ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo: Which Is Better in 2026?
Both are strong on automation and aimed at different businesses. Klaviyo is built around store data and is the better choice for ecommerce, with flows and reporting tied to orders and revenue. ActiveCampaign is more general, with a sales CRM and automation that suits services, software and B2B. Stores should start with Klaviyo; almost everyone else should start with ActiveCampaign.
01Pricing
ActiveCampaign: paid plans start at $15/mo for 1,000 contacts. Klaviyo: paid plans start at $20/mo for 251-500 active profiles. Both price by the size of your list or sending volume, so the entry prices above only hold for a small audience; check each vendor’s calculator at your list size. ActiveCampaign has no free plan; the trial runs 14 days. Klaviyo has a free plan (up to 250 active profiles and 500 sends a month).
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter † | $15 | $19 | 1,000 contacts at this price; Email sends 10x contact limit; 1 user included; 5 actions per automation | Marketing automation; Email marketing; Limited segmentation; Standard CRM & ecommerce integrations |
| Plus † | $49 | $59 | 1,000 contacts at this price; Email sends 10x contact limit; 1 user included | Unlimited automation actions; Standard segmentation; Landing pages; Generative AI |
| Pro † | $79 | $99 | 1,000 contacts at this price; Email sends 12x contact limit; 3 users included | Advanced segmentation; Conditional content; Predictive sending; 200 active goals |
| Enterprise † | $145 | $179 | 1,000 contacts at this price; Email sends 15x contact limit; 5 users included | Premium segmentation; Single sign-on (SSO); Unlimited Active Intelligence access |
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Limits | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 250 active profiles; 500 email sends per month; $5 of mobile messages per month; Email support for first 60 days | |
| n/a | $20 | 251-500 active profiles at this price | Expanded email send capacity | |
| Email + SMS | n/a | $35 | 251-500 active profiles at this price | Email plus SMS/MMS credits |
Prices are per month on annual billing, except Klaviyo (monthly billing; no annual price published). † marks prices taken from the vendor’s documentation or page data instead of its visible pricing page. ActiveCampaign pricing and Klaviyo pricing have the full detail.
02The Two Tools
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is an automation tool that also sends email. Its visual builder handles branching logic, lead scoring, site tracking and conditional content, and a sales CRM can be added on. It asks for more learning than its simpler rivals and repays it for businesses whose marketing depends on timing and behavior.
- Best at
- Complex, behavior-driven automation at a price below enterprise marketing platforms.
- Falls short
- There is no free plan, the learning curve is real, and the cost climbs with both contacts and tier.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is built for online stores. It pulls order and browsing data from platforms such as Shopify and uses it for segmentation and automated flows: abandoned carts, post-purchase follow-ups, win-backs. Email and SMS run from the same data. It is the specialist’s choice for ecommerce and priced like one.
- Best at
- Turning store data into targeted, revenue-tracked email and SMS.
- Falls short
- Pricing follows the number of active profiles and rises quickly, and it offers little to a business that is not selling online.
03Which Fits Your Situation
| If you are | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business | ActiveCampaign | For the small business ready to invest in automation. |
| Ecommerce | Klaviyo | Built on store data, with flows and revenue reporting that general tools cannot match. |
| Startups | ActiveCampaign | The choice once lifecycle automation becomes a growth channel. |
| Creators | Neither | Neither is a natural fit for creators. |
| Agencies | ActiveCampaign | Sophisticated automation that agencies can build and maintain for clients. |
04Verdict
Choose ActiveCampaign if you need serious automation and will invest time in building it. Choose Klaviyo if you run an online store and want marketing driven by purchase data.
05FAQ
Is ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo cheaper?
ActiveCampaign starts at $15/mo and Klaviyo at $20/mo. Both rise with the size of your list. Prices are per month on annual billing, except Klaviyo (monthly billing; no annual price published).
Do ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo have free plans?
ActiveCampaign has no free plan; the trial runs 14 days. Klaviyo has a free plan (up to 250 active profiles and 500 sends a month).
Which is easier to learn, ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo?
Klaviyo is moderately involved to set up; ActiveCampaign is demanding to set up. There is no free plan, the learning curve is real, and the cost climbs with both contacts and tier.
Which is better for small business, ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo?
ActiveCampaign. For the small business ready to invest in automation.