Mailchimp vs ActiveCampaign: Which Email Automation Service is Better?

Overview

Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign represent different points on the complexity spectrum. Mailchimp is approachable and familiar, suitable for small businesses with straightforward automation needs. ActiveCampaign is powerful and deep, designed for businesses that need sophisticated marketing automation with CRM integration.

Key Differences

Automation Complexity

Mailchimp provides approachable automation through Customer Journeys. Templates and visual building work well for common scenarios but can feel limiting for complex requirements.

ActiveCampaign offers one of the most powerful automation builders available. Complex multi-branch workflows, conditional logic, and deep CRM integration enable sophisticated customer journeys.

CRM Capabilities

ActiveCampaign includes a full CRM with deal tracking, sales pipelines, and task management. Marketing and sales work from the same platform.

Mailchimp has basic CRM features but is primarily an email marketing tool. Teams needing serious CRM will need a separate platform.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Mailchimp if:

• You're a small business starting with automation
• Simplicity and familiarity matter most
• Your automation needs are straightforward
• Budget is a primary concern

Choose ActiveCampaign if:

• You have a sales team needing CRM
• Complex automation is required
• You need lead scoring and site tracking
• You can invest time in learning the platform

Consider Sequenzy Instead

For SaaS businesses, consider Sequenzy as an alternative. At $19/mo with AI-powered workflow generation and native billing integration, it offers more relevant features for subscription businesses than either Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign.