ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign: Choosing the Right Tool
You’ve worked hard to grow your subscriber list, and it’s obvious you’re outgrowing your current email setup. Now, you’re on the hunt for a tool that keeps up with your success, helps you make more money, and saves you precious time with smart automations. You’ve narrowed your choices to two options: ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign.
ActiveCampaign combines email marketing, automation, and CRM to streamline your marketing and sales efforts, improve customer relationships, and boost your sales. It’s particularly well-suited for e-commerce sites, digital agencies, and B2B companies.
ConvertKit is tailored for content creators such as bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers, helping them to increase their audience and monetize their content. It offers tools for sending personalized emails, building sign-up forms and landing pages, and setting up automated email campaigns.
Now, you’re trying to decide: should you go with ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign? Let’s help you figure it out.
At the end,we’ll introduce a third choice that could surpass both, especially if you’re managing a large email list.
ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign — Which One Comes Out on Top?
ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign are both powerful tools for email marketing. They let you send automated emails, keep track of your subscribers, and see how well your emails are doing. If you want to do basic email marketing, either option will be fine.
However, if you’re serious about email marketing and automation, the choice comes down to what kind of business you want to run. The two platforms target different customers.
Here’s what you need to know:
- ConvertKit is more suited for content creators selling digital products, while ActiveCampaign is a better choice for companies with sophisticated marketing operations.
- ActiveCampaign has better tools for organizing and segmenting your subscriber list, but it’s also more complicated.
- While both services do a decent job with deliverability, there’s still room for improvement.
- ActiveCampaign offers more detailed analysis and insights.
- Both charge you based on how many contacts you have, but ActiveCampaign is more expensive.
With that overview, now, let’s break down the details.
Generating Revenue
Winner: Tie
Both ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign are great at helping you boost your earnings, but they do it in unique ways. ConvertKit focuses on the specific needs of digital creators, while ActiveCampaign gives you versatile tools to create a custom revenue engine that fits your business perfectly.
Here’s an overview:
| Feature | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Direct monetization methods | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Automation capabilities | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| E-commerce features | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Direct Monetization Methods
ConvertKit gives you multiple options to directly monetize your email list.
Your options include:
- Accept donations.
- Manage paid newsletters.
- Sell digital products, such as books, courses, and coaching calls.
- Promote other newsletters to your subscribers (only if you’re on the paid plan).
- Connect with sponsors via ConvertKit’s network (only if you’re on the paid plan).
ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, might not offer direct monetization features. But it supports your revenue goals with advanced automation, sales automation, and in-depth analytics.
Automation Capabilities
ActiveCampaign takes automation to the next level, covering everything from marketing to CRM and sales tasks. You can build complex automations using a drag-and-drop editor, which comes with 800+ built-in templates for different scenarios and businesses.
For example, if you run a real estate business, you can automatically send out a series of emails to potential buyers who have shown interest in a property. This could include detailed property descriptions, virtual tour links, and follow-up messages asking if they have any questions.
ConvertKit only offers simple automation features. It focuses on email lead generation and selling digital products. You can easily set up a landing page or opt-in form and link it to an automated email sequence, but there’s no advanced branching or conditional logic.
E-commerce Features
ConvertKit comes with a feature called “Commerce Store,” which makes it easy to display your products, handle payments, and send out what you’re selling directly to your customers.
ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, integrates with popular online store platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.
You can use ActiveCampaign’s automation and personalization features to:
- Send email coupons.
- Send abandoned cart emails.
- Send upsell and cross-sell messages.
- Notify customers about their order status or refunds.
- Congratulate customers on their birthdays or other important dates.
- Offer personalized product recommendations through dynamic content.
At Campaign Refinery, we give you the flexibility to sell any kind of product, be it digital or physical. You can set up automated sequences for whatever you’re selling. And to make things even more exciting, you can include countdown timers in your emails to spur action and increase your conversion rates.
Growing Your Email List
Winner: ActiveCampaign
Your email list directly connects you to your audience and sales opportunities. The email marketing platform you choose plays a huge role in your growth because it should give you the tools and features to attract new subscribers and keep them interested.
Let’s explore how ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit stack up in this area:
| Feature | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| List segmentation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Opt-in forms | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Landing pages | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Subscriber caps | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
List Segmentation
ActiveCampaign gives you detailed control over your email list management, but it’s less intuitive. Instead of maintaining a single email list, you have multiple lists, along with a Master List that consolidates all your subscribers.
This approach indirectly serves as basic segmentation, but you can also segment each list based on geography, user behavior, custom fields, and more. The platform supports up to 20 conditions for each segment. Plus, you can use tags to break down your segments into even smaller groups, which makes your automations super specific.
Segmenting your subscribers in ConvertKit is more straightforward. You can organize them by various factors, like their sign-up date, and then label each one according to how they interact with your content.
Opt-in Forms
Both platforms let you build customizable forms to collect contact information. But ConvertKit has a wider selection of form templates and design choices.
ActiveCampaign gives you more control over how and when your forms appear on your website. The automation features and custom field options are also stronger. You can connect each form to an automation that kicks off follow-up actions across email, CRM, SMS, and social.
Landing Pages
The situation is similar here. Both platforms have drag-and-drop landing page designers with decent customizability and pre-built templates. ConvertKit is more focused on the appearance and simplicity of your landing page, while ActiveCampaign gives you a lot more in terms of automation. Plus, ActiveCampaign offers a done-for-you landing page design service.
Subscriber Caps
ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign both charge you based on the number of subscribers on your list. This pricing mechanism hurts your chances of growth because you’ll have to pay more as you engage your subscribers. But ConvertKit’s caps are higher and the price growth is less steep.
Now, picture a platform that lets you manage your contacts exactly how you want, without complexity or any cap on the number you can keep. That’s what Campaign Refinery offers. With us, you can store all your contacts in one place. And using our tag-based system, you can tailor your interactions with each subscriber to fit their individual journey.
Hitting the Primary Inbox
Winner: ActiveCampaign
Getting your emails to land in the primary inbox involves a few key practices, and your email marketing software has a big role to play.
ConvertKit’s email deliverability rates have varied from 82% to 95% in the past four years. On the other hand, ActiveCampaign has consistently kept its rates above 90%. Still, on average, about 1 in every 10 emails might not reach the inbox.
Check out the table below to see how ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit measure up:
| Feature | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic list cleaning | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| IP reputation management | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Monitoring sender behavior | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Domain authentication | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Subscriber consent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Automatic List Cleaning
Both platforms help you identify inactive subscribers, launch re-engagement campaigns to win them back, and remove those who remain unresponsive.
ActiveCampaign loves making things automatic. So, they recommend creating a setup that keeps an eye on when each person last interacted with you. If someone hasn’t engaged within the first 90 days after you added them, you can automatically remove them from your list.
That said, neither platform automatically gets rid of tricky emails like spam traps or emails that go to roles instead of specific people.
IP Reputation
Both platforms take good care of their shared pools of email IP addresses. But everyone can use these IPs, so if a user makes an honest mistake that tanks the deliverability of a shared IP, you’ll also get hurt.
You can also buy dedicated IPs if you have enough volume to support them. ActiveCampaign requires at least 100,000 active subscribers, while ConvertKit has a minimum limit of 50,000 messages, 3 times per week.
At Campaign Refinery, we believe switching to a dedicated IP at these thresholds will decrease your deliverability because they’re way too low. If your ESP does a good job managing its IP reputation, you won’t need a dedicated IP before hitting 1,000,000 emails per month.
Monitoring Sender Behavior
Both platforms continually analyze sender behavior for harmful sending habits like high email bounce rates, spam complaints, and unusually high unsubscribes to protect deliverability.
Domain Authentication
ConvertKit adds default authentication to marketing emails sent from their domain. But ActiveCampaign goes one step further. Before you start sending emails with ActiveCampaign, you need to set up your sending domain. This process also takes care of the settings related to DKIM, SPF, and DMARC for you.
Subscriber Consent
Both platforms have rules against purchased lists and cold outreach.
At Campaign Refinery, we work exclusively with senders we’ve vetted. So, when you come on board, you’re sharing in the benefits of everyone’s good practices. We’re also quick to cut ties with anyone who doesn’t follow our rules to keep our IP pool in tip-top shape.
Data Insights
Winner: ActiveCampaign
To understand what resonates with your audience and refine your strategy, you need a platform that gives you key email marketing metrics and tells you if your emails have a positive impact on your business.
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Feature | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Email marketing analytics | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| A/B testing | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Sales analytics | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Email Marketing Analytics
Both companies have decent email tracking tools to measure opens, clicks, bounces, and conversions for each campaign.
ConvertKit has a minimal dashboard that offers a brief look into your most important metrics. ActiveCampaign’s dashboard is fancier and customizable. It gives you an overview of the data from your campaigns, automations, and lists.
A/B Testing
ConvertKit lets you test different subject lines in your emails, which is pretty basic compared to ConvertKit alternatives. On the other hand, ActiveCampaign gives you more ways to test things out, including subject lines, the content of your emails, pictures, and calls to action. You can try up to five different versions at the same time.
Business and Sales Analytics
ConvertKit’s sales dashboard is pretty straightforward. You can monitor your income from different sources. These include ConvertKit’s own channels or other sources where you sell courses, products, memberships, or merchandise.
If you sign up for ActiveCampaign’s Sales platform, you can get reports on your sales performance metrics, such as total deal value, total number of deals, and average deal value. You’ll also have a complete view of your sales pipeline and individual deals.
At Campaign Refinery, we’re committed to providing precise, real-time insights into your campaigns. Our sharply defined engagement metrics give you a true view of your campaign’s effectiveness.
ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign Pricing
Winner: Tie
ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit both set their prices based on how many contacts you have, and they’re both on the expensive side.
ActiveCampaign’s marketing features come in four tiers. The company doesn’t offer a free plan, but there’s a 14-day free trial. You can also purchase add-ons for SMS marketing, transactional emails, and custom reporting.
Here’s what you’re looking at for a list with 25k contacts:
| Tier | Monthly commitment | Annual commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $286 | $229 per month |
| Plus | $474 | $379 per month |
| Professional | $686 | $549 per month |
| Enterprise | $999 | $799 per month |
ConvertKit offers a free plan for up to 1,000 contacts, which includes basic features. After that, you have two options. The Creator Pro plan costs more, but it also gives you access to the Creator Network, which could boost your revenue if you already have a large enough audience.
Here’s an overview of ConvertKit’s pricing for a list of 25k contacts:
| Tier | Monthly commitment | Annual commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | $199 | $166 per month |
| Creator Pro | $279 | $233 per month |
ConvertKit vs. ActiveCampaign — The Verdict
ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign have unique features and serve different purposes. So, your decision really comes down to what you need from a tool.
If you run a small or medium-sized business and want to automate your marketing and sales, ActiveCampaign is a good pick.
But, if you’re working solo and your income comes from your content and digital products, ConvertKit might suit you better.
To sum up the differences, we’ve created a detailed comparison table:
| Feature | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Email marketing automation | Simple | Complex |
| Deliverability | Between 82% and 95% | Consistently above 90% |
| Email editor | User-friendly and simple | User-friendly and simple |
| Email monetization methods | Diverse | E-commerce-centric |
| Automations builder | Simple | Complex |
| List segmentation | Efficient | Sophisticated |
| Dynamic content | Complex | Complex |
| Analytics and reporting | Basic | Comprehensive |
| Integrations | Extensive | Extensive |
| Supported marketing channels | Email, SMS, Social | |
| Pricing | Based on contacts, starts at $29 | Based on contacts, starts at $29 |
Now, if you’re on the hunt for an email marketing service with top-notch deliverability rates and budget-friendly prices, you’re not out of options.
Want to Get Your Emails into Primary Inbox? Go with Campaign Refinery!
When you hear a platform has 95 percent deliverability, you probably think that’s excellent. But let’s put that number into perspective:
Let’s say you have 5,000 subscribers on your list who receive weekly updates from you. That’s roughly 20,000 emails per month. And, unfortunately, 1,000 will never reach your subscribers’ inboxes.
Now, it’s pretty clear why your deliverability has to be as close to 100 percent as possible. And that’s what we promise you here at Campaign Refinery.
Why Choose Campaign Refinery over ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign
Here’s why we outshine ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign in email marketing:
- Your sender reputation is key. We make sure you authenticate your domain right from the start.
- We partner with the best. No room for questionable senders here.
- We keep your list clean automatically — no spam traps, no bounced emails, and no invalid addresses.
- Our smart tools are designed to boost your growth. Expect more visibility, more engagement, and more conversions.
- Transform your campaigns into money-making machines. Set up your campaign just once, and let it work its magic to continuously increase your revenue.
Is Campaign Refinery Affordable?
Our pricing is clear and straightforward. You can have unlimited contacts and grow as much as you want. You pay just for the emails you send and for maintaining a clean list.
If you send a lot of emails, you could save as much as 80 percent every month with Campaign Refinery!
Don’t just take our word for it; see for yourself:
| Number of Sends (4 campaigns/month) | Campaign Refinery* | ConvertKit — Creator Pro | ActiveCampaign — Professional |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | $99 | $167 | $424 |
| 25,000 | $299 | $363 | $549 |
| 50,000 | $299 | $519 | $809 |
| 200,000 | $1000 | $1419 | Contact sales |
* At Campaign Refinery, we allow all our customers to have unlimited contacts, and we only charge you for the emails you send.
Is Moving to Campaign Refinery Complicated?
When you’re ready to switch to Campaign Refinery, the first thing to do is complete our admission form and schedule a call with one of our specialists. We’ll look into your unique case and suggest the best way to transfer your data to our platform.
Depending on your list size and previous email marketing software, the process can be quick or time-consuming.
But you don’t need to stress. Our team will be there to help you every step of the way, ensuring you join our community of trusted senders.
So, apply now to begin your journey with us and take your email marketing to the next level!
