ActiveCampaign vs LiveChat
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and LiveChat. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
ActiveCampaign edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.4/5. However, LiveChat (4.1/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors. Read on for the full breakdown.
ActiveCampaign vs LiveChat at a Glance
ActiveCampaign
★ 4.4ActiveCampaign blends email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM into one platform. Known for its sophisticated automation builder and excellent email deliverability.
Starting from: £12/month
Best for: Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation
Read full review →LiveChat
★ 4.1LiveChat is a dedicated live chat platform that helps businesses communicate with website visitors in real time. Unlike broader helpdesk tools, LiveChat focuses exclusively on delivering the best possible chat experience with features like chat routing, canned responses, file sharing, and detailed analytics.
Starting from: £16/agent/month
Best for: Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors
Read full review →ActiveCampaign vs LiveChat Feature Comparison
Here is how ActiveCampaign and LiveChat compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | LiveChat |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | No |
| Starting Price | £12/month | £16/agent/month |
| Best For | Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation | Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors |
| Our Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Yes |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Basic |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign vs LiveChat Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
ActiveCampaign Pricing
Starter
£12/month
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Marketing automation
- ✓Inline forms
- ✓Site tracking
Plus
£42/month
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓CRM
- ✓Lead scoring
- ✓Landing pages
- ✓SMS marketing
Pro
£135/month
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓Predictive sending
- ✓Split automation
- ✓Attribution
Enterprise
£225/month
- ✓Everything in Pro
- ✓Custom objects
- ✓Single sign-on
- ✓Dedicated account rep
LiveChat Pricing
Starter
£16/agent/month
- ✓60-day chat history
- ✓Basic widget customisation
- ✓Ticketing system
- ✓Data security
Team
£29/agent/month
- ✓Unlimited history
- ✓Full customisation
- ✓Basic reporting
- ✓Agent groups
Business
£42/agent/month
- ✓Advanced reporting
- ✓Staffing prediction
- ✓Work scheduler
- ✓Apple Business Chat
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Dedicated account manager
- ✓Product training
- ✓Security assistance
- ✓HIPAA compliance
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both ActiveCampaign and LiveChat for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
ActiveCampaign Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class marketing automation
- •Excellent email deliverability
- •Sophisticated automation builder
- •Good CRM functionality
- •Strong segmentation capabilities
✗Cons
- •CRM is secondary to marketing features
- •Can be complex for beginners
- •Contact-based pricing escalates
- •Reporting could be more visual
- •Limited social media features
LiveChat Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class live chat experience
- •Fast, reliable chat widget
- •Excellent analytics and reporting
- •200+ integrations
- •Good mobile app for agents
✗Cons
- •Focused on chat only (no full helpdesk)
- •Per-agent pricing adds up
- •Chatbot is a separate product (ChatBot)
- •No knowledge base included
- •Limited email support capabilities
Our Verdict: ActiveCampaign vs LiveChat
Both ActiveCampaign and LiveChat are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose ActiveCampaign if you need Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation. With a starting price of £12/month and a rating of 4.4/5, it offers best-in-class marketing automation.
Choose LiveChat if you need Businesses wanting the best possible live chat experience for website visitors. Starting at £16/agent/month with a 4.1/5 rating, it excels at best-in-class live chat experience.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between ActiveCampaign and LiveChat? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up ActiveCampaign or LiveChat for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.