ActiveCampaign review: plans, strengths, and limitations

ActiveCampaign is marketing automation software with a contact CRM. Teams can build campaigns, segment contacts, and trigger messages from actions such as clicks, purchases, and site visits.

This review looks at how the platform supports daily work, which sales features require add-ons, and what to budget as your list and team grow.

By the Close team · Last verified Oct 21, 2026 · How we wrote this review

On this page8 sections

Is ActiveCampaign a good fit?#

ActiveCampaign is worth considering if your sales process starts with marketing campaigns, nurture sequences, and segmentation. Its lowest plan with sales automation is listed at $49 per account per month billed annually for one user and 1,000 contacts.

If your team sells by phone, check the connected calling setup. ActiveCampaign doesn't list a built-in phone system, and deal pipelines require a paid add-on whose price wasn't published on the pages checked.

ActiveCampaign may be a good fit if…

You want campaigns triggered by purchases, site visits, and other customer actions.
You use Shopify or WooCommerce and want commerce activity to drive follow-up.
You need detailed segmentation and attribution.
The included user count fits your team, or you've priced additional access.

Check the details if…

Your list is growing quickly, since pricing varies with contact count.
Several people need access on a lower plan, which includes one user.
Calling and deal pipelines are central to your sales process.
You need priority support or onboarding beyond what's listed on lower plans.

Working in ActiveCampaign#

Campaigns and automations

You can build automations visually, using an action such as a click or purchase to trigger a message or move someone down a different path. ActiveCampaign offers templates to help teams get started.

Its email editor supports dynamic content, while segments can use fields, email activity, website events, and CRM data. The paid pipeline add-on can bring deal stages and lead scores into that automation. ActiveCampaign's AI tools can help draft campaigns, automations, and segments.

Email, SMS, and WhatsApp can be part of the platform's automation, depending on your plan and add-ons.

Reporting and attribution

Campaign reports cover engagement such as opens, clicks, and unsubscribes. The vendor page reviewed lists marketing attribution on Pro, along with tools for tracking goals and testing message variants. Dashboards can be customized and reports exported.

ActiveCampaign also describes AI summaries and charts for campaign questions. Pipeline and one-to-one sales-email reports depend on the relevant sales add-ons.

Mobile app and connected tools

A mobile app is included on every plan. Browser and Outlook extensions can show contact information and help users manage deals, tasks, and notes. ActiveCampaign lists more than 1,000 integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, Calendly, and Salesforce, plus an API for custom connections.

Its AI connectors are described as beta. On an organization's AI account, an administrator may need to approve the connection.

What some users say

In public discussions, individual users praised ActiveCampaign's automations and described them as easy to set up, though results vary by team. Read one CRM discussion and a marketing discussion.

What you may need beyond Starter#

Sales automation and pipelines

Starter includes multi-step marketing automation, but sales automation and landing pages start on Plus. ActiveCampaign offers two separately priced sales add-ons: Pipelines for deals, accounts, and lead scoring, and Sales Engagement for additional features including automated one-to-one email. The pages checked didn't publish their prices.

Texting and WhatsApp

The SMS add-on includes automated sends, reply triggers, two-way messaging, and an inbox. ActiveCampaign offers tailored pricing rather than a listed rate. WhatsApp has separate plans and availability restrictions; confirm the current requirements for your market.

Calling

ActiveCampaign doesn't list a built-in phone system. A connected app such as Aircall can log calls and put notes, tags, and recordings on the contact timeline. Price the provider and test the integration if calling is part of your sales process.

Plans and pricing at a glance#

ActiveCampaign lists Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise at an account price based on 1,000 contacts, with annual prices published and no monthly-billing prices listed. Each plan includes a limited number of users.

Enterprise

$145per account/month, billed annually

Single sign-on (SSO) and HIPAA support
Premium segmentation and custom objects
Premium CRM integrations like Salesforce

Pro

$79per account/month, billed annually

Predictive sending at each contact's best time
Conditional content: one email, a version for every contact
Advanced segmentation

Plus

$49per account/month, billed annually

Cross-channel marketing
Generative AI for content and images
Landing pages and site messages

Starter

$15per account/month, billed annually

Multi-step marketing automation
AI-powered automation and campaign builders
Email campaigns with 250+ pre-built templates

Notes

Prices in USD as shown on ActiveCampaign's pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Taxes excluded.

These prices are at the prices checked October 21, 2026, for 1,000 contacts before taxes and extras. It found no published monthly-billing prices or extra-user prices. Each plan lists 500 AI credits; confirm top-up prices and how your usage is charged.

Plus adds sales automation and landing pages; Pro lists attribution and predictive sending. The vendor describes a 14-day trial without a credit card and a 30-day refund policy. Confirm current plan, trial, and contact-count terms.

What does ActiveCampaign cost for a team?#

Enterprise is the lowest plan in the information reviewed table that includes five users: $145 per account per month billed annually for 1,000 contacts. The page couldn't calculate a 10- or 15-user total because extra-user prices weren't published.

Team size	Enterprise	Enterprise plus Aircall Essentials	Enterprise plus Aircall Professional
5 sellers	ActiveCampaign Enterprise$1,740/yr billed annuallyNo monthly option listed	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall Essentials$3,540/yr billed annuallyNo monthly option listed	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall Professional$4,740/yr billed annuallyNo monthly option listed
10 sellers	ActiveCampaign EnterpriseEnterprise includes 5 users	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall EssentialsEnterprise includes 5 users	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall ProfessionalEnterprise includes 5 users
15 sellers	ActiveCampaign EnterpriseEnterprise includes 5 users	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall EssentialsEnterprise includes 5 users	ActiveCampaign Enterprise + Aircall ProfessionalEnterprise includes 5 users

These examples assume 1,000 contacts. They exclude ActiveCampaign's unpriced Pipelines, Sales Engagement, and SMS add-ons, plus usage and taxes. Aircall Essentials is listed at $30/license/month annually and Professional at $50; both require at least three licenses. If you call from your phone or already use another provider, use your actual setup. Check Aircall pricing.

Model the contact count you expect, not just your current list. Ask for prices for pipelines, sales engagement, SMS, and extra AI credits if you'll need them.

Limits and reported problems#

The vendor page reviewed lists contact-based pricing, plan-specific user and email-send limits, and 500 AI credits per plan. It also notes different support levels and WhatsApp availability restrictions.

Limits to check

ActiveCampaign's list prices rise with contact count. Starter and Plus include one user, Pro three, and Enterprise five, with no published extra-user price. Monthly send limits are listed as 10 times the contact limit on Starter and Plus, 12 times on Pro, and 15 times on Enterprise.

Each plan lists 500 AI credits; core AI continues when credits run out, while advanced AI pauses until more are added. ActiveCampaign lists WhatsApp Messaging as referral-only, and support levels vary by plan. Check WhatsApp eligibility and credit pricing with ActiveCampaign.

Individual public users reported concerns about price increases, mobile speed, and glitches. Those accounts don't establish how common the issues are. Test your intended automations and mobile workflow during the trial.

In separate public discussions, individual users reported pricing concerns, slow mobile loading, and glitches. These reports aren't verified benchmarks and may not describe the current product. Read a pricing discussion and a mobile discussion.

Who should choose ActiveCampaign?#

ActiveCampaign may be a good fit if…

Your sales process starts with behavior-triggered marketing campaigns.
You want to segment contacts and automate messages across channels.
Your store's purchase events need to trigger follow-up.
The included user count and contact-based price fit your team.

You may want to look elsewhere if…

Reps call leads every day and want calling in the CRM.
You need a complete pipeline and SMS price before contacting sales.
Your contact list is growing fast and you need to model the resulting cost.
Several users need access on a tight budget.

Frequently asked questions#

Is ActiveCampaign a CRM?

ActiveCampaign includes a contact CRM alongside marketing automation. The vendor says deal pipelines and account records require a paid Pipelines add-on; confirm current availability and pricing.

How much does it cost?

ActiveCampaign lists $15 to $145 per account/month billed annually at 1,000 contacts, depending on plan and included users. Prices rise with contact count; sales and SMS add-ons may cost extra. Ask for a quote for your expected list and team.

Can you call and text from ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign doesn't list a built-in phone system. A connected calling app can log calls. ActiveCampaign offers an SMS add-on with tailored pricing; check provider and registration requirements.

Is there a free plan?

The vendor describes paid plans and a 14-day trial without a credit card, but no free plan. Confirm the current offer with ActiveCampaign.

Try another approach

If calls, texts, and email are central to your sales process, try a day of work in Close with a sample of your data.

Try Close free Compare Close and ActiveCampaign

How we wrote this review

Close makes a CRM that competes with ActiveCampaign. We used 17 ActiveCampaign product, pricing, and help pages and five public Reddit discussions, listed under Sources.

We did not run a hands-on trial for this version. Prices and plan details were checked Oct 21, 2026. ActiveCampaign can change them, so confirm the details before buying.

Sources include ActiveCampaign pricing, Aircall pricing, and the public discussions linked above. The pricing and product pages reviewed list additional vendor product and help pages. Recheck contact pricing, user limits, and add-on terms before buying.