Independent head-to-head
ActiveCampaign vs Brevo
Both are on our shortlist, and most people only need one. Here is where each genuinely wins.
Which fits your work better: ActiveCampaign or Brevo?
ActiveCampaign suits agencies and businesses that have outgrown basic newsletter automation and need real branching logic tied to a lightweight CRM. Brevo suits budget-conscious businesses with a large contact list they email infrequently — the volume-based pricing rewards exactly that pattern. Brevo is cheaper to start with ($9/month against $19/month), so price alone favours it.
ActiveCampaign
Email Marketing ToolsWhere local-service agencies land once Mailchimp's automation runs out.
Brevo
Email Marketing ToolsUnlimited contacts, priced by send volume — the budget-friendly alternative to per-contact pricing.
Decision view
Compare what changes the answer
| Decision factor | ActiveCampaign$19/mo | Brevo$9/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $19/mo | $9/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | None |
| Best for | Agencies and businesses that have outgrown basic newsletter automation and need real branching logic tied to a lightweight CRM. | Budget-conscious businesses with a large contact list they email infrequently — the volume-based pricing rewards exactly that pattern. |
| Not for | Anyone who just wants to send a monthly newsletter — you're paying for automation depth you won't touch. | High-frequency senders or anyone who wants Klaviyo-grade e-commerce automation depth — Brevo's flows are more basic. |
Shared answers are dimmed so trade-offs stay visible.
Plan comparison
Published plans as recorded on each vendor’s pricing page on its verification date. Limits and add-ons differ between vendors, so compare at your own volume.
ActiveCampaign
| Plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $19 | Monthly billing at 1,000 contacts ($15/mo if billed annually); re-prices at each contact band |
| Plus | $59 | 1,000 contacts, monthly billing; landing pages, unlimited automation actions |
| Pro | $99 | 1,000 contacts, monthly billing; predictive content, 3 users |
| Enterprise | $179 | 1,000 contacts, monthly billing; SSO, dedicated account team |
Brevo
| Plan | Monthly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 300 emails/day forever, unlimited contacts |
| Starter | $9 | 5,000 emails/month; Brevo logo removed for an extra fee |
| Business | $18 | 5,000 emails/month; advanced statistics, automation, send-time optimisation |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom — dedicated account manager, SSO |
Where ActiveCampaign wins
- Automation builder handles genuinely complex branching that Mailchimp's flows can't express
- Built-in CRM/pipeline features remove the need for a separate lightweight CRM at the Plus tier and up
- Site tracking ties visitor behaviour directly to contact records without a separate analytics tool
Where Brevo wins
- Send-based pricing genuinely beats contact-based pricing for a large, infrequently-emailed list
- Free tier is permanent and unlimited-contact, not a disguised trial
- SMS, WhatsApp and CRM bundled in avoid three separate subscriptions for a small business
ActiveCampaign or Brevo?
ActiveCampaign suits agencies and businesses that have outgrown basic newsletter automation and need real branching logic tied to a lightweight CRM. Brevo suits budget-conscious businesses with a large contact list they email infrequently — the volume-based pricing rewards exactly that pattern. Brevo is cheaper to start with ($9/month against $19/month), so price alone favours it.
Agencies and businesses that have outgrown basic newsletter automation and need real branching logic tied to a lightweight CRM.
Budget-conscious businesses with a large contact list they email infrequently — the volume-based pricing rewards exactly that pattern.
What decides it
- Entry price
- ActiveCampaign starts at $19/month; Brevo at $9/month. Compare the plan that matches your real usage, not the entry tier.
- Trial
- ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day trial; Brevo offers a free plan.
- What each gives up
- ActiveCampaign: pricing re-bands at every contact-count threshold, so a growing list can jump price tiers abruptly. Brevo: automation and segmentation are noticeably shallower than Klaviyo's or ActiveCampaign's.