Choosing the right CRM can feel like navigating a maze.
Do you need something simple or a tool packed with features? And what about the cost?
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are two popular options, but which one comes out on top?
In this post, we’ll break down ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot & their key differences, pricing, & features to help you make the best decision for your business.
Overview
To give you the most accurate comparison, we’ve spent weeks testing both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot.
We dove deep into their features, explored their automation capabilities, and even compared their customer support.
Now, let’s see how they stack up!
Unlock the power of an all-in-one marketing platform. So, check it out now!
Pricing: It has a 7-day free Trial. Paid plan starts at $15/month
Key Features:
- Email Marketing
- Marketing Automation
- CRM
Ready to grow your business with a powerful all-in-one platform? Get started with HubSpot’s tools today.
Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $15/month.
Key Features:
- CRM
- Marketing Automation
- Analytics & Reporting
What is ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is a powerful tool.
But don’t let that scare you. It’s actually pretty easy to use. They focus on helping you automate your marketing.
This means less work for you!
You can send the right message to the right people at the right time. Sounds cool, right?
Also, explore our favorite ActiveCampaign alternatives…
Our Take
ActiveCampaign is an excellent choice for businesses that want to leverage the true power of email marketing and automation. However, it may not be the best fit for beginners due to its complexity.
Key Benefits
- Advanced automation: Create complex workflows to nurture leads and automate tasks.
- Email marketing powerhouse: Send beautiful and effective email campaigns.
- Built-in CRM: Manage contacts and track interactions.
- Segmentation and personalization: Target specific groups of contacts with personalized messages.
Pricing
- Starter: $15/month.
- Plus: $49/month.
- Pro: $79/month.
- Enterprise: $145/month.
Pros
Cons
What is HubSpot?
Have you ever wished for a CRM that’s actually easy to use?
That’s HubSpot. It’s designed to be intuitive & user-friendly, even for beginners.
Think of it as your all-in-one marketing and sales machine.
It helps you attract visitors, convert them into leads, and close deals—all in one place.
Also, explore our favorite Hubspot alternatives…
Our Take
HubSpot is a powerful platform with many features, but you must consider your budget and needs before committing. It’s a good choice for businesses that want a comprehensive solution & are willing to invest in it.
Key Benefits
- Free CRM: Start with a free plan with basic CRM features.
- All-in-one platform: Access a marketing, sales, and service tools suite.
- Extensive community and resources: Benefit from a wealth of knowledge and support.
- Inbound marketing focus: Attract and engage leads with valuable content.
Pricing
- Free Tools: Free for up to two users.
- Marketing Hub Starter: $15/seat/month.
- Starter Customer Platform: $15/seat/month.
- Marketing Hub Professional + three seats: $800/month, additional seats at $45/month.
Pros
Cons
Feature Comparison
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are two leading solutions in the marketing automation software space, but they have fundamentally different architectures.
ActiveCampaign is designed for deep email marketing software and behavioral automation workflows.
HubSpot, with its hubspot marketing hub, is a comprehensive, all-in-one platform built to unify all sales and marketing efforts.
This comparison details their automation features and reporting capabilities to guide your future marketing efforts.
1. Platform Architecture and Scope
- ActiveCampaign: Functions as a focused marketing automation platform. Its strength lies in its depth of automation features and segmentation, making it superior for complex marketing campaigns primarily via email.
- HubSpot: Operates as an all-in-one CRM suite. The hubspot marketing hub is one part of a larger ecosystem that integrates tightly with Sales and Service Hubs, unifying all sales and marketing efforts under one roof.
2. Automation Workflows and Complexity
- ActiveCampaign: Known for its visual builder and highly flexible automation workflows. It is often considered easier to use for creating complex, conditional email and SMS sequences, which boosts overall marketing efforts.
- HubSpot: Provides powerful automation workflows across its entire platform (marketing, sales, service). While highly capable, setting up cross-Hub automations can be more complex, requiring a marketing automation software administrator.
3. Email Marketing Capabilities
- ActiveCampaign: Excels as email marketing software. It offers advanced deliverability, conditional content, and personalized send times based on customer data, ensuring marketing campaigns reach the inbox effectively.
- HubSpot: Offers robust email marketing software with a polished drag-and-drop editor and extensive templates. However, its core strength is broader inbound marketing, and some advanced personalization features are reserved for higher tiers.
4. CRM Integration and Foundation
- ActiveCampaign: Includes a built-in CRM for managing the sales process and tracking deals. While functional, it is considered basic compared to dedicated CRM solutions.
- HubSpot: The CRM is the absolute foundation of the entire platform. This integration is seamless, providing detailed tracking of all customer data and interactions across the full spectrum of sales processes.
5. Sales Processes and Functionality
- ActiveCampaign: Focuses on automating the early stages of the sales process, such as lead nurturing and task assignment based on engagement.
- HubSpot: Provides a dedicated Sales Hub with extensive tools (e.g., meeting scheduling, sales sequencing, native calling) designed to optimize the entire sales process from lead capture through closing deals.
6. Reporting and Analytics
- ActiveCampaign: Offers strong reporting on marketing campaigns and automation performance. However, create custom reports linking marketing activity to sales revenue often requires high-tier plans or custom configuration.
- HubSpot: Provides highly customizable dashboards and the ability to create custom reports linking every touchpoint across the sales process. Its comprehensive reporting is a major strength for analyzing all sales and marketing efforts.
7. Scalability and Pricing Model
- ActiveCampaign: Pricing is generally based on the number of contacts, making it predictable for small and medium-sized businesses, even as their automation features usage scales.
- HubSpot: The hubspot marketing hub offers a very generous free tier, but the cost increases significantly and often unpredictably as you scale up features and contact volume.
8. Lead Scoring and Data Intelligence
- ActiveCampaign: Offers predictive lead scoring based on customer data and behavior, triggering specific automation workflows to ensure the right leads are handed off to sales.
- HubSpot: Provides sophisticated lead scoring and contact intelligence features that integrate across its full suite, offering deeper insights into customer data and intent across the sales process.
9. Content Management and Ecosystem
- ActiveCampaign: Relies on external integrations for core content management (like WordPress) and does not offer a native CMS. Its marketing efforts focus on the outreach after content is created.
- HubSpot: Offers a full CMS Hub, allowing users to build and personalize websites, blogs, and landing pages within the same marketing automation software that manages marketing campaigns and sales processes.
What to Look For in a CRM Software?
- Your budget: CRM pricing can vary significantly. Determine your budget early on to narrow down your options.
- Your team’s size: Consider how many users will need access to the CRM. Some platforms have user-based pricing.
- Required features: Identify the essential features you need, such as contact management, sales automation, or marketing tools.
- Integrations: Ensure the CRM integrates with your existing business tools, like email marketing platforms or accounting software.
- Ease of use: Choose a CRM that your team will actually use. Consider the learning curve and user-friendliness.
- Scalability: Think about your future needs. Select a CRM that could grow with your business.
- Support: Evaluate the level of customer support offered. Some platforms offer more comprehensive support than others.
- Mobile access: Do you need access to your CRM on the go? Check for mobile apps and mobile-friendly interfaces.
- Industry-specific features: Some CRMs cater to specific industries, offering tailored features and functionalities.
- Free trial: Take advantages of free trials to test drive the CRM and see if it’s the right fit for your business.
Final Verdict
Choosing between ActiveCampaign and HubSpot ultimately depends on your specific needs and priorities.
If you’re looking for a powerful marketing automation solution with advanced features and flexibility, ActiveCampaign emerges as the winner.
Its robust automation builder and in-depth reporting give you fine-grained control over your campaigns.
However, if you prioritize a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive suite of sales tools, HubSpot is the better choice.
Its free CRM and intuitive platform make it ideal for businesses getting started with automation.
We’ve spent weeks testing these platforms, so you can trust our insights.
Whether you’re focused on streamlining your marketing or boosting your sales, this comparison should help you make the right decision for your business.
More of ActiveCampaign
Here’s a comparison of ActiveCampaign with its alternatives:
- ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive: ActiveCampaign excels in marketing automation and lead nurturing with integrated CRM. Pipedrive, however, is a sales-centric CRM that emphasizes visual pipeline management and efficient deal tracking.
- ActiveCampaign vs GoHighLevel: GoHighLevel is an all-in-one platform for marketing agency users, with strong white-labeling and unlimited accounts.
- ActiveCampaign vs Keap: ActiveCampaign offers robust marketing automation and email capabilities. Keap is tailored for small businesses, blending CRM with sales and email for an integrated approach.
- ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot: ActiveCampaign is a leader in email marketing automation and customer engagement. HubSpot provides a more comprehensive, all-in-one platform covering marketing, sales, service, and content management.
- ActiveCampaign vs ClickFunnels: ActiveCampaign is ideal for email marketing automation and lead nurturing within a CRM context. ClickFunnels specializes in building sales funnels and landing pages for direct conversions.
- ActiveCampaign vs Folk: ActiveCampaign is known for sophisticated marketing automation and detailed customer segmentation. Folk offers a simpler, collaborative CRM for contact management, email campaigns, and basic sales pipelines.
- ActiveCampaign vs Instantly: ActiveCampaign delivers advanced marketing automation and a comprehensive CRM. Instantly focuses more on cold email outreach and lead finding with basic CRM features for simplified sales.
- ActiveCampaign vs ClickUp: ActiveCampaign excels in marketing-specific automation and customer relationship management. ClickUp is a versatile work management platform that can be customized for CRM and emphasizes project management.
- ActiveCampaign vs Monday CRM: ActiveCampaign provides powerful marketing automation and email campaigns with strong CRM integration. Monday CRM emphasizes visual collaboration and customizable boards for lead and deal management.
- ActiveCampaign vs Capsule: ActiveCampaign offers robust email marketing and advanced automation for sales and customer journeys. Capsule CRM provides straightforward contact management and sales pipeline features, ideal for basic CRM needs.
- ActiveCampaign vs Insightly: ActiveCampaign focuses on deep marketing and sales automation with lead scoring and tracking. Insightly combines CRM with project management, suiting teams needing both sales and project delivery.
- ActiveCampaign vs Freshsales CRM: ActiveCampaign provides comprehensive marketing automation and email with integrated CRM functionalities. Freshsales CRM focuses on sales management and streamlining sales processes with AI-powered insights.
- ActiveCampaign vs Salesforce: ActiveCampaign specializes in marketing automation and email engagement for small to medium businesses. Salesforce is an extensive, scalable CRM platform for large enterprises, covering sales, service, and marketing.
- ActiveCampaign vs Zendesk: ActiveCampaign focuses on email marketing, sales automation, and customer experience management. Zendesk primarily provides customer service and support tools, including ticketing systems and help desks.
More of Hubspot
Here’s a brief comparison of Hubspot with these software solutions:
- HubSpot vs GoHighLevel: Hubspot is an all-in-one platform for agencies, with strong marketing automation and white-labeling options.
- Hubspot vs Pipedrive: It is a sales-focused CRM known for its visual sales pipeline management and intuitive interface, which makes it ideal for tracking deals. Hubspot provides a more comprehensive, all-in-one platform that encompasses sales, marketing, and customer service.
- Hubspot vs Keap:Â It (formerly Infusionsoft) specializes in CRM and marketing automation, particularly for small businesses looking to streamline sales processes. Hubspot offers a wider range of marketing, sales, and service features.
- Hubspot vs ActiveCampaign: It excels in email marketing and marketing automation, with advanced segmentation and conditional logic. However, Hubspot provides a more extensive all-in-one platform that encompasses lead generation.
- Hubspot vs Clickfunnels:Â It is dedicated to creating high-converting sales funnels, focusing on landing pages and sales processes. Hubspot, on the other hand, is a broader marketing and sales automation platform.
- Hubspot vs Folk: It is a simpler CRM solution that excels in straightforward contact management and organization. It is suitable for small teams that prioritize ease of use.
- Hubspot vs Instantly:Â It specializes in cold email outreach and lead generation automation. Hubspot provides a much broader suite of tools, including a full CRM, comprehensive email marketing with advanced design capabilities.
- Hubspot vs ClickUp: It is primarily a project management tool with extensive customization and collaboration features. It allows users to manage tasks, documents, and goals. While it offers some CRM functionalities through custom fields.
- Hubspot vs Monday CRM: It.com is a work operating system focused on project management, collaboration, and workflow automation. In contrast,
- Hubspot vs Capsule CRM:Â It is a simpler, user-friendly contact manager and sales tracker, ideal for small businesses needing organized customer information and clear pipeline views.
- Hubspot vs Insightly:Â It combines CRM with strong project management features, making it versatile for businesses requiring both.
- Hubspot vs Freshsales CRM:Â It is a sales-focused CRM emphasizing AI-powered lead scoring and sales automation for efficient deal management. Hubspot provides a more extensive all-in-one platform with robust marketing automation features integrated alongside sales and service tools.
- Hubspot vs Salesforce:Â It is a powerful, highly customizable enterprise-grade CRM with robust reporting and forecasting capabilities, ideal for large organizations with complex needs.
- Hubspot vs Zendesk:Â It is a specialized customer service and support platform, excelling in omnichannel support, ticketing, and advanced AI capabilities for issue resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ActiveCampaign or HubSpot better for small businesses?
Both platforms offer plans for small businesses. HubSpot’s free CRM and user-friendly interface make it a good starting point. However, if you need advanced automation from the get-go, ActiveCampaign might be a better long-term investment.
Which platform is easier to use, ActiveCampaign or HubSpot?
HubSpot generally has a more intuitive interface and a gentler learning curve. ActiveCampaign’s advanced features can take some time to master.
Can I use ActiveCampaign and HubSpot together?
Yes! Both platforms integrate with each other. You could use HubSpot’s CRM and ActiveCampaign for email marketing and automation, for example.
What kind of support do ActiveCampaign and HubSpot offer?
Both platforms provide resources like knowledge bases and community forums. HubSpot offers email & chat support on all paid plans, while ActiveCampaign includes email support on all plans and live chat on higher tiers.
Which platform is better for e-commerce businesses?
Both platforms offer integrations with popular e-commerce platforms. ActiveCampaign’s deep automation capabilities can be particularly useful for personalized product recommendations and abandoned cart emails. However, HubSpot offers a more comprehensive suite of tools for managing the entire customer lifecycle.
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