Is Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign cheaper?

Campaign Monitor, on annual billing, the only basis where both publish a price. At the entry band Lite is $11.70/mo and ActiveCampaign Starter is $15/mo, and Starter comes with more limits. Campaign Monitor also publishes a monthly price, $13/mo, and ActiveCampaign doesn't.

Which is better for a team of three?

Campaign Monitor. It includes unlimited users on every plan. ActiveCampaign Starter and Plus include 1 user, so three people need Pro, which includes 3. On annual billing that's $79/month billed annually for ActiveCampaign Pro, against $42.30/month billed annually for Campaign Monitor Lite.

Does ActiveCampaign publish a monthly price?

No. Every ActiveCampaign price is shown as billed annually, on all four plans. Starter's annual rate is $15/month billed annually.

Does Campaign Monitor have a CRM?

Not among its listed plan features. It's an email platform with automations. ActiveCampaign sells an Enhanced CRM add-on on Plus, Pro and Enterprise.

Which has the better automations?

ActiveCampaign, once you're on Plus or above, where actions per automation are unlimited. Campaign Monitor includes automations on Lite and adds advanced automations on Premier. ActiveCampaign Starter is the weaker of the two, capped at 5 actions per automation.

Do either have a free plan or a free trial?

Neither has a free plan. Campaign Monitor offers a 30-day trial limited to 500 contacts. ActiveCampaign's trial runs 14 days with no card, and it adds a 30-day money-back guarantee on a first paid subscription.

What does 5,000 contacts cost on each?

On annual billing, Campaign Monitor Lite is $67.50/month billed annually and ActiveCampaign Starter is $79/month billed annually. On monthly billing, Campaign Monitor Lite is $75/month billed monthly. ActiveCampaign doesn't publish a monthly price.

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign: simple email for a team, or CRM and automation depth?

Email marketing and CRM platforms · Verified 1 Oct 2026 · By Joonas Rotko

Campaign Monitor

Desk research

From Lite, billed annually

$11.70/mo

$13/mo billed monthly

ActiveCampaign

Desk research

From Starter, billed annually

$15/mo

Quick answer

I'd pick Campaign Monitor for most small lists and for any team. On annual billing, the only basis where both publish a price, Lite is $11.70/mo and ActiveCampaign Starter is $15/mo at the entry band. Campaign Monitor also includes unlimited users on every plan, while ActiveCampaign Starter and Plus include 1 user and Pro is the first plan with 3. ActiveCampaign is the one to choose if CRM and deeper automation are the job. Neither has a free plan: Campaign Monitor offers a 30-day trial and ActiveCampaign a 14-day trial. Prices verified 1 Oct 2026.

Across the three setups below: Campaign Monitor in 3 of 3 scenarios.

Which one fits you?

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier
Campaign Monitor
My pick
$11.70/mo billed annually
On annual billing, a list of this size costs $11.70/month billed annually on Campaign Monitor Lite and $15/month billed annually on ActiveCampaign Starter. Campaign Monitor also publishes a monthly price, $13/month billed monthly, and ActiveCampaign publishes none. Starter caps each automation at 5 actions per automation and includes 1 user.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you want a sales pipeline next to your email. ActiveCampaign sells a CRM add-on on Plus and above, and Campaign Monitor doesn't list one.
See Campaign Monitor plans
Growing list, sending regularly
Campaign Monitor
My pick
$67.50/mo billed annually
On annual billing, 5,000 contacts cost $67.50/month billed annually on Campaign Monitor Lite and $79/month billed annually on ActiveCampaign Starter. Campaign Monitor's monthly price is $75/month billed monthly, and ActiveCampaign doesn't publish one. Campaign Monitor is cheaper on the one basis that can be compared, and Starter's automation cap of 5 actions per automation adds a limit on top.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if CRM or deeper segmentation matters more than the entry price. Both sit on ActiveCampaign Plus and above, and Plus costs more than Starter.
See Campaign Monitor plans
Small team managing one list together
Campaign Monitor
My pick
$42.30/mo billed annually
On annual billing, a three-person team on a small list costs $42.30/month billed annually on Campaign Monitor Lite, which includes unlimited users, against $79/month billed annually on ActiveCampaign Pro. ActiveCampaign Starter and Plus include 1 user, so a team has to start at Pro, which includes 3.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if your team needs the CRM add-on or advanced segmentation. Those sit on ActiveCampaign Plus and above, and Campaign Monitor doesn't list a CRM.
See Campaign Monitor plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the 2-minute recommendation.

How are Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign really different?

Seats on the entry plans
Campaign Monitor
Unlimited users on Lite, Essentials, Premier and Enterprise.
ActiveCampaign
1 user on Starter and on Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise. Extra seats can be bought in the app, but ActiveCampaign doesn't publish a seat price.
A second person logging in costs nothing extra on Campaign Monitor. On ActiveCampaign it means moving up to Pro or paying an unpublished seat fee.
Billing basis you can compare
Campaign Monitor
Monthly and annual prices for every contact size up to 50,000. Annual billing is cheaper on every plan.
ActiveCampaign
Annual billing only. Every ActiveCampaign price is shown as billed annually, and there is no monthly rate to compare. Starter is priced up to 25,000 contacts, Plus, Pro and Enterprise up to 50,000.
The two can only be compared on annual billing. If you want to pay month to month, Campaign Monitor is the only one of the two that offers it at a published price.
Automation limits
Campaign Monitor
Automations on every paid plan. Premier adds advanced automations and send time optimization.
ActiveCampaign
Starter caps each automation at 5 actions per automation. Plus, Pro and Enterprise have unlimited actions.
ActiveCampaign Starter is the cheapest way in, but its automation cap is tight. The real entry plan for automation is Plus.
CRM and segmentation depth
Campaign Monitor
No CRM listed among the plan features. Premier adds pre-built engagement segments.
ActiveCampaign
An Enhanced CRM add-on on Plus, Pro and Enterprise, not offered on Starter. Segmentation runs from Limited on Starter to Advanced on Pro.
If you track deals and follow up on leads, this is the deciding difference, and it favours ActiveCampaign.
Trial and refund
Campaign Monitor
A 30-day trial, limited to 500 contacts. There is no permanent free plan.
ActiveCampaign
A 14-day trial with no card, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on a first paid subscription.
Both let you try before paying, and neither has a free plan. Only ActiveCampaign publishes a money-back window.

What will Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign cost for your setup?

The cheapest plan that covers each setup, add-ons included. Prices exclude VAT.

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier

500 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

My pick

$13

$11.70

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

Annual only

$15

Starter

Above 25,000 subscribers: Plus (+$434/mo, billed annually).

See Campaign Monitor plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 500 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $156 a year.
On annual billing: $140.40 a year.

ActiveCampaign

Uses 500 of 25,000 subscribers.
On annual billing: $180 a year.
Starter is sold on annual billing only.

Growing list, sending regularly

5,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

My pick

$75

$67.50

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

Annual only

$79

Starter

Above 25,000 subscribers: Plus (+$370/mo, billed annually).

See Campaign Monitor plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 5,000 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $900 a year.
On annual billing: $810 a year.

ActiveCampaign

Uses 5,000 of 25,000 subscribers.
On annual billing: $948 a year.
Starter is sold on annual billing only.

Small team managing one list together

1,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 3 users

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

My pick

$47

$42.30

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

Annual only

$79

Pro

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See Campaign Monitor plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 1,000 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $564 a year.
On annual billing: $507.60 a year.

ActiveCampaign

Uses 1,000 of 50,000 subscribers.
On annual billing: $948 a year.
Pro is sold on annual billing only.

How I calculated this

For each tool I price every current plan plus the add-ons a setup needs, from the vendor's published prices only, and take the cheapest. Monthly and annual billing are priced separately. When a limit or price isn't published, the tool shows as not fitting instead of a guess.

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier: A list of about 500 contacts, just past the free tiers most vendors offer. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.ActiveCampaign, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing.
Growing list, sending regularly: A list of 5,000 contacts, sending regularly. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.ActiveCampaign, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing.
Small team managing one list together: Three people logging in to the same 1,000-contact list. Seats, not list size, are the deciding limit. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.ActiveCampaign, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing.

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign side by side

I compare email/CRM platforms on: Real cost per list size, both billing bases; Free-tier contact ceiling before you must pay anything; Team seats included, and the seat price past that; List segmentation depth; Automation workflow depth and any step/action limits; Deliverability and sending limits (emails per month, per day, or per rolling window); CRM and ecommerce integration depth; What happens past your plan's contact ceiling (overage pricing vs a forced upgrade).

Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign compared on the main buying criteria
Criterion	Campaign Monitor	ActiveCampaign
Entry paid price, billed annually	Lite: $11.70/month billed annually.	Starter: $15/month billed annually. Plus: $49/month billed annually.
Entry paid price, billed monthly	Lite: $13/month billed monthly.	No monthly price published on any plan.
Team seats on entry plans	Unlimited on every plan.	1 on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro. No published extra-seat price.
Automation	Included on Lite and above, with advanced automations on Premier.	Starter caps each automation at 5 actions per automation; Plus and up are unlimited.
CRM	No CRM listed among the plan features.	Enhanced CRM add-on on Plus and above. The add-on price isn't published.

All details, including automation and AI workflows

All compared details for Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign
Criterion	Campaign Monitor	ActiveCampaign
Segmentation	Pre-built engagement segments on Premier.	Limited on Starter, Standard on Plus, Advanced on Pro, Premium on Enterprise.
Trial and refund	30-day trial, limited to 500 contacts.	14-day trial, no card. 30-day money-back guarantee on a first paid subscription.
Free plan	None. Trial only.	None. Trial only.
Plans	Lite, Essentials and Premier, plus an Enterprise plan with custom pricing and no public number.	Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise.
Entry price per plan, billed annually	Lite $11.70/month billed annually. Essentials $27.90/month billed annually. Premier $153.90/month billed annually.	Starter $15/month billed annually. Plus $49/month billed annually. Pro $79/month billed annually. Enterprise $145/month billed annually.
Entry price per plan, billed monthly	Lite $13/month billed monthly. Essentials $31/month billed monthly. Premier $171/month billed monthly.	No monthly price is published on any plan.
How pricing scales	Priced by contact count, on both billing bases, up to 50,000 contacts. Above that, Campaign Monitor shows Contact Sales.	Priced by contact count, with an entry band of 1,000 contacts. Starter is priced up to 25,000 contacts. Plus, Pro and Enterprise are priced up to 50,000. Above that, ActiveCampaign shows Talk to Sales.
Annual billing discount	Annual billing is cheaper than monthly on every paid plan.	ActiveCampaign publishes annual-billed prices only, so there is no monthly rate to measure a discount against.
Integrations and API	Custom domain support is available. Drip campaigns and signup forms on Lite.	Zapier and API access on every plan. WordPress listed as an integration.
White label	Custom domain support is available.	Full white label (custom domain and rebrand) on Enterprise only. Lower plans can remove ActiveCampaign branding and swap the logo.

Who should pick Campaign Monitor, and who should pick ActiveCampaign?

Campaign Monitor

Desk research

Best for solo marketers and small businesses
Best for growing lists sending regularly
Best for small teams sharing one account

Campaign Monitor is a contact-tiered email platform with no permanent free plan: you get a 30-day trial capped at 500 contacts, then paid plans from $13/month billed monthly for the same 500 contacts. Its strongest move is unlimited team members on every plan, with drip automations from Lite upward. Prices climb steeply with list size, and Premier gets expensive fast past 10,000 contacts.

Best for: Small teams and agencies who want unlimited seats and automations from the first paid plan, and a simple drag-and-drop email builder.

Strengths

A 30-day trial capped at 500 contacts lets you test the builder before paying. It is a trial only, not a free tier.
Unlimited team members on every plan, even Lite ($13/month billed monthly). Most competitors hide this behind a top plan.
Automations (drip campaigns, pre-built journeys) are included from Lite upward.

Limits

There is no permanent free plan. The free offer is a time-limited trial, so a list you want to keep sending to needs a paid plan from day one.
Pricing is contact-tiered and the steps are steep, especially on Premier. The entry rate of $13/month billed monthly on Lite covers only the first 500 contacts. Self-serve prices stop at 50,000 contacts; past that the plans switch to Contact Sales with no published price.
No paid subscriptions on the platform itself (unlike beehiiv or Ghost). Campaign Monitor is email-only; it doesn't process reader payments.

Skip it if you need a permanent free plan, or you need a deep multi-branch visual automation builder; Campaign Monitor's strength is drip sequences and pre-built journeys, not complex branching.

Campaign Monitor review Campaign Monitor pricing Campaign Monitor alternatives

ActiveCampaign

Desk research

ActiveCampaign prices by contact list size on top of the plan tier, and the plan cards only show the annual rate; there's no published monthly-billing number to compare against. Starter caps you at 5 actions per automation and one seat, so it reads more like a taste of the platform than a real working plan.

Best for: A small business that wants CRM and ecommerce integrations bundled with email marketing from the entry tier.

Strengths

API and webhook access on every plan, including Starter.
Zapier is available on every plan, not gated to the top tier.
A 14-day trial with no card, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first paid subscription.

Limits

Starter automations are capped at 5 actions per automation; Plus and up remove the cap.
Full white-labeling (custom domain, CSS/HTML rebrand) is Enterprise-only.
The Enhanced CRM add-on (pipelines, sales engagement) isn't offered on Starter at all.

Skip it if you need more than 5 actions per automation or a second seat without upgrading past Starter.

ActiveCampaign review ActiveCampaign pricing ActiveCampaign alternatives

My pick: Campaign Monitor in 3 of 3 scenarios.

See Campaign Monitor plans See ActiveCampaign plans

Neither Campaign Monitor nor ActiveCampaign? Try these

MailerLite
From $10.80/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want a lower entry price than either tool and you don't need a CRM.
MailerLite review MailerLite alternatives
Brevo
From $8.08/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want a free plan and a lower entry price than either tool.
Brevo review Brevo alternatives
GetResponse
From $15.58/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want a published monthly price and a different automation builder, with a trial to test it first.
GetResponse review GetResponse alternatives

Switching between Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign

Expect to re-import your contacts and rebuild your automations in the new account in either direction. Both vendors offer a trial, so you can rebuild a first automation before you commit. Campaign Monitor's trial is limited to 500 contacts, so test with a sample of your list. ActiveCampaign's money-back window applies to a first paid subscription only.

What would change my pick?

A published monthly rate from ActiveCampaign would let me compare the two on monthly billing too.
A published extra-seat price from ActiveCampaign would change the team scenario if a second or third user could be added cheaply on Plus.
A price change on either side. The scenario picks recalculate when a vendor changes a price.

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign: questions people ask

Is Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign cheaper?: Campaign Monitor, on annual billing, the only basis where both publish a price. At the entry band Lite is $11.70/mo and ActiveCampaign Starter is $15/mo, and Starter comes with more limits. Campaign Monitor also publishes a monthly price, $13/mo, and ActiveCampaign doesn't.
Which is better for a team of three?: Campaign Monitor. It includes unlimited users on every plan. ActiveCampaign Starter and Plus include 1 user, so three people need Pro, which includes 3. On annual billing that's $79/month billed annually for ActiveCampaign Pro, against $42.30/month billed annually for Campaign Monitor Lite.
Does ActiveCampaign publish a monthly price?: No. Every ActiveCampaign price is shown as billed annually, on all four plans. Starter's annual rate is $15/month billed annually.
Does Campaign Monitor have a CRM?: Not among its listed plan features. It's an email platform with automations. ActiveCampaign sells an Enhanced CRM add-on on Plus, Pro and Enterprise.
Which has the better automations?: ActiveCampaign, once you're on Plus or above, where actions per automation are unlimited. Campaign Monitor includes automations on Lite and adds advanced automations on Premier. ActiveCampaign Starter is the weaker of the two, capped at 5 actions per automation.
Do either have a free plan or a free trial?: Neither has a free plan. Campaign Monitor offers a 30-day trial limited to 500 contacts. ActiveCampaign's trial runs 14 days with no card, and it adds a 30-day money-back guarantee on a first paid subscription.
What does 5,000 contacts cost on each?: On annual billing, Campaign Monitor Lite is $67.50/month billed annually and ActiveCampaign Starter is $79/month billed annually. On monthly billing, Campaign Monitor Lite is $75/month billed monthly. ActiveCampaign doesn't publish a monthly price.

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked 1 Oct 2026. Campaign Monitor: desk research. ActiveCampaign: desk research.

Sources and changelog

32 facts from 6 source pages, oldest checked 30 Sep 2026.

Campaign Monitor plans and pricing (checked 1 Oct 2026)
ActiveCampaign plans and pricing (checked 1 Oct 2026)
ActiveCampaign: add and manage users (checked 30 Sep 2026)
ActiveCampaign money-back guarantee terms (checked 30 Sep 2026)

1 Oct 2026: New page. Campaign Monitor is the pick for a small list, a growing list and a three-person team, on annual price and unlimited users. ActiveCampaign is the pick when CRM and deeper automation are the job.

Spot something out of date?Vendors and readers, send me the correct fact.

Software sites change almost every week, and I want every claim on this page to be factually correct. If you are a vendor or a reader, send me the correct fact and a link to the official page. I will check it and update the page. The opinions and rankings stay mine.

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign: simple email for a team, or CRM and automation depth?

Quick answer

Which one fits you?

How are Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign really different?

Seats on the entry plans

Billing basis you can compare

Automation limits

CRM and segmentation depth

Trial and refund

What will Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign cost for your setup?

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier

Growing list, sending regularly

Small team managing one list together

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign side by side

Who should pick Campaign Monitor, and who should pick ActiveCampaign?

Campaign Monitor

ActiveCampaign

Neither Campaign Monitor nor ActiveCampaign? Try these

Switching between Campaign Monitor and ActiveCampaign

What would change my pick?

Campaign Monitor vs ActiveCampaign: questions people ask

Is Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign cheaper?

Which is better for a team of three?

Does ActiveCampaign publish a monthly price?

Does Campaign Monitor have a CRM?

Which has the better automations?

Do either have a free plan or a free trial?

What does 5,000 contacts cost on each?

How I verified this

Compare Campaign Monitor or ActiveCampaign with another tool

Campaign Monitor vs …

ActiveCampaign vs …

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