MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign in 2025 is one of the most important comparisons for marketers. This in-depth guide explores pricing, automation, CRM, ease of use, integrations, and more—so you can confidently choose the best email marketing platform for your needs.
Table of Contents
Overview: What Are MailerLite and ActiveCampaign?
When it comes to email marketing in 2025, MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign is one of the most common comparisons. Both platforms help businesses manage email campaigns, automation, and customer relationships, but they serve slightly different audiences.
MailerLite is known for its simplicity, affordability, and user-friendly interface—ideal for small businesses, bloggers, and solopreneurs.
ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, is a robust marketing automation platform with built-in CRM, suited for more advanced marketers and growing businesses.
Ease of Use & User Interface
MailerLite offers a clean, intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate, even for beginners. Its drag-and-drop email builder and straightforward menu layout make campaign creation quick and simple.
ActiveCampaign is more complex due to its advanced features. While it has improved onboarding in 2025, there’s still a learning curve for new users.
Email Design & Templates
MailerLite comes with a rich collection of responsive email templates that are visually appealing and easy to customize. Its builder is fast and user-friendly.
ActiveCampaign also offers quality templates, but its strength lies in customization. With more control over design and logic, it appeals to marketers who need flexibility.
Automation Capabilities
This is where the MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign debate really heats up.
MailerLite now includes advanced automation (conditions, delays, goals), which is a huge upgrade for 2025. However, ActiveCampaign remains the industry leader in automation. It supports complex workflows, split testing, and predictive sending.
If automation is a major part of your strategy, ActiveCampaign wins here.
Audience Segmentation & Personalization
Both platforms offer dynamic segmentation, tags, and custom fields. MailerLite supports personalization based on behavior, but ActiveCampaign takes it further with machine learning-driven content and advanced behavioral targeting.
In 2025, ActiveCampaign added new AI tools for predictive content and email timing—great for boosting conversions.
CRM & Contact Management
MailerLite includes basic CRM functionality with contact profiles and activity tracking. It’s sufficient for most small teams.
ActiveCampaign features a fully integrated CRM, allowing users to build sales pipelines, track deals, and score leads. It’s perfect for sales + marketing alignment.
Landing Pages & Signup Forms
MailerLite offers more modern landing page templates with better design options in 2025. It also includes pop-ups, embeddable forms, and sticky bars.
ActiveCampaign also supports landing pages and forms, but its editor feels slightly outdated compared to MailerLite’s more recent UI updates.
Deliverability & Performance
Both platforms score high on deliverability, but third-party tests show ActiveCampaign consistently has slightly better inbox placement rates, especially for promotional emails.
MailerLite has improved its spam filter management and authentication tools in 2025, making it a strong competitor.
Integrations & Ecosystem
MailerLite offers 140+ integrations, including WordPress, Shopify, and Zapier. It also supports webhooks and an API for developers.
ActiveCampaign has a broader ecosystem with over 900+ integrations and deeper connections with CRM, ecommerce, and analytics tools.
Analytics & Reporting
MailerLite covers basic metrics like open rates, click-throughs, and subscriber growth. It also includes A/B testing and heatmaps.
ActiveCampaign delivers deeper analytics, including goal tracking, attribution reports, and automation engagement. In 2025, it added AI insights and predictive performance forecasts.
Pricing & Value for Money (2025 Updates)
MailerLite remains one of the most affordable tools in 2025. Its free plan supports up to 1,000 subscribers with limited features. Paid plans start as low as $10/month.
ActiveCampaign is more expensive, with plans starting around $29/month, but it includes CRM and advanced automation. For power users, the value is worth the price.
| Plan | MailerLite (Monthly USD) | ActiveCampaign (Monthly USD) | Subscribers | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | N/A | Up to 1,000 | Drag & drop, 12k emails, 1 seat |
| Basic/Growing | $9 | $15 | Up to 500 | Unlimited emails, 3 seats, A/B, pop-ups |
| Advanced/Pro | $18 | $49–$79 | Up to 500 | Enhanced automation, AI assist, HTML editor |
| Enterprise | Custom | $145+ | 100K+ (Custom) | Unlimited seats, dedicated support |
Image : Comparison table of pricing tiers and features.
MailerLite provides live chat, email support, and an active knowledge base. Their customer satisfaction remains high in 2025.
ActiveCampaign offers multi-channel support including onboarding calls, webinars, and a strong community forum. Their enterprise clients benefit from dedicated account managers.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
When comparing MailerLite vs ActiveCampaign in 2025, the right choice depends on your needs:
- Choose MailerLite if you’re just starting out, value simplicity, and want excellent features at a low cost.
- Choose ActiveCampaign if you need powerful automation, CRM, and enterprise-level functionality.