ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo
A source-aware comparison of pricing, documented capabilities and workflow fit.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — ActiveCampaign is from $29/user/mo, Klaviyo is free tier available.
- How to start: ActiveCampaign is from $29/user/mo, Klaviyo is free tier available.
- Where they differ: only ActiveCampaign has mobile app; both offer public api and sso (saml).
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. How we score tools.
What ActiveCampaign is
ActiveCampaign is a powerhouse platform that combines advanced email marketing, marketing automation, and a sales CRM. It is designed for businesses that want to implement sophisticated, data-driven customer journeys. With its 'CXA' (Customer Experience Automation) approach, it uses machine learning to predict the best time to send emails and which content will resonate most with individual subscribers. It is the gold standard for anyone who needs the deepest possible automation capabilities and a unified sales/marketing view.
What Klaviyo is
Klaviyo is the smartest marketing automation platform for e-commerce. It uses store data to analyze 'who bought what and when.' This lets you build incredibly detailed automations like 'send a discount to customers who haven't bought in 30 days but have spent over $500.' Known as the 'brain of e-commerce,' it is the top choice for brands looking to turn data into sales.
Side by side
| ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Marketing | Marketing |
| How to start | $29/user/moverified | Free tiernot a monthly price |
| Public API | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Open source / self-hostable | No | No |
| SSO (SAML) | Yes | Yes |
| Visit | ActiveCampaign ↗ | Klaviyo ↗ |
What ActiveCampaign is built to do
- Sales CRM
- Automate your sales pipeline with task assignments and deal tracking.
- Conditional Content
- Change the images and text in your emails based on what you know about each user.
- Site Tracking
- Follow every user's journey on your website to trigger the perfect follow-up email.
- Split Action
- Test different automation paths against each other to see which converts better.
What Klaviyo is built to do
- Flow Builder
- Dozens of smart workflows for welcome emails, cart recovery, and more.
- Dynamic Content
- Auto-show items in emails that a customer recently viewed or might like.
- Benchmarks
- Compare your marketing performance against other brands in your specific sector.
- SMS Marketing
- Multiply your conversions by backing up emails with targeted SMS messages.
Choose ActiveCampaign if
- E-commerce Businesses and Advanced Marketing Teams.
Choose Klaviyo if
- E-commerce Brands and Digital Marketing Agencies.
Evidence and freshness
Where a claim on this page comes from a vendor page, it is linked here.
ActiveCampaign: pros & cons
- Infinite Automation: If you can imagine a marketing funnel, you can build it here.
- Integrated CRM: Seamlessly move leads from your email list to your sales pipeline.
- Advanced Personalization: Use conditional content to show different messages to different people.
- Predictive AI: Automatically determine the best time to contact every individual user.
- Steep Learning Curve: The sheer power of the tool takes time and training to master.
- Pricing: Premium tiers are expensive and targeted at growing businesses.
- Occasional Lag: The complex interface can sometimes feel slow during heavy usage.
Klaviyo: pros & cons
- Data Depth: Unrivaled at using store data to drive marketing results.
- Segmentation: Group your customers with surgical precision based on purchase habits.
- Predictions: Uses AI to predict exactly when a customer will make their next purchase.
- E-mail + SMS: Combine both communication channels into a single automated flow.
- Pricey: Costs grow quite steeply as your subscriber list becomes larger.
- Learning Curve: Requires deep e-commerce knowledge to utilize every feature effectively.
- Setup: Integrating with non-Shopify platforms can be technically complex.
Our verdict on ActiveCampaign
The most powerful automation platform for those who have outgrown basic email tools.
Our verdict on Klaviyo
The most powerful and intelligent tool for turning e-commerce data into revenue.