Why People Consider Keap Alternatives
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) is genuinely useful all-in-one software - for service businesses. But the bundled approach comes with trade-offs:
The Price Problem
Keap's pricing adds up quickly:
- Subscription: $249-399/month depending on contacts
- Implementation: $500 required fee
- Additional users: $39/month each
- Contact tiers: escalate as you grow
Year-one cost for a small team can exceed $4,500 easily. Many businesses realize they're paying for features they don't use.
The Implementation Fee
Keap requires a $500 implementation package - 15 hours of onboarding. That's friction before you can send a single email. Most alternatives let you self-serve immediately at no additional cost.
The Bundling Problem
CRM + email + payments + invoicing + scheduling sounds great. But if you mainly send emails, you're paying for unused complexity. Focused tools often serve specific needs better.
The Service Business Focus
Keap is designed for coaches, consultants, agencies, and local businesses. If you're SaaS, e-commerce, or a different model, the features assume workflows that don't match your reality.
The Alternatives, Honestly
If you're SaaS and want simple: Sequenzy
Sequenzy is focused email marketing for SaaS at $19/month. AI-generated sequences, Stripe integration, transactional + marketing. If Keap is overkill for your software company, this might be enough.
The trade-off: no CRM, no invoicing, no scheduling. But also 5x cheaper and you can start today.
If you want free CRM to start: HubSpot
HubSpot offers a completely free CRM that's quite capable. Add Marketing Starter ($15/mo) for email, or grow into Marketing Pro ($800/mo) when ready.
The trade-off: Marketing Pro is expensive, and the free tier is limited. But the growth path is clear and the ecosystem is huge.
If you want marketing automation value: ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign delivers excellent email automation with built-in CRM at $49-149/month. Best-in-class automation builder at a fraction of Keap's cost.
The trade-off: no payment processing, no appointment scheduling. But if email automation is your main need, it's hard to beat the value.
If you're an agency: GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel is all-in-one marketing for agencies with white-label options. Similar bundled approach to Keap, often with unlimited contacts on higher tiers.
The trade-off: overwhelming feature set, learning curve, interface can be clunky. But agencies love the white-label and unlimited pricing.
If you're a creative freelancer: Dubsado or Honeybook
Dubsado ($20-40/mo) and Honeybook ($39-79/mo) serve creatives with proposals, contracts, invoicing, and scheduling. Simpler than Keap, more affordable.
The trade-off: less email automation, smaller ecosystems. But designed specifically for the creative workflow.
If budget is priority: Brevo or MailerLite
Brevo ($25-65/mo) and MailerLite ($18-73/mo) offer email marketing with unlimited or generous contacts. Dramatically cheaper than Keap.
The trade-off: no CRM, no payments, no scheduling. Email-focused only. But covers core marketing needs.
The Cost Reality
At 10,000 contacts, annual cost comparison:
| Platform | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keap | $4,500-5,300+ | Plus $500 implementation |
| HubSpot Pro | $9,600 | Full marketing suite |
| ActiveCampaign Pro | $1,788 | CRM included |
| GoHighLevel Unlimited | $3,564 | Unlimited contacts |
| Honeybook Premium | $948 | Client management |
| Dubsado Premier | $480 | Unlimited clients |
| Sequenzy | $588 | SaaS focused |
| Brevo | $780 | Basic automation |
| MailerLite | $876 | Email + websites |
Keap makes sense when you use CRM + invoicing + scheduling + email together. For single-use-case needs, alternatives deliver similar value at lower cost.
When Keap Is Still the Right Choice
Stay with Keap if:
- You're a service business that books appointments
- You invoice clients and track payments
- CRM + email integration matters for your workflow
- All-in-one simplifies your operations
- You've invested in learning the platform
Keap is excellent software for its intended audience. The question is whether you're that audience.
Migration Considerations
Moving away from Keap:
- Contact export: Export contacts and engagement data
- CRM data: Separate export for deals, notes, activities
- Invoicing: Export payment history if needed
- Automations: Manual recreation in new platform
- Timeline: Plan for 2-4 weeks depending on complexity
The biggest question is what you'll use for each function Keap currently handles. Map out your replacement stack before migrating.
Use our email warmup calculator when transitioning, and check our SPF checker and DKIM checker to ensure your email authentication is configured correctly.