ActiveCampaign
The automation leader, where a visual builder and a built in CRM let you wire email, behavior and sales into one engine.
ActiveCampaign is our top pick in email marketing because nobody automates more cleanly. Its visual builder chains triggers, conditions, scoring and actions into flows that adapt to what each contact does, and a built in CRM means sales can ride on the same data. A large integration library and predictive features round it out. The price of that power is a learning curve and contact based pricing: the cheapest tiers omit the CRM and advanced reporting, SMS and extra users are add ons, and a team that only wants a newsletter will feel the depth as friction.
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The deepest automation in email, once you invest the time to wire it up.
In its favour
Held against it
Automation and integrations set the ceiling.
ActiveCampaign scores at the top of the category on features and integrations because the automation engine is genuinely deeper than its rivals. Ease is the only soft spot, and it is the price of that power.
Scored against the same five weighted criteria we use across email marketing. See the rubric →
a team that will use deep automation and wants email and a CRM on one platform.
a sender that only needs simple newsletters, or one that wants a flat, add on free price.
What it costs
Per month, billed annually, 1,000 contactsPricing as of June 2026. Cost scales with contacts; SMS, extra users and some CRM features are add ons. Check the vendor for current pricing.