ActiveCampaign Pricing 2026: The Cost of Automation
In 2026, ActiveCampaign is no longer just an email tool—it is an “AI-Powered Automation Engine.” If you just want to send a weekly newsletter, this tool is overkill (and overpriced). But if you want to build complex customer journeys that run on autopilot, there is simply no better alternative.
However, the pricing structure has become more complex with separate “Marketing,” “Sales,” and “Bundle” plans. Here is the simplified breakdown for 2026.
⚠️ The 2026 Warning
The “Starter” Trap: The $15 Starter plan looks cheap, but it lacks Conditional Content and Attribution—the two features that make ActiveCampaign famous. Most serious businesses will eventually be forced to upgrade to the Plus or Pro plan (starting at ~$49/mo).
Transactional Emails: Remember, ActiveCampaign does not send transactional emails (password resets, invoices) by default. You must pay extra for their Postmark add-on (starts at $15/mo).
Marketing Pricing Tiers (2026)
Prices below are for 1,000 contacts (billed annually).
| Plan | Price (1k Contacts) | Key Features | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 / mo | Basic Email & Automation | Solopreneurs |
| Plus | $49 / mo | Landing Pages, Forms, Facebook Audiences | Small Biz Growth |
| Pro | $79 / mo | AI Predictive Sending, Attribution, Split Automations | E-commerce / SaaS |
| Enterprise | $145 / mo | Custom Reporting, SSO, HIPAA | Large Teams |
Deep Dive: What You Actually Pay For
1. Starter ($15) – The “Teaser”
It gets you the famous automation builder, but it’s crippled. You get Site Tracking (to see who visits your site), but you cannot remove the “ActiveCampaign” branding, and you only get 1 user seat.
2. Plus ($49) – The Standard
This is where the real features unlock. You get:
- Conditional Content: Show different text blocks to different users inside the same email.
- Landing Pages: Built-in page builder (replaces Unbounce/Leadpages).
- SMS Marketing: Ability to add SMS steps to your automations (extra cost per SMS).
3. Pro ($79) – The AI Powerhouse
In 2026, this is the most popular plan because of ActiveCampaign AI.
- Predictive Sending: AI analyzes when each individual subscriber opens emails and delivers your message at that exact second. This typically boosts open rates by 15-20%.
- Win Probability: AI tells you which leads are likely to buy.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, if you use the features.
- If you set up an automation once and never touch it, ActiveCampaign is expensive.
- If you build “living” workflows that score leads, send SMS, and sync with Facebook Audiences, ActiveCampaign generates a massive ROI that justifies the $159+ monthly bill for larger lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the price increase with contacts?
A: Yes, sharply. A “Pro” plan for 1,000 contacts is $79, but for 10,000 contacts, it jumps to ~$239/mo. Always check the calculator before scaling.
Q: What is the “Bundle” pricing?
A: ActiveCampaign also sells a CRM (Sales tool). You can buy “Marketing” (Email) and “Sales” (CRM) separately, or buy a “Bundle” to save ~15%. In 2026, most B2B companies choose the Bundle.
Q: Is Postmark included?
A: No. ActiveCampaign owns Postmark (for transactional emails), but it is a separate bill. It starts at $15/mo for 10,000 emails. It is seamlessly integrated, but you pay separately.
