Is Keap or ActiveCampaign cheaper?

ActiveCampaign is far cheaper at every list size I priced. At 5,000 contacts Keap is $449/month billed monthly, and ActiveCampaign's Starter is $99/month billed monthly. Keap also requires a one-time implementation package of $500.

Does Keap really require an implementation package?

Yes. Keap's pricing page says a paid implementation package is required at signup. It is currently $500 one-time, shown against a $1,500 list price, and includes a mapping session, two launched automations and a basic data import.

How many contacts does Keap's entry price cover?

1,500. The contact counter starts there, so a 500-contact list pays the same $299/month billed monthly as a full 1,500-contact list. ActiveCampaign's entry band is 1,000 contacts.

What does a third user cost on Keap?

Keap includes 2 users. Each extra user adds $39/user/mo, so 3 users on a list under 1,500 contacts is $338/month billed monthly. ActiveCampaign's Pro includes 3 seats at $79/month billed annually.

Does Keap offer annual billing?

Keap doesn't publish an annual rate, though annual contracts exist and carry an early termination fee of $299. ActiveCampaign publishes annual rates for every plan and monthly rates for Starter and Plus: on annual billing Starter is $15/mo and Pro is $79/mo at its entry band.

Which is better for a small service business?

It depends on one condition: whether you want CRM, payments, appointments and onboarding calls bundled in one plan. If yes, Keap fits and the higher bill buys that. If you mainly need email and automation, ActiveCampaign costs less and has no onboarding fee.

Can Keap send text messages outside the U.S.?

No. Keap's text marketing is available in the U.S. only. If texting is central to your plan and your customers are elsewhere, check that before you pay for either tool.

Keap vs ActiveCampaign: is Keap's single plan worth the extra cost?

Email marketing and CRM platforms · Verified 19 Oct 2026 · By Joonas Rotko

Keap

Desk research

From Pro, billed monthly

$299/mo

ActiveCampaign

Desk research

From Starter, billed annually

$15/mo

$19/mo billed monthly

Quick answer

ActiveCampaign is far cheaper at every list size I priced. On monthly billing Keap's smallest band is 1,500 contacts at $299/month billed monthly, plus a required one-time implementation package of $500, and ActiveCampaign's Starter is $19/month billed monthly for 1,000 contacts. Keap is the one to pick if you want CRM, payments and onboarding calls in one plan and can pay for it. Prices verified 19 Oct 2026.

Across the three setups below: ActiveCampaign in 3 of 3 scenarios.

Which one fits you?

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier
ActiveCampaign
My pick
$15/mo billed annually
Keap doesn't sell a band below 1,500 contacts, so a 500-contact list still pays $299/month billed monthly, plus the one-time implementation package of $500. ActiveCampaign's Starter is $19/month billed monthly at this size, or $15/month billed annually, with 1 seat. On the same monthly basis the gap is wide.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
ActiveCampaign is far cheaper on the same monthly basis and has no required onboarding fee.
Skip it if you want payments, appointments and onboarding calls bundled in one plan and a monthly bill above $299/mo is fine. Keap includes all of that in its single plan; ActiveCampaign sells its CRM as an add-on on Plus and above.
See ActiveCampaign plans
Growing list, sending regularly
ActiveCampaign
My pick
$79/mo billed annually
At 5,000 contacts Keap's published ladder is $449/month billed monthly, before the implementation package. ActiveCampaign's Starter is $99/month billed monthly at that size, or $79/month billed annually. ActiveCampaign is far cheaper on the same monthly basis.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
ActiveCampaign is far cheaper on the same monthly basis and has no required onboarding fee.
Skip it if you'd rather have one all-in-one plan with no feature tiers and phone support than a lower bill. Keap's price covers every feature; ActiveCampaign gates segmentation and CRM depth by plan.
See ActiveCampaign plans
Small team managing one list together
ActiveCampaign
My pick
$79/mo billed annually
Three users on a 1,000-contact list is where Keap's seat pricing shows. Its plan includes 2 users, so the third adds $39/user/mo, which lands at $338/month billed monthly. ActiveCampaign's Pro includes 3 seats at $79/month billed annually, annual billing only. The bases differ, so I don't subtract, but Pro is the far lower figure.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
The team plans are quoted on different bases, Keap monthly and ActiveCampaign Pro annual only, so I lean on ActiveCampaign's much lower published price for three seats.
Skip it if you only ever need 2 users and want everything in one plan. Keap includes 2 users from the start, while ActiveCampaign Starter and Plus include 1 seat each.
See ActiveCampaign plans

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

How are Keap and ActiveCampaign really different?

Keap

ActiveCampaign

Plan structure
Keap's single plan has no cheaper entry rung, so a small list pays the same as a 1,500-contact list. ActiveCampaign lets you start lower and add features by plan.
Keap
One plan, no feature tiers. Price climbs a contact ladder from $299/mo at 1,500 contacts.
ActiveCampaign
Four plans (Starter, Plus, Pro, Enterprise), each priced by contact count. Starter is $19/mo month to month at 1,000 contacts, or less on annual billing.
Required onboarding fee
Keap's first bill is higher than the monthly headline. The package includes a mapping session, two launched automations and call-based coaching, so it has real value if you want hand-holding.
Keap
A one-time implementation package is required at signup, currently $500 (shown against a $1,500 list price).
ActiveCampaign
The pricing page lists no implementation fee.
Contract terms
Leaving Keap early costs money, and cancelling takes a phone call. ActiveCampaign's guarantee lowers the risk of trying it, and its entry plans can be paid monthly, though a team plan commits you for the year.
Keap
An early termination fee of $299 applies on annual contracts. Keap doesn't publish an annual rate.
ActiveCampaign
A 30-day money-back guarantee on a first paid subscription. Starter and Plus can be paid month to month; Pro and Enterprise are annual only.
Users and seat pricing
Keap's extra-user cost is known up front. With ActiveCampaign you budget by moving up a plan rather than by adding single seats.
Keap
2 users included, then $39/user/mo for each extra user.
ActiveCampaign
1 seat on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise. Extra seats can be bought in the app, but ActiveCampaign doesn't publish the seat price.
Text marketing and trial
If your customers are outside the U.S., Keap's texting won't help. Both trials need no card; Keap's is limited enough that it shows the interface more than real sending.
Keap
Text marketing is U.S. only. A 14-day free trial needs no card, but it limits email volume and turns off texting and payments.
ActiveCampaign
A 14-day free trial with no card required.

What will Keap 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

Keap

$299

Monthly only

Pro

Above 49,900 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

My pick

$19

$15

Starter

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

See ActiveCampaign plans

Usage, limits and billing

Keap

Uses 500 of 49,900 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $3,588 a year.

ActiveCampaign

Uses 500 of 25,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $228 a year.
On annual billing: $180 a year.

Growing list, sending regularly

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

MonthlyYearly, per month

Keap

$449

Monthly only

Pro

Above 49,900 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

My pick

$99

$79

Starter

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

See ActiveCampaign plans

Usage, limits and billing

Keap

Uses 5,000 of 49,900 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $5,388 a year.

ActiveCampaign

Uses 5,000 of 25,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $1,188 a year.
On annual billing: $948 a year.

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

Keap

$338

Monthly only

Pro with 1 extra user

Above 49,900 subscribers: nothing published fits.

ActiveCampaign

My pick

Annual only

$79

Pro

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See ActiveCampaign plans

Usage, limits and billing

Keap

Uses 1,000 of 49,900 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $4,056 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.Keap, annual billing: Not sold on annual billing. Price limit isn't published.
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.Keap, annual billing: Not sold on annual billing. Price limit isn't published.
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.Keap, annual billing: Not sold on annual billing. Users limit isn't published. Price limit isn't published.ActiveCampaign, monthly billing: Not sold on monthly billing.

Keap 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).

Keap and ActiveCampaign compared on the main buying criteria
Criterion	Keap	ActiveCampaign
Real cost at the smallest paid band, and which billing basis is quoted	$299/month billed monthly for 1,500 contacts, plus a one-time implementation package.	Starter: $19/month billed monthly, or $15/month billed annually, for 1,000 contacts.
Annual billing	Keap doesn't publish an annual rate, and an early termination fee of $299 applies to annual contracts.	Starter and Plus also have monthly rates; Pro and Enterprise are annual only. At the 1,000-contact entry band, billed annually: Starter $15/mo, Plus $49/mo, Pro $79/mo, Enterprise $145/mo.
Free plan and trial	No free plan. A 14-day free trial, no card.	No free plan. A 14-day free trial, no card.
Team seats included, and the seat price past that	2 users, then $39/user/mo for each extra user.	1 on Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise. No published extra-seat price.
Automation depth	Automations are part of the single plan. Keap doesn't publish a step limit.	Starter allows 5 actions per automation. Plus and above allow unlimited actions.

All details, including automation and AI workflows

All compared details for Keap and ActiveCampaign
Criterion	Keap	ActiveCampaign
CRM depth	CRM, appointments and payments are included in the single plan.	Standard CRM and ecommerce integrations on Starter and Plus. The Enhanced CRM add-on is available from Plus up, with no published add-on price.
Integrations that matter most	Zapier, an open API, Gmail and Outlook. Keap doesn't list Make or WordPress on its pricing page.	Zapier, API and webhooks on every plan, plus WordPress.
Setup and onboarding	A required one-time implementation package, plus scheduled strategy calls through the first year.	The pricing page lists no onboarding fee.
Full price ladder	One plan: $299/month billed monthly at 1,500 contacts, rising on a published ladder to 49,900 contacts. Above 49,900 contacts Keap quotes by chat.	Starter $19/mo month to month or $15/mo billed annually, and Plus $59/mo or $49/mo. Pro $79/mo and Enterprise $145/mo are annual billing only. All at the entry band. Starter rises on a published ladder to 25,000 contacts, and the other three to 50,000 contacts. Above that ActiveCampaign says to talk to sales.
How pricing scales	Contact-count tiered in steps, plus $39/user/mo for each user beyond the included ones, plus the implementation package.	Contact-count tiered on every plan. Seats rise with the plan rather than being priced one by one.
Segmentation	Not broken out by tier. The single plan carries every feature.	Limited on Starter, Standard on Plus, Advanced on Pro, Premium on Enterprise.
White label	Not published.	Full white-labelling (custom domain, CSS and HTML rebrand) is Enterprise only. Lower plans can remove branding and swap the logo.
Text marketing	Available in the U.S. only, sold in message bundles with per-message overage pricing.	SMS credits are sold separately from the plans.
Refund and money-back terms	No refund policy is published. The implementation package carries a coaching guarantee, which isn't a refund.	30-day money-back guarantee on a first-ever paid subscription. It excludes SMS and WhatsApp credits.
Trial limits	14 days, no card. The trial caps email sends at a small test volume, with no payment processing or texting. A sending domain must be authenticated first.	14 days, no card required.

Who should pick Keap, and who should pick ActiveCampaign?

Keap

Desk research

Keap sells one all-in-one CRM, email and automation plan starting at $299/month billed monthly for 1,500 contacts and 2 users. The price climbs with contact count from there, and a paid implementation package is required on top, so the first bill is higher than the headline.

Best for: Service businesses with a small team that want CRM, automation, payments and scheduling in one tool and are happy to pay for a required implementation package.

Strengths

One plan includes CRM, automation, email, text, landing pages, payments, appointments and reporting, with no feature tiers to choose between.
The free trial needs no credit card, though it caps email sending at a small test volume and turns off payments and texting.
Native Zapier integration and an open API with webhooks cover connections to other tools.

Limits

The entry price covers 1,500 contacts. The price steps up as the list grows, Keap shows prices up to 49,900 contacts, and it quotes larger lists by chat.
Each user beyond the first 2 adds $39/user/mo.
A paid implementation package is required at signup, and Keap does not state a refund policy.

Skip it if you want a cheap email tool, a free plan or month-to-month pricing without onboarding costs. Keap has no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and no published money-back guarantee, and it requires an implementation package at signup.

Keap review Keap pricing Keap alternatives

ActiveCampaign

Desk research

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

ActiveCampaign prices by contact list size on top of the plan tier, and the plan cards only show the annual rate. Month-to-month billing shows up at checkout for Starter and Plus only (Starter from $19/month billed monthly); Pro and Enterprise need a yearly commitment. 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: ActiveCampaign in 3 of 3 scenarios.

See ActiveCampaign plans See Keap plans

Neither Keap nor ActiveCampaign? Try these

Brevo
From $8.08/mo billed annually
Pick it if you mostly need email and automation on a tight budget. It has a free plan and doesn't require an onboarding fee.
Brevo review Brevo alternatives
MailerLite
From $10.80/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want a simpler email tool with a free plan and don't need a sales CRM.
MailerLite review MailerLite alternatives
GetResponse
From $15.58/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want email, automation and landing pages from one vendor and a different price structure from Keap's single contact-ladder plan.
GetResponse review GetResponse alternatives

Switching between Keap and ActiveCampaign

Keap's pricing page doesn't mention a migration tool or list-transfer guarantee, so expect to export contacts and rebuild automations by hand in either direction. The main cost of leaving Keap is contractual: annual contracts carry an early termination fee, and cancelling needs a phone call at least 10 days before the next invoice. Moving to Keap means paying the implementation package, which includes a basic data import and migration help.

What would change my pick?

A published annual rate from Keap would let me compare both tools on annual billing too.
A Keap band below 1,500 contacts, or an end to the required implementation package, would close most of the gap for small lists.
A published extra-seat price from ActiveCampaign would make the team scenario easier to budget.
A price change on either side. The scenario picks recalculate when a vendor changes a price.

Keap vs ActiveCampaign: questions people ask

Is Keap or ActiveCampaign cheaper?: ActiveCampaign is far cheaper at every list size I priced. At 5,000 contacts Keap is $449/month billed monthly, and ActiveCampaign's Starter is $99/month billed monthly. Keap also requires a one-time implementation package of $500.
Does Keap really require an implementation package?: Yes. Keap's pricing page says a paid implementation package is required at signup. It is currently $500 one-time, shown against a $1,500 list price, and includes a mapping session, two launched automations and a basic data import.
How many contacts does Keap's entry price cover?: 1,500. The contact counter starts there, so a 500-contact list pays the same $299/month billed monthly as a full 1,500-contact list. ActiveCampaign's entry band is 1,000 contacts.
What does a third user cost on Keap?: Keap includes 2 users. Each extra user adds $39/user/mo, so 3 users on a list under 1,500 contacts is $338/month billed monthly. ActiveCampaign's Pro includes 3 seats at $79/month billed annually.
Does Keap offer annual billing?: Keap doesn't publish an annual rate, though annual contracts exist and carry an early termination fee of $299. ActiveCampaign publishes annual rates for every plan and monthly rates for Starter and Plus: on annual billing Starter is $15/mo and Pro is $79/mo at its entry band.
Which is better for a small service business?: It depends on one condition: whether you want CRM, payments, appointments and onboarding calls bundled in one plan. If yes, Keap fits and the higher bill buys that. If you mainly need email and automation, ActiveCampaign costs less and has no onboarding fee.
Can Keap send text messages outside the U.S.?: No. Keap's text marketing is available in the U.S. only. If texting is central to your plan and your customers are elsewhere, check that before you pay for either tool.

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked 19 Oct 2026. Keap: desk research. ActiveCampaign: desk research.

Sources and changelog

33 facts from 10 source pages, oldest checked 30 Sep 2026.

Keap pricing (checked 1 Oct 2026)
Keap implementation services (checked 1 Oct 2026)
ActiveCampaign pricing (checked 1 Oct 2026)
ActiveCampaign money-back guarantee terms (checked 30 Sep 2026)
ActiveCampaign white-labeling guide (checked 30 Sep 2026)

19 Oct 2026: ActiveCampaign now shows month-to-month prices for Starter and Plus, so the 500 and 5,000-contact lists are compared with Keap on monthly billing; Pro and Enterprise stay annual only. Keap's trial length is now published. All three picks stay ActiveCampaign.
1 Oct 2026: New page. ActiveCampaign is the pick in all three scenarios: Keap's single plan starts at its 1,500-contact band, adds a per-user price beyond 2 users, and requires a one-time implementation package, while ActiveCampaign's published annual-billed prices are far lower. Keap publishes monthly rates only and ActiveCampaign annual-billed rates only, so the two are described on their own bases and not subtracted.

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.

Keap vs ActiveCampaign: is Keap's single plan worth the extra cost?

Quick answer

Which one fits you?

How are Keap and ActiveCampaign really different?

Plan structure

Required onboarding fee

Contract terms

Users and seat pricing

Text marketing and trial

What will Keap 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

Keap vs ActiveCampaign side by side

Who should pick Keap, and who should pick ActiveCampaign?

Keap

ActiveCampaign

Neither Keap nor ActiveCampaign? Try these

Switching between Keap and ActiveCampaign

What would change my pick?

Keap vs ActiveCampaign: questions people ask

Is Keap or ActiveCampaign cheaper?

Does Keap really require an implementation package?

How many contacts does Keap's entry price cover?

What does a third user cost on Keap?

Does Keap offer annual billing?

Which is better for a small service business?

Can Keap send text messages outside the U.S.?

How I verified this

Compare Keap or ActiveCampaign with another tool

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