HubSpot Marketing Hub vs ActiveCampaign: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
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Short answer
In our marketing automation ranking, HubSpot Marketing Hub scores 85/100 and ActiveCampaign scores 86/100. ActiveCampaign offers comparable automation depth for a fraction of the price, while HubSpot includes lead scoring and custom reports on Professional, connected to its CRM, at $800 a month plus a $3,000 onboarding fee.
Pick HubSpot Marketing Hub if…
- You want workflows, lead scoring and custom reports on one plan without add-ons
- Your sales team already works in HubSpot CRM
- You need multi-touch revenue attribution (Enterprise)
Pick ActiveCampaign if…
- You want unlimited automation actions for $49 a month instead of $800
- You'd rather not pay an onboarding fee
- You need attribution and predictive sending for under $100 a month
What it costs
1,000 contacts, annual billing, from each vendor's list prices. HubSpot's one-time onboarding fees are added to the first year. Taxes and add-ons excluded.
| Need | HubSpot Marketing Hub plan | HubSpot Marketing Hub per year | ActiveCampaign plan | ActiveCampaign per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic email automation, 1 user | Starter ($7/seat) | $84 | Starter ($15) | $180 |
| Full multi-step workflows, 1 user | Professional ($800/mo + $3,000 onboarding) | $12,600 | Plus ($49) | $588 |
| Plus 3 users and lead scoring | Professional ($800/mo + $3,000 onboarding) | $12,600 | Pro ($79) + Pipelines add-on | $948 + add-on |
| Plus multi-touch attribution | Enterprise ($3,600/mo + $7,000 onboarding) | $50,200 | Pro ($79), attribution included | $948 |
HubSpot's pricing page shows Marketing Hub Starter at both $7 and $20 per seat and labels lower Starter prices as limited-time offers; Professional is $890 a month on monthly billing. HubSpot Professional includes 2,000 marketing contacts and Enterprise 10,000. ActiveCampaign's Pipelines add-on price isn't shown on its pricing page. Prices from HubSpot Marketing Hub and ActiveCampaign pricing pages, checked Oct 31, 2026. Vendors change plans often; confirm before you buy.
Plans and features side by side
| Feature | HubSpot Marketing Hub | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | Starter, $7/seat/mo (also listed at $20) | Starter, $15/mo at 1,000 contacts |
| Main plan for automation | Professional, $800/mo billed annually | Plus, $49/mo; Pro, $79/mo |
| Users included | 3 seats on Professional, 5 on Enterprise | 1 on Starter and Plus, 3 on Pro, 5 on Enterprise |
| Automation limits | Starter: up to 10 automated actions for email; Professional: up to 300 workflows | Starter: 5 actions per automation; unlimited from Plus |
| Lead scoring | Listed from Professional (up to 5 scores) | In the Pipelines add-on, from Plus |
| A/B testing | Listed on Enterprise | Email split testing on all plans; in automations from Pro |
| Custom reporting | Listed from Professional (up to 100 reports) | Listed on Enterprise; add-on on Plus and Pro |
| Attribution | Multi-touch revenue attribution on Enterprise | Listed from Pro |
| Onboarding fee | $3,000 on Professional, $7,000 on Enterprise | None listed |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan for up to 2 users | 14-day trial, no credit card |
| G2 user rating | 4.4/5 (16,039 reviews) | 4.4/5 (14,841 reviews) |
| Vettlo score | 85/100 | 86/100 |
"Listed from" means the feature first appears on that plan on the vendor's public pricing page.
Where HubSpot Marketing Hub is stronger
- Lead scoring and reports on one plan. Professional includes up to 5 lead scores and 100 custom reports with no add-ons.
- One system with the CRM. Marketing Hub runs on HubSpot's CRM, so sales sees scores and campaign history on the same records.
- A free plan. The free plan covers up to 2 users and includes email automation and lead capture forms.
Where ActiveCampaign is stronger
- Much lower price for full automation. Unlimited automation actions cost $588 a year on Plus at 1,000 contacts, against $12,600 in year one for HubSpot Professional with onboarding.
- No onboarding fee. None is listed on any plan; HubSpot charges $3,000 on Professional and $7,000 on Enterprise.
- Attribution on a mid-tier plan. Pro ($79 a month) includes attribution and predictive sending; HubSpot lists multi-touch attribution on Enterprise at $3,600 a month.
How to decide
- List the features you need on day one: lead scoring and custom reports point to HubSpot Professional or ActiveCampaign Pro with add-ons.
- Price year one at your contact count, adding HubSpot's onboarding fee and any ActiveCampaign add-ons.
- Count users: ActiveCampaign Plus includes 1, Pro 3; HubSpot Professional includes 3 seats.
- If your sales team already uses HubSpot CRM, weigh the value of one system against the price gap.
HubSpot Marketing Hub vs ActiveCampaign FAQ
Is ActiveCampaign cheaper than HubSpot?
Yes, at every tier we priced. At 1,000 contacts billed yearly, ActiveCampaign Plus costs $588 a year and Pro $948, against $12,600 in year one for HubSpot Marketing Hub Professional ($800 a month plus $3,000 onboarding).
Which has built-in lead scoring?
HubSpot includes lead scoring on Professional, with up to 5 scores. ActiveCampaign sells lead scoring in its Pipelines add-on, available from Plus.
Does HubSpot charge an onboarding fee for Marketing Hub?
Yes: $3,000 one-time on Professional and $7,000 on Enterprise. Starter has none, and ActiveCampaign lists none.
Which scores higher in Vettlo's ranking?
ActiveCampaign, with 86/100 against 85/100 for HubSpot Marketing Hub. ActiveCampaign rates higher on price; HubSpot rates higher on lead scoring and reporting.
Other options
If neither fits, see our full ranking of 5 marketing automation tools, with who each one is for and what it costs. Or see our guide to the HubSpot Marketing Hub alternatives.