PRICING VERIFIED MAY 2026

Best ActiveCampaign Alternatives 2026: 8 Reviewed | AICores · AICores

Home/Email Marketing/ActiveCampaign Alternatives

Best ActiveCampaign Alternatives in 2026

We reviewed 8 alternatives to ActiveCampaign. Pricing verified March 2026. No sponsored placements.

Why Look for ActiveCampaign Alternatives?

Common reasons people switch from ActiveCampaign:

✕Steep learning curve for the automation features
✕No free tier — must pay from day one
✕Can be overkill for simple newsletter needs
✕Not ideal for beginners or small businesses who just need to send newsletters.

Top 8 Alternatives to ActiveCampaign

ResendRecommended★ 4.5

From $20/mo (Pro, 50K emails) · Best for Developers who need a modern email API with excell

View Details

BeehiivRecommended★ 4.4

From $49/mo (Scale) · Best for Newsletter operators building a media business wit

View Details

ConvertKitRecommended★ 4.3

From $29/mo (Creator, 1K subscribers) · Best for Content creators — bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters

View Details

Customer.ioSituational★ 4.3

From $100/mo (Essentials, 5K profiles) · Best for Technical teams building data-driven, multi-channe

View Details

MailerLiteRecommended★ 4.3

From $10/mo (Growing Business, 500 subs) · Best for Small businesses and creators wanting beautiful em

View Details

OmnisendRecommended★ 4.3

From $16/mo · Best for E-commerce stores wanting email + SMS automation

View Details

LoopsSituational★ 4.3

From $49/mo (Starter, 5K contacts) · Best for Product-led SaaS companies who want email automati

View Details

ButtondownSituational★ 4.3

From $9/mo (Basic, 1K subs) · Best for Developers and technical writers who want a Markdo

View Details

Resend — Best Email Marketing Alternative for Developers who need a modern email API w

Resend is the email API built for developers who care about developer experience. The API is clean and simple. React Email lets you build email templates using React components.

RecommendedFrom $20/mo (Pro, 50K emails)★ 4.5Read full review →

Beehiiv — Best Email Marketing Alternative for Newsletter operators building a media bu

Beehiiv is the newsletter platform for publishers who want to build a media business. Growth tools like the referral program (your subscribers recruit new ones) and recommendation network (cross-promote with other newsletters) are built in from the start — not afterthoughts.Monetization features include Ad Network (sell ads in your newsletter), paid subscriptions (built-in paywall), and boosts (get paid to recommend other newsletters).

RecommendedFrom $49/mo (Scale)★ 4.4Read full review →

ConvertKit — Best Email Marketing Alternative for Content creators — bloggers, YouTubers,

ConvertKit (now Kit) is built specifically for content creators — bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters, and course creators. The tag-based subscriber system (no lists) is elegant and powerful. Visual automation builder creates sequences triggered by subscriber behavior.

RecommendedFrom $29/mo (Creator, 1K subscribers)★ 4.3Read full review →

ActiveCampaign vs Top Alternatives

	ActiveCampaign	Resend	Beehiiv	ConvertKit
Price	$15/mo (Starter, 1K contacts)	$20/mo (Pro, 50K emails)	$49/mo (Scale)	$29/mo (Creator, 1K subscribers)
Free Tier	✓	✓	✓	✓
Rating	★ 4.4	★ 4.5	★ 4.4	★ 4.3
Verdict	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended
API	✓	✓	✓	✓

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to ActiveCampaign?▼

Resend is the highest-rated free alternative to ActiveCampaign. It offers developers who need a modern email api with excellent dx for transactional and marketing email. and has a 4.5 star rating from 89 reviews.

Why do people look for ActiveCampaign alternatives?▼

Common reasons include: Steep learning curve for the automation features. No free tier — must pay from day one. ActiveCampaign is beginners or small businesses who just need to send newsletters..

Is ActiveCampaign the best email marketing tool?▼

Based on our review, ActiveCampaign is recommended for marketing teams needing complex automation workflows with crm integration.. However, Resend may be better for developers who need a modern email api with excellent dx for transactional and marketing email..

What is cheaper than ActiveCampaign?▼

Omnisend starts at $16/mo compared to ActiveCampaign at $15/mo (Starter, 1K contacts). It has a 4.3 rating and is best for e-commerce stores wanting email + sms automation.

Related Comparisons

ActiveCampaign vs Resend— Full Comparison →ActiveCampaign vs Beehiiv— Full Comparison →ActiveCampaign vs ConvertKit— Full Comparison →

Still not sure which to pick?

Try our AI Tool Finder to get a personalized recommendation.

Find Your Perfect Tool