ActiveCampaign vs Mailchimp: A Detailed Comparison for 2025 (Features, Pricing & Integration)

Looking to level up your email marketing game in 2025? You’re probably weighing your options between ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp – two of the most popular email marketing platforms out there. Here’s the thing: businesses using advanced email marketing automation see up to 320% more revenue than those stuck with basic email campaigns. But which platform will help you achieve those results?

I’ve spent years working with both platforms, helping businesses scale their email marketing efforts. Today, I’ll break down everything you need to know about ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp to make the right choice for your business. Let’s dive in!

Overview and Market Position

The email marketing landscape has evolved dramatically, and both ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp have adapted to meet changing business needs. Mailchimp, founded in 2001, started as a simple email marketing tool and has grown into an all-in-one marketing platform. Meanwhile, ActiveCampaign, launched in 2003, has doubled down on its automation capabilities and CRM features.

Mailchimp has positioned itself as the go-to platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs, offering an intuitive interface and comprehensive marketing tools. Their recent updates have expanded their service to include website building, social media management, and digital ad campaigns.

ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, caters to businesses seeking sophisticated automation and deep CRM integration. They’ve maintained their focus on providing powerful email marketing automation while building out robust sales and customer experience features.

Pricing Structure and Plans Comparison

Let’s talk money – because your budget matters. Both platforms structure their pricing differently, which can significantly impact your choice.

ActiveCampaign Pricing (2025 rates):

• Lite: Starting at $29/month (1,000 contacts)
• Plus: Starting at $49/month
• Professional: Starting at $149/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Key features by tier:

• Lite: Email marketing, marketing automation, newsletter templates
• Plus: CRM with sales automation, contact scoring
• Professional: Website personalization, attribution reporting
• Enterprise: Custom reporting, dedicated account rep

Mailchimp Pricing (2025 rates):

• Free: Up to 2,000 contacts
• Essentials: Starting at $13/month
• Standard: Starting at $20/month
• Premium: Starting at $350/month

Key features by tier:

• Free: Basic email templates, marketing CRM, website builder
• Essentials: A/B testing, custom branding, 24/7 support
• Standard: Advanced automation, custom templates
• Premium: Advanced segmentation, multivariate testing

The verdict? Mailchimp offers better value for smaller businesses, especially with their free plan. However, ActiveCampaign provides more advanced features at the mid-tier levels, making it more cost-effective for growing businesses needing sophisticated automation.

Email Marketing Features Face-Off

Template Design and Flexibility

Mailchimp offers 100+ pre-designed templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Their designs are modern and mobile-responsive, perfect for beginners. ActiveCampaign provides fewer templates (50+) but offers more customization options and flexibility in design elements.

A/B Testing

Both platforms support A/B testing, but with different approaches:

Mailchimp:

• Test up to 3 variants (Premium plan)
• Subject lines, content, send time testing
• Automatic winner selection

ActiveCampaign:

• Unlimited variants (Professional plan)
• Split testing for automations
• More detailed testing parameters
• Advanced analytics for test results

Deliverability Rates

In recent tests, both platforms showed impressive deliverability rates:

• ActiveCampaign: 96.1% average deliverability
• Mailchimp: 95.7% average deliverability

Marketing Automation Capabilities

This is where the platforms really differentiate themselves. ActiveCampaign’s automation builder is arguably the most powerful in the industry. It offers:

• Visual automation builder with branching logic
• Site tracking and event tracking
• Conditional content
• Split actions
• Goal tracking
• Automation splits based on multiple conditions

Mailchimp’s automation features are more straightforward:

• Basic autoresponders
• Customer journey builder
• Behavioral targeting
• Transactional emails
• RSS-to-email

For basic automation needs, both platforms perform well. However, ActiveCampaign pulls ahead when it comes to complex, multi-step automations and advanced targeting.

CRM and Sales Features

ActiveCampaign’s CRM is more robust, offering:

• Pipeline management
• Lead scoring
• Deal tracking
• Sales automation
• Contact & company scoring
• Win probability
• Sales reporting

Mailchimp’s CRM features are more basic:

• Contact profiles
• Basic segmentation
• Tag management
• Purchase history tracking
• Basic audience insights

Integration Ecosystem

Both platforms offer extensive integration options, but they approach it differently:

ActiveCampaign:

• 870+ direct integrations
• Zapier support
• Open API
• Deep integration with e-commerce platforms
• WordPress plugin
• Custom development options

Mailchimp:

• 250+ direct integrations
• Strong social media integration
• Website builder integration
• E-commerce integration
• API access
• WordPress integration

Reporting and Analytics

Mailchimp excels in providing easy-to-understand reports with:

• Campaign performance metrics
• Click maps
• Social media stats
• Revenue reports
• Comparative reporting

ActiveCampaign offers more detailed analytics:

• Advanced attribution reporting
• Custom reporting options
• Automation reports
• Site tracking analytics
• Goal completion tracking
• ROI reporting

The Bottom Line: Which Platform Should You Choose?

Choose ActiveCampaign if:

• You need advanced automation capabilities
• Your business requires sophisticated CRM features
• You want detailed reporting and analytics
• You’re focused on B2B marketing
• You need advanced segmentation and personalization

Choose Mailchimp if:

• You’re just starting with email marketing
• You want an all-in-one marketing platform
• You need a user-friendly interface
• You’re running a small business or startup
• Budget is a primary concern
• You need basic website building tools

Both platforms offer free trials, so I recommend testing them yourself. Start with a small segment of your list, try out the key features you need, and see which platform feels more intuitive for your team.

Remember, the best platform isn’t always the one with the most features – it’s the one that best fits your specific needs, budget, and growth plans. Take advantage of the free trials and make an informed decision based on your hands-on experience with both platforms.

Have you used either platform? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!