| Decision point | MailerLite | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Entry point | Free plan for up to 250 active subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails | Pricing page presents Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise tiers; select contacts and currency for a quote |
| Automation limits | Free lists up to 3 automations; Comfort 50; Power unlimited | Starter lists 5 actions per automation; higher plans expand workflow capabilities |
| Monthly send allowance | Comfort gives 10× subscriber tier; Power lists unlimited monthly emails, subject to fair use | Plan help lists allowances from 10× to 15× the contact limit by tier |
| Compare the scope | Campaigns, forms, sites, landing pages, and automation limits | Automation, segmentation, CRM and ecommerce integrations, reporting, and plan-specific add-ons |
Start with the number of decisions in your customer journey
A two-email welcome flow and a multi-branch lifecycle program have different needs. List the triggers, branches, wait steps, list updates, and reporting that must happen. Then check each product’s current plan limits against that map.
Automation depth has a price and an upkeep cost
ActiveCampaign’s plan structure provides progressively more automation and segmentation features, and its send allowance changes by tier. That can fit a business that will actively maintain detailed customer journeys. MailerLite exposes clearer item limits on its lower tiers, which may be easier to map to a smaller campaign program. Neither description tells you what your team will actually use.
Compare the total at your real audience size
ActiveCampaign asks you to choose a contact tier and currency. MailerLite’s paid pricing also changes with the subscriber tier and billing choice. Compare the same number of marketable contacts, sends, seats, and required integrations, including tax and any add-ons.
When to shortlist each
- Consider MailerLite when a straightforward newsletter and a few bounded automations cover the job.
- Consider ActiveCampaign when the business needs the specific automation, segmentation, CRM, or reporting features available in its selected tier.
Read the ActiveCampaign review and each provider’s current documentation before importing data. A larger feature list does not guarantee better engagement or inbox placement.