Why People Consider SharpSpring Alternatives
SharpSpring is genuinely useful for agencies wanting white-label marketing automation. But the agency-focused approach creates trade-offs for other users:
The Agency Focus Problem
SharpSpring is built for agencies to resell. If you're using it for your own business, you're paying for features like white-labeling, multi-client management, and reseller infrastructure that you don't need.
The Price Problem
SharpSpring starts at $449/month. For non-agency use, that's expensive compared to:
- ActiveCampaign: $49-149/month for similar automation
- Brevo: $25-65/month for email + SMS
- Sequenzy: $19/month for SaaS email
The Complexity Problem
Full marketing automation with CRM, landing pages, social media, visitor tracking, and more. If you mainly send emails, you're managing unused complexity that adds learning curve without value.
The Ownership Question
SharpSpring was acquired by Constant Contact in 2021. Some users wonder about long-term product direction and how it fits with Constant Contact's small business focus.
The Alternatives, Honestly
If you're an agency: GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel is the most direct SharpSpring competitor. Full white-labeling, unlimited contacts on higher tiers, funnels, websites, and agency-focused pricing.
The trade-off: steep learning curve, interface can be clunky, overwhelming features. But if you need white-label marketing automation, it's the primary alternative.
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 SharpSpring's agency features are overkill for your software company, this might be enough.
The trade-off: no white-labeling, no CRM, no landing pages. But also 9x cheaper and you can start today.
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 without the agency white-label overhead.
The trade-off: no white-labeling, no landing pages. But if you're not an agency, you get similar core features at a fraction of the cost.
If you want free CRM to start: HubSpot
HubSpot offers a completely free CRM. Add Marketing Starter ($15/mo) for email, grow into Marketing Pro ($800/mo) when ready. Partner program for agencies wanting enterprise credibility.
The trade-off: Marketing Pro is expensive, less white-label focused than SharpSpring. But the growth path is clear and the ecosystem is huge.
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 SharpSpring.
The trade-off: no white-labeling, no full CRM. Email-focused only. But covers core marketing needs.
The Cost Reality
At 10,000 contacts, annual cost comparison:
| Platform | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SharpSpring | $5,400-6,600 | Full agency suite |
| HubSpot Pro | $9,600 | Full marketing suite |
| GoHighLevel Unlimited | $3,564 | Unlimited contacts |
| ActiveCampaign Pro | $1,788 | CRM included |
| Keap | $4,500+ | Plus implementation |
| Sequenzy | $588 | SaaS focused |
| Brevo | $780 | Basic automation |
| MailerLite | $876 | Email + websites |
SharpSpring makes sense when you're an agency reselling to clients. For direct business use, alternatives deliver similar value at lower cost.
When SharpSpring Is Still the Right Choice
Stay with SharpSpring if:
- You're an agency white-labeling for clients
- Multi-client management from one dashboard matters
- You've built processes around the platform
- The agency model is core to your business
- Reseller pricing works for your situation
SharpSpring is excellent software for agencies. The question is whether you're actually using those agency capabilities.
Migration Considerations
Moving away from SharpSpring:
- Contact export: Export contacts and engagement data
- CRM data: Separate export for deals, notes, activities
- Landing pages: Need recreation in new platform
- Automations: Manual recreation in new platform
- Timeline: Plan for 2-4 weeks depending on complexity
If you're an agency with clients on SharpSpring, migration is more complex - you'll need to plan client transitions.
Use our email warmup calculator when transitioning, and check our SPF checker and DKIM checker to ensure your email authentication is configured correctly.