Updated June 30, 2026 · Pricing and features verified 2026
Key takeaways
- ActiveCampaign wins for B2B and service businesses needing CRM-driven automation.
- Klaviyo wins for ecommerce, with deep store data and native SMS.
- Neither has a permanent free plan for full features; both scale with contacts/profiles.
- Choose by model: B2B automation and CRM (ActiveCampaign) versus ecommerce (Klaviyo).
The short version: choose ActiveCampaign if you are a B2B or service business that wants CRM-driven automation; choose Klaviyo if you run an ecommerce store and want email and SMS powered by purchase data.
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo at a glance
| ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/mo (Starter) | $20/mo (Email) |
| Free plan | Trial only | Yes (250 profiles) |
| Best fit | B2B / service automation | Ecommerce |
| CRM | Built-in | Limited |
| SMS | Add-on | Native |
Pricing
ActiveCampaign has no free plan (14-day trial), starting at $15/month for 1,000 contacts. Klaviyo is free up to 250 profiles, then $20/month for the Email plan, priced by active profiles. Both scale with audience size.
Verdict: Klaviyo offers a free start; ActiveCampaign offers more automation per dollar for non-ecommerce.
Use case and data
The decisive split is your business model. Klaviyo is built for ecommerce, with deep store integrations and behavioral, purchase-based segmentation. ActiveCampaign is built for B2B and service businesses, with a CRM and broad automation across any sales process.
Verdict: Klaviyo for ecommerce; ActiveCampaign for B2B and service.
Automation and CRM
ActiveCampaign has a deeper general-purpose automation builder and a real CRM. Klaviyo automates ecommerce flows extremely well but is less suited to non-ecommerce CRM workflows.
Verdict: ActiveCampaign for CRM-driven automation; Klaviyo for ecommerce flows.
SMS and segmentation
Klaviyo includes native SMS and powerful ecommerce segmentation. ActiveCampaign offers SMS as an add-on and strong behavioral segmentation for non-ecommerce contexts.
Verdict: Klaviyo for ecommerce SMS and segmentation; ActiveCampaign for general segmentation.
Choose ActiveCampaign if…
- You are a B2B or service business.
- You want CRM-driven automation across a sales process.
- You do not need ecommerce-specific flows.
Choose Klaviyo if…
- You run an ecommerce store.
- You want email and SMS driven by purchase data.
- Revenue flows like abandoned cart are central.
Frequently asked questions
Is ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo better for ecommerce? Klaviyo, with its deep store integrations, behavioral segmentation, and native SMS.
Which is better for B2B? ActiveCampaign, thanks to its CRM and general-purpose automation.
Does Klaviyo have a free plan? Yes, up to 250 active profiles. ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day trial only.