ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo: What You Need to Know
Two per-contact email platforms for different audiences: ActiveCampaign's B2B automation depth vs Klaviyo's ecommerce data model — neither has a voice receptionist.
Reviewed by Maxime Houle, Founder, SeldonFrame. I build one of these tools — every ranking here says when the others win. Facts checked July 2026.- ActiveCampaign pricing: ~$15–$145/mo at 1,000 contacts (annual, configurator-gated); climbs with list size
- Klaviyo pricing: Free to 250 profiles; ~$30–45/mo @1k profiles, ~$130/mo @10k; SMS usage on top
- The real trade-off: Two per-contact email platforms for different audiences: ActiveCampaign's B2B automation depth vs Klaviyo's ecommerce data model — neither has a voice receptionist.
- The third option: SeldonFrame ships the whole front office at $29/mo flat — see below
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is an automation-first email marketing platform with a light CRM layer, priced per contact.
- +Segmented email automation is your core deliverable
- +You need deep integration with 900+ marketing tools
- +Your business runs on newsletter and broadcast sequences
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is an ecommerce-focused email and SMS marketing platform with a B2C CRM layer, priced per profile.
- +You're running an ecommerce or Shopify brand
- +Cart-recovery and lifecycle email/SMS are core to your revenue
- +Purchase-data-driven segmentation is what you need
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo vs SeldonFrame
| Features | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | SeldonFrame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Email marketers running deep automated sequences | Ecommerce/Shopify brands running email + SMS lifecycle marketing | Agencies & builders running AI front offices for clients |
| Pricing model | ~$15–$145/mo at 1,000 contacts (annual, configurator-gated); climbs with list size | Free to 250 profiles; ~$30–45/mo @1k profiles, ~$130/mo @10k; SMS usage on top | From $29/mo flat — unlimited workspaces (agency whitelabel from $99/mo) |
| AI receptionist (calls, SMS, chat) | None — Active Intelligence AI assists with content/predictions, not phone or SMS answering | None — no phone, voice or chat receptionist | Native — AI receptionist answers, qualifies & books across voice, SMS & web chat |
| Website, CRM & booking behind the agent | None — email/CRM only; no website builder, booking calendar or intake forms | None — email/SMS and B2C CRM only; no website, booking calendar or intake forms | Included — multi-page website, CRM, booking calendar, intake forms, review requests in every workspace |
| Whitelabel & client workspaces | None — not built for agency resale | None — not built for agency resale | Included — whitelabel client portal, per-client workspaces, custom domains, one-click multi-client deploy |
| AI usage costs | Bundled into per-contact plan tiers | Not applicable — no native AI agent | BYOK — bring your own AI (and Twilio) keys and pay providers at raw cost, zero markup |
| Sell / resell what you build | No native reseller program | No | Built in — publish agents to the marketplace or rent them via MCP (5% marketplace fee) |
Prices checked July 2026 on ActiveCampaign's pricing page.
Prices checked July 2026 on Klaviyo's pricing page.
Zoom out and see both against 23 other platforms on the interactive CRM Pricing Index →
The honest take
ActiveCampaign: Choose ActiveCampaign if segmented, deeply automated email marketing is your core deliverable and you need its depth with 900+ integrations.
Klaviyo: Choose Klaviyo if you're running an ecommerce or Shopify brand and need deep cart-recovery, lifecycle email, and SMS flows tied to purchase data.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo?
It depends what you need. ActiveCampaign: Choose ActiveCampaign if segmented, deeply automated email marketing is your core deliverable and you need its depth with 900+ integrations. Klaviyo: Choose Klaviyo if you're running an ecommerce or Shopify brand and need deep cart-recovery, lifecycle email, and SMS flows tied to purchase data.
What does ActiveCampaign cost vs Klaviyo?
ActiveCampaign: ~$15–$145/mo at 1,000 contacts (annual, configurator-gated); climbs with list size. Klaviyo: Free to 250 profiles; ~$30–45/mo @1k profiles, ~$130/mo @10k; SMS usage on top.
Is there an alternative to both?
Yes — SeldonFrame ships the AI receptionist plus the website, CRM and booking calendar it books into, for $29/mo flat with unlimited workspaces. See how it compares: /alternatives.
Can I switch from ActiveCampaign or Klaviyo?
Yes — see the full switching guides for each: /alternative-to-activecampaign and /alternative-to-klaviyo.
Need what both ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo do?
Most people running this comparison actually need the outcome underneath both tools: calls and chats answered, leads qualified, jobs booked into a real calendar and CRM, on a site the client owns. SeldonFrame ships that whole front office from one conversation — $29/mo flat, unlimited workspaces, your own AI keys at raw cost, whitelabel included.