ActiveCampaign vs MailerLite (2026 Comparison)

A side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and MailerLite covering pricing, automation depth, and which one makes sense for a small team's budget.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

ActiveCampaign

Email marketing and CRM automation platform

$15month (Starter, 500 contacts, billed annually)

Strengths

+Deep marketing automation with visual workflow builder
+Built-in CRM and sales automation on higher tiers
+Advanced segmentation and predictive sending

Weaknesses

-Pricing scales fast with contact list size
-Steep learning curve for automation builder
-No free plan

Best for

Teams that need advanced marketing automation combined with sales CRM in one tool

MailerLite

Simple email marketing with a generous free plan

$0month (Free, up to 1,000 subscribers)

Strengths

+Free plan covers up to 1,000 subscribers and 12,000 emails/month
+Clean, easy drag-and-drop editor
+Built-in landing pages and websites

Weaknesses

-Automation is less granular than ActiveCampaign
-No native CRM or sales pipeline
-Fewer third-party integrations

Best for

Small teams and creators who want solid email marketing without paying for CRM they won't use

Feature Comparison

Feature	ActiveCampaign	MailerLite
Free plan	None	Yes, up to 1,000 subscribers
Starting paid price	$15/mo (500 contacts)	$9/mo (500 subscribers)
Visual automation builder	Yes, advanced	Yes, simpler
Built-in CRM	Yes (Plus tier and up)	No
Landing pages	Yes	Yes, included free
A/B testing	Yes, advanced (subject, content, automations)	Yes, basic (campaigns only)
Site/event tracking	Yes	Limited
Native integrations	900+	150+
Transactional email	Yes (add-on)	Yes (paid tiers)
Predictive sending / AI	Yes	Basic AI writing assistant
Support	Chat/email, phone on higher tiers	Chat/email

The Verdict

ActiveCampaign wins if you actually need CRM-grade automation and lead scoring tied to sales — but you pay for that power whether you use it or not. MailerLite is the better default for small teams doing straightforward email marketing, since its free tier alone often replaces ActiveCampaign's cheapest paid plan. Switch only if your automations don't rely on ActiveCampaign's deal/pipeline features.

How to switch from ActiveCampaign to MailerLite

1In ActiveCampaign, go to Contacts > select all > Export to download your subscriber list as a CSV file with fields and tags included
2Manually document your key automations (triggers, delays, conditions) since ActiveCampaign doesn't export workflow logic — you'll rebuild these in MailerLite's automation editor
3Create a MailerLite account, import the CSV under Subscribers > Import, and map fields/tags to groups or segments
4Rebuild your email templates in MailerLite's drag-and-drop editor and recreate landing pages if you used ActiveCampaign's
5Reconnect integrations (Shopify, WordPress, Zapier, etc.) in MailerLite and test each automation end-to-end before going live
6Run both platforms in parallel for one send cycle, verify deliverability and automation triggers, then cancel your ActiveCampaign subscription

ActiveCampaign vs MailerLite: common questions

How do I export my contacts and campaigns from ActiveCampaign?+

Go to Contacts, select all, and use the Export option to download a CSV with contact fields and tags. Campaign content and automations aren't exportable in bulk — you'll need to manually copy templates and rebuild automations in MailerLite. Deal/pipeline data has no direct export path, so screenshot or note down anything CRM-related before switching.

What features do I lose moving from ActiveCampaign to MailerLite?+

You lose the built-in CRM, deal pipelines, lead scoring, and site-event-based automation triggers. MailerLite's automation builder is simpler, so multi-branch workflows with conditional splits may need to be simplified. If your team relies on ActiveCampaign's sales side, you'll need a separate CRM after switching.

Is MailerLite's free plan actually enough for a small team?+

Yes, if you have under 1,000 subscribers and don't need advanced automation logic — the free plan includes landing pages, a website builder, and 12,000 emails/month. Once you cross 1,000 subscribers or need multiple users with roles, you'll move to a paid tier starting around $9/month.

Does MailerLite integrate with the same tools ActiveCampaign does?+

MailerLite covers the common ones — Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier, Stripe, WordPress — but has far fewer native integrations (around 150 vs ActiveCampaign's 900+). If you rely on a niche ActiveCampaign integration, check MailerLite's integration list or use Zapier/Make as a bridge before committing.

Will switching actually save money long-term?+

Yes, for most contact-list sizes — ActiveCampaign's per-contact pricing climbs faster than MailerLite's as your list grows, and MailerLite's free tier eliminates cost entirely for small lists. The gap widens further if you're paying for ActiveCampaign's Plus/Pro tiers just for CRM features you don't fully use.