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The Best ActiveCampaign Alternatives
ActiveCampaign is excellent at automation, but it has no free plan, its prices rise quickly with contacts, and Starter and Plus include just 1 user. These alternatives offer free plans, unlimited automation for less, or a broader platform.
Beginners and solo creators who want funnels, email and courses on a budget
Free plan; paid from $17/mo
Yes
Prices in USD from each provider's pricing page, checked November 2, 2026. Plans and prices change; confirm before you buy.
Why look beyond ActiveCampaign?
No free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Costs grow with contacts: about $19 a month at 1,000 contacts on Starter, rising steeply on larger lists.
One user on Starter and Plus.
More than you need: many small businesses never use advanced automation.
1. GetResponse: best all-round replacement
Unlimited automation workflows on Marketer (about $59 for 1,000 contacts), unlimited sends, sales funnels and webinars on Creator. Drawback: Starter has only one workflow. See GetResponse pricing.
2. MailerLite: best budget automation
Free plan for 250 subscribers; Comfort from $12 a month with 50 automations; Power from $25 with unlimited automations and seats. Drawback: less advanced branching and CRM than ActiveCampaign. See MailerLite vs Mailchimp.
3. Kit: best for creators
Free for up to 10,000 subscribers; Creator ($39) adds unlimited visual automations and sequences. Drawback: built for creators, not for sales teams that need a CRM. See Kit vs Mailchimp.
4. Mailchimp: easiest switch for simple needs
Free plan and paid plans from about $13 a month; Standard adds up to 200 automation flows. Drawback: send caps and a small free plan. See ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp.
5. HubSpot: best for a full CRM platform
Free tools for 2 users, Starter about $20 per seat, and a full CRM shared with sales and service. Drawback: Professional jumps to $800 a month plus a $3,000 onboarding fee. See HubSpot vs Mailchimp.
6. Systeme.io: best if you sell online
Automation, email, funnels, checkout and courses with 0% transaction fees and unlimited emails, from a free plan to $97 a month. Drawback: simpler automation builder than ActiveCampaign. See Systeme.io pricing.
How to choose
Closest feature match → GetResponse
Lowest price → MailerLite
Creators and newsletters → Kit
Simple and familiar → Mailchimp
Full CRM for a sales team → HubSpot
Selling courses or products → Systeme.io
Frequently asked questions
What is cheaper than ActiveCampaign?+
MailerLite (from $12 a month), Kit (free up to 10,000 subscribers) and Systeme.io (free plan, then from $17).
Which alternative has the best automation?+
GetResponse Marketer and MailerLite Power include unlimited automations; Kit Creator includes unlimited visual automations.
Is there a free ActiveCampaign alternative?+
Yes: Kit, MailerLite, Mailchimp, HubSpot and Systeme.io all have free plans.
Which is best for a sales team with a CRM?+
HubSpot, whose marketing tools share a CRM with its sales and service products.
This guide is based on each provider's official pricing page, documentation and published features, checked on November 2, 2026.
Where a provider shows prices in local currency or loads them dynamically, US prices were cross-checked against several pricing trackers and are labelled as such.
See how we review software.