When I first started exploring marketing automation, ActiveCampaign quickly stood out. It’s an advanced marketing automation platform that combines powerful email marketing, CRM, and sales automation tools all in one place.
Whether you want to nurture leads or close deals faster, ActiveCampaign gives you smart features like dynamic segmentation and automation workflows that really make a difference.
On the other hand, Brevo (formerly known as Sendinblue) offers a slightly different flavor. It’s a versatile marketing platform built for small and medium-sized businesses, packing email, SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM functionalities under one roof. I like how Brevo’s multi-channel approach lets you reach your audience not just by email but also via SMS and WhatsApp — perfect for those looking to diversify their marketing channels without juggling multiple tools.
ActiveCampaign vs. Brevo: Feature Comparison
Is ActiveCampaign vs. Brevo similar? How do their features compare?
1. Marketing Automation
When it comes to marketing automation, ActiveCampaign really shines with its visual automation builder. Imagine dragging and dropping different steps to create complex customer journeys that adapt in real time. For example, you could set up a workflow where a new subscriber receives a welcome email, then based on their interaction, like clicking a link or opening an email, automatically receives tailored follow-ups or offers.
ActiveCampaign also includes advanced features like predictive sending, which uses AI to send emails at the optimal time for each contact, increasing open rates. Plus, conditional content lets you show different messages within the same email depending on who’s reading it. This level of sophistication means you can run split tests on subject lines, content blocks, and send times, optimizing every campaign for the best results.
On the flip side, Brevo offers a more straightforward automation builder that’s ideal if you’re just getting started or prefer simplicity. You can easily set up basic workflows, like sending a welcome email after a signup or tagging contacts when they complete a form.
While it lacks AI-driven features like predictive sending or advanced conditional logic, Brevo’s system is easy to navigate and quick to set up, which is great if you don’t need complex automation. For example, a small business owner could create an automation that sends an SMS reminder two days before an event and follows up with an email afterward, covering multiple channels without much hassle. Brevo’s simplicity means less of a learning curve but fewer options for deep customization.
2. Email Marketing & Personalization
Email marketing is where ActiveCampaign really flexes its muscles. It offers powerful personalization tools that go way beyond just dropping in a contact’s first name. With dynamic content, you can change entire sections of an email based on user behavior, tags, or custom fields.
For example, if someone browses your pricing page but didn’t sign up, you could automatically show them a tailored offer or testimonial in your next email. It also features predictive content, which uses machine learning to suggest the best messaging for each contact based on their previous interactions, think of it like a smart assistant optimizing your emails in the background.
This kind of detailed personalization helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level and drive more meaningful engagement.
Brevo, on the other hand, keeps things simpler. You can personalize emails using contact information like first name, company, or birthday, which works fine for straightforward campaigns. It’s easy to create and schedule newsletters, and there are templates to speed things up.
But it doesn’t support advanced features like dynamic content blocks or behavior-based personalization. So while you can still send a birthday discount or a friendly reminder email, you won’t be able to tailor content in real time based on user behavior.
For small teams or businesses focused on quick wins without complex setups, Brevo’s email editor gets the job done — but with fewer options for smart automation.
3. CRM & Sales Automation
With ActiveCampaign, CRM and sales automation are tightly integrated into the platform, and it shows. The built-in CRM is more than just a place to store contact info. You get sales pipelines that visually track each deal’s progress, making it easy to manage leads from initial contact to conversion.
One of the standout features is lead scoring, which automatically ranks contacts based on actions they take, like opening emails, visiting pages, or replying to messages. This helps sales teams focus on the most engaged prospects first.
You can also trigger automations directly from the CRM. For example, when a deal moves to a new stage, ActiveCampaign can send a follow-up email, assign a task, or notify your sales rep, all without manual work. It’s a great system for teams that want to blend marketing and sales into one seamless workflow.
Brevo, meanwhile, takes a lighter approach with its native CRM, which is built for smaller teams or those just starting with sales tracking. It offers deal tracking, so you can still follow contacts through a pipeline and monitor progress toward a close.
There’s also meeting scheduling, which is handy for setting up demos or consultations without needing third-party tools. However, Brevo’s CRM doesn’t include advanced features like lead scoring or deep automation triggers.
That said, it’s simple and efficient, perfect if you need to organize contacts and manage follow-ups without getting overwhelmed by too many options. It’s a solid choice for small businesses looking for a clean, easy-to-use CRM baked right into their marketing platform.
4. Deliverability & Transactional Emails
One thing you want to get right in email marketing is deliverability, and ActiveCampaign performs well here. Emails typically land in the inbox rather than the spam folder, thanks to solid infrastructure and sender reputation tools.
You can authenticate your domain, monitor engagement metrics, and use best practices to keep deliverability high. However, if you need to send transactional emails — like order confirmations, password resets, or shipping updates, ActiveCampaign doesn’t offer those natively.
You’ll need to integrate with a third-party service like Postmark or SendGrid, which means extra setup and possibly extra cost. For marketing emails, it’s excellent. But for system-triggered emails, there’s a bit more legwork.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), on the other hand, really stands out by combining both marketing and transactional emails under one roof. You can send newsletters, promotions, and automated flows alongside things like account notifications or receipts, all from the same dashboard.
This makes it easier to manage your communication strategy and maintain consistent branding. Plus, Brevo’s reputation for strong deliverability is well earned, with features like dedicated IPs, domain authentication, and real-time email tracking baked in.
For businesses that want a single platform for both promotional and transactional emails, without having to juggle integrations, Brevo offers a very compelling advantage.
Pricing Breakdown
ActiveCampaign’s pricing starts at $15 per month for up to 1000 contacts. As you move up the tiers, you unlock more advanced features like deeper automation options and CRM capabilities. This makes it a flexible choice if you plan to scale your marketing efforts over time without breaking the bank.
Brevo takes a different approach, with pricing based mainly on your email volume rather than contact count. Plans start at $9 per month, but if you’re just testing the waters, Brevo’s free plan lets you send up to 300 emails per day, a great way to get started with no upfront cost. For small and medium businesses looking for a straightforward pricing model, this can be really appealing.
Pros & Cons
| ActiveCampaign Pros | Brevo Pros |
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| ActiveCampaign Cons | Brevo Cons |
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Customer reviews
Jennie L. says ActiveCampaign is my all-in-one solution
I find ActiveCampaign to be very helpful for organizing and automating all of my workflows. I love having all of my contacts, notes, workflows, automations, in one place. I love the ease of seeing into my analytics and being able to make adjustments to my funnels in real time! Their onboarding is great making it easy to implement and if I have a question, customer support is always a click away. It’s a game changer for my business.
Atul S. says Brevo is easy to integrate and implement as they need to
“Simple and easy UI for creating email campaigns also can track with a lot of filters which is mostly needed and good for track, The support team is also good, every time, I always use brevo for email marketing.”
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose ActiveCampaign if you need sophisticated automation workflows, in-depth CRM capabilities, and you’re ready to invest a bit more for powerful features that grow with your business.
Choose Brevo if you want a cost-effective solution with all the essential marketing tools, and you value ease of use without the complexity of advanced systems.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for a powerful, all-in-one marketing platform with deep automation, advanced personalization, and a built-in CRM that supports serious growth, ActiveCampaign is hard to beat. It’s built for businesses that want to scale, track every touchpoint, and make data-driven decisions. The learning curve is a bit steeper, but the payoff is big if you’re ready to go all in on sophisticated marketing strategies.
Brevo, on the other hand, is a smart choice if you want something more streamlined and budget-friendly. It’s especially great for small to medium-sized businesses that need reliable email marketing, basic automation, and even transactional emails, all without the overwhelm. If you’re just getting started or don’t need complex workflows, Brevo gives you just enough power without the bulk.
Ultimately, it comes down to your goals:
Need advanced tools to scale and automate deeply? Go with ActiveCampaign.
Want a simpler, more affordable platform to get the job done? Brevo is a solid bet.
Either way, both platforms offer free trials, and the best way to decide is to try them out for yourself.
Need more email marketing recommendations? Check out 10 Best Email Marketing Platforms in 2025