ActiveCampaign vs Marketo
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and Marketo. 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, Marketo (4.1/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Large B2B enterprises wanting comprehensive marketing automation with revenue attribution. Read on for the full breakdown.
ActiveCampaign vs Marketo 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 →Marketo
★ 4.1Marketo Engage (by Adobe) is an enterprise-grade marketing automation platform designed for large B2B organisations. It offers lead management, email marketing, revenue attribution, account-based marketing, and advanced analytics. Known for its depth of functionality and scalability for complex marketing operations.
Starting from: Custom (from ~£800/month)
Best for: Large B2B enterprises wanting comprehensive marketing automation with revenue attribution
Read full review →ActiveCampaign vs Marketo Feature Comparison
Here is how ActiveCampaign and Marketo compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Marketo |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | No |
| Starting Price | £12/month | Custom (from ~£800/month) |
| Best For | Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation | Large B2B enterprises wanting comprehensive marketing automation with revenue attribution |
| Our Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Limited |
| Email Marketing | Yes | Yes |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Basic |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign vs Marketo 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
Marketo Pricing
Growth
Custom (from ~£800/month)
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Landing pages
- ✓Forms
- ✓Lead management
Select
Custom (from ~£1,800/month)
- ✓Everything in Growth
- ✓A/B testing
- ✓Advanced analytics
- ✓Social marketing
Prime
Custom (from ~£3,200/month)
- ✓Everything in Select
- ✓Revenue attribution
- ✓AI personalisation
- ✓Predictive content
Ultimate
Custom
- ✓Everything in Prime
- ✓Premium support
- ✓Custom sandboxes
- ✓Advanced APIs
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both ActiveCampaign and Marketo 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
Marketo Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Enterprise-grade scalability and reliability
- •Excellent lead scoring and nurturing
- •Strong revenue attribution
- •Deep Salesforce integration
- •Account-based marketing capabilities
✗Cons
- •Very expensive (enterprise pricing)
- •Complex setup and implementation
- •Steep learning curve
- •Requires dedicated admin/team
- •Integration outside Adobe ecosystem can be challenging
Our Verdict: ActiveCampaign vs Marketo
Both ActiveCampaign and Marketo 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 Marketo if you need Large B2B enterprises wanting comprehensive marketing automation with revenue attribution. Starting at Custom (from ~£800/month) with a 4.1/5 rating, it excels at enterprise-grade scalability and reliability.
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 Marketo? 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 Marketo for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.