ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo
Two powerful platforms that approach marketing from different angles. ActiveCampaign is an automation-and-CRM platform that does eCommerce; Klaviyo is an eCommerce platform that does automation. The difference shows up in what each makes easy.
Klaviyo is the better default for a pure online store — its data model and reporting are built around products and orders. ActiveCampaign pulls ahead when your business is more than a store: complex automation, a sales pipeline, B2B follow-up, or marketing across more than just the storefront. Choose by where your complexity lives — in the store data, or in the workflows.
The short version.
On our benchmark Klaviyo takes the higher Index Score (84 to 82) — but that headline hides where each one really pulls ahead.
Platform coverage is a wash: both integrate with 5 of the 6 platforms we track.
On price, ActiveCampaign starts lower — from $15/mo against from $20/mo — though the cheaper sticker isn't always the better deal once you factor in what each one includes for the money.
So ActiveCampaign suits smb/mid-market/startup teams; Klaviyo leans toward smb/mid-market/startup/agency.
- ✓value for money
- ✓ease of use
Side by side.
How the Index Score splits.
Which platforms each one integrates with.
What you'll actually pay.
- ·Priced by active contacts plus tier. Cheapest paid plan is Starter at $15/mo (annual) / $19/mo (monthly) for up to 1,000 contacts
- ·plans were renamed in 2024/2025 to Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise. Cost climbs with volume and tier (~$149/mo Starter at 10,000 contacts).
- ·Priced by active profiles, with a free tier (250 profiles, 500 sends/mo). Cheapest paid Email plan is $20/mo at 251–500 contacts
- ·scales steeply (~$30 at 1,000, ~$100 at 5,000, ~$400 at 25,000). Email+SMS adds a separate SMS credit budget on top.
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo, answered.
Affiliate disclosure: ActiveCampaign pays for placement (labelled PARTNER). It never changes their Index Score or where they rank in our index.