ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot - Detailed Comparison 2026
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are rated the same on SAASAF.AI, at 4.5/5. ActiveCampaign starts at $29/month with no free tier. HubSpot starts at $20/month and has a free tier.
Which Is Better, ActiveCampaign or HubSpot?
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are rated very closely, with ActiveCampaign at 4.5/5 and HubSpot at 4.5/5, indicating both are well-regarded by users. When it comes to features, ActiveCampaign offers 6 capabilities while HubSpot provides 8, with both sharing core functionality like Crm, Landing Pages. ActiveCampaign differentiates with Email Automation and Site Tracking, while HubSpot stands out with Email Marketing and Forms. On pricing, HubSpot is the more budget-friendly option at $20/month compared to ActiveCampaign at $29/month, and HubSpot also offers a free tier. Both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are AI-powered, making them strong choices for users who want intelligent automation.
At a Glance
ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation and CRM for growing businesses
$[object Object]
Visit ActiveCampaignFull Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | ActiveCampaign | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $[object Object] | $[object Object] |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| AI-Powered | Yes | Yes |
| AI Model | proprietary | proprietary |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Founded | 2003 | 2006 |
| Company Size | 1000+ | 1000+ |
| Integrations | 5+ | 6+ |
| Affiliate Program | Yes | Yes |
| Ai | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Crm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Automation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email Marketing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Forms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lead Scoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Live Chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Site Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sms Marketing | ✓ | ✗ |
How Much Do ActiveCampaign and HubSpot Cost?
ActiveCampaign Pricing
Subscription
$[object Object]
Billed monthly
ActiveCampaign uses a subscription pricing model starting at $29/month. No free tier is offered.
HubSpot Pricing
Freemium
$[object Object]
Free tier available
Billed monthly
HubSpot offers a freemium pricing model starting at $20/month. A free tier is available with limited features.
Pros and Cons
ActiveCampaign Pros
- Best-in-class visual automation builder
- 850+ pre-built automation recipes accelerate setup
- Predictive sending optimizes per-contact send times
- Robust CRM included on Plus tier and above
- 950+ integrations including Shopify and Salesforce
ActiveCampaign Cons
- No free tier - paid plans only
- Email design tools trail Mailchimp's modern editor
- Pricing scales steeply above 25,000 contacts
- Onboarding curve is steeper than Mailchimp
HubSpot Pros
- Genuinely free CRM with no contact limits
- Unified data model spans marketing, sales, and service
- Best-in-class educational resources via HubSpot Academy
- Breeze AI agents automate prospecting and service workflows
- Massive App Marketplace with 1,500+ integrations
HubSpot Cons
- Costs scale fast with marketing contact tiers
- Power features locked behind Professional and Enterprise tiers
- Customization gets complex versus Salesforce flexibility
- Onboarding fees can be steep for Enterprise tier
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose ActiveCampaign if...
Best for: ActiveCampaign is best for SMB and mid-market businesses with serious automation needs - especially e-commerce, SaaS, and education. Teams hiring or contracting an automation specialist get the most from its depth.
- You need Email Campaigns
- You need Marketing Automation
- You need CRM
- You need Customer Experience
Ideal for: smb, mid-market
Industries: ecommerce, technology, education, agencies
Choose HubSpot if...
Best for: HubSpot is best for SMB and mid-market companies that want one unified platform across marketing, sales, and service. Inbound marketing teams benefit most from the integrated content, email, and CRM tools.
- You need Lead Generation
- You need Email Campaigns
- You need Sales Pipeline
- You need Customer Support
Ideal for: smb, mid-market, enterprise
Industries: technology, professional-services, ecommerce
Platform Availability
ActiveCampaign
Available on Web, iOS, and Android. Mobile apps are offered but there is no dedicated desktop client.
HubSpot
Available on Web, iOS, and Android. Mobile apps are offered but there is no dedicated desktop client.
Get Started with ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation and CRM for growing businesses
Earn 30% recurring commission
Visit ActiveCampaignGet Started with HubSpot
All-in-one CRM platform for marketing, sales, and service
Earn 30% recurring up to 1 year commission
Visit HubSpotBecome a Reseller
Interested in reselling ActiveCampaign or HubSpot? These tools offer reseller programs for agencies and consultants.
ActiveCampaign Reseller Info HubSpot Reseller InfoExplore More
Tool Profiles
Alternatives
Categories
Use Cases
- Email Campaigns
- Marketing Automation
- CRM
- Customer Experience
- Lead Generation
- Sales Pipeline
- Customer Support
ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot: Frequently Asked Questions
Is ActiveCampaign or HubSpot better?
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are rated the same on SAASAF.AI, at 4.5/5, so the better pick depends on your use case. ActiveCampaign is best for SMB and mid-market businesses with serious automation needs - especially e-commerce, SaaS, and education. HubSpot is best for SMB and mid-market companies that want one unified platform across marketing, sales, and service.
How does ActiveCampaign pricing compare to HubSpot?
HubSpot is cheaper to start, at $20/month versus $29/month for ActiveCampaign. ActiveCampaign uses a subscription model and HubSpot uses a freemium model. Only HubSpot offers a free tier. Listed figures are starting prices; seats, usage and add-ons can change the final bill.
What is the difference between ActiveCampaign and HubSpot?
ActiveCampaign provides email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM tools designed for businesses that need sophisticated automation without enterprise complexity. HubSpot is a comprehensive CRM platform with marketing automation, sales CRM, customer service, CMS, and operations tools. ActiveCampaign lists features such as Email Automation, Site Tracking and Lead Scoring. HubSpot lists Email Marketing, Forms and Live Chat. Both cover CRM and Landing Pages.
What are alternatives to both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot?
Alternatives to ActiveCampaign include ConvertKit (4.4/5) and Mailchimp (4.3/5). Alternatives to HubSpot include Pipedrive (4.4/5), Salesforce (4.3/5) and Freshsales (4.3/5). ConvertKit has a free tier. Mailchimp has a free tier. Each tool has a full alternatives page on SAASAF.AI with pricing and feature comparisons.
What platforms do ActiveCampaign and HubSpot support?
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot are both available on Web, iOS and Android. ActiveCampaign integrations listed on SAASAF.AI include Shopify, Wordpress and Salesforce. HubSpot integrations include Salesforce, Slack and Google Workspace. ActiveCampaign lists 5 integrations and HubSpot lists 6 in the SAASAF.AI directory.