Act-On vs ActiveCampaign: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Act-On and ActiveCampaign side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, ActiveCampaign leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Act-On
Marketing automation for growth
ActiveCampaign
Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation.
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Act-On | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $900/mo flat, billed monthly Professional plan | Free plan, paid from $15/mo, billed monthly Starter plan |
Category | Marketing Automation Email Marketing | Marketing Automation Email Marketing |
Rating | 4.2/5 G2 4.1 · Capterra 4.3 · TrustRadius 4.2 1,558 reviews | 4.5/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.6 17,363 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Potential onboarding/setup fees | n/a |
Choose Act-On or ActiveCampaign?
Choose Act-On if
- You need marketing automation features specifically.
Choose ActiveCampaign if
- You want a free tier before you commit
In-Depth Analysis
Act-On
Marketing automation for growth
However, this often indicates a higher price point, likely placing it in the expensive category compared to market averages for similar feature sets.
Watch out
Potential onboarding/setup fees
Strengths
- Pro: Flexible pricing model based on active contacts marketed to, not total database size.
- Pro: Comprehensive suite of marketing automation tools including email, analytics, lead generation, lead scoring, and sales enablement.
- Pro: Strong emphasis on customer support and professional services, including implementation and migration assistance.
- Pro: Advanced AI capabilities for marketing analytics, segmentation, and email content generation.
- Pro: High email deliverability rates due to proprietary SMTP servers and expert services, ensuring compliance with regulations like CAN-SPAM, CCPA, GDPR, and HIPAA.
Weaknesses
- Con: Specific pricing details are not transparently listed and require contacting sales for a quote.
- Con: While AI is mentioned, the extent of its application across all features isn't fully detailed.
- Con: The platform's complexity for new users or smaller teams without dedicated marketing resources is not explicitly addressed.
Key features
ActiveCampaign
Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation.
Strengths
- 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.
- Pro: 30-day satisfaction guarantee and free 1:1 coaching for new users.
Weaknesses
- 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.
- Con: Some users may find the initial setup and breadth of features overwhelming.
Key features
Plans and prices: Act-On vs ActiveCampaign
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Act-On |
| act-on.com/pricing read Nov 7, 2026 |
| ActiveCampaign |
| activecampaign.com/pricing read Nov 7, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Act-On pricing and ActiveCampaign pricing.
Key Takeaways
Act-On
- Worth considering for marketing automation
ActiveCampaign
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 4.2/5
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, ActiveCampaign leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- ActiveCampaign has the higher user rating (4.2/5 from 1,558 reviews for Act-On, 4.5/5 from 17,363 reviews for ActiveCampaign).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Act-On $900/mo flat, billed monthly; ActiveCampaign $15/mo, billed monthly.
- Only ActiveCampaign has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Act-On and ActiveCampaign compare in 2026?
On the data below, ActiveCampaign leads on higher user rating and a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. ActiveCampaign has the higher user rating (4.2/5 from 1,558 reviews for Act-On, 4.5/5 from 17,363 reviews for ActiveCampaign). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Act-On $900/mo flat, billed monthly; ActiveCampaign $15/mo, billed monthly. Only ActiveCampaign has a free plan.
What are Act-On and ActiveCampaign used for?
Act-On: Marketing automation for growth. ActiveCampaign: Autonomous marketing platform with AI-powered email, SMS, and WhatsApp automation.
What does Act-On cost vs ActiveCampaign?
Act-On's cheapest paid plan is Professional at $900/mo flat, billed monthly. ActiveCampaign's cheapest paid plan is Starter at $15/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 7, 2026.
What's the main difference between Act-On and ActiveCampaign?
Act-On's main strength: flexible pricing model based on active contacts marketed to, not total database size. ActiveCampaign's main strength: AI agents dramatically speed up campaign creation and personalization.
Spotted an outdated price or a wrong fact? Suggest a correction: we check it against the vendor's own page. Work for one of these vendors? Claim your listing to update it yourself.