HighLevel vs ActiveCampaign
One is priced as an agency platform. The other is priced as email automation that grows with your contact count.
People compare these two when they want a CRM and email in the same place. They are not substitutes with different logos. HighLevel is sold as the system an agency uses for client accounts, funnels, and follow-up. ActiveCampaign is sold as email marketing and marketing automation for a business, with a price that depends on how many contacts you have.
What each tool is for
HighLevel
HighLevel’s pricing page lists a CRM and pipelines, a website and funnel builder, email and SMS, booking calendars, workflow automation, forms, and online reputation tools in the platform. Email, SMS, phone, and some AI features have usage charges. Plans are organized around sub-accounts: 3 on Agency Starter, and unlimited on Agency Unlimited and Pro. The pricing FAQ says those plans include unlimited contacts and unlimited users.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign’s plan overview describes base plans for email marketing and marketing automation: campaigns, automations, forms, and integrations. The Plus plan and above add landing pages. The same help center says deal pipelines are a separate Enhanced CRM add-on (Pipelines or Sales Engagement), and that SMS is an add-on on Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. A base email plan is required before those add-ons.
The help center also says Starter includes one user seat, with the option to buy one more, and a maximum of 25,000 contacts. It limits Starter automations to 5 actions. Plus stays at one included seat and adds landing pages, basic segmentation, and a broader automation set. Pro includes 3 user seats. Enterprise includes 5. Extra seats can be purchased. The help center says existing customers do not qualify for the Starter plan, and that the 14-day trial is based on the Professional plan.
Prices on the official pages
These figures are from the public pages on October 4, 2026. They can change. If a number here disagrees with the live page, use the live page.
HighLevel’s pricing FAQ names Agency Starter at $97/month, Agency Unlimited at $297/month, and Pro at $497/month. The same pricing page shows annual prices of $970, $2,970, and $4,970 for those plans. That price is for the plan, not per contact. Usage fees sit on top. The full breakdown is on the pricing page.
ActiveCampaign’s pricing summary lists starting prices, billed annually: Starter from $15/month, Plus from $49/month, Pro from $79/month, and Enterprise from $145/month. The signup links on that summary pass 1,000 contacts. The main pricing page builds a quote from your contact count, so those amounts are starting points, not a flat rate for any list size. This site does not use an ActiveCampaign affiliate link.
| Question | HighLevel | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | An agency running client work: CRM, funnels, and email or SMS, with a sub-account per client. | Email marketing and automation. Landing pages start on Plus. Pipelines and SMS are add-ons. |
| How the bill grows | By plan. Starter is capped at 3 sub-accounts. Unlimited and Pro are not. Contacts are unlimited on those plans, per the FAQ. | By contact count, on top of the plan tier. Starter stops at 25,000 contacts. |
| Users | Unlimited users on Starter, Unlimited, and Pro, per the FAQ. | 1 included seat on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise. More seats cost extra. |
| CRM | CRM and pipelines are listed as core features on the pricing page. | CRM integrations are on the email plans. Deal pipelines are a paid Enhanced CRM add-on. |
| Client accounts | Sub-accounts are the product’s unit for clients. See HighLevel for agencies. | The plan overview does not list client sub-accounts or a white-label agency login. |
Recommendation
Try HighLevel if you want an agency platform — CRM, funnels, and email — with a sub-account for each client. The Starter price is a flat $97/month for up to three of those accounts, not a per-contact email plan. Move to Unlimited only when you need more than three sub-accounts.
Use ActiveCampaign if the job is email automation for one business and you do not need client sub-accounts. Get a quote for your real contact count before you compare it with HighLevel. The $15 starting price is the summary’s annual starting point, not the price of a large list, and pipelines and SMS are extra.
Neither number is a promise of results. Check both checkout pages before you pay. HighLevel usage fees can start during its 14-day trial.
Affiliate links. The HighLevel links below are affiliate links. Dave Mishal may earn a commission if you sign up. No income is guaranteed.
- Annual Starter or Unlimited
- SaaS Pro
- All HighLevel plans and current prices
- ActiveCampaign pricing (official page, not an affiliate link)
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