ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and Pipedrive. 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, Pipedrive (4.4/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Sales teams wanting a simple, visual pipeline-focused CRM. Read on for the full breakdown.
ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive 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 →Pipedrive
★ 4.4A sales-focused CRM built by salespeople, for salespeople. Pipedrive excels at visual pipeline management and is known for its simplicity and ease of use.
Starting from: £14/user/month
Best for: Sales teams wanting a simple, visual pipeline-focused CRM
Read full review →ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive Feature Comparison
Here is how ActiveCampaign and Pipedrive compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Pipedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | No |
| Starting Price | £12/month | £14/user/month |
| Best For | Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation | Sales teams wanting a simple, visual pipeline-focused CRM |
| Our Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Yes |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Extensive | Extensive |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive 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
Pipedrive Pricing
Essential
£14/user/month
- ✓Pipeline management
- ✓Deal tracking
- ✓Email integration
Advanced
£29/user/month
- ✓Everything in Essential
- ✓Email automation
- ✓Workflow automation
Professional
£49/user/month
- ✓Everything in Advanced
- ✓Revenue forecasting
- ✓Team management
- ✓Custom fields
Power
£64/user/month
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓Phone support
- ✓Project management
Enterprise
£79/user/month
- ✓Everything in Power
- ✓Enhanced security
- ✓Unlimited reports
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both ActiveCampaign and Pipedrive 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
Pipedrive Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Beautiful, intuitive visual pipeline
- •Very easy to set up and use
- •Excellent mobile app
- •Good value for money
- •Built-in calling features
✗Cons
- •Limited marketing features
- •Reporting could be more advanced
- •No free plan available
- •Email integration can be clunky
- •Limited customer support features
Our Verdict: ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive
Both ActiveCampaign and Pipedrive 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 Pipedrive if you need Sales teams wanting a simple, visual pipeline-focused CRM. Starting at £14/user/month with a 4.4/5 rating, it excels at beautiful, intuitive visual pipeline.
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 Pipedrive? 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 Pipedrive for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.