ActiveCampaign vs Brevo: which fits your business in 2026?
Premium automation against pay-per-send economics - which pricing model fits your funnel?
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Pricing verified 2026-06-12 · updated 2026-06-12→ Run the full cost calculator for your exact volume
Quick answer
At ~10,000 ops/mo, Brevo costs about $9/mo vs $150/mo for ActiveCampaign (entry verified tiers; see assumptions).
Best overall value score: Brevo (4.6/5). Easiest to start: Brevo (4.3/5 ease).
Editor's pick
BBrevo — Pay for emails sent, not contacts stored. Score 4.2/5, free plan available.
Cost at 1k / 10k / 50k
| Volume / mo | AActiveCampaign | BBrevo |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | $15/mo · Starter | $9/mo · Starter List-size independent on verified tiers (pay-per-send or seats) |
| 10,000 | $150/mo · Starter (scaled) Extrapolated from 1,000 ops @ $15/mo |
$9/mo · Starter List-size independent on verified tiers (pay-per-send or seats) |
| 50,000 | $750/mo · Starter (scaled) Extrapolated from 1,000 ops @ $15/mo |
$9/mo · Starter List-size independent on verified tiers (pay-per-send or seats) |
Volumes = tasks (Zapier) / credits (Make) / executions (n8n Cloud). Billing units differ — same numeric volume is not the same workload. n8n Community self-host is $0 for executions (VPS only); table shows Cloud. Prices verified from vendor pages in our pricing index.
3-year TCO (at 10,000/mo)
| AActiveCampaign | BBrevo | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly (est.) | $150 | $9 |
| 3-year total | $5,400 | $324 |
Brevo saves about $5,076 over 3 years at this volume (list price only).
Volumes = tasks (Zapier) / credits (Make) / executions (n8n Cloud). Billing units differ — same numeric volume is not the same workload. n8n Community self-host is $0 for executions (VPS only); table shows Cloud.
At a glance
| AActiveCampaign | BBrevo | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.2/5 | 4.25/5 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $9/mo |
| Pricing basis | per month, 1,000 contacts, billed annually | per month, 5,000 emails (unlimited contacts) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Trial | 14 days | 0 days |
| Integrations | 900+ | 150+ |
| Best for | Small businesses that need deep automation workflows and sales follow-up in one tool | Businesses with big contact lists that send few emails - pricing by volume, not list size |
| Try ActiveCampaign → | Try Brevo → |
Winner by use case
- Tightest budget: Brevo — entry plan is $6/mo cheaper ($72/year at entry tier).
- Fastest to learn: Brevo (4.3/5 ease of use).
- Most capability: ActiveCampaign (4.7/5 feature depth).
- Best value overall: Brevo (4.6/5 value score).
Feature matrix
| AActiveCampaign | BBrevo | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✕ | ✓ |
| Trial days | 14 | 0 |
| AI features | 4 | 3 |
| Integrations | 900+ | 150+ |
| Ease of use | 3.8/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Feature depth | 4.7/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Value for money | 4.1/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Support | 4.2/5 | 3.9/5 |
What would YOU pay?
Entry-tier estimate; full version in the cost calculator.
Pricing, side by side
Strengths and weaknesses
AActiveCampaign
- Best-in-class automation depth for the price
- CRM included - no separate sales tool needed
- Excellent deliverability track record
- 900+ integrations
- Learning curve steeper than simple newsletter tools
- No free plan
- Price climbs fast as contact list grows
- Reporting UI feels dated
BBrevo
- Unlimited contacts on every plan including free
- WhatsApp campaigns native - rare among rivals
- Generous free plan (300 emails/day)
- Transactional API included
- Daily send cap on free plan
- Automation limited below Business plan
- Email editor less flexible than competitors
- Brand awareness lower since Sendinblue rename
Our verdict
The interesting fight here is between two pricing philosophies, with an automation gap in the middle.
Brevo's volume-based pricing (unlimited contacts, pay for sends) makes it the rational pick for businesses with big, quiet lists — and its free plan with 300 emails/day is a genuine production tier, not a demo. Add native SMS and WhatsApp and Brevo covers channels ActiveCampaign needs add-ons for.
ActiveCampaign justifies its contact-based pricing with the strongest automation builder in this weight class. Lead scoring, site tracking, deep CRM handoff — when follow-up sequences are your revenue engine, the difference is measurable. Brevo's automation works, but it's a subset.
Choose Brevo if your list is large, your sending is selective, or WhatsApp matters in your market. Choose ActiveCampaign if automated follow-up is the core of how you convert — the extra cost is the engine, not the badge.
FAQ
Is Brevo cheaper than ActiveCampaign?
Yes. Brevo starts at $9/mo versus $15/mo for ActiveCampaign (per month, 5,000 emails (unlimited contacts)). Over a year that is a $72 difference at entry tier.
Does ActiveCampaign have a free plan?
No. ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day trial instead. Brevo does have a free plan, which makes it easier to test long-term before paying.
Which is easier to use, ActiveCampaign or Brevo?
Based on our scoring, Brevo is easier to get started with (ease-of-use 4.3/5 vs 3.8/5).
Which has more features, ActiveCampaign or Brevo?
ActiveCampaign scores higher on feature depth (4.7/5). Key differentiators: Visual automation builder with 900+ recipes; Built-in sales CRM with deal pipelines; Site and event tracking.
What is the 3-year TCO of ActiveCampaign vs Brevo?
At ~10,000 units/mo on verified tiers, ActiveCampaign is about $5,400 over 3 years ($150/mo) versus Brevo at $324 ($9/mo). Brevo saves roughly $5,076 across 3 years before add-ons. Volumes = tasks (Zapier) / credits (Make) / executions (n8n Cloud). Billing units differ — same numeric volume is not the same workload. n8n Community self-host is $0 for executions (VPS only); table shows Cloud.
Full reviews: ActiveCampaign review · Brevo review
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