AWebervsActiveCampaign

AWeber vs ActiveCampaign

Classic platform vs automation powerhouse

TL;DR

ActiveCampaign is slightly cheaper at $79/month vs AWeber's $90/month for 10k subscribers, but the real difference is capability. ActiveCampaign offers industry-leading automation, CRM, and advanced segmentation. AWeber is simpler with good fundamentals. Choose AWeber for simplicity, ActiveCampaign for sophisticated marketing automation.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Automation Capability
ActiveCampaign wins

ActiveCampaign is industry-leading for automation with 850+ recipes, advanced conditional logic, and sophisticated workflows. AWeber automation is good but not in the same league.

CRM Integration
ActiveCampaign wins

ActiveCampaign includes CRM on Plus plan with lead scoring, sales automation, and pipeline management. AWeber has no CRM. For sales and marketing alignment, ActiveCampaign wins.

Simplicity
AWeber wins

AWeber is simpler to learn and use. ActiveCampaign's power comes with complexity. For basic email marketing needs, AWeber is more accessible.

A/B Testing

Both offer comprehensive A/B testing. AWeber has solid split testing capabilities that match ActiveCampaign for basic testing needs.

Free Access
AWeber wins

AWeber offers a free plan for 500 subscribers. ActiveCampaign only offers a 14-day trial. For starting free, AWeber is the option.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 subscribers

AWeber
$90/month

Pro plan. Classic features, A/B testing.

Visit AWeber
ActiveCampaign
$79/month

Lite plan. CRM on Plus plan ($149/month).

Visit ActiveCampaign
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k contacts, unlimited sends, native Stripe integration.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
AWeber
ActiveCampaign
Sequenzy
Pricing & Value
10k Contacts Cost
$90/month
$79/month
$49/month
Free Plan
500 subscribers
14-day trial
None
CRM Included
Plus plan ($149)
Value Proposition
Classic simplicity
Advanced automation
SaaS focused
Automation
Visual Workflows
Good
Industry-leading
Good
Automation Recipes
Some
850+
SaaS focused
Conditional Logic
Basic
Advanced
Good
Automation Triggers
Good
Extensive
Event-based
Email Features
Email Builder
Classic drag-drop
Modern
Good
A/B Testing
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Personalization
Basic
Advanced dynamic
Event-based
Predictive Sending
Sales Features
Built-in CRM
Yes (Plus plan)
Lead Scoring
Sales Automation
Pipeline Management
SaaS Features
Stripe Integration
Via integrations
Via integrations
Native OAuth
Behavioral Events
Limited
Site tracking
Native
API Quality
Good
Good
Good

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose AWeber if you...
  • Simple email marketing needs
  • Businesses wanting free plan access
  • Users who don't need complex automation
  • Bloggers using RSS-to-email
Choose ActiveCampaign if you...
  • Businesses needing advanced automation
  • Sales teams wanting CRM integration
  • E-commerce with complex customer journeys
  • Marketers who maximize automation
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS companies needing behavioral automation
  • Stripe-integrated subscription businesses
  • Teams wanting unified marketing + transactional
  • Companies needing native payment integration

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

SaaS-Focused Features

Neither AWeber nor ActiveCampaign offers native Stripe integration. Sequenzy is built for subscription businesses with payment-based automation.

Simpler Than ActiveCampaign

If you need more than AWeber but don't want ActiveCampaign's complexity, Sequenzy offers focused SaaS automation without the learning curve.

Better Value for SaaS

At $49/month for 10k contacts, Sequenzy is cheaper than both while offering SaaS-specific features.

Overview

AWeber and ActiveCampaign represent different levels of email marketing sophistication. AWeber is a classic platform with solid fundamentals. ActiveCampaign is an automation powerhouse with CRM and advanced capabilities. Your automation needs determine the choice.

Similar Pricing, Different Value

At 10k subscribers, ActiveCampaign is slightly cheaper ($79 vs $90/month). But the real value difference is in capabilities. ActiveCampaign includes industry-leading automation that AWeber can't match.

Automation Comparison

ActiveCampaign is in a different league for automation. 850+ pre-built recipes, advanced conditional logic, site tracking, and predictive sending. AWeber automation is functional for simple sequences but can't approach this sophistication.

CRM and Sales

ActiveCampaign includes CRM on Plus plan with lead scoring, sales automation, and pipeline management. AWeber is purely email marketing. If you need sales and marketing in one platform, ActiveCampaign delivers.

Learning Curve

AWeber is simpler - fewer features means less to learn. ActiveCampaign's power comes with complexity. Basic users prefer AWeber's simplicity. Power users who'll maximize automation prefer ActiveCampaign.

A/B Testing

Both platforms have comprehensive A/B testing. This is one area where AWeber matches ActiveCampaign, with solid split testing for subject lines, content, and send times.

For SaaS Companies

Neither platform offers native Stripe integration. ActiveCampaign has better automation but isn't SaaS-focused. For SaaS companies, consider Sequenzy which offers purpose-built SaaS features.

Making the Choice

Choose AWeber for simplicity and free plan access. Choose ActiveCampaign for sophisticated automation and CRM. For SaaS, consider Sequenzy.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you'll use advanced automation, absolutely yes. ActiveCampaign's automation capabilities can significantly improve marketing results. If you just need basic newsletters, AWeber's simplicity might be better.

ActiveCampaign, by far. It's industry-leading with 850+ automation recipes, advanced conditional logic, and predictive sending. AWeber automation is functional but basic by comparison.

Yes, on Plus plan ($149/month for 10k) and above. It includes lead scoring, sales automation, and pipeline management. AWeber has no CRM.

Only AWeber has a free plan (500 subscribers). ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day trial only. For ongoing free access, AWeber wins.

AWeber is simpler with fewer features to master. ActiveCampaign has a steeper learning curve but more capability once learned.

Both have comprehensive A/B testing. This is one area where AWeber matches ActiveCampaign's capabilities.

Yes. Site tracking lets you trigger automations based on pages visited and actions taken. AWeber has limited behavioral capabilities.

ActiveCampaign. Deep integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, plus sophisticated automation for customer journeys.

Export subscribers from AWeber. Import into ActiveCampaign. Take advantage of advanced automation. Expect a learning curve for the new capabilities.

Export contacts from ActiveCampaign. Import into AWeber. You'll lose complex automations, CRM data, and advanced features but gain simplicity.

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

Related Comparisons

Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

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

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com