ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo comes down to who you sell to. ActiveCampaign is built around marketing automation with an optional CRM for sales pipelines, so it suits service businesses, B2B and anyone selling through conversations. Klaviyo calls itself a B2C CRM built for ecommerce and retail, with email, SMS, WhatsApp and a helpdesk in one place. Klaviyo has a free plan; ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day free trial.
ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo side by side
| ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | |
|---|---|---|
| How it describes itself | Marketing automation with Active Intelligence (AI) on every plan | The B2C CRM for ecommerce and retail |
| Free option | 14-day free trial, no credit card needed | Free plan: up to 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month |
| User seats | 1 on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise | Email support for the first 60 days on the free plan |
| Plans | Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise | Free, then paid plans priced on profiles and sends |
| Email sends | 10x your contact limit a month on Starter and Plus, 12x on Pro, 15x on Enterprise | 500 a month on the free plan |
| Sales CRM | Pipelines and sales engagement as add-ons (Plus and up) | Customer profiles shared between service and marketing |
| Other channels | SMS as an add-on (Plus and up) | Text messages, WhatsApp, RCS, mobile app and social built in |
All plan details are as each vendor's pricing page stated them, as of October 2026. ActiveCampaign's page loads its prices by script and quotes plans for a list of 1,000 contacts, so check the live page for the figure at your list size.
The free plan catch with Klaviyo
Klaviyo's free plan is free indefinitely, but only while you stay at or under 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month. Klaviyo counts active profiles as the contacts who may receive marketing emails. Go over either limit and your account can't send more until the next billing cycle or until you upgrade. It also includes $5 of mobile messages and $5 of Composer usage a month, and email support only for the first 60 days.
So the free plan's a test bed, not a long-term home, and you shouldn't plan a launch around it. A shop with a few hundred subscribers will outgrow it the first time it runs a weekly newsletter.
Where ActiveCampaign is stronger
- Automation depth. Every plan includes multi-step marketing automation and 950+ automation recipes. Starter caps automations at 5 actions each; Plus and above have unlimited actions.
- Sales follow-up. The Enhanced CRM add-on brings pipelines and sales engagement, including lead scoring and win probability, on Plus, Pro and Enterprise.
- Integrations beyond shops. Standard CRM integrations such as Freshsales, Pipedrive and Zoho on every plan, and premium ones like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics on Enterprise.
- A 30-day guarantee. ActiveCampaign says it gives a full refund if you're not satisfied after 30 days.
Where Klaviyo is stronger
- Ecommerce first. Its free plan FAQ says it works for stores on Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix that are starting out.
- More channels in one place. Email, SMS, RCS, WhatsApp, mobile app and social marketing, plus a helpdesk with ticket management.
- Revenue reporting from day one. The free plan includes revenue attribution for campaigns, segmentation and dashboards.
- AI agents. Composer builds campaigns and flows from a prompt, and Customer Agent handles support and selling using your data.
ActiveCampaign covers ecommerce too: standard Shopify, Square and WooCommerce integrations and abandoned cart automation are on every plan. The difference is focus. Klaviyo's built around the store; ActiveCampaign's built around the automation and the sales pipeline, so it's the one that'll feel natural if you follow up leads by hand.
Questions to answer before you choose
- Do most of your sales happen in a checkout, or after a call or proposal? If it's the second, you'll want pipelines.
- How many people will log in? ActiveCampaign's Starter and Plus include one user seat.
- Do you need text messages now? Klaviyo includes some mobile messages free; ActiveCampaign sells SMS as an add-on.
- How big's your list today, and how often will you email it? Don't forget sends multiply with every campaign.
If neither feels right, our guides to Klaviyo alternatives and the best email marketing software for small business cover the next options to compare.
Do you make email or marketing automation software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
My advice on ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo
If you run an online shop, start on Klaviyo's free plan and connect your store, then move up when your list passes 250. If you sell services, coaching or B2B, take ActiveCampaign's 14-day trial and build one real automation, such as a new enquiry follow-up, before you decide. The right tool is the one you'll still be using when the welcome sequence needs rewriting.
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Frequently asked questions
Is ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo better for ecommerce?
Klaviyo is built around ecommerce and retail, with store integrations, revenue attribution and several mobile channels. ActiveCampaign also integrates with Shopify, Square and WooCommerce on every plan.
Does Klaviyo have a free plan?
Yes. As of October 2026, Klaviyo's free plan allows up to 250 active profiles and 500 email sends a month, with $5 of mobile messages a month.
Does ActiveCampaign have a free plan?
No. ActiveCampaign offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card needed, and a 30-day refund guarantee on paid plans.
Which has a CRM, ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo?
Both use the word. ActiveCampaign offers an Enhanced CRM add-on with pipelines and sales engagement. Klaviyo describes itself as a B2C CRM, with shared customer profiles for marketing and service.
How many emails can I send on ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign's send limit is a multiple of your contact limit: 10x on Starter and Plus, 12x on Pro and 15x on Enterprise.
