Last Updated: March 19, 2026 | Quick Answer: Beehiiv is best for Newsletter creators who want growth tools and monetization without a platform cut, while ActiveCampaign excels for SMBs, course creators, ecommerce brands, and B2B teams that rely on email automation. Both are strong email marketing options — your choice depends on your specific needs and budget.
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At a Glance
| Beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Newsletter creators who want growth tools and monetization without a platform cut | SMBs, course creators, ecommerce brands, and B2B teams that rely on email automation |
| Starting Price | Free — $96/mo (scales with features, not subscribers until 100K+) | Starter from $15/mo; Plus from $49/mo; Pro from $79/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually) |
| Free Plan | Check website | Check website |
| Our Rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Key Strength | Built-in growth engine: referral programs, recommendation network, and boost network | Most powerful automation builder in its price range, with built-in CRM |
Beehiiv Overview
Beehiiv is a newsletter platform built by early Morning Brew employees who saw firsthand what it takes to grow a newsletter to millions of subscribers. Launched in 2022, it’s rapidly become the go-to platform for serious newsletter operators who want growth tools, monetization options, and data — no
Top Features:
- Growth Engine (Recommendations + Boosts)
- Built-in Ad Network
- Referral Program
- Custom Website and SEO
ActiveCampaign Overview
ActiveCampaign is a customer experience automation (CXA) platform that combines email marketing, marketing automation, CRM, and sales tools in a single platform. Founded in 2003 by Jason VandeBoom in Chicago, the company bootstrapped for over a decade before raising $100 million from Silversmith Cap
Top Features:
- Email Marketing and Designer
- Automation Builder
- CRM and Sales Automation
- Lead Scoring
Read our full ActiveCampaign review
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Beehiiv | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Engine (Recommendations + Boosts) | Yes | Similar |
| Built-in Ad Network | Yes | Similar |
| Referral Program | Yes | Similar |
| Custom Website and SEO | Yes | Similar |
| Advanced Analytics and Automations | Yes | Similar |
| What We Like | Yes | Yes |
| Email Marketing and Designer | Similar | Yes |
| Automation Builder | Similar | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
| Beehiiv | ActiveCampaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free — $96/mo (scales with features, not subscribers until 100K+) | Starter from $15/mo; Plus from $49/mo; Pro from $79/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually) |
| Free Plan/Trial | Check website | Check website |
Pros and Cons
Beehiiv
Pros:
- 0% revenue share on paid subscriptions (Scale+) — Substack takes 10%
- Built-in growth tools (referrals, recommendations, boosts) are unmatched
- Free plan is genuinely usable with 2,500 subscribers and unlimited sends
- Custom domain support on all plans, including free
Cons:
- No native community or discussion features (Substack has Notes and comments)
- Brand removal requires the Max plan ($96/mo)
ActiveCampaign
Pros:
- The most powerful visual automation builder available below enterprise price points
- Built-in CRM removes the need for a separate tool for many SMBs
- Lead scoring, site tracking, and event tracking enable sophisticated behavioral marketing
- Strong email deliverability — consistently outperforms Mailchimp in delivery benchmarks
Cons:
- 900+ integrations including Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, Stripe, and Zapier
- Excellent customer support reputation and comprehensive onboarding resources
When to Choose Beehiiv
- You need built-in growth engine: referral programs, recommendation network, and boost network
- Your primary focus is newsletter creators who want growth tools and monetization without a platform cut
- You want a platform rated 8.5/10 by our team
When to Choose ActiveCampaign
- You need most powerful automation builder in its price range, with built-in crm
- Your primary focus is smbs, course creators, ecommerce brands, and b2b teams that rely on email automation
- You want a platform rated 8.5/10 by our team
FAQ
Is Beehiiv better than ActiveCampaign?
It depends on your needs. Beehiiv is better for newsletter creators who want growth tools and monetization without a platform cut, while ActiveCampaign is stronger for smbs, course creators, ecommerce brands, and b2b teams that rely on email automation. We rated Beehiiv 8.5/10 and ActiveCampaign 8.5/10.
Can I use both Beehiiv and ActiveCampaign?
Yes, many teams use both tools together. Beehiiv and ActiveCampaign can complement each other depending on your workflow requirements.
Which is cheaper, Beehiiv or ActiveCampaign?
Beehiiv starts at Free — $96/mo (scales with features, not subscribers until 100K+), while ActiveCampaign starts at Starter from $15/mo; Plus from $49/mo; Pro from $79/mo (1,000 contacts, billed annually). Both offer different tiers, so compare plans based on the features you actually need.
Our Verdict
Both Beehiiv and ActiveCampaign are solid choices in their respective categories. Choose Beehiiv if you prioritize built-in growth engine: referral programs, recommendation network, and boost network. Choose ActiveCampaign if most powerful automation builder in its price range, with built-in crm matters more to your workflow. Either way, both tools offer free trials or plans so you can test before committing.
Read our full Beehiiv review | Read our full ActiveCampaign review
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