ActiveCampaign vs Omnisend

ActiveCampaign logovsOmnisend logo
ActiveCampaign suits lead-driven B2B teams that want automation and a light CRM. Omnisend suits online stores that want email, SMS and push flows built on shopper data.
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The verdictSide by sidePlans and pricingWho each is forOther options

The verdict

For a small B2B or service team, I'd pick ActiveCampaign. Lead scoring, task creation and a CRM in the same account are what such a team needs, and Omnisend is not built around leads.

If you run an online store, I'd pick Omnisend. The free plan lets you send real campaigns before you commit, free migration moves your flows and templates, and the abandoned cart and welcome flows start working quickly.

A store with a long B2B sales cycle on the side is the awkward case. Run the store messaging in Omnisend and your sales follow-up in a CRM-led tool. Check how both prices grow with your contact count before you move a large list.

What the data says
  • Omnisend covers more of the features we compared: 2 of 2, against 1.
  • Only Omnisend has a free plan to start on.
  • ActiveCampaign starts lower, at $15/mo against $16/mo.
  • Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
  • In our Marketing automation ranking, Omnisend places 5 and ActiveCampaign 3 of 13.

Side by side

ActiveCampaign and Omnisend compared
6 points compared
ActiveCampaign logoActiveCampaign
Omnisend logoOmnisend
Starts at$15/mo$16/mo
Free planNoYes
APIYesYes
MCP serverYesYes
Ecommerce focusNoYes
SMS / multi-channelYesYes
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Plans and pricing

ActiveCampaign logo

ActiveCampaign

  • StarterEmail marketing plan with multi-step automation; price is for 1,000 contacts and rises with contact count.$15/mo
  • PlusAdds more automation, CRM add-on option and landing-page design service; price is for 1,000 contacts.$49/mo
  • ProMid-tier plan with 3 users; price is for 1,000 contacts and rises with contact count.$79/mo
  • EnterpriseFive users and 15x monthly email sends per contact; price is for 1,000 contacts and rises with contact count.$145/mo
Omnisend logo

Omnisend

  • FreeUp to 500 emails and 250 contacts a month, plus 500 web push notifications; no credit card needed.Free
  • StandardStarts at 500 contacts and 6,000 emails; price rises with contacts. Page shows a 30 percent promo for the first 3 months.$16/mo
  • ProStarts at 2,500 contacts with unlimited emails and advanced AI tools; SMS credits are extra, from a low per-message rate.$59/mo

Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.

Who each is for

ActiveCampaign logo

Choose ActiveCampaign if…

Pick ActiveCampaign when sales follow-up is the point. Picture a lead who downloads a guide, gets a sequence, has the engagement scored and triggers a task for sales when warm. That is its home ground.

The visual builder shows how contacts move through a workflow, which keeps complex flows readable. You also get an API, webhooks and an official remote MCP server.

The limits are on the CRM side. If you need custom objects and reporting across them, compare HubSpot or Pipedrive for the CRM. If you mostly sell physical products online, Omnisend or Klaviyo fits better than ActiveCampaign.

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Omnisend logo

Choose Omnisend if…

Pick Omnisend when you run a small or mid-sized online store that has outgrown a newsletter tool but does not need an enterprise platform.

Email and SMS consent sit on the same contact record, so one flow can use both channels. Support by live chat and email runs around the clock on every plan, including the free one. There are more than 295 pre-built integrations, and higher plans add product recommendations and a personalised sending time for each contact.

The free plan caps contacts, emails and push notifications, and it does not include SMS. SMS is billed per message, with rates that change by country, so price your main markets before you build flows around it.

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