Last updated on July 31st, 2025 at
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo – Which One Is Right for You?
So, you’re stuck choosing between ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo for your email marketing? You’re definitely not alone! It’s kind of like picking between two great playlists — one is full of features, and the other just knows your vibe perfectly.
ActiveCampaign is like your all-in-one powerhouse. It’s packed with automation tools, a built-in CRM, and tons of ways to segment and nurture your audience. If you love diving into data and building complex workflows, this one’s got your name all over it. But fair warning — it can be a little overwhelming if you’re just getting started.
Klaviyo, on the flip side, is the go-to for eCommerce brands. It connects super smoothly with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, and its analytics are all about sales — not just opens and clicks. It’s user-friendly and really shines when it comes to personalized messaging. But if you’re not running an online store, it might feel a little too niche.
Now, I’m not here to crown a winner. Both tools are excellent — they just serve different types of businesses really well. My goal? To help you figure out which one fits your needs right now.
So, ready to find the email marketing tool that’s just right for your business? Let’s dive in!
A Quick Intro to ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo
💡 What is ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is a powerful all-in-one marketing tool built for businesses that want advanced automation, smart segmentation, and even built-in CRM features. It’s great if you love tinkering with customer journeys and want full control over your marketing.
✅ Best for: Marketers and growing businesses who need deep automation and CRM tools in one place.
✨ What is Klaviyo?
Klaviyo is designed with eCommerce in mind. It connects seamlessly with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, and helps you send personalized emails (and texts) that drive sales. It’s easy to use and super focused on results — especially revenue.
✅ Best for: eCommerce brands that want powerful, revenue-driven email and SMS marketing.
✍️ Email Editor: Crafting Your Perfect Message
💬 Who win For Email Editor:
👉 Klaviyo wins if you want a clean, product-focused editor that’s built for eCommerce
👉 ActiveCampaign wins if you want complete design control and advanced customization
Let’s take a closer look 👇
ActiveCampaign
Powerful, Flexible — and Built for Control Freaks (Like Me 😅)
So here’s what happened: I remember the first time I opened ActiveCampaign’s email editor… I stared at the screen for a few seconds, and thought — whoa, this is serious stuff.
You don’t just get a simple builder — you get a full design playground. I spent hours just dragging, tweaking, adjusting layouts, playing with conditional blocks, testing subject lines — it felt like I was in a marketing lab. 🤓
Was it overwhelming at first? A little, yeah. But once I got the hang of it, I couldn’t go back.
This editor is perfect if you:
Want full control over how your emails look
Like to test and optimize for better results
Want advanced features like dynamic content and conditional blocks
✅ Drag-and-drop builder with deep customization
✅ 250+ email templates to start from (or build from scratch)
✅ Personalization tags, product recommendations, countdown timers — it’s all there
✅ Smart A/B testing and conditional content logic
✅ Great for advanced marketers or creative nerds (like me 😄)
❌ Can feel a bit much if you just want to send a quick email
❌ Steeper learning curve for beginners
🎯 My Take: I use ActiveCampaign when I want to craft something special. It’s like the difference between microwaving dinner vs. cooking a full recipe — more effort, but the results are chef’s kiss. Not for everyone, but if you’re into design and strategy — you’ll love it.
Klaviyo
Clean, Focused, and Made for Selling
Now, contrast that with my experience using Klaviyo…
I was helping a friend launch her Shopify store, and we needed to send out a quick promo. I logged into Klaviyo, opened the editor, and within 15 minutes — email done. No confusion, no decision fatigue. Just drag in a product block, add some pricing, hit preview, and go.
That’s what Klaviyo is built for — speed and clarity.
This editor is perfect if you:
Run an eCommerce business
Need to build product emails fast
Don’t want to fuss over layouts or custom design
✅ Clean drag-and-drop editor
✅ Pull in products, pricing, and dynamic data from your store
✅ Works great for abandoned cart flows and sales promos
✅ Keeps your design clean and focused on conversions
❌ Not a lot of creative freedom
❌ Might feel too “plain” if you want highly branded or complex layouts
🎯 My Take: Klaviyo’s editor is like your go-to black t-shirt — simple, reliable, and always works. I recommend it anytime speed matters more than style — especially if you’re in eCommerce.
👉 So, Which One’s for You?
If you love crafting every pixel and want powerful tools for testing and personalization — go with ActiveCampaign.
If you sell products and just want to get high-converting emails out the door fast — Klaviyo is a no-brainer.
🏆 Winner: Depends on Your Workflow
Klaviyo = Fast, clean, product-focused emails for sellers
ActiveCampaign = Deep, flexible editor for creative marketers
Design & Flexibility: Make It Look (and Work) Your Way
💬 Who win For Design and Flexibility:
ActiveCampaign wins if you want complete control over every detail of your email design and layout.
Klaviyo is better if you want a clean, no-fuss builder with eCommerce-ready blocks that just work.
ActiveCampaign
Design Playground for Control Freaks (In the Best Way 😄)
Here’s the deal — I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to email layout. I want the spacing perfect, fonts on brand, and yes, I love testing different versions. That’s why when I use ActiveCampaign, I feel like I’ve stepped into a full-on design studio 🧑🎨
Whether I’m tweaking one of their 250+ templates or building something from scratch, the amount of control is seriously impressive. I can change every little thing — padding, columns, background colors — even show different content to different people based on how they behave.
![ActiveCampaign Review 2025: Pros, Cons & Pricing [Analyzed]](https://moosend.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Activecampaign-email-template-library.png)
This is what I use when I want to experiment, personalize, and go deep.
✔️ 250+ pro templates to jumpstart your design
✔️ Control everything: spacing, fonts, layout, columns, colors
✔️ Add conditional blocks based on behavior (super smart!)
✔️ A/B test layouts, subject lines, and calls-to-action
⚠️ Can feel overwhelming if you’re a beginner
⚠️ Takes a bit of time to learn all the features
🎯 My Take: ActiveCampaign is like the Photoshop of email — powerful, flexible, and made for marketers who love having options. I use it when I want my emails to stand out and perform.
Klaviyo
Clean Designs That Convert — Without the Fuss
Now here’s the flip side. When I’m working with Klaviyo, it’s all about speed and simplicity. Especially for eCommerce.
You pick a clean, modern template → drag in your product images → add pricing and links → done. It pulls everything from your store so you don’t have to copy-paste or mess around. Everything looks great right out of the gate, even on mobile 📱
It’s not about deep design control — it’s about getting sales-focused emails out the door fast.
✔️ Beautiful templates made for product-based emails
✔️ Auto-pulls images, pricing, and links from your store
✔️ Mobile-optimized and responsive by default
✔️ Fast, clean setup that gets results
⚠️ Limited if you want full design customization
⚠️ Not ideal for advanced layouts or branded flexibility
🎯 My Take: If you’re running a store and want your emails to look polished without spending hours designing — Klaviyo is your shortcut to high-converting emails.
So, which one should you pick?
🔹 Choose ActiveCampaign if you’re a marketer, coach, or designer who needs full design control and loves testing layouts.
🔹 Go with Klaviyo if you’re an online store owner who wants clean, product-driven emails — fast.
🏁 Final Verdict
🎯 ActiveCampaign = Best for marketers who want to design, test, and control everything
🛍️ Klaviyo = Best for eCommerce sellers who want to plug, send, and sell
🗂️ List Management: Get Organized (and Smarter) with Your Audience
💬 Who win For Lists and Segmentation:
👉 ActiveCampaign wins if you want full control with tags, triggers, and hyper-targeted segments
👉 Klaviyo wins if you want automated, real-time segments based on customer behavior 🛍️
Here’s how both tools really stack up when it comes to managing your audience 👇
ActiveCampaign
Tag It. Segment It. Automate It. (You’re in Full Control)
Okay — when I first started using ActiveCampaign, I was a little overwhelmed. Tags? Segments? Custom fields? It felt like a lot. But once I wrapped my head around it, I realized — this is where the real magic happens.
You’re not just working with one flat list. You can tag people based on links they click, products they view, forms they fill out, and then use that data to trigger automations, build smart segments, and personalize emails like a pro 🎯
It’s built for marketers who want to get ultra-specific with who sees what, when.
✔️ Flexible list + tag + segment system
✔️ Automate tagging based on behavior (opens, visits, purchases)
✔️ Build dynamic groups that update in real time
✔️ Run multiple lead magnets without creating duplicate contacts
⚠️ A bit of a learning curve if you’re new to list segmentation
⚠️ Can get complex fast if you’re not careful with naming/tag systems
🎯 My Take: ActiveCampaign is powerful — once you dial in your tagging and segment strategy, it opens the door to next-level automation. I recommend it if you love having complete control over your audience and messaging.
Klaviyo
Behavior-Based Segments Built for eCommerce
Klaviyo’s approach feels different — and honestly, smarter if you’re running an online store.
Instead of juggling tags or managing lists manually, Klaviyo automatically creates segments based on what people do on your site: browsing products, starting checkouts, placing orders, or going quiet for 30+ days.
You don’t have to lift a finger — it’s constantly tracking customer activity and keeping your segments up to date. Perfect for sending a quick win-back email to inactive shoppers, or nudging cart abandoners before they bounce.
✔️ Real-time segments based on customer actions
✔️ Pulls in store data automatically (purchases, product views, carts)
✔️ No manual tagging needed — it just works
✔️ Great for active/inactive, VIP, high spenders, etc.
⚠️ Not ideal if you want classic tag-based list building
⚠️ Less flexibility for non-eCommerce or content-first businesses
🎯 My Take: Klaviyo is your best friend if you run an online store. It’s built to follow your customers’ journey and trigger emails at the perfect time — no manual setup required.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
Choose ActiveCampaign if you want total control with tags, rules, and advanced segmentation logic. Great for creators, coaches, service providers, or multi-list strategies.
Choose Klaviyo if you run an eCommerce business and want your emails to react automatically to what your customers do — no tagging, no fuss.
🧠 ActiveCampaign = Best for structured, behavior-based segmentation across multiple funnels
⚡ Klaviyo = Best for smart, auto-updating segments tied to your store activity
Forms & Landing Pages: Collecting and Converting Your Audience
💬 Who win For Forms and Landing Pages:
ActiveCampaign wins if you want highly customizable forms and built-in landing page options.
Klaviyo is better if you want quick, product-integrated forms that are super easy to launch — especially for eCommerce.
ActiveCampaign
Flexible Forms + Built-In Landing Pages — Your All-in-One Toolkit
When I first tried ActiveCampaign’s forms, I was pleasantly surprised by how many options I got right out of the box.
Want an inline form that sits nicely on your page? Done. Prefer a pop-up or a floating bar that grabs attention without annoying visitors? Also easy.
But here’s the real winner for me: ActiveCampaign has a landing page builder built right in.
No need to juggle extra tools or pay for something separate — you can create, customize, and publish landing pages all from the same dashboard.
That’s a massive time saver if you want to keep things simple and streamlined.
✅ Inline, pop-up, floating bar, and modal forms
✅ Style and behavior customization (when and how forms appear)
✅ Landing page builder with ready-made templates
✅ Instantly trigger automations like tagging and follow-ups
⚠️ Styling isn’t as fancy as dedicated landing page platforms
⚠️ Might feel a bit much if you only need a simple sign-up form
🎯 My Take: ActiveCampaign is perfect if you want flexibility and convenience. You get powerful forms plus landing pages without needing extra tools — great for marketers who want control without complexity.
Klaviyo
Quick, Smart Forms That Plug Right Into Your Store
Klaviyo’s forms aren’t about fancy design — they’re about getting you signups fast, especially if you’re running an online store.
I loved how easily Klaviyo’s pop-ups and flyouts sync with Shopify — you can target visitors based on their behavior, like exit intent or how far they scroll.
Plus, it supports collecting emails and phone numbers, which is clutch if you want to combine email with SMS marketing.
The trade-off? No built-in landing page builder, so if you want a dedicated page, you’ll need another tool. But if your focus is quick, smart, store-friendly forms that convert, Klaviyo shines.
✅ Easy drag-and-drop form builder
✅ Smart triggers: exit intent, scroll, time delay, and more
✅ Collect emails and phone numbers for SMS marketing
✅ Seamless Shopify and WooCommerce integration
⚠️ No landing page builder inside the platform
⚠️ Limited use outside eCommerce contexts
🎯 My Take: Klaviyo is your go-to if you want fast, conversion-focused forms that plug directly into your store — no fuss, just results.
So, Which One Should You Pick?
Choose ActiveCampaign if you want a one-stop-shop for forms and landing pages, with lots of design and automation options.
Choose Klaviyo if you’re running an eCommerce store and want smart, behavior-triggered forms that sync seamlessly with your products.
🛠️ ActiveCampaign = Best for marketers who want customization and built-in landing pages
⚡ Klaviyo = Best for eCommerce sellers looking for quick, smart, store-integrated forms
💬 Who win For Reports?
Klaviyo wins if you’re an eCommerce brand and want to tie every email to actual revenue.
ActiveCampaign is better if you want broader, more detailed reporting across your whole marketing funnel.
ActiveCampaign
Detailed Insights Across Your Marketing Universe
I remember when I first opened ActiveCampaign’s reports — it felt like stepping into the control room of a spaceship. There’s so much info, but it’s all gold if you’re running complex campaigns.
You get the usual stuff like opens and clicks, sure. But what’s cooler is seeing how people move through your automations, tracking if they hit your goals, and understanding your whole funnel — not just email stats.
If you like geeking out over numbers and want to see how every piece of your marketing puzzle fits, ActiveCampaign gives you the tools to do it. Just be ready to spend a little time figuring out the ropes.
It’s super helpful if you’re running multi-channel campaigns and want to keep an eye on the big picture.
✅ Campaign reports with opens, clicks, bounces, etc.
✅ Automation and contact journey tracking
✅ Goal tracking and attribution reporting
✅ Great for multi-step funnels and CRM integration
❌ Reports can be data-heavy for newer users
❌ No direct tie-in to sales data unless you integrate with eCommerce or CRM
Klaviyo
Revenue-Focused Reporting That Speaks Your (Sales) Language
Klaviyo’s reporting is all about money in the bank. You’ll see how much revenue each campaign, flow, and segment is bringing in — in real-time. It’s super clear, visual, and directly connected to your store data. For eCommerce brands, this is gold.
You can also break down performance by product, customer segment, time range, and more. It’s less about general engagement stats and more about what’s driving sales.
✅ Real-time revenue tracking for each email and flow
✅ Easy-to-read dashboards and performance summaries
✅ Product, segment, and campaign-specific breakdowns
✅ Integrates deeply with Shopify and other platforms
❌ Not as detailed for non-sales metrics like lead nurturing or funnel tracking
❌ Less flexible if you’re not running an online store
Email Deliverability: Getting Into Inboxes (Not Spam Folders)
💬 Who win For Email Deliverability?
ActiveCampaign wins for consistently strong deliverability backed by advanced tools and list hygiene features.
Klaviyo is solid too — especially for eCommerce — but can require more effort to maintain high inbox placement if you’re scaling fast.
ActiveCampaign
Deliverability Built for the Long Haul
ActiveCampaign has a strong reputation for email deliverability, and it shows. They offer automated list cleaning, engagement tracking, and deliverability reports, helping you keep your sender reputation in check. You can also enable features like custom domains, SPF/DKIM setup, and dedicated IPs (on higher plans) to really optimize performance.
It’s a platform built to help your emails land exactly where they should: in the inbox.
✅ Consistently high deliverability rates
✅ Built-in tools to clean lists and suppress inactive contacts
✅ Custom domain authentication (SPF, DKIM)
✅ Great for long-term sender health
❌ Best deliverability tools are only available on higher-tier plans
❌ Requires some setup to fully optimize
Klaviyo
Good for Stores, but Watch Your Volume
Klaviyo also has solid deliverability — especially if you’re a smaller eCommerce business sending to engaged lists. Their infrastructure supports high inbox placement, and they offer tools like smart sending (to avoid over-emailing) and double opt-in to help improve your sender reputation.
However, users scaling quickly or sending high volumes sometimes see dips in performance, especially if lists aren’t cleaned regularly. So, while strong overall, it may require more maintenance as you grow.
✅ Reliable inbox placement for smaller to mid-sized lists
✅ Smart sending and double opt-in available
✅ Integrates with your store to track engagement and clean lists
❌ May require more effort to maintain high deliverability at scale
❌ Fewer advanced deliverability settings compared to ActiveCampaign
Pricing: What’s the Cost to Grow?
💬 Who win For Pricing?
Klaviyo wins for small eCommerce stores that want to get started for free and scale gradually.
ActiveCampaign is better if you’re a business that needs powerful tools with flexible pricing across tiers.
ActiveCampaign
Scalable Pricing for Serious Marketers
ActiveCampaign uses a tiered pricing model based on both features and contact count. You’ll pay more as your list grows, but you also unlock advanced features like CRM tools, site tracking, SMS, and split automations. The good news? Even the entry-level plans are loaded with powerful features — and there’s a 14-day free trial to test things out.
✅ Starts around $19/month for 1,000 contacts
✅ Tiered pricing based on contact size + features
✅ All plans include automation, forms, and segmentation
✅ Free trial available
❌ No forever-free plan
❌ Pricing climbs quickly as your list grows
🟩 Klaviyo
Free to Start, Built to Scale
Klaviyo offers a generous free plan — up to 500 contacts and 500 monthly email sends, perfect for new eCommerce stores. As you grow, pricing is based on your contact list size, with email-only or email + SMS plans available. It’s flexible, and you only pay for what you use. However, once your list gets big, the cost can ramp up quickly.
✅ Free plan up to 500 contacts
✅ Starts at $30/month for up to 500 contacts (email only)
✅ Pay-as-you-grow model
✅ Email & SMS pricing available
❌ Gets expensive at higher contact tiers
❌ No tiered feature unlocks — all features included, but priced by list size
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo – Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing between ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo really depends on your business type, goals, and how deep you want to go with automation and data.
✅ Pick ActiveCampaign if:
You run a service-based business, SaaS, or B2B company and need powerful automation plus a built-in CRM.
You want total flexibility in how you build emails, manage contacts, and create customer journeys.
You rely on advanced segmentation, multi-step funnels, or conditional logic in your automations.
You prefer detailed reporting and want to manage everything — email, forms, automation, and landing pages — in one place.
✅ Pick Klaviyo if:
You’re running an eCommerce store and want pre-built automations like abandoned cart, product recommendations, and welcome flows.
You want fast setup with minimal manual work — especially if you use Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.
You care about real-time performance and want to tie every email or flow directly to revenue.
You like starting for free and only paying more as your list and store grow.
👉 My Suggestion:
If you’re an eCommerce brand looking to drive revenue with smart, plug-and-play automations, Klaviyo is the clear choice. It’s made for online stores and does a great job connecting your marketing to your sales.
But if you’re a service business, coach, B2B company, or digital marketer who needs deeper automation, flexible list management, and a more comprehensive CRM-style platform, ActiveCampaign will serve you better in the long run.
Both tools are excellent — it just comes down to which one fits your business style and growth strategy best.
