ActiveCampaign vs Zoho CRM: Best CRM Tool in 2025

Picking the right CRM can feel like a headache, right?

You’re looking at ActiveCampaign vs Zoho CRM, and both seem good.

But which one is actually best for your business in 2025?

It’s tough to know where to start.

Don’t worry, we’re here to break it down. 

We’ll look at the key differences between ActiveCampaign and Zoho CRM so you can decide which is the best CRM tool for your needs. 

Overview

We’ve spent countless hours diving deep into both ActiveCampaign and Zoho CRM, testing their features, workflows, and integrations.

This hands-on experience allows us to provide a real, practical comparison, not just a surface-level review.

What is ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign? It’s a powerhouse. Think marketing automation, email, and CRM all in one spot.

Do you want to automate your sales? This tool can help. It also enables you to keep track of customers and makes your marketing smarter.

Key Benefits

• Visual automation builder: No coding needed! Design complex workflows with easy drag-and-drop tools.
• Advanced segmentation: Go beyond basic lists—target contacts based on behavior, interests, and more.
• Built-in CRM: Organize your contacts, track interactions, and score leads for better follow-up.
• Over 850+ integrations: Connect with your favorite tools and streamline your workflow.
• Personalized email marketing: Send emails that feel like a one-on-one conversation.

Pricing

ActiveCampaign offers you a tiered pricing based on the number of contacts and features you need.

• Starter: $15/month.
• Plus: $49/month.
• Pro: $79/month.
• Enterprise: $145/month.

What is Zoho CRM?

Now, let’s switch gears and talk about Zoho CRM.

Zoho offers a comprehensive suite of business tools. Their CRM is part of that ecosystem.

It has features to help you manage your sales, marketing, and customer support.

Also, explore our favorite Zoho CRM alternatives…

Key Benefits

• Feature-rich: Zoho CRM packs a ton of features into its platform. You get sales automation, marketing tools, and even help desk functionality.
• Affordable: Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users. Even their paid plans are very competitive.
• Customization options: Tailor Zoho CRM to fit your business needs. You can create custom fields, modules, & workflows.
• Excellent integrations: Zoho CRM integrates with over 500 other apps, including popular tools like Google Workspace and Mailchimp.
• Strong reporting: Get detailed insights into your sales performance with customizable reports and dashboards.

Pricing

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Standard: $14/user/month.
• Professional: $23/user/month.
• Enterprise:$40 /user/month.
• Ultimate: $52/user/month.

Feature Comparison

Let’s dive into the core differences.

We’ll break down key features, highlighting strengths and weaknesses to help you decide which CRM best fits your needs.

1. Email Marketing and Automation

ActiveCampaign combines email marketing with crm software, offering robust automation. Think complex workflows, segmentation, and tag-based triggers.

It’s designed for deep, personalized campaigns.

Zoho CRM uses automation too, but it’s more focused on streamlining the sales process.

While zoho’s automation is solid, activecampaign’s depth in email and marketing automation is generally seen as superior.

2. CRM and Sales Management

Zoho CRM shines in crm capabilities and management features. It helps your sales team track and manage leads and customers effectively.

With zoho’s robust sales pipeline and funnel management software, you can visualize and optimize your entire sales process.

Activecampaign also has sales features, however, it is not as robust as zoho’s.

If you’re working heavily within the sales process, Zoho is likely the better choice.

3. Customization and Flexibility

Both platforms offer customization, but Zoho CRM allows for deeper custom sales and adjustments to specific business needs.

You can customize almost every aspect, from fields to workflows.

Activecampaign uses drag-and-drop interfaces for easier, quicker adjustments. 

This means Zoho CRM is better for businesses with very specific needs, while Activecampaign is easier to set up and use.

4. User Interface and Usability

Activecampaign is known for its user-friendly interface, which makes it easier for SMS to get started.

Zoho CRM, while powerful, can have a steeper learning curve due to its advanced functionalities.

If ease of use is your priority, choose the best for your team’s skill level.

5. Reporting and Analytics

Zoho CRM provides comprehensive dashboard and reporting tools, offering real-time insights into your sales and customer data.

Activecampaign also provides reports, but Zoho crm offers more granular control, allowing you to predict trends and optimize your strategies.

6. Integrations and API

Both platforms offer extensive API integrations.

However, zoho’s ecosystem of apps gives it an edge. Zoho CRM may be a better fit if you need to centralize many tools.

7. Customer Support and User Reviews

Both platforms offer support team access.

However, user reviews often highlight Activecampaign’s responsive support.

When deciding, make sure to read real users’ feedback to find the best fit for your customer experience.

Customer satisfaction is key.

What to Look For When Choosing CRM Software?

• Scalability: Can the CRM grow with your business?
• Integration with Existing Tools: Does it seamlessly connect with the software you already use (e.g., email, marketing automation, accounting)?
• Reporting and Analytics: Can you quickly generate insightful reports to track performance and identify trends?
• User Training and Onboarding: How easy can your team learn and adopt the CRM?
• Industry-Specific Features: Does the CRM offer features tailored to your industry’s needs?
• Automation Capabilities: Can it automate repetitive tasks to save time and improve efficiency?
• Data Migration: How easy is transferring your existing data into the new CRM?
• Customer Reviews and Reputation: What are other users saying about CRM’s rCRM’s reliability and performance?
• Budget and ROI: Does the CRM offer your business a good return on investment?

Final Verdict

After thorough testing, if your main focus is robust email marketing, deep automation, and a user-friendly interface, ActiveCampaign is our top pick.

It excels at nurturing potential customers and driving engagement.

However, Zoho CRM is the stronger choice if your business heavily relies on a comprehensive sales pipeline and detailed CRM capabilities.

We’ve seen firsthand how each platform performs.

This detailed breakdown should help grow your business by selecting the right tool to close more deals and prioritize your leads and customers.

More of ActiveCampaign

Here’s a comparison of ActiveCampaign with its alternatives:

• ActiveCampaign vs GoHighLevel: ActiveCampaign focuses on advanced email marketing and customer journey automation. In contrast, GoHighLevel provides an all-in-one suite for agencies, including funnels, websites, and extensive sales/marketing tools.
• 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 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.

More of Zoho CRM

Here’s a concise comparison of Zoho CRM with its alternatives:

• Zoho CRM vs GoHighLevel: Zoho CRM offers broad traditional CRM features; GoHighLevel specializes in marketing automation for agencies.
• Zoho CRM vs Pipedrive: Zoho CRM is feature-rich and affordable; Pipedrive provides a simpler, visual sales pipeline.
• Zoho CRM vs Keap: Zoho CRM is a holistic CRM; Keap excels in integrated sales and marketing automation.
• Zoho CRM vs HubSpot: Zoho CRM is cost-effective and offers diverse features; HubSpot is user-friendly and offers an expansive platform, but it can be pricier.
• Zoho CRM vs ClickFunnels: Zoho CRM is a complete business management suite; ClickFunnels focuses on building conversion-optimized sales funnels.
• Zoho CRM vs Folk: Zoho CRM is a broad, customizable CRM; Folk is a simpler, collaborative contact management tool.
• Zoho CRM vs Instantly: Zoho CRM provides full-cycle CRM; Instantly specializes in cold email outreach at scale.
• Zoho CRM vs ClickUp: Zoho CRM is a dedicated CRM solution; ClickUp is primarily a versatile project management platform.
• Zoho CRM vs Monday CRM: Zoho CRM offers deep CRM functionality; Monday CRM emphasizes visual workflows within a broader work OS.
• Zoho CRM vs Capsule CRM: Zoho CRM is extensive and customizable; Capsule CRM is known for its simplicity and ease of use.
• Zoho CRM vs Insightly: Zoho CRM provides comprehensive CRM functions; Insightly combines CRM with project management.
• Zoho CRM vs Freshsales CRM: Zoho CRM offers robust automation and customization; Freshsales CRM features an intuitive sales pipeline.
• Zoho CRM vs Salesforce: Zoho CRM is an affordable, feature-packed alternative; Salesforce is a highly customizable, market-leading enterprise solution.

Frequently Asked Questions