TL;DR

Quick answer: For enterprise features at lower cost, HubSpot or Marketo. For mid-market automation, ActiveCampaign ($49-149/mo) or SharpSpring ($449/mo). For SaaS email, Sequenzy ($49/mo). For budget email, Brevo or MailerLite. For e-commerce, Klaviyo. Key question: Do you need full B2B marketing automation, or is focused email enough?

19 Best Act-On Alternatives

Our Pick for SaaS Companies

4.8avg rating

Sequenzy

SaaSAI-poweredStripe integration

Focused email marketing for SaaS with AI content generation. If you're a SaaS founder who doesn't need Act-On's B2B automation suite, Sequenzy delivers email that works at 1/18th the cost.

The AI writes entire email sequences for you based on your product and audience, so you can go from zero to a full onboarding series in minutes. It also combines transactional and marketing emails in one platform with native Stripe integration, which means your billing events automatically trigger the right emails. While Act-On requires months of onboarding and a dedicated marketing ops person, Sequenzy lets you self-serve in minutes.

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Best for

SaaS teams wanting simple email with AI and Stripe

Pricing

$49/month for 120,000 emails, unlimited subscribers

Pros

18x cheaper than Act-On entry level
Self-serve signup in minutes vs sales calls
AI generates entire email sequences automatically
Native Stripe integration for subscription billing
Transactional + marketing combined in one platform

Cons

No advanced lead scoring like Act-On
No ABM features or account hierarchies
No website visitor tracking
Newer platform with smaller ecosystem

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4.4avg rating

HubSpot

EnterpriseCRMInbound marketing

The enterprise alternative to Act-On with free CRM. Marketing Hub scales from $15/mo Starter to $3,600/mo Enterprise.

HubSpot's strength is its all-in-one approach — you get marketing, sales, service, and CMS in one ecosystem with a massive app marketplace. The free CRM gives you a real starting point before committing, unlike Act-On's sales-gated process. It's particularly strong for inbound marketing and content-driven lead generation. HubSpot's reporting and attribution modeling are more polished than Act-On's, and the ecosystem of certified partners means you can always find implementation help.

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Best for

Growing businesses wanting scalable marketing automation

Pricing

Free CRM, Marketing Starter $15/mo, Pro $800/mo, Enterprise $3,600/mo

Pros

Free CRM included with full contact management
Excellent inbound marketing tools and content strategy
Large ecosystem with 1,400+ integrations
Best-in-class reporting and attribution
Good entry point with Starter tier before scaling

Cons

Marketing Pro is expensive ($800/mo), similar to Act-On
Annual contracts required on Pro and Enterprise tiers
Complex pricing tiers with add-on charges
Contact limits can force expensive tier jumps

What users say

View source reviews

Charles KLHK · Trustpilot

“HubSpot has a lot of features, but it feels too complicated. There are so many menus and settings that it's hard to use, especially if you just want something straightforward. It can be powerful, but the complexity makes it frustrating.”

Kyrie Sutton · Trustpilot

“We switched from another CRM hoping for better automation and easier reporting. HubSpot CRM does deliver on basic automation and the workflow builder is fairly intuitive once you understand the logic. Still, there's a learning curve that caught us off guard.”

4.1avg rating

Marketo

EnterpriseAdobe ecosystemB2B

Adobe's enterprise marketing automation. For large companies that have outgrown Act-On-class tools or want Adobe ecosystem integration.

Marketo excels at complex, multi-touch B2B campaigns with deep segmentation and lead lifecycle management. It integrates tightly with Adobe Analytics, Adobe Target, and the rest of the Experience Cloud. The trade-off is significant — implementation takes months, requires dedicated admins, and pricing is opaque and enterprise-only. Compared to Act-On, Marketo handles larger scale and more complex orchestration, but the learning curve and cost are steeper.

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Best for

Enterprise companies with large marketing teams

Pricing

Enterprise pricing (typically $1,000+/mo)

Pros

Enterprise scale with millions of contacts
Advanced multi-touch automation and nurturing
Adobe ecosystem integration for full martech stack
Powerful segmentation and lead lifecycle management
Best-in-class for enterprise B2B demand gen

Cons

Very expensive with opaque enterprise pricing
Complex implementation taking months
Requires dedicated admin resources to manage
Steep learning curve even for experienced marketers

What users say

View source reviews

Roger Hodjvic · Trustpilot

“Honestly - they have great support. Their software is good and the analytics really work.”

Shawn · Trustpilot

“Marketo has great functionality and email deliverability. It's a little pricey, but competitive in the marketing automation space.”

4.5avg rating

ActiveCampaign

Marketing automationCRMSMB

Marketing automation with built-in CRM at a fraction of Act-On's price. Excellent email automation without enterprise complexity.

ActiveCampaign's visual automation builder is one of the best in the industry — you can build sophisticated multi-step workflows with conditions, splits, and goals without needing a marketing ops team. It also includes a lightweight CRM with deal pipelines, making it a genuine all-in-one for SMBs. Deliverability is consistently strong, and you can start on monthly billing with no annual commitment. Unlike Act-On's enterprise-first approach, ActiveCampaign lets you start small and scale.

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Best for

SMB wanting marketing automation without enterprise overhead

Pricing

Plus $49/mo, Pro $149/mo, Enterprise custom

Pros

Excellent visual automation builder rivaling enterprise tools
CRM with deal pipelines included at no extra cost
5-10x cheaper than Act-On for similar automation depth
Great email deliverability and IP reputation
No annual contract required on most plans

Cons

Less enterprise-grade than Act-On for large orgs
No ABM capabilities or account hierarchies
Reporting less sophisticated at enterprise scale
Less B2B specific than Act-On's positioning

What users say

View source reviews

Giovanni Pizza · Trustpilot

“I've been using ActiveCampaign for years, but the recent experience has been extremely frustrating. Since early November, a critical bug has been blocking one of our core automations. I opened a ticket immediately, provided all the details, logs, and examples requested — and after that? Weeks of silence and runaround.”

Eric S. · Trustpilot

“ActiveCampaign has a steep learning curve, and I was a little intimidated. But I found all the training videos and support really helpful. I was able to become effective with the platform pretty quickly. I think the capabilities of the platform are awesome once you put in the time to learn the system.”

4.0avg rating

Pardot

SalesforceB2BLead scoring

Salesforce's B2B marketing automation. If you're already in the Salesforce ecosystem, Pardot offers tight integration.

Lead scoring and grading work natively with Salesforce objects, so your sales team sees marketing engagement directly in their CRM workflow. It's particularly strong for account-based marketing with Salesforce's account hierarchy. The downside is you're locked into Salesforce — it requires an active Salesforce CRM license and doesn't work standalone. Act-On integrates with multiple CRMs while Pardot is Salesforce-only, which can be a dealbreaker or a selling point depending on your stack.

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Best for

Salesforce customers wanting integrated marketing automation

Pricing

Growth $1,250/mo, Plus $2,500/mo, Advanced $4,000/mo

Pros

Native Salesforce integration with zero data sync issues
B2B focused like Act-On with lead scoring and grading
Account-based marketing with Salesforce hierarchies
Strong attribution reporting within Salesforce
Mature platform with large user community

Cons

Requires active Salesforce CRM license to use
Very expensive starting at $1,250/mo
Complex setup requiring Salesforce admin expertise
Annual contracts required with no monthly option

4.2avg rating

SharpSpring

AgencyMarketing automationCRM

Agency-focused marketing automation with CRM. Full marketing suite at lower price than Act-On with agency white-labeling.

SharpSpring was built for agencies to manage multiple client accounts under one roof, with rebrandable dashboards and client-facing reports. It includes a built-in CRM, landing page builder, and blog engine alongside standard email and automation features. Now owned by Constant Contact, which adds some uncertainty about its independent future but also brings more resources. At $449/mo, it's roughly half of Act-On's starting price while offering comparable B2B automation features.

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Best for

Agencies and SMBs wanting full marketing automation

Pricing

Starting $449/mo for SMBs, agency pricing available

Pros

Full marketing automation suite comparable to Act-On
CRM included with deal tracking and pipelines
Agency white-labeling for managing client accounts
Roughly half the price of Act-On's starting tier
No annual contract required on standard plans

Cons

Acquired by Constant Contact with uncertain roadmap
Less enterprise-focused than Act-On for large orgs
Agency-centric features may be unused by SMBs
Mixed reviews on customer support quality

What users say

View source reviews

Samantha Kelley · Trustpilot

“We love SharpSpring! It's nice to have marketing automation all in one place. From scheduling social posts to automated email follow up, it's wonderful.”

Coleen McLaughlin · Trustpilot

“If I could give a 0 I would. Been with SharpSpring for 2.5 years and nothing has changed. Half the features you pay for don't work. List building simply returns errors.”

4.0avg rating

Brevo

BudgetUnlimited contactsMulti-channel

Budget-friendly email marketing with unlimited contacts. Dramatically cheaper than Act-On for email-focused needs.

Brevo charges per email sent rather than per contact stored, which can save significant money if you have a large list but segment your sends. It includes SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat alongside email, giving you a multi-channel marketing toolkit. The automation builder covers the basics well, though it's nowhere near Act-On's depth for B2B lead nurturing. For teams that realize they've been paying Act-On prices but mainly use email, Brevo delivers the core functionality at a fraction of the cost.

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Best for

Budget-conscious teams wanting email + SMS

Pricing

Free 300/day, $25/mo for 20k emails, $65/mo for automation

Pros

Dramatically cheaper than Act-On at any scale
Unlimited contacts on all plans including free
CRM included with basic deal management
SMS and WhatsApp marketing included
Transactional email included in the platform

Cons

No B2B lead scoring or grading capabilities
No ABM features or account-level tracking
Basic automation compared to Act-On's workflows
Interface feels dated compared to modern platforms

What users say

View source reviews

Gary Curran · Trustpilot

“Disappointing experience with Brevo. Our account was initially suspended after a first campaign due to bounce rate. We followed the required self-service steps and successfully revalidated the account ourselves. After this, support took ages to respond.”

Larry Chin · Trustpilot

“Brevo is a solid service for handling your marketing emails and much more. The tech support is fast and good. Making a marketing email is fast and easy. I have used SendinBlue, now Brevo, for many years now.”

4.3avg rating

Mailchimp

PopularSMBIntegrations

Popular email marketing for small businesses. Much simpler than Act-On but covers basic marketing needs at lower cost.

Mailchimp is the most recognizable name in email marketing, with a massive template library and a drag-and-drop editor that anyone can use. It also includes a basic website builder, social media scheduling, and audience insights. The free tier lets you get started without a credit card, though pricing climbs steeply once you pass a few thousand contacts. If you've been paying Act-On prices for what amounts to email marketing, Mailchimp covers the core use case at a much lower cost with far less complexity.

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Best for

Small businesses wanting simple email marketing

Pricing

Free tier, Essentials $13/mo, Standard $20/mo, Premium $350/mo

Pros

Easy to use with no training required
Free tier available to get started quickly
Massive template library and drag-and-drop editor
Website builder and social scheduling included
Widest integration ecosystem in email marketing

Cons

No B2B lead scoring or ABM features
No account-based marketing capabilities
Gets expensive quickly past 10k contacts
Limited automation depth compared to Act-On

What users say

View source reviews

Jaimie Lancaster · Trustpilot

“Helped me resolve situations and waited till I did what they recommended. Never felt rushed or as if they were doing something else while waiting on me. Very responsive.”

Valeria Vinogradova · Trustpilot

“I had a very frustrating experience with Mailchimp's sales team that ultimately made me question the organization as a whole. I booked an initial sales call which went well, but follow-up questions were completely ignored.”

4.4avg rating

Customer.io

SaaSBehavioralDeveloper-friendly

Behavioral messaging for product-led companies. Different focus than Act-On but strong for SaaS and subscription businesses.

Customer.io triggers emails based on what users do in your product — page views, feature usage, subscription changes — rather than traditional marketing lists. The visual workflow builder is intuitive, and it handles both transactional and marketing messages. It's a developer-friendly platform with a strong API, though the $100/mo starting price puts it out of reach for very early-stage teams. Where Act-On focuses on B2B sales-led motions, Customer.io excels at product-led growth automation.

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Best for

Product-led SaaS companies with event-based messaging

Pricing

Essentials $100/mo, Premium $1,000/mo

Pros

Event-based messaging triggered by product behavior
Strong for SaaS and subscription business models
Visual workflow builder with branching logic
Transactional + marketing in one platform
Developer-friendly API with comprehensive docs

Cons

Expensive for early-stage companies at $100/mo start
Less B2B sales-focused than Act-On's approach
No traditional CRM or deal pipeline features
Steeper learning curve for non-technical users

What users say

View source reviews

Sarit Rosenthal Aviram · Trustpilot

“Renewal terms were changed without a proper notification! They tried a sneaky way to add conditions to the renewal contract, and increased their pricing. They are not flexible at all on those terms even though we are their customers for many years.”

Good Comfort · Trustpilot

“After months of trying to make Customer.io work for our business, I can say with confidence: unless you have a dedicated engineering team and endless patience, look elsewhere.”

#10

4.6avg rating

Klaviyo

E-commerceShopifySMS

E-commerce focused platform with powerful automation. Different market than Act-On's B2B focus but strong for online retail.

Klaviyo integrates deeply with Shopify, WooCommerce, and other e-commerce platforms to power abandoned cart flows, product recommendation emails, and post-purchase sequences. Its segmentation is based on actual purchase behavior and browsing data, which makes targeting very precise. It's the industry standard for e-commerce email, though it gets expensive quickly as your contact list grows. If you've been using Act-On for a retail or DTC business, Klaviyo's commerce-specific features will outperform Act-On's B2B-oriented toolset.

Visit

Best for

E-commerce businesses wanting advanced automation

Pricing

Free to 250, ~$100/mo for 10k contacts

Pros

Best e-commerce integrations in the industry
Powerful product recommendations and dynamic content
Abandoned cart and browse abandonment flows
SMS marketing included in the platform
Advanced purchase-behavior segmentation

Cons

E-commerce focused and poor fit for B2B
Not a replacement for B2B marketing automation
Expensive at scale with per-profile pricing
Limited utility for non-ecommerce businesses

What users say

View source reviews

Zaido Rivers · Trustpilot

“Basically a scam at this point. They are doomed with the rise of people building their own solutions.”

Mike L · Trustpilot

“Signed up with them to use their texting campaign feature. Keeps throwing me an error, tried a couple times to work it out with them and was not able to get anywhere. Finally requested a refund, it's been 2 plus weeks and not even a response.”

#11

4.4avg rating

Drip

E-commerceAutomationRevenue tracking

E-commerce email and automation. Simpler than Act-On with e-commerce focus rather than B2B mid-market.

Drip specializes in helping online stores build personalized email journeys based on shopping behavior, with strong Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. It offers visual workflows, revenue attribution, and dynamic product content blocks. It's more affordable than Klaviyo for smaller stores, though it has a narrower feature set outside the e-commerce vertical. For retailers who ended up on Act-On but don't use its B2B features, Drip provides a purpose-built alternative at a much lower price.

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Best for

E-commerce businesses wanting email automation

Pricing

$39/mo for 2,500, $89/mo for 5,000

Pros

E-commerce focused with deep store integrations
Strong visual automation workflow builder
Shopify/WooCommerce integrations out of the box
Revenue attribution showing email-driven sales
More affordable than Klaviyo for smaller stores

Cons

E-commerce only with no B2B features
No lead scoring or ABM capabilities
No CRM or deal pipeline management
Limited for non-ecommerce use cases

Salesforce Marketing Cloud landing page screenshot

#12

4.0avg rating

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

EnterpriseSalesforceOmnichannel

Salesforce's enterprise marketing platform. More comprehensive than Act-On but significantly more expensive and complex.

Marketing Cloud includes Journey Builder for orchestrating cross-channel campaigns, Einstein AI for predictive analytics, and deep integration across Salesforce's entire ecosystem. It handles email, SMS, push notifications, social, and advertising from one platform. The implementation is a major project — expect months of setup and ongoing admin resources to manage it effectively. For companies already on Salesforce that need more than what Act-On offers, Marketing Cloud is the natural step up, though the cost and complexity jump is substantial.

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Best for

Large enterprises with Salesforce ecosystem

Pricing

Enterprise pricing ($1,000+/mo)

Pros

Enterprise scale handling millions of contacts
Full Salesforce ecosystem integration
Omnichannel marketing across email, SMS, push, social
Journey Builder for complex campaign orchestration
Einstein AI for predictive content and send-time

Cons

Very expensive with enterprise-only pricing
Complex implementation requiring months of setup
Requires Salesforce ecosystem commitment
Long deployment time with dedicated admin needs

#13

4.6avg rating

MailerLite

BudgetEasy to useLanding pages

Affordable email marketing with landing pages and websites. For teams that have been paying Act-On prices but only use basic email and landing pages, MailerLite delivers those features at a fraction of the cost.

The email editor is clean and modern, automation workflows handle standard sequences well, and the landing page builder produces professional results. At $73/mo for 10k subscribers versus Act-On's $900/mo minimum, you save over $800/mo while keeping the email and landing page capabilities. The strict approval process helps maintain deliverability reputation. No B2B features like lead scoring or ABM, but if you don't use those on Act-On anyway, MailerLite is dramatically better value.

Visit

Best for

Small teams wanting affordable email with landing pages

Pricing

Free for 1,000 subs, $73/mo for 10k

Pros

Over $800/mo cheaper than Act-On's starting price
Clean modern interface with easy learning curve
Landing page and website builder included
Good email deliverability with strict approval
Free tier available with 1,000 subscribers

Cons

No B2B lead scoring or grading
No ABM or account-level features
Limited automation compared to Act-On's depth
Fewer integrations than enterprise platforms
Strict approval process can delay onboarding

What users say

View source reviews

Alpine Sport · Trustpilot

“Our company used MailerLite as a professional email tool for legitimate business communication. Then, without notice, the account was terminated. We received only a generic rejection with no meaningful explanation.”

Joseph Berk · Trustpilot

“MailerLite is a powerful platform once everything is set up, especially for landing pages and email automation. The editor is flexible, and support was responsive and helpful when I hit a confusing publishing issue.”

#14

3.8avg rating

Keap

CRMSmall businessPayments

Small business CRM with email marketing, automation, and payment processing. Keap bundles CRM, email, payments, appointment scheduling, and invoicing for service businesses.

The automation handles lead-capture-to-payment workflows with more sophistication than basic email tools. Phone support is available on all plans. At $249/mo it's cheaper than Act-On but serves a different market — small service businesses rather than mid-market B2B. If you're a consultant or agency that ended up on Act-On but mainly need CRM-to-email automation with payments, Keap is a more focused fit.

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Best for

Service businesses wanting CRM + email + payments

Pricing

Starting at $249/mo

Pros

CRM + email + payments in one platform
Appointment scheduling built in
Invoice and payment automation workflows
Phone support available on all plans
Purpose-built for service business workflows

Cons

Very expensive at $249/mo starting price
No B2B marketing automation features
Steep learning curve for the full platform
Interface feels dated compared to modern tools
No lead scoring or ABM capabilities

What users say

View source reviews

Anastasia Diamonds · Trustpilot

“Canceling their service is extremely hard and they continuously upgrade your package without asking, just billing your card. And they give your information to debt collector agencies if you have any outstanding payments.”

Dawn B · Trustpilot

“We have been with Keap over 20 years, and they have become non-functional. They are constantly raising prices and lowering service. Tried to speak with my account rep today and she interrupted everything I said! We're quitting their service.”

#15

4.5avg rating

Loops

SaaSDeveloper-friendlyModern

Modern email platform built for SaaS companies. Loops takes a completely different approach than Act-On — instead of enterprise B2B marketing automation, it focuses on product-led SaaS email with a clean, modern interface.

Event-based triggers let you send emails based on what users do in your product, and the API-first design makes integration straightforward for engineering teams. At $49/mo for 5k contacts, it's dramatically cheaper than Act-On. The trade-off is no lead scoring, no ABM, and no CRM integration — but for SaaS teams that need product email rather than sales-led marketing automation, Loops is purpose-built.

Visit

Best for

Product-led SaaS teams wanting modern email

Pricing

Free for 1,000 contacts, $49/mo for 5k

Pros

Modern clean interface vs Act-On's enterprise UI
Event-based product email triggers
API-first design for developer teams
Dramatically cheaper than Act-On
Built specifically for SaaS use cases

Cons

No lead scoring or ABM features
No CRM integration or sales enablement
Smaller company with fewer integrations
Limited to SaaS product email use cases
No multi-channel marketing capabilities

#16

4.3avg rating

Ortto

Marketing automationCDPAnalytics

Marketing automation with built-in customer data platform and analytics. Ortto (formerly Autopilot) combines email automation, a CDP for unified customer profiles, and built-in analytics dashboards — a combination that competes directly with Act-On's marketing automation while adding data unification that Act-On doesn't natively provide.

The visual journey builder is intuitive, and the CDP aspect means you can pull data from multiple sources without needing a separate tool. At around $509/mo for 10k contacts on the Business plan, it's cheaper than Act-On while offering deeper customer data capabilities. Less focused on B2B sales enablement but stronger on customer journey analytics.

Visit

Best for

Teams wanting marketing automation with unified customer data

Pricing

Free for 1,000 contacts, Business $509/mo for 10k

Pros

Built-in CDP for unified customer profiles
Visual journey builder for automation workflows
Analytics dashboards included without separate tools
Cheaper than Act-On with deeper data capabilities
Multi-channel messaging (email, SMS, in-app)

Cons

Less B2B sales-focused than Act-On
No native Salesforce-level CRM integration
Smaller ecosystem than enterprise alternatives
Business plan pricing still substantial
Less established brand than Act-On or HubSpot

#17

4.3avg rating

Moosend

BudgetAutomationNo feature gating

Affordable email marketing with solid automation and no feature gating. Moosend stands out for its no-feature-gating policy — every plan includes automation, landing pages, and analytics, unlike competitors that lock features behind higher tiers.

At $64/mo for 10k subscribers, it's a fraction of Act-On's $900/mo and includes unlimited email sends. The visual automation builder is surprisingly capable for the price, with conditional workflows and behavioral triggers. Owned by Sitecore since 2021. For teams paying Act-On prices but only using email automation, Moosend delivers the core functionality at 1/14th the cost.

Visit

Best for

Budget-conscious teams wanting solid email automation

Pricing

$9/mo for 500 subs, $64/mo for 10k

Pros

14x cheaper than Act-On's starting price
All features available on every plan
Good automation builder for the price point
Unlimited email sends on all plans
Clean interface with low learning curve

Cons

No B2B lead scoring or ABM features
Smaller company with limited enterprise support
Fewer integrations than Act-On or HubSpot
Less established with uncertain long-term direction
No CRM or sales enablement features

What users say

View source reviews

Sarah · Trustpilot

“From day one, Moosend has been great to work with. I'm new to marketing, and their team made everything feel straightforward and accessible. They patiently walked me through all of my questions and never made anything feel overwhelming.”

Mia · Trustpilot

“I tried using Moosend because I wanted a quick, one-time email campaign tool that was either free or super cheap. They advertised 'start free' and $9 plans, but the moment I started, I realized I couldn't even import my subscribers.”

#18

4.0avg rating

Sendinblue

TransactionalMulti-channelAffordable

Now rebranded as Brevo, but many still search for Sendinblue. Multi-channel marketing with email, SMS, and chat at budget prices.

If you're considering leaving Act-On because you mainly use email with some SMS, the Brevo/Sendinblue platform covers both channels with unlimited contacts at dramatically lower pricing. The automation builder handles standard workflows, and transactional email is included natively. At $25/mo for 20k emails, you could run your entire email program for what Act-On charges for a single day. The trade-off is no B2B-specific features, but for teams that don't use Act-On's lead scoring or ABM, this is a pragmatic downgrade.

Visit

Best for

Budget teams wanting email + SMS without enterprise complexity

Pricing

Free 300/day, $25/mo for 20k emails

Pros

Fraction of Act-On's cost for email-focused needs
Unlimited contacts on all plans including free
SMS and chat marketing included
Transactional email built into the platform
No annual contract required

Cons

No B2B marketing automation features
No lead scoring, ABM, or sales enablement
Interface less polished than premium platforms
Per-email pricing model can surprise at high volume
Less robust reporting than Act-On

#19

4.2avg rating

GetResponse

WebinarsFunnelsAll-in-one

Full marketing platform with webinars, funnels, and automation. GetResponse offers a unique combination of email marketing, webinar hosting, conversion funnels, and landing pages that Act-On doesn't match — particularly the built-in webinar feature that eliminates the need for a separate tool.

The automation builder is capable though not as deep as Act-On's for B2B nurturing. At $79/mo for 10k contacts, it's roughly 1/11th of Act-On's starting price. The webinar functionality makes it especially appealing for B2B companies that use webinars as a lead generation channel but don't need Act-On's full enterprise stack.

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Best for

B2B teams wanting webinars + email marketing together

Pricing

$19/mo for 1k, $79/mo for 10k (Marketing Automation)

Pros

Built-in webinar hosting unique among email platforms
Conversion funnel builder for lead generation
Landing pages included on all plans
11x cheaper than Act-On's starting price
Good automation for the price point

Cons

No B2B lead scoring comparable to Act-On
Webinars are basic compared to dedicated tools
Interface can feel cluttered with many features
No ABM or account-level marketing
Less enterprise support infrastructure

What users say

View source reviews

Tristram Powell · Trustpilot

“Big thanks to Alice for her help. She made it easy to get the image resized properly and explained everything clearly. Really good experience.”

Jeremy Rosenvall · Trustpilot

“Alice was so good at explaining things simply and clearly, I was impressed with her! And also willing to try to go to bat for me with pricing.”

Why Consider Alternatives to Act-On

Price is high for what you use

Act-On starts at $900/month with annual contracts. If you mainly use email and basic automation, simpler tools deliver similar value at 10-20% of the cost.

Annual contract lock-in

Act-On requires annual contracts with auto-renewal clauses. They won't notify you before auto-renewal, automatically locking you into another year.

Enterprise complexity for SMB needs

Full B2B marketing automation with lead scoring, ABM, website tracking, and 100 sales users. If you're a smaller team, you're paying for and managing unused complexity.

Sales-driven buying process

Can't self-serve signup with Act-On. Requires demos, sales calls, and contract negotiations. Simpler tools let you start in minutes.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Act-On	Sequenzy	HubSpot	ActiveCampaign	Marketo	Brevo
Price (starting)	$900+/mo	$49/mo	Free-$3,600/mo	$49/mo	$1,000+/mo	$25/mo
Annual contract	Required	No	Pro+ only	No	Required	No
Lead scoring	Advanced	Basic	Advanced	Good	Advanced	Basic
ABM features	Yes	No	Yes	Limited	Yes	No
CRM included	Integrations	Stripe integration	Free CRM	Yes	Integrations	Basic
Self-serve signup	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes

When to Use Each Platform

Choose Sequenzy if...

You're a SaaS founder/small team
You just need email that works
AI-generated sequences interest you
Stripe is your billing source

Choose Stay with Act-On if...

You're a mid-market B2B company
Lead scoring and ABM are essential
You have 100+ sales users to enable
Complex buying cycles are your reality

Choose HubSpot if...

You want free CRM to start
Inbound marketing is your focus
You'll grow into enterprise needs
Ecosystem and integrations matter

Choose ActiveCampaign if...

You want marketing automation cheaper
CRM features matter but not enterprise
Email deliverability is priority
SMB with growing needs

Choose Marketo if...

You're true enterprise
Adobe ecosystem is in use
Large marketing team exists
Budget is not a constraint

Why People Consider Act-On Alternatives

Act-On is genuinely useful for mid-market B2B companies with complex marketing operations. It handles lead scoring, account-based marketing, multi-touch attribution, and sales enablement in a way that simpler email tools can't match. But the enterprise approach creates real trade-offs — $900+/month starting price, mandatory annual contracts with auto-renewal, and a sales-gated onboarding process that means you can't just sign up and start. For many teams, especially those primarily using email marketing and basic automation, those trade-offs aren't worth it. For a broader perspective, see our guide to the best email marketing tools for SaaS.

The Price Problem

Act-On starts at $900/month with required annual contracts. For teams not using lead scoring, ABM, and enterprise features, this is expensive compared to:

ActiveCampaign: $49-149/month for similar automation
Brevo: $25-65/month for email + SMS
Sequenzy: $49/month for SaaS email with AI
MailerLite: $73/month for email + landing pages

The Contract Lock-In

Act-On requires annual contracts with auto-renewal clauses. They won't notify you before auto-renewal, automatically locking you into another year. This lack of transparency frustrates many users. Compare this with platforms like ActiveCampaign or Sequenzy that offer monthly billing.

The Complexity Problem

Full B2B marketing automation with lead scoring, ABM, website tracking, sales enablement, and more. If you mainly send emails and basic automation, you're managing unused complexity. Sometimes simpler email campaigns are all you need.

The Sales-Driven Process

Can't self-serve signup with Act-On. Requires demos, sales calls, and contract negotiations. Companies wanting to start immediately look elsewhere.

The Alternatives, Honestly

If you're SaaS and want simple: Sequenzy

Sequenzy is focused email marketing for SaaS at $49/month. AI-generated sequences, Stripe integration, transactional + marketing. If Act-On's B2B automation is overkill for your software company, this might be enough.

The trade-off: no lead scoring, no ABM, no website tracking. But also 18x cheaper and you can start today. Check our pricing page for details.

If you want enterprise features: HubSpot or Marketo

HubSpot offers free CRM with Marketing Hub from $15-3,600/mo. Better inbound marketing and ecosystem. Marketo is Adobe's enterprise solution. Both are enterprise-grade alternatives with different strengths.

The trade-off: HubSpot Marketing Pro is $800/mo (similar to Act-On). Marketo is $1,000+/mo. Both require annual contracts on higher tiers.

If you want automation value: ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign delivers excellent email automation with built-in CRM at $49-149/mo. Best-in-class automation builder without enterprise complexity.

The trade-off: less B2B focused than Act-On. No advanced lead scoring or ABM. But 5-10x cheaper.

If you're Salesforce native: Pardot

Pardot is Salesforce's B2B marketing automation. Tight integration if you're already in the Salesforce ecosystem.

The trade-off: Requires Salesforce. $1,250+/mo starting. Similar enterprise positioning to Act-On.

If budget is priority: Brevo, MailerLite, or Moosend

Brevo ($25-65/mo), MailerLite ($73/mo), and Moosend ($64/mo) offer email marketing at a fraction of Act-On's price.

The trade-off: no B2B lead scoring, no ABM. Email-focused only. But covers core needs. Use our email validator to clean your list before migrating.

If you need webinars + email: GetResponse

GetResponse includes built-in webinar hosting alongside email marketing — unique among platforms at $79/mo for 10k contacts. Good for B2B teams that run webinars as a lead generation channel.

The Cost Reality

At mid-market scale, annual cost comparison:

Platform	Annual Cost	Notes
Act-On	$10,800-25,000+	Enterprise B2B
HubSpot Pro	$9,600	Full marketing suite
Marketo	$12,000+	Adobe enterprise
Pardot	$15,000-48,000	Salesforce required
Ortto	$6,108	CDP + automation
ActiveCampaign Pro	$1,788	CRM included
SharpSpring	$5,400	Agency focused
GetResponse	$948	Webinars included
Sequenzy	$588	AI-powered, Stripe integration
MailerLite	$876	Landing pages included
Brevo	$780	Basic automation

Act-On makes sense when you're mid-market B2B with complex buying cycles. For simpler needs, alternatives deliver similar value at lower cost.

When Act-On Is Still the Right Choice

Stay with Act-On if:

You're a mid-market B2B company (200-2000+ employees)
You have dedicated marketing and sales teams
Lead scoring and ABM are strategic priorities
Complex buying cycles are your reality
You need 100+ sales users enabled
Annual contracts and enterprise pricing fit your budget

Act-On is excellent software for mid-market B2B. The question is whether your needs match that positioning.

The Auto-Renewal Reality

Act-On's auto-renewal clause is a common complaint:

Contracts auto-renew annually
No notification sent before renewal
Once triggered, non-cancelable
Must actively cancel before renewal date

Set calendar reminders 60-90 days before your renewal date. Export data before contract ends.

Migration Considerations

Moving away from Act-On:

Contact export: Export contacts and engagement data
Lead scores: Won't transfer - need recalculation in new platform
Automations: Manual recreation in new platform
CRM integrations: Need reconfiguration
Timeline: Plan for 4-8 weeks depending on complexity

If you're mainly using Act-On for email, migration is simpler. If you use lead scoring, ABM, and sales enablement, expect more work.

Use our email warmup calculator when transitioning, and check our SPF checker and DKIM checker to ensure your email authentication is configured correctly. Our email validator helps clean your contact list before importing to a new platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

All Pricing Tiers

2.5k emails/month: Free (Free annually)

15k emails/month: $19/month ($205/year annually)

60k emails/month: $29/month ($313/year annually)

120k emails/month: $49/month ($529/year annually)

300k emails/month: $99/month ($1069/year annually)

600k emails/month: $199/month ($2149/year annually)

1.2M emails/month: $349/month ($3769/year annually)

Unlimited emails/month: Custom pricing (Custom annually)

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

19 Act-On Alternatives Worth Considering

TL;DR

19 Best Act-On Alternatives

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Why Consider Alternatives to Act-On

Feature Comparison

When to Use Each Platform

Why People Consider Act-On Alternatives

The Price Problem

The Contract Lock-In

The Complexity Problem

The Sales-Driven Process

The Alternatives, Honestly

If you're SaaS and want simple: Sequenzy

If you want enterprise features: HubSpot or Marketo

If you want automation value: ActiveCampaign

If you're Salesforce native: Pardot

If budget is priority: Brevo, MailerLite, or Moosend

If you need webinars + email: GetResponse

The Cost Reality

When Act-On Is Still the Right Choice

The Auto-Renewal Reality

Migration Considerations

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best Act-On alternative for SaaS?

Is HubSpot better than Act-On?

Why is Act-On expensive?

What's the cheapest Act-On alternative?

Can ActiveCampaign replace Act-On?

What is active contact pricing?

Does Act-On require annual contracts?