Take ActiveCampaign if you want email and automation as the core and running CRM, email and sales from one subscription. Take HubSpot if you want running CRM, email and sales from one subscription, a free plan you can actually run on and a mature platform with a large ecosystem. ActiveCampaign charges by contacts and HubSpot by users, so there is no single crossover. At a typical setup HubSpot is $19 a month cheaper ($60 at 3 users against $79 at 5,000 contacts).
What each one actually costs
The real monthly figure at four team sizes with the add-ons each platform forces on you included, from the same engine the shortlist quiz uses. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row. ActiveCampaign charges by contacts and HubSpot by users, so each column is priced at its own sizes, smallest to largest.
| ActiveCampaign | HubSpot | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size 1 of 4 | $15 at 1,000 contacts | $0 at 1 user | $15 |
| Size 2 of 4 | $79 at 5,000 contacts | $60 at 3 users | $19 |
| Size 3 of 4 | $389 at 25,000 contacts | $100 at 5 users | $289 |
| Size 4 of 4 | $1,169 at 100,000 contacts | $200 at 10 users | $969 |
What is actually different
- ActiveCampaign lists text messaging where HubSpot does not, which is their own wording rather than something we verified.
- HubSpot lists a meeting scheduler, built-in calling, two-way email sync, tasks and projects after the sale and quotes, proposals and invoices where ActiveCampaign does not, which is their own wording rather than something we verified.
No verdict from me yet
I have not used ActiveCampaign or HubSpot on camera, so everything on this page comes from their own pricing pages, re-read weekly, and nothing from my own experience. When I review either, it will be here.
Before you sign up to either
| ActiveCampaign | HubSpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | 14 days | None published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Contract | Annual billing is the published price | Free and Starter are monthly or annual; Professional and Enterprise need an annual commitment and a one-time onboarding fee |
| Payment fee | None on top | None on top |
Reading further
The full price ladder, every plan and the add-ons charged on top are on each platform's own page. If neither of these two is quite it, each page also has the alternatives ranked against it.
People search for this comparison as: activecampaign vs hubspot.
Questions people ask about these two
Is ActiveCampaign or HubSpot cheaper?
ActiveCampaign charges by contacts and HubSpot by users, so there is no single crossover. At a typical setup HubSpot is $19 a month cheaper ($60 at 3 users against $79 at 5,000 contacts).
How much does ActiveCampaign cost a month?
ActiveCampaign is $15 a month at 1,000 contacts and $1,169 at 100,000 contacts, read off their own pricing page and re-checked every week.
How much does HubSpot cost a month?
HubSpot is free at 1 user, $60 a month at 3 users and $200 at 10 users, read off their own pricing page and re-checked every week.
Does ActiveCampaign or HubSpot have a free trial?
ActiveCampaign publishes a 14-day free trial. HubSpot has a Free plan at $0.
Make a third option? If you make CRMs for small service businesses and it is missing from this list, ask to be shortlisted. Listings are free and cannot be bought.
Neither, or not sure?
A head to head only helps once you have picked the two. The shortlist asks 7 questions about what you need it for and how many people need a login, and gives you four picks priced at your own team size, from all 22.
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