True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
ConvertKit saves you 100%
Best for ConvertKit
Email marketing and CRM automation platform. Contact-based pricing from $15-$145/mo sounds fair unti
Best for ActiveCampaign
Creator-focused email marketing platform (now branded as Kit). Free for 10,000 subscribers but limit
Creator-focused email marketing platform (now branded as Kit). Free for 10,000 s...
Advertised
$0
/month
True Cost
$109
/month (typical)
Subscriber-Based Pricing Scaling
Creator plan: 1K subs = $29/mo, 5K = $79/mo, 10K = $119/mo, 55K = $379/mo. Cost roughly doubles ever...
Free Plan Send Restriction
Free plan allows only 1 email broadcast per month to 10,000 subscribers. Daily or weekly newsletters...
No A/B Testing on Free or Creator
A/B testing subject lines requires Creator Pro ($59/mo minimum). Creator plan only supports basic br...
$25/mo annual
$50/mo annual
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
Email marketing and CRM automation platform. Contact-based pricing from $15-$145...
Advertised
$15
/month
True Cost
$128
/month (typical)
Contact Tier Scaling
Lite at $15/mo for 1K contacts, but 10K contacts = $79/mo, 25K = $149/mo, 50K = $259/mo. Pricing sca...
CRM & Sales Require Plus
CRM pipeline, lead scoring, and SMS marketing require Plus plan at $49/mo minimum — over 3x the Lite...
Transactional Email Separate
Transactional emails (order confirmations, password resets) are NOT included. Requires separate Post...
$9/mo annual
$29/mo annual
$49/mo annual
ActiveCampaign advertises $15/mo. ConvertKit advertises $0/mo.
ActiveCampaign has 3 documented hidden fees. ConvertKit has 3.
ActiveCampaign confidence: 77%. ConvertKit confidence: 76%.
| Metric | ConvertKit | ActiveCampaign | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $0/mo | $15/mo | ConvertKit |
| True Monthly Cost | $109/mo | $128/mo | ConvertKit |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$109/mo | +$113/mo | ConvertKit |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 3 | ConvertKit |
| Confidence Score | 76% | 77% | ActiveCampaign |
| Pricing Tiers | 3 | 3 | — |
| Affiliate Program | 30% recurring for 24 months | None | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
From $0/mo
✓ Saves 100% on true costAffiliate link — we may earn a commission
ConvertKit advertises $0/mo and ActiveCampaign advertises $15/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, ConvertKit has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$109/mo, while ActiveCampaign has 3 hidden fees adding +$113/mo. Based on true cost, ConvertKit is typically 100% cheaper.
ConvertKit has 3 documented hidden fees: Subscriber-Based Pricing Scaling, Free Plan Send Restriction, No A/B Testing on Free or Creator. These add approximately +$109/mo on top of the $0/mo advertised price.
ActiveCampaign has 3 documented hidden fees: Contact Tier Scaling, CRM & Sales Require Plus, Transactional Email Separate. These add approximately +$113/mo on top of the $15/mo advertised price.
Choose ConvertKit if: Email marketing and CRM automation platform. Contact-based pricing from $15-$145/mo sounds fair unti. Choose ActiveCampaign if: Creator-focused email marketing platform (now branded as Kit). Free for 10,000 subscribers but limit. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. ConvertKit data has a 76% confidence score and ActiveCampaign has 77%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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