ActiveCampaign vs Sprout Social
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of ActiveCampaign and Sprout Social. 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, Sprout Social (4.3/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics. Read on for the full breakdown.
ActiveCampaign vs Sprout Social 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 →Sprout Social
★ 4.3Sprout Social is a premium social media management platform that combines publishing, analytics, engagement, and listening in a polished interface. Known for its excellent reporting, customer care features, and advocacy tools, it is the go-to choice for mid-size businesses and agencies that need professional social media management.
Starting from: £199/user/month
Best for: Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics
Read full review →ActiveCampaign vs Sprout Social Feature Comparison
Here is how ActiveCampaign and Sprout Social compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | No |
| Starting Price | £12/month | £199/user/month |
| Best For | Businesses prioritising email marketing and sophisticated automation | Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics |
| Our Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Mobile App | Limited | Yes |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
ActiveCampaign vs Sprout Social 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
Sprout Social Pricing
Standard
£199/user/month
- ✓5 social profiles
- ✓All-in-one inbox
- ✓Content calendar
- ✓Review management
Professional
£299/user/month
- ✓Unlimited profiles
- ✓Competitive reports
- ✓Optimal send times
- ✓Custom workflows
Advanced
£399/user/month
- ✓Digital asset library
- ✓Chatbots
- ✓Automated link tracking
- ✓Message spike alerts
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Custom solutions
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Premier consulting
- ✓Custom implementation
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both ActiveCampaign and Sprout Social 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
Sprout Social Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class analytics and reporting
- •Excellent smart inbox for engagement
- •Strong social listening capabilities
- •Beautiful, intuitive interface
- •Good CRM and customer care features
✗Cons
- •Most expensive option in the category
- •Per-user pricing is very high
- •Overkill for small businesses
- •Social listening costs extra
- •Setup and onboarding take time
Our Verdict: ActiveCampaign vs Sprout Social
Both ActiveCampaign and Sprout Social 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 Sprout Social if you need Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics. Starting at £199/user/month with a 4.3/5 rating, it excels at best-in-class analytics and reporting.
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 Sprout Social? 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 Sprout Social for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.