Constant Contact vs ActiveCampaign

Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

There are loads of email marketing software on the internet these days, and it gets difficult to choose one from the many. Constant Contact and ActiveCampaign have helped thousands of businesses reach out to their audience in a much better way.

They barely have any major differences in them; however, we cannot skip the minute details. No two platforms can be the same in any competition. Therefore, in this write-up, we will take you through a detailed ride on both the software.

It will guide you in choosing the one ideal for your business. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Constant Contact vs ActiveCampaign

User Interface – Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

No matter how good a software is, it’s of no use if you cannot operate it. Constant Contact considered this point and designed one of the simplest user interfaces on the market. If you have ever used ConvertKit or Mailchimp, Constant Contact is much easier than that.

It doesn’t have thousands of features on the first page itself; instead, you get to see the bare minimum. It might seem like a blessing to some and a curse to others. As for beginners, most of the features required are right in front of them.

However, for tech-savvy people, it might be a little hard work. Apart from all this, Constant Contact also has guides and videos on its page that help you navigate through the software.

ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, is not as simple as Constant Contact. However, it all depends on how many features you use and what you want to accomplish. It also doesn’t mean that you will get lost in the software.

It means that you need to know the basics of it if you want to use ActiveCampaign. It isn’t technically fit for beginners as compared to Constant Contact. On the other hand, it also prepares you to get equipped with complex platforms rather than starting with easy ones and then not moving from them.

There are quite a few features that might seem overwhelming for the newbies; however, it does have guides that can help.

Emails and Templates – Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

Almost all email marketing and CRM platforms differ slightly, if not drastically, in this feature. Let’s begin with Constant Contact. It has an excellent drag & drop builder that helps in creating quick and beautiful emails.

Similar to GetResponse, Constant Contact has over 500 pre-built templates that you could modify or even create your own with the help of HTML coding. You can add various texts, pictures, graphics, etc., to your email, making it more attractive.

If you are running an ecommerce store, you can also add Shopify buttons, polls, coupons, etc., to your template.

On the other hand, ActiveCampaign only has 30 pre-existing templates. You either create your design from scratch, or you stick to the ones they provide. In my opinion, the first option is the better choice because the designs are quite standard.

The email editor is quite great. You can easily customize your template and add videos, CTAs, pictures, etc. In simple words, if you are looking for a wide variety of templates to choose from, choose Constant Contact.

Automations – Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

Constant Contact is just a skeleton when it comes to automations. If you are not looking for sophisticated email automations, then Constant Contact is ideal for you. It comprises only four triggers and is easy to use.

It doesn’t stand in comparison with ActiveCampaign or other email marketing platforms on the market. However, it does let you send out birthday wishes, welcome messages, etc. You also have the option of using the autoresponder series.

Action blocks is yet another excellent feature they possess. These blocks act as motivators to make new purchases.

ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of Constant Contact. You get an automation builder here that lets you create your workflow and makes automations more fun. You could also create complex automations with logical conditions.

They also offer you pre-built automation templates and 20+ triggers. Although the visual builder, templates, tagging, etc., seems a little too much, it’s truly simple. Even if you are a beginner, ActiveCampaign has your back.

Integrations – Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

As mentioned earlier, both platforms have been in the market for a long. Therefore, it is obvious that they have quite excellent integrations. As for Constant Contact, it has over 400 integrations to offer.

Some of the most common ones are Zapier, Google Analytics, etc. On the other hand, ActiveCampaign has over 250 integrations. Some of the common ones are WordPress, Stripe, Shopify, etc. Now, in a competition like this, I’d say Constant Contact is surely the winner.

It provides you with more tools and integrations that would help you run an email campaign in a better way. However, ActiveCampaign covers the essential integrations that you may require to run your business.

Pricing – Constant Contact vs. ActiveCampaign

Here’s the level where the major decision-making comes into the picture. Constant Contact has only two major plans. The first one is called the Email plan, which starts at $20 per month. Through it, you can only send and receive basic emails, gain subscribers, etc.

If you wish to use Automations and other special features offered by Constant Contact, you would have to upgrade to the Email Plus plan. It begins at $45 per month. Please note that the prices will increase if you choose to increase the number of contacts.

Honestly, I wouldn’t pay $25 more only to access automations and the other special features.

ActiveCampaign has four plans, i.e., Lite, Plus, Professional and Enterprise. The first plan itself begins at only $9 per month. Unlike Constant Contact’s Email plan, you get unlimited sending emails, email marketing, marketing automations, and much more.

The Plus and Professional plans begin at $49 and $129, respectively. Lastly, you have the Enterprise plan beginning at $229 per month. These three plans provide you with the best of ActiveCampaign features and CRM with sales automations.

The only major difference between Constant Contact and ActiveCampaign pricing is that Constant Contact offers a 30-day free trial, whereas ActiveCampaign offers only a 14-day free trial.

You can also check our article on SendGrid vs ActiveCampaign.

Final Thought

As you might have seen, both email marketing platforms have their shares of ups and downs. If the price factor plays a crucial role in your decision-making process and you want something reliable, you could opt for ActiveCampaign.

However, if you have just started in business and do not require much of a huge platform and set-up, you should go for Constant Contact. I would call ActiveCampaign a winner in this comparison; however, the decision lies in your hands.

You know what’s best for your business, and I hope you choose wisely. All the best!

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