Compare Email Tools

Head-to-head · 232 (A–B–tie)

ActiveCampaign vs MailerLite

ActiveCampaign and MailerLite overlap as email platforms but diverge on price, automation, and store data. At 5,000 contacts this example snapshot has MailerLite at $49/mo. ActiveCampaign scores higher on automation depth (5/10). On the scored dimensions below, ActiveCampaign leads 2, MailerLite leads 3, with 2 ties. This is a dataset tally, not an award.

  • Brevo: Free up to 100,000 contacts · 5k $9/mo · SMS · WhatsApp
  • Moosend: No free plan · 5k $48/mo

Dimension winners

  • Price at 5k contactsActiveCampaign: $99/moMailerLite: $49/moMailerLite
  • Price at 10k contactsActiveCampaign: $189/moMailerLite: $89/moMailerLite
  • Automation depth (1–10)ActiveCampaign: 5MailerLite: 3ActiveCampaign
  • SMSActiveCampaign: YesMailerLite: YesTie
  • CRMActiveCampaign: YesMailerLite: NoActiveCampaign
  • Ecommerce-nativeActiveCampaign: YesMailerLite: YesTie
  • G2 scoreActiveCampaign: 4.5MailerLite: 4.6MailerLite

MailerLite wins more of the scored dimensions (3–2). ActiveCampaign can still be the right buy when marketing automation outweighs those rows.

Full field dump for ActiveCampaign and MailerLite from the JSON dataset.
ToolFree planPrice @ 1kPrice @ 5kPrice @ 10kModelAutomationSMSCRMEcommerceLanding pagesFormsG2Trial
ActiveCampaignNo free plan$19/mo$99/mo$189/mocontacts5/10YesYesYesYesYes4.5 (14,000)14-day trial
MailerLiteFree up to 250 contacts$19/mo$49/mo$89/mocontacts3/10YesNoYesYesYes4.6 (n/a)14-day trial
Choose ActiveCampaign if
  • Choose ActiveCampaign over MailerLite when marketing automation is the job to be done.
  • Choose ActiveCampaign over MailerLite when CRM + email combo is the job to be done.
  • Choose ActiveCampaign over MailerLite when SMBs scaling journeys is the job to be done.
  • Choose ActiveCampaign over MailerLite when agencies is the job to be done.
  • No free plan. 14-day trial.
Skip ActiveCampaign if
  • Do not pick ActiveCampaign vs MailerLite if you specifically need absolute beginners wanting free forever.
  • Do not pick ActiveCampaign vs MailerLite if you specifically need simple newsletter only users.
Choose MailerLite if
  • Choose MailerLite over ActiveCampaign when creators is the job to be done.
  • Choose MailerLite over ActiveCampaign when solopreneurs is the job to be done.
  • Choose MailerLite over ActiveCampaign when landing pages + websites is the job to be done.
  • Choose MailerLite over ActiveCampaign when affordable automation is the job to be done.
  • Free up to 250 contacts. 14-day trial.
Skip MailerLite if
  • Do not pick MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign if you specifically need complex multi channel CRM.
  • Do not pick MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign if you specifically need enterprise SSO first teams.
  • Do not pick MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign if you specifically need deep predictive ecommerce.
Dated pricing snapshot

Figures below are monthly USD list-size prices from data/esp-tools.json, last marked verified . They are example placeholders until you swap in live quotes. Always confirm on the vendor pricing page.

  • ActiveCampaign1k $19/mo · 5k $99/mo · 10k $189/moModel: contacts · row date September 11, 2026
  • MailerLite1k $19/mo · 5k $49/mo · 10k $89/moModel: contacts · row date September 11, 2026

FAQ

Try a live option from this page

  • Brevo: Free up to 100,000 contacts · 5k $9/mo · SMS · WhatsApp
  • Moosend: No free plan · 5k $48/mo

Related comparisons

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Brevo: Free up to 100,000 contacts · 5k $9/mo · SMS · WhatsApp · Moosend: No free plan · 5k $48/mo