Pipedrive vs ActiveCampaign: Which is Best for You in 2025?

Choosing the right CRM can feel like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded.

You know you need a system to manage your customer relationships, but with so many options out there, how do you pick the right one?

Two popular contenders often top the list: Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign.

In this post, we’ll break down the key differences between Pipedrive vs ActiveCampaign to help you decide which one is the perfect fit for you.

Overview

To give you the most accurate comparison, we’ve spent weeks testing both Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign.

We’ve explored their features, navigated their interfaces, and even built out sample sales funnels and email campaigns to see them in action.

Now, let’s dive into how they stack up!

What is Pipedrive?

Think of Pipedrive as your trusty sidekick for all things sales.

It helps you keep track of deals, nurture leads, and ultimately, close more sales.

It’s super visual, so you can easily see where each deal stands in your pipeline.

No more messy spreadsheets or sticky notes!

Also, explore our favorite Pipedrive alternatives…

Key Benefits

Pipedrive is built to help you sell smarter, not harder. Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Visual Pipeline: See exactly where each deal stands in your sales process.
• Activity Reminders: Never let a follow-up slip through the cracks.
• Powerful Reporting: Track your progress and identify areas for improvement.
• Mobile App: Manage your sales on the go from anywhere.
• Integrations: Connect with over 300 apps to streamline your workflow.

Pricing

• Essential: $14/user/month.
• Advanced: $24/user/month.
• Professional: $49/user/month.
• Power: $59/user/month.
• Enterprise: $79/user/month.

What is ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign is like having a whole marketing and sales team rolled into one platform.

It’s known for its powerful automation features that help you nurture leads and close deals.

Think email marketing, automated workflows, and even building landing pages – ActiveCampaign can do it all!

Also, explore our favorite ActiveCampaign alternatives…

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

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

Feature Comparison

Now for the head-to-head matchup! Let’s see how Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign compare across key features that are essential for effective customer relationship management (CRM).

1. Sales Pipeline Management

• Pipedrive: Excels in this area with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It’s designed to help sales teams visualize and manage their sales processes efficiently.
• ActiveCampaign: Offers solid pipeline management, but it’s not as visually intuitive as Pipedrive.

2. Marketing Automation

• Pipedrive: Offers basic automation features, but it’s primarily focused on sales pipeline management and streamlining sales operations.
• ActiveCampaign: A true marketing automation platform with advanced features like email sequences, lead scoring, and website tracking.

3. Email Marketing

• Pipedrive: Includes basic email marketing tools, but it’s not as robust as dedicated email marketing platforms.
• ActiveCampaign: Provides a full suite of email marketing features, including automation, segmentation, and A/B testing.

4. CRM and Contact Management

• Pipedrive: Offers a solid CRM tool for managing contacts, tracking customer interactions, and organizing sales activities.
• ActiveCampaign: Includes a CRM as part of its platform, allowing you to manage customer relationships and track customer behavior alongside your marketing efforts.

5. Integrations

• Pipedrive: Integrates with a wide range of popular business tools, extending its functionality.
• ActiveCampaign also boasts a large library of integrations that connect various marketing, sales, and e-commerce platforms.

6. Reporting and Analytics

• Pipedrive: Provides detailed reports and insights into your sales performance, helping you identify areas for improvement.
• ActiveCampaign: Offers comprehensive reporting and analytics across both marketing and sales, giving you a holistic view of customer engagement.

7. Customer Support

• Pipedrive: Offers various support channels, including email, chat, and a knowledge base.
• ActiveCampaign: Provides excellent customer support with multiple options for assistance, including live chat and a comprehensive help center.

What to Look for When Choosing a CRM?

• Your Business Needs: Consider your specific requirements. Do you need a CRM primarily for sales management, or do you require a more comprehensive platform with robust marketing automation?
• Ease of Use: Choose a CRM that’s intuitive and easy to navigate, especially if you have a team with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Scalability: Think about your future growth. Can the CRM accommodate your expanding contact list and evolving needs?
• Integrations: Ensure the CRM integrates seamlessly with your existing business tools and software.
• Customer Support: Look for a CRM provider with responsive and helpful customer support to assist you when needed.
• Budget: Consider your budget and choose a CRM with pricing that aligns with your financial resources.
• Free Trial or Demo: Take advantage of free trials or demos to test the CRM and see if it’s the right fit for your business.

Final Verdict

Choosing the right CRM software can be tough. Both Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign have a lot to offer.

But for us, Pipedrive takes the crown.

It’s a true all-in-one powerhouse that helps you track customer interactions, manage customer data, and create targeted marketing campaigns.

While ActiveCampaign is great for deal management and sales strategies, Pipedrive simply offers more.

We love its advanced automation, powerful email marketing features, and extensive integration capabilities.

If you’re looking for a CRM that can help you grow your business, Pipedrive is the way to go.

We’ve used it to achieve real results, and we’re confident it can do the same for you!

More of Pipedrive

Here’s a comparison of Pipedrive against other CRM software:

• Pipedrive vs GoHighLevel: Pipedrive focuses on sales pipeline management, offering a clear visual flow, whereas GoHighLevel is an all-in-one platform with broader marketing and sales automation features.
• Pipedrive vs Keap: Pipedrive excels in visual sales pipeline management, while Keap specializes in robust marketing automation, lead scoring, and advanced email sequences.
• Pipedrive vs HubSpot: Pipedrive is a more focused sales CRM known for simplicity, while HubSpot offers a comprehensive suite of marketing, sales, and service tools, being more complex.
• Pipedrive vs ClickFunnels: Pipedrive is a sales pipeline CRM, while ClickFunnels primarily focuses on building sales funnels and landing pages, with basic CRM aspects.
• Pipedrive vs Folk: Pipedrive is strong in sales pipeline management, whereas Folk emphasizes simple contact organization and relationship building for smaller teams.
• Pipedrive vs Instantly: Pipedrive focuses on sales deal management, while Instantly specializes in cold email outreach, lead finding, and email automation.
• Pipedrive vs ClickUp: Pipedrive is a dedicated sales CRM that is excellent for pipeline tracking. ClickUp is a versatile work management platform that can also be used as a CRM and offers broader project management.
• Pipedrive vs Monday CRM: Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM with visual pipelines, whereas Monday CRM is a highly customizable work OS that can be configured for CRM purposes and emphasizes workflow management.
• Pipedrive vs Capsule CRM: Pipedrive focuses on visual sales pipeline management, while Capsule CRM is a simpler, growth-oriented CRM for managing contacts and relationships, often for smaller businesses.
• Pipedrive vs Insightly: Pipedrive specializes in sales pipeline visualization, while Insightly offers a broader CRM solution with project management, marketing automation, and more robust reporting.
• Pipedrive vs Freshsales: Pipedrive offers deep sales pipeline visualization, while Freshsales CRM provides a more complete solution with built-in phone, AI tools, and integrated marketing features.
• Pipedrive vs Salesforce: Pipedrive is user-friendly and sales-focused for SMBs, whereas Salesforce is a highly customizable, enterprise-level CRM with extensive features across sales, service, and marketing.
• Pipedrive vs Zendesk: Pipedrive emphasizes visual sales pipeline management and automation, while Zendesk primarily focuses on customer service and support. It also offers CRM capabilities with built-in communication tools.

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 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.

Frequently Asked Questions