beehiiv
beehiiv Inc.
8.4
Overall Score / 10
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign
6.4
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose beehiiv if:
- —Newsletter creators serious about growth and monetization
- —Media operators building a newsletter business
- —Anyone who wants built-in referral and ad tools
Choose ActiveCampaign if:
- —Businesses needing complex automation sequences
- —Sales teams wanting CRM + email in one tool
- —E-commerce brands with lifecycle marketing needs
The biggest difference: beehiiv excels at newsletter growth and monetization with a free tier for 2,500 subscribers and built-in ad revenue. ActiveCampaign is better for complex lifecycle marketing with the deepest automation builder and CRM integration.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $49/mo (Scale)Source: beehiiv Inc. pricing page → | $15/mo (Starter)Source: ActiveCampaign pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes 2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, custom domain, website builder, beehiiv branding | No |
| Value for Money | 9 | 7 |
| Ease of Use | 8 | 5 |
| Feature Power | 8 | 9 |
| Setup Ease | 9 | 5 |
| Migration Ease | 8 | 4 |
| Transparency | 8 | 6 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | GDPR tools available | GDPR tools, HIPAA (Enterprise plan), SOC 2 |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
21 features compared · 20 differences
| Feature | beehiiv | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Built-in ad network | Full | None |
| CRM with pipeline management | None | Full |
| Lead scoring | None | Full |
| Magic links | Full | None |
| Newsletter editor | Full | None |
| Polls and surveys | Full | None |
| Predictive sending | None | Full |
| Referral program | Full | None |
| Site tracking | None | Full |
| SMS marketing | None | Full |
| Website builder | Full | None |
| Win probability | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| 3D analytics | Full | None |
| Advanced automation builder | None | Full |
| Audience segmentation | Full | None |
| Conditional content | None | Full |
| Custom domains | Full | None |
| Custom objects | None | Full |
| Machine learning recommendations | None | Full |
| Paid subscriptions | Full | None |
| Integrations | ||
| API access | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
beehiiv Pricing
2,500 subscribers, unlimited sends, website, custom domain
Unlimited subscribers, ad network, referral program, polls, premium themes
Everything in Scale + priority support, API access, advanced analytics, newsroom
Dedicated support, custom migrations, SLA
ActiveCampaign Pricing
1,000 contacts, email marketing, basic automations
1,000 contacts, CRM, landing pages, lead scoring
1,000 contacts, predictive sending, split automations, site messaging
1,000 contacts, custom objects, HIPAA support, dedicated account rep
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose beehiiv
Best for
- Newsletter creators serious about growth and monetization
- Media operators building a newsletter business
- Anyone who wants built-in referral and ad tools
Avoid if
- You need full marketing automation (sequences, lead scoring)
- You need CRM functionality
- You need deep e-commerce integrations
Who should choose ActiveCampaign
Best for
- Businesses needing complex automation sequences
- Sales teams wanting CRM + email in one tool
- E-commerce brands with lifecycle marketing needs
Avoid if
- You want a simple tool to send newsletters
- You have a very small list and tight budget
- You don't need advanced automation
Switching Guidance
Switching from beehiiv
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need full marketing automation
- •Need CRM
- •Need e-commerce integrations beyond Stripe
Potential blockers:
- •Ad network revenue
- •Referral program subscribers
- •Custom website/domain setup
Switching from ActiveCampaign
Common triggers to leave:
- •Price increases as contacts grow
- •Complexity for simple use cases
Potential blockers:
- •Deep automation trees
- •CRM pipeline data
- •Site tracking history
Try beehiiv
Start free — no credit card required
Try ActiveCampaign
Plans from $15/mo