ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit
Marketing Automation pricing comparison · 2026 · Updated April 2026
ActiveCampaign pricing ranges from $15–$145/month, while ConvertKit ranges from $0–$189/month. These products use different pricing models (Per-seat subscription vs ), so a direct price comparison isn't meaningful — costs depend on usage volume and mix.
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
ActiveCampaign starts at $15/month for up to 1,000 contacts on the Starter plan, with no free tier. ConvertKit starts at $0/month for up to 10,000 subscribers on its free Newsletter plan. At 1,000 contacts with automation, ActiveCampaign's Starter plan ($15/month) undercuts ConvertKit's Creator plan ($33/month). The pricing gap narrows as contact counts grow — at 10,000 contacts, ActiveCampaign's Plus plan starts around $49/month while ConvertKit's Creator plan runs $119/month.
ActiveCampaign is the clear leader in automation complexity: it offers 500+ pre-built automation templates, advanced conditional logic, A/B testing within workflows, and a built-in CRM with lead scoring. ConvertKit's automation is simpler and more intuitive but intentionally limited — it's designed for creators running nurture sequences, not enterprises managing complex sales pipelines.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | ActiveCampaign | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 /month | Free /month |
| Plus | $49 /month | $39 /month |
| Pro | $79 /month | $79 /month |
| Enterprise | $145 /month | — |
Market Intelligence
ActiveCampaign
- Median annual cost
- $10,548
- Average negotiated discount
- 20%
ConvertKit
- Median annual cost
- $1,164
- Based on
- 142 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | ActiveCampaign | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | Must cancel before renewal date; refund window is 30 days from charge | 30 days |
| Minimum commitment | Monthly or annual billing available | Monthly or annual billing available |
| Price escalation | Year-over-year price increases of 25-35% reported by multiple long-term customers. One user documented costs rising from $2,700 to $4,700 over three years. | Automatic price increases occur when subscriber count increases. Some users report unexpected mid-contract price increases of 100-200%, though specific escalation clauses are not documented. |
| Can downgrade | Yes | Yes |
Continue researching
Our Verdict
Choose ActiveCampaign if you need advanced marketing automation with CRM integration, conditional branching, lead scoring, and site tracking — especially if you have a complex sales cycle or sell to B2B customers. Choose ConvertKit if you're a creator, course seller, or newsletter publisher who needs reliable email automation without a steep learning curve, plus native tools for monetizing your audience through digital products and paid newsletters.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit better for automation?
ActiveCampaign is significantly more powerful for automation. It offers 500+ automation templates, advanced conditional logic, split testing within workflows, and CRM-level lead scoring tied to behavioral triggers. ConvertKit's automation is simpler — it's tag-and-sequence based and easier to learn, but doesn't support the multi-branch complexity that ActiveCampaign handles. For simple creator workflows, ConvertKit is sufficient. For complex sales automation, ActiveCampaign is the stronger choice.
02 Which is cheaper: ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit?
ActiveCampaign's Starter plan at $15/month for 1,000 contacts is cheaper than ConvertKit's Creator plan at $33/month for 1,000 subscribers. However, ConvertKit has a free plan for up to 10,000 subscribers (without automation). At larger list sizes, both platforms scale in cost — at 10,000 contacts, ActiveCampaign Plus is around $49/month while ConvertKit Creator is $119/month.
03 Does ActiveCampaign have a CRM?
Yes. ActiveCampaign includes a built-in CRM on all paid plans with contact management, deal pipelines, lead scoring, and two-way email sync. ConvertKit has no CRM functionality — it's purely an email marketing and audience monetization platform. If you need marketing automation plus sales pipeline management in one tool, ActiveCampaign is the more capable platform.
04 Is ConvertKit easier to use than ActiveCampaign?
Yes, ConvertKit is considerably easier to learn and use. Its interface is focused and minimal — designed for creators who want to build email sequences and automate basic funnels without navigating a complex marketing suite. ActiveCampaign has a steeper learning curve due to its depth: CRM, deal stages, site tracking, and advanced automation all add complexity that's valuable for power users but overwhelming for beginners.
05 Can ConvertKit replace ActiveCampaign?
ConvertKit can replace ActiveCampaign for creator use cases — newsletters, course launches, digital product funnels, and basic automation sequences. It cannot replace ActiveCampaign for businesses that need a CRM, complex multi-branch automation, B2B lead scoring, or site-tracking-triggered campaigns. They serve fundamentally different customer types.
06 What are the hidden costs of ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit?
ActiveCampaign's hidden costs include per-user fees on higher tiers, onboarding/implementation fees for enterprise accounts ($1,500–$4,500), and premium support add-ons. Pricing scales sharply with contact count — moving from 1,000 to 25,000 contacts can triple your bill. ConvertKit charges a 3.5% + $0.30 transaction fee on digital product sales, plus pricing scales per-subscriber, making large inactive lists expensive.