricing)
- [HubSpot Marketing pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/hubspot-marketing/pricing)
- [Mailchimp Transactional pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp-transactional/pricing)
- [Mailchimp pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/mailchimp/pricing)
- [Brevo pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/brevo/pricing)
- [Instantly pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/instantly/pricing)
- [Constant Contact pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/constant-contact/pricing)
- [SendPulse pricing](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendpulse/pricing)

## Browse all marketing automation tools

358 tools

Pricing

- [100% free](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?pricing=free#browse)
- [Free plan](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?pricing=freemium#browse)
- [Paid](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?pricing=paid#browse)

Platform

- [Web](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=Web#browse)
- [iOS](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=iOS#browse)
- [Android](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=Android#browse)
- [Windows](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=Windows#browse)
- [macOS](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=macOS#browse)
- [Linux](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=Linux#browse)
- [Chrome](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?os=Chrome#browse)

Industry

- [E-commerce 38](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=ecommerce#browse)
- [SaaS & Technology 35](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=saas#browse)
- [Retail 34](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=retail#browse)
- [Hospitality & Travel 18](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=hospitality#browse)
- [Finance & Banking 17](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=finance#browse)
- [Healthcare 16](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=healthcare#browse)
- [Education 15](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=education#browse)
- [Marketing & Advertising 15](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=marketing#browse)
- [Nonprofit 15](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=nonprofit#browse)
- [Real Estate 15](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation?industry=real-estate#browse)

[AttentivePersonalized SMS & email marketing at scalePaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/attentive)[LivestormVideo conferencing software for webinars and virtual meetings, designed for engagement and efficiency.Free plan · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/livestorm)[SharpSpringMarketing automation for agenciesPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/sharpspring)[SlickTextPowerful SMS marketing made simplePaid](https://toolradar.com/tools/slicktext)[BoldTrailAI-powered CRM and marketing platform for real estate professionals.Free plan](https://toolradar.com/tools/boldtrail)[BrazeCustomer engagement platform for cross-channel campaignsContact · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/braze)[BloomerangAll-in-one nonprofit software for fundraising, donor management, and volunteer engagement.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/bloomerang)[ON24Turn digital engagement into pipeline with AI-powered eventsPaid](https://toolradar.com/tools/on24)[BoomTownAll-in-one real estate marketing software with lead generation, CRM, and lead management services.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/boomtown)[BigMarkerVideo-powered marketing platformPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/bigmarker)[CleverTapAll-in-one customer engagement platformPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/clevertap)[Owner.comBoost direct online sales and customer loyalty for restaurants with an all-in-one platform.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/owner-com)[MoosendEmail marketing and automation platformPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/moosend)[LeanDataIntelligent Go-To-Market orchestration to turn buyer signals into revenue-driving actions.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/leandata)[NutshellSimple Pipeline & Contact Management CRM to empower teams, drive deals, and close faster.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/nutshell)[WebEngageFull-stack customer engagement and retention platform for personalized marketing automation.Paid](https://toolradar.com/tools/webengage)[Campaign MonitorEmail marketing for growing businessesFree plan · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/campaign-monitor)[SendibleManage social media for multiple clients with easePaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/sendible)[EnchargeAutomate email and marketing workflows with powerful integrations and simplified campaigns.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/encharge)[Customer.ioAutomated messaging based on user behaviorPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/customer-io)[Zoho CampaignsImprove your marketing with a unified solution for email and SMS marketing.100% free · Web, iOS, Android](https://toolradar.com/tools/zoho-campaigns)[DripifyAutomate LinkedIn and email outreach to close more sales deals on autopilot.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/dripify)[NicejobAutomate reputation marketing to get more reviews, referrals, and sales for local businesses.Paid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/nicejob)[Act-OnMarketing automation for growthPaid · Web](https://toolradar.com/tools/act-on)

Showing the top 24 of 358. Filter to narrow down.

## In-depth: why these tools made the cut

### Why HubSpot Marketing is the B2B SMB default

HubSpot Marketing review

HubSpot Marketing Hub bundles forms, landing pages, email, automation, blog, social, and lead scoring into one platform tightly coupled with HubSpot CRM. For inbound-led B2B SMBs and mid-market, the consolidation is rational, fewer integrations to maintain, unified contact data.

Pricing climbs sharply at Pro and Enterprise tiers, especially with contact-based pricing. For pure email marketing without CRM/landing-page needs, point tools (Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign) cost far less.

## How to choose marketing automation software

1. Match tool to motionB2B nurture: HubSpot Marketing, Marketo, Pardot. E-commerce: Klaviyo, Omnisend. SMB all-in-one: ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Mailchimp. Each segment's tools assume different buyer journeys; cross-using rarely works well.
2. Audit CRM integrationMarketing automation that doesn't sync cleanly to your CRM creates dirty data. HubSpot Marketing + HubSpot CRM are tightly coupled; Marketo + Salesforce is the enterprise B2B default. Verify the integration depth, not just the existence.
3. Plan for compliance and deliverabilityMarketing email deliverability degrades fast with poor sender reputation. Tools differ in IP shared-vs-dedicated, domain authentication setup, and bounce handling. Test with a representative campaign before scaling.

## Best Marketing Automation for

- [Marketing Automation for Startups](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation/for/startups)
- [Marketing Automation for Freelancers](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation/for/freelancers)
- [Marketing Automation for Enterprises](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation/for/enterprises)
- [Marketing Automation for Solopreneurs](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation/for/solopreneurs)
- [Marketing Automation for Nonprofits](https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation/for/nonprofits)

## How we ranked these marketing automation tools

We rank by real-world signal: G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions (volume and recency). Pricing is re-checked and the ranking refreshed monthly.

Tools evaluated358 With free plan22%43 of the 200 tools we rank Last updatedNovember 2026

Toolradar Research

## The data behind marketing automation tools

First-party analyses built from our full catalog, methodology published.

- [AI in marketing: it writes, it doesn't yet send](https://toolradar.com/reports/ai-for-marketing-2026)
- [Which software categories are actually free](https://toolradar.com/reports/free-software-report-2026)
- [What B2B software really costs per month](https://toolradar.com/reports/saas-price-points-2026)
- [The most crowded software markets](https://toolradar.com/reports/most-crowded-software-markets-2026)

All Toolradar research

Ask your AI assistant

Toolradar works inside Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and VS Code. Every price comes with the date it was read on the vendor's page. No API key needed.

“What is the best marketing automation tool for a 5-person team under $50 a month? Give me a short list with prices.”

[Add to Cursor](cursor://anysphere.cursor-deeplink/mcp/install?name=toolradar&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rvb2xyYWRhci5jb20vYXBpL21jcCJ9)[Add to VS Code](vscode:mcp/install?%7B%22name%22%3A%22toolradar%22%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Ftoolradar.com%2Fapi%2Fmcp%22%7D)[Claude, ChatGPT and others](https://toolradar.com/for-agents?src=category)

claude mcp add --transport http toolradar https://toolradar.com/api/mcp

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the best marketing automation tool in 2026?

Based on our analysis of 358 marketing automation tools, HubSpot is our overall marketing automation pick. The next tools on the list are ActiveCampaign, HubSpot Marketing, Mailchimp Transactional. Rankings use G2/Capterra review volume and rating, and media mentions.

### What are the top 3 marketing automation tools?

The top 3 marketing automation tools in 2026, ranked by Toolradar, are: 1) HubSpot, CRM platform for scaling businesses. 2) ActiveCampaign, Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation. 3) HubSpot Marketing, Marketing automation by HubSpot.

### Are there free marketing automation tools?

Yes. Mailchimp Transactional is our free marketing automation pick (free plan alongside paid plans). 5 of the 10 tools on this page have a free plan. Among the 200 marketing automation tools we rank, 43 have a free plan.

### How do I choose the right marketing automation tool?

Start by defining your team size, budget, and must-have features. HubSpot is our overall marketing automation pick. Mailchimp Transactional is our free marketing automation pick. Compare all 358 options side by side on Toolradar.

Cite this page: Toolradar, "Best Marketing Automation Software in 2026", updated November 2026, https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation

[Marketing Automation statistics catalog size, ratings and pricing data, updated monthly](https://toolradar.com/statistics/marketing-automation)

## What Is Marketing Automation Software?

Marketing automation software runs the work between attention and revenue: capture leads, segment them, send the right message at the right time across email, SMS, push, and ads, score them based on behavior, and hand them to sales when they're ready. The category covers everything from $15/month email-with-automation tools (Mailchimp, MailerLite) to seven-figure enterprise stacks (Marketo, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Adobe Marketo Engage).

The category has fractured by go-to-market motion. B2B marketing automation (HubSpot, Marketo, ActiveCampaign) emphasizes lead scoring, CRM integration, and revenue attribution. B2C / ecommerce automation (Klaviyo, Bloomreach, Iterable) optimizes for transactional triggers, cart abandonment, post-purchase flows, lifecycle campaigns. Product-led growth tools (Customer.io, Braze) emphasize event-based messaging tied to product usage. Picking the right axis matters more than picking the 'best' tool.

What you're actually buying isn't features, it's the visual workflow builder you'll spend 80% of your time in, the deliverability of the sending infrastructure, and how clean the CRM sync feels six months in. Demos optimize for the first; you only feel the others after you've migrated.

## Editor's Take

> “After evaluating 358 marketing automation tools, HubSpot stands out as our top pick, ahead of ActiveCampaign. For budget-conscious teams, Mailchimp Transactional (free plan alongside paid plans) delivers strong value. The competition is fierce, the gap between top tools is narrower than ever, so the best choice comes down to your team's specific workflow and priorities.”

Louis Corneloup · November 2026

## Key Data Points

358Tools evaluated5 of 10Listed tools with a free plan

Toolradar data: 5 of the 10 tools listed on this page (50%) have a free plan, out of 358 tools tracked in this category. HubSpot leads the list.

## Key Features to Look for in Marketing Automation

### Visual workflow builder

The canvas where you build triggers, branches, delays, and conditions. The good ones (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Customer.io) let non-technical users build sophisticated logic; the weak ones force you into linear sequences or hidden 'if/else' menus.

### Segmentation & dynamic lists

Filter contacts by behavior, properties, lifecycle stage, and event data, then keep those lists live as data changes. Look for real-time segmentation (not just batch updates) if you run time-sensitive campaigns.

### Lead scoring

Rules and/or ML-based scoring that combines fit (industry, company size, role) and engagement (page views, email opens, form fills) into a single signal sales can act on. Most B2B tools include this; most B2C tools skip it.

### Multi-channel orchestration

Email, SMS, push, in-app, WhatsApp, ads, coordinated from one workflow instead of separate systems. The strong tools (Iterable, Customer.io, Braze) treat channels as outputs of the same workflow; weaker tools force a per-channel campaign mindset.

### CRM bidirectional sync

Two-way data flow with Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, or your CRM of choice. 'Sync' that breaks under custom fields, drops contacts, or creates duplicates is the single most common reason teams replace their automation tool.

### Attribution & revenue reporting

Multi-touch attribution that ties campaigns back to closed-won deals or ecommerce revenue. The best B2B tools (HubSpot, Marketo with Bizible) handle this natively; otherwise you're patching it together with Salesforce Campaign Influence or a separate attribution tool.

## Who Uses Marketing Automation?

Different teams have very different needs, and the wrong-fit tool is more painful than no tool at all:

**B2B marketing teams:** Lead capture from content, nurturing sequences, lead scoring, and SDR handoffs. HubSpot Marketing Hub, Marketo Engage, and ActiveCampaign cover the spectrum from SMB to enterprise. Almost always paired with Salesforce or HubSpot CRM.**Ecommerce operators:** Klaviyo, Bloomreach, and Postscript (for SMS) dominate. The job is cart abandonment, post-purchase flows, win-back campaigns, and reactivation, high-volume transactional messaging where deliverability and Shopify-tight integration matter most.**Product-led SaaS:** Customer.io, Braze, and Intercom (for in-app) lead here. Triggers are product events (signup, feature activation, churn risk), not marketing actions. CRM matters less; the data warehouse and product analytics tool matter more.**Founder-led marketing (small startups):** Need to start fast, scale later. ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, and Brevo offer real automation at $30 to 50/month. Avoid Marketo and Pardot at this stage, the configuration overhead alone will eat a quarter.**Lifecycle marketing specialists:** In larger orgs, dedicated lifecycle teams optimize the journey across signup → activation → expansion → renewal. They want event-based triggers, deep segmentation, and tight collaboration with product. Customer.io, Iterable, and Braze are designed for this role.

## Related Guides

[Best Affiliate Marketing Automation Software in 2026](https://toolradar.com/guides/best-affiliate-marketing-software) [Best Free Email Marketing Tools in 2026](https://toolradar.com/guides/best-free-email-marketing-tools) [Cheapest Email Marketing Software in 2026](https://toolradar.com/guides/cheapest-email-marketing-software) [Best Email Marketing for Ecommerce in 2026](https://toolradar.com/guides/best-email-marketing-for-ecommerce)

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Source: https://toolradar.com/best/marketing-automation