Are you having trouble choosing between ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign?
In this ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign comparison, we will be tearing down both of these email tools to their bare bones to see what really makes them tick.
Email marketing is one of the most powerful ways to say on top of your customer’s mind. In fact, did you know that 102.6 trillion emails are sent and received every single year and that number is rising!
So it would make sense that you took advantage of email marketing wouldn’t it?
Now finding the perfect email marketing tool for your business can be a hard process since there are tons of different tools out there on the market to choose from.
I recently did a review on the 9 best email marketing tools but I must say two of my favorites are definitely ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.
By the end of this comparison, you will know without a shadow of a doubt which email marketing tool is the best one for your business!
So without further ado, let’s dive straight into this review!
Table of Contents
- ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign
- Pricing
- Ease of Use (User Interface)
- Email Design & Templates
- Automation
- Segmentation
- ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign: Forms & Landing Pages
- A/B Testing
- Deliverability
- Integrations
- Reports & Analytics
- Customer Support
- What I like and hate about ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign
- Verdict: Which one is better?
- The Best ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign alternatives
ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign
Now before we dive straight into the features, pricing and overall functionality of these two email marketing software let’s take a look at what they really are!
What is ConvertKit?
In a nutshell, ConvertKit is an email marketing tool that was designed for creators. So if you are a Youtuber, blogger, author, or even a painter then ConvertKit was made for you.
Founded in 2013 by Darren Wheeler and Nathan Barry ConverKit quickly grew to become one of the industry leaders with the simple mission in mind to help creators make a living online.
Today they have over 19,000 customers and send over 500 million emails every single month!
ConvertKit offers everything that creators need in order to begin making their first dollar online through the power of email marketing and marketing automation.
Related: The Full ConvertKit Review
What is ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is an advanced email marketing and marketing automation tool that is dedicated to helping businesses scale through tools designed to make a big impact.
ActiveCampaign was founded by Jason VandeBoom in 2003. It originally started as a consulting firm but later transitioned to a software company dedicated to helping businesses grow through marketing and sales automation.
Today ActiveCampaign has over 100,000 customers worldwide and over 600 employees and they continue to get bigger and better each and every day.
All in all, ActiveCampaign built a platform engineered to provide your customers with an amazing and personalized customer journey.
Related: The Full ActiveCampaign Review
Pricing
This is a major factor when it comes to choosing the perfect email marketing tool for your business.
Let’s take a closer look at the pricing options of ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.
ConvertKit Pricing
When it comes down to pricing ConvertKit has a very straight-forward structure. In fact, there are only two plans to choose from, the Free plan and the Complete plan.
The FREE plan is of course free and is perfect if you are now beginning your email marketing journey. It includes:
- Unlimited Landing Pages
- Unlimited customizable CTAs & signup forms
- 30+ premium landing page templates
- Unlimited traffic
- Customizable domain setup
- Mobile responsive designs
- Manage up to 1,000 subscribers
- Email Broadcasts
- Subscriber Tagging
- Seamless Unsplash Integration
- Creator Community
I know. I know. I was shocked at how many features you get access to for completely free. This is perfect if you are now getting the hang of email marketing but you still want great functionality.
The Complete plan starts at $29 per month if you have up to 1000 subscribers and goes up depending on the number of subscribers you have. It grows like this:
3000 subscribers – $49 per month
5000 subscribers – $79 per month
8000 subscribers – $99 per month
20,000 subscribers – $179 per month
105,000 subscribers – $697 per month
So basically the price grows as your subscriber list grows. Moreover, if you purchase the annual plan you will get 12 months for the price of 10 months! So that’s technically two months free.
With the Complete plan, you get everything that is in the FREE plan as well as:
- Visual automation funnels
- Automated email sequences
- Reporting
- Integrations & API
- Premium support
- Free Migration!
The best part is that you can try all of these features on the Complete plan for FREE for 14-days!
ActiveCampaign Pricing
ActiveCampaign also has a very solid pricing structure. There are 4 different pricing plans at ActiveCampaign, they are Lite, Plus, Professional, and Enterprise.
The price of these plans is dependent on the number of subscribers that you have. The prices listed below are dependent on if you have up to 500 subscribers.
The Lite plan starts at $9 per month and comes with:
- Unlimited Sending
- Up to 3 users
- Subscription forms
- Chat & Email Support
The Plus plan starts at $49 per month and comes with everything in the Lite plan including:
- Facebook Custom Audiences
- Lead & Contact Scoring
- Integrations
- SMS Marketing
- Dynamic Content
- Custom User Permissions
- Up to 25 users
The Professional plan starts at $129 per month and comes with everything in the Plus plan including :
- Predictive Sending
- Predictive Content
- Customer Attribution & Path to Purchase
- Win Probability
- Conversion Attribution Reporting
- Split Automations
- Site Messaging
- In-Depth Onboarding Consultation
- Automation Strategy Consultation
- 3 One-on-one Training Sessions per month
- Up to 50 Users
Damn, these are A LOT of features, however, this is the most popular package and I’m sure you can see why.
The Enterprise plan starts at $299 per month and comes with everything in the Professional plan as well as:
- Custom Reporting
- Custom Mailserver Domain
- Custom Domain
- Dedicated Account Rep
- Free Design Services
- Free Social Data
- Phone Support
- Uptime SLA
- Unlimited Users
Who has the better price?
This was actually an extremely tough decision.
However, I would have to say ConvertKit is the winner hands-down when it comes to pricing.
Considering all of the features that you are equipped with I can confidently say that it gives you more value for your dollar!
That being said ActiveCampaign lost this round by a hair, they also offer amazing features for the price but ConvertKit came out on top.
If you are looking for an email platform that is on the cheaper side then I would definitely recommend that you check out MailerLite.
Ease of Use (User Interface)
What good is an email marketing tool if it isn’t easy to use?
In fact, what good is any software if it isn’t easy to use?
Let’s take a look at the user interface of ConvertKit and Active Campaign and if they are really as easy as their customers say!
Remember, you can try them for yourself
ConvertKit Ease of Use
Anyone that tries ConvertKit can tell that it was designed with the simple blogger and creator in mind.
ConvertKit has a very straight-forward and easy to understand interface making it one of the most intuitive email marketing tools I have ever reviewed.
Their interface not only makes setting up and sending your first email a walk in the park but it also makes the entire process kind of fun. It pretty much reminded me of when I was a kid and how easy it was for me to build puzzles.
Inside ConvertKit’s interface, it’s super easy to navigate between the 5 tabs, subscribers, automation, forms, sequences, and broadcasts.
Moreover, the entire drag and drop features add to the simplistic nature of the entire email marketing platform and make it close to impossible to get lost when building out your email sequences.
For some people, they may say ConvertKit takes their ease of use to the next level as everything seems so simple.
If you prefer a more comprehensive and detailed user interface then ConvertKit may not be the right bet with you.
ActiveCampaign Ease of Use
On the other hand, if you are looking for a user interface that is more detailed then ActiveCampaign is a good place to start.
Needless to say, the ActiveCampaign’s interface is also very intuitive and easy to navigate, much like ConvertKits’.
I would recommend ActiveCampaign to the marketer or business owner that may have had some experience operating other email marketing tools.
Why?
Well, the number of features that you are presented with when you open the dashboard can be a bit overwhelming for a complete beginner.
Given the fact that there are tons of buttons that you have to click and get used to this means there is increased functionality.
That being said, if you have any difficulty navigating ActiveCampaign then you can rely on their customer support team which is very comprehensive and effective.
Which one is easier to use?
I would have to say ConvertKit is a winner when it comes to ease of use. Their entire user interface was designed with the beginner in mind which makes creating emails a breeze for anyone with a computer.
However, keep in mind that ActiveCampaign provides a more comprehensive user interface. If you have experience navigating email marketing tools then you will have no trouble operating ActiveCampaign.
Email Design & Templates
The email design plays a huge role in your email marketing campaigns, this can literally be the determining factor of whether or not your target audience decides to follow through with the call-to-action.
ConvertKit Email Design & Templates
ConvertKit gets straight to the point when it comes to their email design, they don’t believe in using any fluff when designing their emails.
In fact, their emails are solely text-based. I found this extremely interesting since I know that most email tools use templates as the base of how their emails look.
Why does ConvertKit only provide text-based emails? The short answer is that they want to focus on a high conversion rate. However, you can read this article to see their exact reasoning behind why they prefer text-based emails over template-based emails.
ConvertKits visual template editor gives you three different templates to choose from, they are Modern, Text Only, and Classic.
However, you can get customizable with these templates, you can change everything from the fonts to the colors to the images that you use!
If you prefer to get down and dirty in the code you can even build your own email templates from scratch by taking advantage of the HTML and CSS code.
ActiveCampaign Email Design & Templates
ActiveCampaign doesn’t just offer text-based emails, they also equip you with over 30 different templates that you can choose from.
You can choose from a wide range of templates ranging from the simple newsletter to branded emails.
You are also given free artistic freedom to edit everything on the button from the social buttons to the text to the colors.
Which one has better templates and email design?
My personal preference would definitely be ActiveCampaign as it gives me more options when it comes to designing an email.
That being said, it all comes down to your preference. If you prefer to stick with high-converting and simple text-based emails then look no further than ConvertKit.
However, if you prefer to give your emails that little extra spark then choosing from ActiveCampaigns templates would be the perfect start for you.
Automation
Automation has to be the backbone of any email marketing campaign if it doesn’t have an automation feature just turn right around.
In fact, a study by Epsilon showed that automated emails get 119% higher click rates than broadcast emails. That’s because automated emails allow you to present your emails to the right subscribers at the right time.
So it would make sense that you use an email marketing tool that has great automation wouldn’t it?
Let’s take a look at the automation features that ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign have to offer.
ConvertKits Automation
When it comes to automation ConvertKit not only goes the extra mile but it also makes it extremely visually appealing.
In fact, I was immediately sold when I saw how the visual automation builder was constructed.
ConvertKit’s Automation features allow you to send the right content to the right people at the right time which results in higher conversion rates.
As I mentioned before, ConvertKit believes in simplicity so setting up your first automation campaign is going to be pretty simple. They even equip you with a “blueprint” that walks you through step by step in setting up your automation rules.
So if this is your first time hearing about automation then I would definitely suggest going with ConvertKit.
How does ConvertKit Automation work?
Well, you can begin automating your email campaigns in a number of ways. The first and most popular one being the simple automation rules which allow you to send out emails based on certain triggers you select and actions your subscribers take.
There are also various integrations that you can take advantage of to improve your automation process but we will take a closer look at the integrations further down in this article.
Since I am a blogger my favorite automation feature would have to be the RSS feeds which automatically sends an email to your list once you publish a new blog post.
ActiveCampaigns Automation
I must say that the learning curve for the automation at ActiveCampaign is a bit steeper than at ConvertKit.
However, when it comes to being comprehensive and functional ActiveCampaign is a winner.
Setting up automation at ActiveCampaign may not be as simple as ConvertKit but once you start getting the feel of it the navigation begins to get easier.
Needless to say, ActiveCampaign has a fantastic drag-and-drop builder that allows you to build automated workflows in minutes. This gives you a birds-eye view of your entire automation sequence so you can make the necessary adjustments to improve the overall email campaigns.
ActiveCampaign also integrates with the apps and tools that you are already using in order to create an even more seamless automation process.
Fun Fact: The Team at ActiveCampaign timed how long it would take to set up pre-made engagement automation and it took 66 seconds!!
Who has better automation?
ConvertKit is definitely easier to use when it comes to setting up automation which is a huge bonus but if you are looking for that added layer of functionality then ActiveCampaign may be the better choice.
Segmentation
Segmentation is one of the most powerful aspects of your email marketing campaigns. It allows you to get personal with your subscribers which will in turn increase your open rates.
In fact, did you know that email personalization generates a 26% increase in open rates?
This just proves that you should definitely be taking advantage of segmentation in your business and if you aren’t you are leaving a huge chunk of money on the table.
ConvertKit Segmentation
ConvertKit allows you to segment your audiences based on tags and other metrics that you know will perform better.
Like every other feature by ConvertKit, they approach segmentation with a simplistic view.
You are given three different options in order to import your subscribers, these options are :
- Adding a single subscriber
- Importing a CSV
- Importing from another provider
You can organize your subscribers by applying tags. In a nutshell, tags divide your leads depending on the actions that they take.
You can also filter segments using various filters such as first name, last name, gender, and a few others.
ActiveCampaign Segmentation
ActiveCampaign also allows you to segment your audiences based on tags and other metrics!
However, ActiveCampaign takes it a step further by allowing you to combine both lists and tags.
Now, this is where it gets really interesting.
ActiveCampaign gives you the ability to combine the segmentation features with the sales and tracking capabilities which will no doubt give you an extra layer of functionality.
The best part is the fact that ActiveCampaign automatically tags your website visitors if they take a certain action on your website. For example, you may tag a website visitor who visits the handbag page on your website so you can remarket handbags to that website visitor in the future.
Which tool has better segmentation?
I can say without a shadow of a doubt that ActiveCampaign has the better segmentation since it’s 10X more comprehensive and offers more functionality than ConvertKit.
ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign: Forms & Landing Pages
Did you know that 74% of companies use web forms for lead generation, with 49.7% stating their online forms are their highest converting lead generation tool? (WPForms)
This just goes to show the power both forms and landing pages can have on the overall impact on your website.
Let’s take a look at how ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit take advantage of forms.
ConvertKit Forms and Landing Pages
Let’s start with the forms.
When it comes to building forms, ConvertKit allows you to do that in the most efficient and effective way possible.
ConvertKit provides you with unlimited signup forms that have customizable designs and extremely responsive templates.
You are given three different options to choose from when creating forms, these are inline, the popup and the slide in form.
These forms can be changed and altered to your liking and they look great on all devices so you don’t have to worry about the appearance on your mobile device.
When it comes to landing pages ConvertKit also provides a simple way to create high-converting landing pages.
Not only do you have fully customizable templates but you also will be given access to over 100,000 different images to choose from.
These landing pages also look good on every device.
ActiveCampaign Forms
When it comes to forms ActiveCampaign offers all three forms that ConvertKit offers, the inline, popup, and slide-in form as well as a fourth form, the floating bar.
With the ActiveCampaign Form builder, you are given full creative expression to build your forms exactly the way that you want them.
Not only can you show your forms at the right time to the right subscriber you can also embed these forms directly on to your website in just a few clicks.
My favorite part about these forms is the fact that once a subscriber completes one they are automatically added to my list where I can begin nurturing and building a relationship with that contact.
Which tool has better forms and landing pages?
ActiveCampaign only comes out on top when it comes to forms given the fact that it gives you four forms to choose from as compared to ConvertKit which only gives you three.
However, if you are looking for a way to boost your lead generation and collect a ton more leads then check out our article on the best lead generation tool in 2020!
A/B Testing
In a survey conducted by CXL, marketers said that A/B testing is their second most favorite method of conversion rate optimization. Why?
Well, A/B testing is one of the most powerful and efficient ways that will let you know how to improve your emails which will lead to a higher conversion rate.
Let’s take a look at how ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit Take Advantage of A/B testing.
ConvertKit A/B Testing
Setting up A/B split tests in ConvertKit is extremely easy and straightforward. In order to set it up all you have to do is go into your broadcasts tab and turn the A/B option on.
I know it is pretty simple but after all ConvertKit is a simple platform.
With ConvertKit you can only test your subject lines but given the fact that they only offer text-based emails then this may be sufficient enough.
The winning subject line is chosen based on the highest open rate. Now, this is where it gets really cool, once the winning subject line is chosen your email is automatically sent out to the remaining subscribers.
ActiveCampaign A/B Testing
ActiveCampaign on the other hand has more comprehensive split testing. It gives you a bit more to test than ConvertKit.
You are given the option to test two things, the information in your email and the email subject line. This allows you to test the entire performance of your email sequences.
Needless to say, setting this up is super simple. Simply click on the button that asks you to split test your campaigns and boom you are all set up.
You are also given the opportunity to choose a winning email based on the best open rate or click rate!
Moreover, unlike ConvertKit which only allows you to test two emails at a time, ActiveCampaign allows you to test up to five emails at a time.
Which platform has better A/B testing?
The winner here is definitely ActiveCampaign since you can test not only what’s in your email but also the subject line. It’s also really easy and straight-forward and can be set up in no time!
Deliverability
Deliverability easily measures how many of your contacts see your email once you send it out.
It just makes sense that you have an email marketing tool on your side that has high deliverability, after all the whole goal of you sending out emails is for them to reach your subscribers inbox!
So let’s take a brief look at the deliverability of ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.
ActiveCampaign has been known for years as the best when it comes to deliverability.
Take for instance a test run by AuthorityHacker that came back with the results of ActiveCampaign achieving a 34.6% open rate. That same test produced a result for ConvertKit of an open rate of 39%.
That being said, the deliverability rate depends on a wide range of factors as it’s never a one size fits all type of scenario. So I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket just because the deliverability rate may be a bit higher.
Which tool has a better deliverability rate?
Based on years of experience I would have to say ActiveCampaign.
It was honestly hard to choose a winner in this round since I wouldn’t use this as the only factor when deciding on which one to choose given the fact that ConvertKit is a close runner up.
Integrations
Integrations add that extra layer of functionality that may work in sync with your email marketing tool.
Let’s take a look at the integrations offered by ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.
ConvertKit Integrations
ConvertKit will provide you with 90 different integrations that you can take full advantage of. Some of these integrations include the most popular ones such as Unbounce, Shopify, and KickoffLabs.
My favorite integration being Zapier as it creates more of an opportunity for you to integrate with different apps.
ActiveCampaign Integrations
ActiveCampaign will equip you with more than 300 integrations! That’s more than 3 times the number of integrations that ConvertKit has.
You can integrate seamlessly with tons of different integrations such as Instapage, SalesForce, and Google Analytics.
Who has better integrations?
Going based on the number of integrations I have to say ActiveCampaign definitely wins this round without a shadow of a doubt.
Reports & Analytics
This is extremely important as it determines how you make future decisions when building your email marketing campaigns.
Having good reporting functions in place will allow you to know exactly which email campaigns are worth scaling and which ones you need to just turn off.
Let’s take a look at the reporting and analytic functions that are provided by ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit.
ConvertKit Reporting
Honestly, ConvertKit is actually lacking when it comes to the reporting features.
However, you can still see all of the basic metrics that will help you make informed decisions such as click-rates, unsubscribes, open rates, and the number of subscribers that you have.
Unfortunately, that is pretty much it, so if you are looking for more advanced reporting functions then ConvertKit may not be the best place to check.
Moreover, ConvertKit doesn’t integrate with different reporting apps that will improve the reporting capabilities.
All in all, if you aren’t super data-driven then ConvertKit will work perfectly for you.
ActiveCampaign Reporting
When it comes to reporting ActiveCampaign goes above and beyond, they offer a bit more comprehensive features as compared to ConvertKit.
You can go a step further by being able to track the engagement of your website visitors and generate actionable items.
The best part of this feature is the fact that you can create goals that provide an even deeper way to look at your metrics and segment your subscribers.
ActiveCampaign also offers integrations with different apps that provide additional functionality when it comes to reporting capabilities.
Who has better reporting functions?
If solid reporting is a deal-breaker for you then I would definitely recommend you go with ActiveCampaign.
Customer Support
This is a HUGE determining factor for me when I’m choosing an email marketing tool. After all regardless of if you are an email legend or you’re sending your first email there will come the time when you will need that extra level of support.
Let’s take a deeper look at the customer support offered at ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.
ConvertKit Customer Support
ConvertKit does an excellent job with equipping you with the resources that you will need in order to solve any problem that you may come across when dealing with the email tool.
These resources include blog articles, video training, podcasts, and of course an extensive knowledge base that has a ton of tutorials on how to use ConvertKit.
The downside comes when you actually try to contact support. There is no phone support so if you have an urgent question that you would like answered immediately then this can prove to be a huge frustration.
There is also no live chat which was a disappointment as anyone that knows me knows that I love to see a live chat on any software as it provides that extra layer of “peace of mind”.
However, if you want to get in contact with the support you have to submit a ticket and you can expect a reply within a few hours.
ActiveCampaign Customer Support
Honestly, the customer support at ActiveCampaign is truly a breath of fresh air. Now I may be biased because they have a live chat and I’m a huge fan of live chats.
Now, in order to get in contact with the support, you can submit a ticket outlining the problem you’re facing and a representative from ActiveCampaign will get back to you as soon as possible!
ActiveCampaign also provides you with training webinars that are designed in order to improve your overall experience and guide you on your journey with the email marketing software.
These training webinars include information on a wide range of topics on everything from helping you in the onboarding process to how to successfully migrate from another tool.
There’s also an extensive support center that has a wide range of topics that are designed to help you as you navigate ActiveCampaign, their topics include information on Automation, Contact Management, and Messaging.
Who has better customer support?
Based on the fact that they offer live chat I must say that ActiveCampaign has definitely won this round!
They not only have a live chat option they also provide 1 on 1 support for their customers as well as weekly training to guarantee that you have a smooth ride with ActiveCampaign.
Related: This email marketing tool has the best customer support I have ever seen!!
What I like and hate about ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign
Like every other email marketing tool out there ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign have their fair share of pros and cons.
What I like about ConvertKit
- There’s FREE migration! That means if you are using another email marketing tool you can switch to ConvertKit for absolutely free.
- They offer tons of features for the price
- It’s super easy to use and very beginner-friendly
What I don’t like about ConvertKit
- There is no phone support which can be extremely frustrating
- They are lacking when it comes to the reporting functions
What I like about ActiveCampaign
- They also offer free migration
- They have a great customer support system
- They offer a ton of features that are designed to improve functionality
- It has more comprehensive reporting features
What I don’t like about ActiveCampaign
- The dashboard can be a bit overwhelming when you open it for the first time.
Verdict: Which one is better?
The short answer is: It depends.
If you are a creator then it would make sense that you give ConvertKit a shot.
If you are a digital marketer or a small business owner then ActiveCampaign would be the better route to take.
In my opinion, I would go with ActiveCampaign in a heart-beat despite the fact that ConvertKit may be a bit better when it comes to price.
Why would I choose ActiveCampaign?
Well, it offers everything that I need as a business owner to begin scaling my business through email marketing and advanced marketing automation.
Still on the fence on which email marketing tool is best for you? Check out our comparison article on the best email marketing tools for business owners.
The Best ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign alternatives
If you are looking for a cheaper email marketing solution then I would suggest that you check out MailerLite.
If you own an eCommerce store then I would definitely recommend Omnisend or Drip!
If you are looking for an email marketing platform that has amazing customer support then I would definitely recommend Ontraport.
If you run a small business and you’re looking for a solid system that allows you to build email marketing campaigns then GetResponse would be the best route for you to take.
