ActiveCampaign vs. MailerLite

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
ActiveCampaign
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
ActiveCampaign is presented as an AI-first marketing platform for marketers, agencies, and entrepreneurs. It uses Active Intelligence for goal-aware automation and personalized experiences across email, SMS, and WhatsApp. ActiveCampaign integrates with 950+ apps and generates insights to optimize every workflow.
$15
per month (billed annually)
MailerLite
Score 8.9 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
MailerLite is an email marketing platform for small businesses, creators, and ecommerce brands, used to automate the customer journey and grow a customer list. Pricing starts at $12/month. MailerLite enables users to: Grow and engage their audience - Build newsletters, forms, pop-ups, landing pages, and even full websites with a Drag and drop builder that offers total creative control over designs. 150 customizable templates are available to get…
$0
per month 2 users
Pricing
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Editions & Modules
Starter
$15
per month (billed annually)
Pro
$49
per month (billed annually)
Plus
$79
per month (billed annually)
Enterprise
$149
per month (billed annually)
Free
$0
per month 2 users
Comfort
$12
per month 3 users
Power
$25
per month Unlimited users
Enterprise
Custom pricing
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalOptional
Additional DetailsAdditional 30% discount available to Non-profit organizations. Up to a 10% for paying yearly.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Considered Both Products
ActiveCampaign
Chose ActiveCampaign
Mailchimp is a good easy solution for beginner marketers. I think ActiveCampaign is more robust with landing page, automated marketing integrations, plus the use of lists and tags to niche contacts. While it could be difficult to utilize AC's feature set initially, its AI …
Chose ActiveCampaign
I am stuck with ActiveCampaign
Chose ActiveCampaign
Mailchimp simply did not have all the features we were looking for, particularly with regard to list segmenting and automation. ActiveCampaign is more expensive, but it's a big step up for us. I think that Mailchimp is excellent for beginners and those who don't need all the …
Chose ActiveCampaign
pricing is quite competitive compared to similar products. It was also recommended to me from a business partner with a similar line in business
Chose ActiveCampaign
much more user friendly than these other alternatives.
Chose ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign feels like the professional, empowered and much more fully set up version of MailChimp. I was using MailChimp when I first started my business, but was then introduced to AC, and it's a million times better.
Chose ActiveCampaign
I used Mautic/Acquia for 4 years. It was more expensive for less features than ActiveCampaign. Also, I find ActiveCampaign is more intuitive and easier to use. The support system is more helpful. The pages are easy to navigate and the menu and submenus are well laid out. …
Chose ActiveCampaign
MailChimp, Mailer Lite, Constant Contact: ActiveCampaign is much better and much more versatile with automations, tags, and options for customizable lists and forms.
Chose ActiveCampaign
Mailchimp is in a different league to the above platforms.
Chose ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign has much better segmenting and more powerful automations, contact info, and integrations with other platforms.
Chose ActiveCampaign
In my opinion, ActiveCampaign is wayyyy easier to use than MailChimp. It's easier to choose your lists and to resend to unopens.
Chose ActiveCampaign
Salesforce is a beast! The learning involved to use the system is prohibitive. Mailerlite is limited in functionality but ConvertKit is a solid alternative. Both are easy to use but clunky to navigate, while ActiveCampaign is logical. Mailchimp is great for small businesses …
Chose ActiveCampaign
You'll be able to accomplish everything you need to with ActiveCampaign. A lot of these platforms distinguish themselves with bells and whistles. If a certain 'luxury' is important to you, then go with the platform that offers it. Generally speaking, they can all get the job …
Chose ActiveCampaign
It's simply intuitive! You know what to do and what you can do by just looking at it. So it goes very fast into a natural usage where You don't need to think too long. You can execute faster and build amazing funnels, because the functions are so easy and come with a great …
Chose ActiveCampaign
We selected Active Campaign several years ago due to its competitive cost and ability to integrate well with other software that we were using. With recent pricing changes, however, we will likely be shopping for alternatives.
Chose ActiveCampaign
In my opinion, not easy to use. Very limited in regards with features. I think the forms you integrate in webpages are ugly and not fully customizable. for almost the same price I have more features with ActiveCampaign.

I feel more confortable using ActiveCampaign since it is …
Chose ActiveCampaign
The level of sophistication and detail of the automations and segmentation is much higher with ActiveCampaign vs. Mailchimp resulting in much more targeted campaigns. Also, the user experience is so much more intuitive and easier to navigate with ActiveCampaign.
Chose ActiveCampaign
Clear winner on all fronts over most products, excluding HighLevel.
MailerLite
Chose MailerLite
MailerLite is heads and heels above the others. It is easier to use and allows more subscribers before wanting more money
Chose MailerLite
We have tried a couple of others but not in any depth. I found the pricing structure of MailerLite better for our early needs as we didn't know how we would use it, and how that use would evolve as we grew.
Chose MailerLite
I moved to Constant Contact from MailerLite as the reporting and segmentation was deeper. But the editor and the lack of decent forms and landing pages soon brought me back to MailerLite.

Mailchimp got too expensive.
Chose MailerLite
It's cheaper and way better supported. Unlike Mailchimp, MailerLite supports small businesses and does not charge until you hit 1,000 subscribers.
Chose MailerLite
It seemed complicated to me, MailerLite is easier to use and more transparent.

Nekem bonyolultnak tűnt, a MailerLite könnyebben használható, átláthatóbb.
Chose MailerLite
Better CS even during our free plan, they were hands-on with helping us whenever we needed it.
Chose MailerLite
MailerLite offers a similar service to MailChimp, but is less expensive. Hopefully the customer service with MailerLite will be better even with the tiered structure of customer service.
Chose MailerLite
The cost and flexibility to do what we need is why we went to MailerLite.
Chose MailerLite
We chose MailerLite compared to the other one's listed because of the free live chat on the free tier.
Chose MailerLite
it's pretty much the same, even has some more restrictions that mailchimp when compared.
Chose MailerLite
It's better value for money. The service is quicker and more helpful.
Chose MailerLite
I selected MailerLite because the free version has all the capabilities I need now and is not time-limited. The paid versions are much more reasonably priced than competitors. I plan to upgrade to the paid version soon so that was a key concern for me. MailerLite lets me get …
Chose MailerLite
I didn't like Mailchimps pricing at the time of my decision. I preferred to ramp up in smaller segments of price/month. I also liked MailerLite's automation UX.
Chose MailerLite
MailerLite is easier to use and has a better user interface in my opinion
Chose MailerLite
I haven't used any others, but I was considering Mailchimp
Chose MailerLite
I moved over from Mailchimp because it became too expensive. MailerLite gives me even more value for a better price.
Chose MailerLite
Cheaper, mainly. And a little more user-friendly. Some other platforms, especially Klaviyo, are quite complex to understand and to get the most out of.
Chose MailerLite
The company I wanted to mention isn't in your dropdown list: BEACONS. While they're more like LinkTree, they also have a great feature to build a newsletter following and their AI prompts encourage you to send more newsletter blasts and then help write the e-mail for you with …
Features
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Email & Online Marketing
Comparison of Email & Online Marketing features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
8.6
Ratings
12% above category average
MailerLite
8.8
Ratings
9% above category average
WYSIWYG email editor8.40 Ratings9.50 Ratings
Dynamic content8.50 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Ability to test dynamic content8.30 Ratings7.60 Ratings
Landing pages7.50 Ratings8.60 Ratings
A/B testing8.40 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Mobile optimization9.10 Ratings8.40 Ratings
Email deliverability reporting8.70 Ratings9.30 Ratings
List management8.90 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Triggered drip sequences10.00 Ratings9.00 Ratings
Lead Management
Comparison of Lead Management features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
8.3
Ratings
6% above category average
MailerLite
-
Ratings
Lead nurturing automation8.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Lead scoring and grading8.40 Ratings00 Ratings
Data quality management8.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Automated sales alerts and tasks8.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Lead segmentation and distribution7.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Campaign Management
Comparison of Campaign Management features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
9.1
Ratings
21% above category average
MailerLite
-
Ratings
Calendaring8.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Event/webinar marketing9.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Social Media Marketing
Comparison of Social Media Marketing features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
6.8
Ratings
8% below category average
MailerLite
-
Ratings
Social sharing and campaigns7.20 Ratings00 Ratings
Social profile integration6.50 Ratings00 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
8.1
Ratings
10% above category average
MailerLite
6.9
Ratings
11% below category average
Dashboards8.00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Standard reports8.30 Ratings8.80 Ratings
Custom reports8.10 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Platform & Infrastructure
Comparison of Platform & Infrastructure features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
8.8
Ratings
17% above category average
MailerLite
-
Ratings
API8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Role-based workflow & approvals8.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Customizability7.70 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration with Salesforce.com9.10 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM9.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration with SugarCRM9.60 Ratings00 Ratings
Third-party software integrations7.90 Ratings00 Ratings
Pre-Send Testing
Comparison of Pre-Send Testing features of Product A and Product B
ActiveCampaign
-
Ratings
MailerLite
9.4
Ratings
14% above category average
Email Previews00 Ratings9.40 Ratings
Best Alternatives
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Small Businesses
Vbout
Vbout
Score 9.9 out of 10
Vbout
Vbout
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
PFL Direct Mail Platform
PFL Direct Mail Platform
Score 9.0 out of 10
VerticalResponse
VerticalResponse
Score 10.0 out of 10
Enterprises
PFL Direct Mail Platform
PFL Direct Mail Platform
Score 9.0 out of 10
Emma by Marigold
Emma by Marigold
Score 8.6 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Likelihood to Recommend
8.7
(0 ratings)
9.3
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
Usability
9.2
(0 ratings)
9.4
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
7.3
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
1.3
(0 ratings)
9.1
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
7.3
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
6.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.1
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
1.0
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
6.4
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
7.3
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
ActiveCampaignMailerLite
Likelihood to Recommend
I've been using ActiveCampaign since around 2018-2019 and I've always been satisfied with the software. It's simple to use, connects with the other tools I use and makes it easy for me to duplicate automations, email templates and workflows as I need to. On top of that, any time I've had an issue (which I think is around twice in the past 5/6 years), the customer service has always been super helpful and my issue has been resolved quickly.
Read full review
I didn't have much luck when testing other similar tools and since we tested with free plan, we couldn't commit to something else if we couldn't get basic stuff fixed. That's when we switched to MailerLite, and their support was great and super helpful all the way (during our free plan, especially). Plus, they're super budget-friendly for startups, so I highly recommend.
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Pros
  • The graphic design is very good, especially fonts, colours and templates
  • Flexibility of design and functionality
  • Takes a little while to learn it, but generally user-friendly
  • Looks very professional but doesn't cost much to get started
  • There are masses of integrations for ActiveCampaign, and the ones I tried all worked well and didn't take long to figure out.
Read full review
  • Offers a user-friendly interface, making it simple to create beautiful forms, group subscribers, and automate emails.
  • Includes email automation workflows in their free plan - the only provider I know of that doesn't charge you after one month or hit you with "transaction fees".
  • Excellent video tutorial library so you can learn email marketing as a beginner without feeling overwhelmed.
Read full review
Cons
  • The email designing part could be easier to use. There are certain simple shortcuts that don't work, for example, adding links is more complicated than it should be, moving blocks around is hard, etc.
  • There's no good way to filter by 'active' and 'inactive' subscribers when editing en-mass.
  • I'd like more reporting data on one page.
Read full review
  • Setting up the automations is a bit confusing at first. But the customer support is patient and kind to walk you through the process.
  • The nuances between group and segment, automation and campaign are odd as most other ESPs don't do that. But they have great explainer materials.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
I am committed at the moment. Rebuilding the automations I have would be a huge time drain. Plus the cost of learning a new system and the risk to deliverability of porting a 6,000 person list to a new platform. Also, AC offers everything I need ast a reasonable (but a little high) price. So, why not a 10? Because, early 2023, AC dropped a massive 2x price hike on long-term customers. They knew few would shift, so this feels like a cynical cash grab and left a bad taste, If they do something like this again, this camel will have a broken back.
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Mailerlite is awesome and it does everything I need and then some. They're always innovating and adding new features, and their team is flippin' amazing. Can't see myself ever switching. They may not have everything, but looking at how well their team works, they'll get there for sure and I'm willing to wait.
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Usability
ActiveCampaign has been the easiest marketing automation software we have ever used. They provide tips throughout the entire process of anything you are building. Their support team through LIVE CHAT has been extremely fast and helpful. The monthly meetings provided with the enablement team has helped us through several large and urgent needs.
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I can't express how happy and satisfied I've been with recent email exchange with Ivan from MailerLite support. He answered promptly, clearly and assisted me with urgent issue I needed to be taken care of asap. HUGE satisfaction! Excellent customer service! Thank you, Ivan!
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Reliability and Availability
I haven't experienced application errors or unplanned outages at all. Active Campaign is ultra reliable and I would not be using them if that were the case. Also, the helpful emails they send are welcomed and informative, and present very practical tips and guidance for using the platform. They're always demonstrating new features and I'm thankful for that.
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No answers on this topic
Performance
Oh my gosh, Active Campaign's performance gets an A+++ in my book. The pages load quickly and so do the reports. I haven't noticed any slowdowns when it's integrating with other programs and it performs excellently on all levels.
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No answers on this topic
Support Rating
This might be the best part. The chat support lady offered to make a video to help me solve my problem. I worked in customer service for years and I've never done that, lol. So, if they're offering things like that, I can only imagine that they'd be able to handle most any issue you throw at them.
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Whenever I contact Support, either via email or through online chat, I always get a speedy response that gives me the answer I need. The AI Agent on the online chat is excellent and has helped me so much on numerous occasions.
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Implementation Rating
Very satisfied with our implementation in our professional medical practice, allowing us to be on top of client service, and not miss out on crucial information and insights. Marketing is often neglected in professional practices and ActiveCampaign solved this problem with aplomb.
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No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
I transitioned from Mailchimp to ActiveCampaign because it was so much more user friendly and allowed me to do a lot more in regards to lead magnets than Mailchimp can. For example, ActiveCampaign allows users to sign up for a lead magnet as many times as they like to keep receiving it (in case they've lost or deleted the email with access to the lead magnet). Mailchimp was unable to do this. And the categorization of users and the trigger email sequencing was a lot easier in ActiveCampaign.
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We have tried a couple of others but not in any depth. I found the pricing structure of MailerLite better for our early needs as we didn't know how we would use it, and how that use would evolve as we grew.
Read full review
Scalability
My web designer told me about Active Campaign and although I don't recall which platform I had before, I LOVE Active Campaign and its user friendliness. The transition was seamless and I've never had a problem with functionality or server failure.
Active Campaign provides so many features, and makes it easy for non-techies to maneuver around the site with ease. They capture information and put it in an easy-to-read format.
At this point, I don't think I'd ever use any other platform!
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No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
  • Automations free up time - once set up, email campaigns execute in seconds
  • Emailing my newsletter is a second touch-point for my clients
  • The flat rate for my subscription means that I reach my clients and prospects for fractions of a cent each month
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  • Having an email service such as MailerLite is essential to running our Taskforce. It is really the only effective way of communicating with such a large number of people.
  • MailerLite works well with non-profits and gives a good discount for those in this sector.
Read full review
ScreenShots

ActiveCampaign Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

MailerLite Screenshots

Screenshot of reports, that can include unsubscribe count, spam complaints, bounces, link activity and other metrics that are critical to measuring success.Screenshot of automations for every subscriber journeyScreenshot of the MailerLite landing page builderScreenshot of an example newsletterScreenshot of some of the over 150 templates availableScreenshot of where to find MailerLite's integrations