Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign: Which One Should You Choose in 2026?
Klaviyo
Best for: Shopify brands' email, SMS and CDP Starts at: Free plan 1.6370 reviews Klaviyo review Full profilePick Klaviyo if you need Shopify brands' email, SMS and CDP. Pick ActiveCampaign if automation-heavy email plus light CRM matters more. The table and three-question quiz below show where they differ.
ActiveCampaign
Best for: Automation-heavy email plus light CRM Starts at: $15 / month ActiveCampaign review Full profileSide-by-side comparison
| Feature | Klaviyo | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Shopify brands' email, SMS and CDP | Automation-heavy email plus light CRM |
| Pricing model | Freemium, by active profiles | Tiered by contacts |
| Starting price | Free plan | $15 / month |
| Rating | 1.6 / 5 (370 reviews) | – |
| Headquarters | Boston, MA | – |
| Key features | Email marketing, SMS and mobile messaging, Customer data platform, Segmentation and flows, Reviews, SMS marketing | Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales CRM, Ecommerce integrations, CRM and sales automation, Site and event tracking |
| Our score | 89.1 / 100 | 79.9 / 100 |
From each company's public pricing page and review profiles, checked Oct 27, 2026. Prices change: confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Klaviyo
- G2 4.6 from 1,370 reviews
- Deep Shopify and order data
- Free plan to start
- Costs climb with list size
- Trustpilot 1.6 (370 reviews)
ActiveCampaign
- 14,800+ G2 reviews
- Powerful automation builder
- Email and CRM in one
- Ecommerce features less native than Klaviyo
- Prices not visible on page we saw
Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign: the core difference
Klaviyo focuses on ecommerce: its segments and flows are built around orders, products and browsing behavior. ActiveCampaign combines marketing automation with a sales CRM, so it suits businesses that track deals and leads as well as online orders.
That makes the decision partly about your sales model. A store that sells through checkout lives in purchase data, while a company with a sales team needs pipelines, deal stages and lead scoring.
When each one fits
DTC brands and online retailers usually get more from an ecommerce-first platform. However, B2B sellers, service businesses and brands with a wholesale team often value having automation and a CRM in one place. Both tools offer strong automation builders, so the integrations you rely on often decide it.
Pricing tiers differ in what they include. Therefore, compare the plan you would actually need, including SMS and CRM features.
How to decide
First, write down whether most revenue comes from checkout or from sales conversations. Next, build one key automation in each trial. Then test the store integration with real order data. Finally, compare reporting, because you need to see which emails drive revenue.
Which should you choose?
Answer three questions. The pick is worked out from the prices, scores and features in the table above.
Alternatives to consider
FAQs: Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign
Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign: which is better?
Neither Klaviyo nor ActiveCampaign is better for everyone. The side-by-side table compares them point by point, and the short quiz below it recommends one based on your goal, team size and sales channels.
Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign: which is cheaper?
Compare the starting-price rows in the table above, then price Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign at your real volume (contacts, orders, seats or spend), because entry plans include different limits and features.
Klaviyo vs ActiveCampaign: which suits Amazon and Shopify sellers?
For Amazon and Shopify sellers, the deciding factors are native integrations, how each handles marketplace data, and reporting. The 'Which should you choose' section maps common seller situations to Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign.