ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo
Compare ActiveCampaign and Klaviyo drip email features, automation builders, e-commerce capabilities, pricing, and deliverability.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
ActiveCampaign
www.activecampaign.comMarketing automation built for customer experience
Best for: Mid-size businesses needing advanced drip logic and CRM integration
Klaviyo
www.klaviyo.comMarketing automation for e-commerce
Best for: E-commerce brands (especially Shopify) needing revenue-driven email and SMS automation
TL;DR: ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo for Drip Campaigns
This is a close matchup between two strong platforms, but they serve different audiences. Klaviyo is the best choice for e-commerce brands, especially Shopify stores, with deep product data integration, predictive analytics, and revenue-focused flows. ActiveCampaign is more versatile for B2B, services, and SaaS with its CRM, lead scoring, and broader automation logic. For pure e-commerce drip, Klaviyo wins. For everything else, ActiveCampaign wins.
Versatile drip automation with CRM for B2B and services.
E-commerce drip engine with deep Shopify integration and revenue tracking.
SaaS-native drip platform with Stripe/Paddle billing triggers.
Editor's Note
This comparison highlights how important vertical focus is. Klaviyo dominates e-commerce drip, while ActiveCampaign is the better general-purpose automation tool. Choose based on your industry.
ActiveCampaign vs Klaviyo vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce data depth | Good via Shopify/WooCommerce integrations | Exceptional, product-level data, predicted LTV, RFM segments | SaaS billing data, not e-commerce focused | Klaviyo |
| CRM and sales tools | Full sales CRM with deal tracking | No CRM, customer profiles only | Subscriber profiles with billing data | ActiveCampaign |
| Revenue attribution | Via e-commerce integrations | Native, real-time revenue per email and flow | Native MRR tracking per sequence | Klaviyo |
| Predictive analytics | Predictive sending | Predicted LTV, churn risk, next order date | Basic engagement scoring | Klaviyo |
| SMS marketing | Available on Plus plan | Built-in SMS with flow integration | Not available | Klaviyo |
| Lead scoring | Contact and deal scoring | No traditional scoring, uses predictive data instead | Basic engagement scoring | ActiveCampaign |
| Non-e-commerce versatility | Excellent for B2B, SaaS, services | Designed for e-commerce, limited for other verticals | Designed specifically for SaaS | ActiveCampaign |
| SaaS billing triggers | Via Zapier | Via Zapier | Native Stripe and Paddle triggers | Sequenzy |
Score Breakdown
Totals: ActiveCampaign 66/80, Klaviyo 64/80, Sequenzy 61/80.
Drip Email Feature Comparison
Feature-by-feature analysis of drip campaign capabilities.
Sequence Building
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-step flows | 9/10 Unlimited steps with complex branching | 9/10 Unlimited steps in flows with conditional splits | 8/10 Unlimited steps with conditional logic |
| Conditional branching | 9/10 If/else, split actions, wait conditions | 9/10 Conditional splits based on product, behavior, profile data | 7/10 If/else based on tags, events, billing status |
| Product-based logic | 6/10 Via e-commerce integration, limited product data | 10/10 Native product recommendations, catalog data in flows | 3/10 Not e-commerce focused |
| Time delays | 9/10 Wait for time, date, condition, or day of week | 8/10 Wait for time delay, smart send time | 8/10 Wait for duration, date, or business hours |
E-Commerce Targeting
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFM segmentation | 4/10 Manual setup via custom fields and scoring | 10/10 Native RFM (recency, frequency, monetary) segments | 2/10 Not applicable |
| Predicted LTV | 3/10 Not available natively | 10/10 Machine learning predicted lifetime value per customer | 3/10 Not available |
| Product recommendations | 5/10 Basic via Shopify integration | 10/10 AI-powered product recommendations in emails and flows | 2/10 Not applicable |
General Automation
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal tracking | 9/10 Built-in goal steps | 6/10 Metric-based goals in flows | 7/10 Conversion goals per sequence |
| CRM actions | 9/10 Create deals, update stages, assign contacts | 0/10 No CRM | 3/10 Basic subscriber management |
| Lead scoring | 9/10 Contact and deal scoring with custom rules | 4/10 Uses predictive data instead of traditional scoring | 5/10 Engagement scoring |
Pricing Comparison
Klaviyo pricing is competitive at lower tiers but escalates quickly. ActiveCampaign is more predictable. Both are significantly more expensive than simpler tools. Klaviyo pricing by contacts (called "active profiles") is similar to ActiveCampaign model.
14-day free trial. No free plan.
Free plan: 250 contacts, 500 email sends/month.
14-day free trial. Plans from $19/mo for 15,000 emails.
| Tier | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 contacts | $29/mo Lite plan | $30/mo Email plan | $19/mo (15K emails) Full drip features included |
| 5,000 contacts | $99/mo Plus plan recommended | $100/mo Email plan | $19/mo (15K emails) Same plan covers this tier |
| 10,000 contacts | $149/mo Plus plan with CRM | $150/mo Email plan | $49/mo (50K emails) Growth plan |
| 50,000 contacts | $399/mo Professional plan | $720/mo Email plan (scales steeply) | $99/mo (150K emails) Pro plan |
Pricing Verdict: Pricing is similar up to 10K contacts, but Klaviyo becomes significantly more expensive at larger scales. ActiveCampaign offers more predictable pricing. Sequenzy is the most affordable option for SaaS drip campaigns specifically.
Cost Note
Pricing checked March 2026. Klaviyo steep scaling above 10K contacts is a common concern. ActiveCampaign pricing is more linear and predictable.
Drip Campaign Types Comparison
How each platform handles different types of drip email campaigns.
Abandoned Cart
Recovering abandoned shopping carts
ActiveCampaign
Via Shopify/WooCommerce integration
Klaviyo
Best-in-class: product images, dynamic pricing, multi-step with SMS
Sequenzy
Not applicable (SaaS-focused)
Verdict: Klaviyo abandoned cart flows are industry-leading.
Post-Purchase Upsell
Cross-sell and upsell after purchase
ActiveCampaign
E-commerce automations with product paths
Klaviyo
AI product recommendations in automated flows
Sequenzy
Plan upgrade sequences with billing triggers
Verdict: Klaviyo product recommendation engine excels for e-commerce upsells.
Welcome Series
Onboarding new subscribers
ActiveCampaign
Advanced automation with conditional branches
Klaviyo
Welcome flow with dynamic product content
Sequenzy
Pre-built SaaS welcome sequences
Verdict: Both handle welcome series well. ActiveCampaign is more flexible for non-e-commerce.
Trial-to-Paid Conversion
Converting trial users to paid subscribers
ActiveCampaign
CRM pipeline plus automation
Klaviyo
Not designed for SaaS trials
Sequenzy
Native Stripe/Paddle trial tracking with pre-built sequences
Verdict: Sequenzy is purpose-built for trial conversion. Klaviyo is not designed for this.
Win-Back Campaign
Re-engaging lapsed customers
ActiveCampaign
Engagement scoring with conditional re-engagement
Klaviyo
Predicted churn risk triggers win-back flows with product suggestions
Sequenzy
Engagement-based triggers with churn detection
Verdict: Klaviyo predictive churn data powers smarter win-back campaigns.
SaaS Churn Prevention
Preventing subscription cancellations
ActiveCampaign
Custom event triggers with CRM stages
Klaviyo
Not built for subscription SaaS churn
Sequenzy
Native subscription cancellation and downgrade triggers
Verdict: Sequenzy excels at SaaS churn prevention. Klaviyo is focused on e-commerce retention.
The Bigger Picture
For SaaS businesses, neither Klaviyo nor ActiveCampaign provides native billing-event triggers. Sequenzy fills this gap with direct Stripe and Paddle integration for trial conversion, upgrade, and churn drip sequences at $19/mo.
Automation Builder Comparison
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual flow editor | Yes Advanced drag-and-drop flowchart | Yes Visual flow builder with conditional splits | Yes Step-based visual editor |
| If/else branching | Yes Unlimited nested conditions | Yes Conditional splits with profile and event data | Yes Conditional branches per step |
| Product data in flows | Yes Via e-commerce integration | Yes Native product feed with dynamic blocks | No Not applicable |
| Split testing | Yes Split actions in automations | Yes A/B testing for subject lines and content in flows | Yes A/B testing per step |
| SMS in flows | Yes On Plus plan and above | Yes Native SMS steps in any flow | No Not available |
| Goal steps | Yes Skip contacts to goal | No Uses metric-based flow filters instead | Yes Conversion goal tracking |
| CRM actions | Yes Create deals, update stages | No No CRM | No Subscriber management only |
| Predictive triggers | No Not available | Yes Trigger on predicted LTV, churn risk, next order date | No Not available |
Email Templates & Editor
| Aspect | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor type | Drag-and-drop plus HTML editor | Drag-and-drop with dynamic product blocks | Drag-and-drop with code option |
| Pre-built templates | 125+ email templates | 80+ e-commerce-focused templates | 40+ SaaS-focused templates |
| Product blocks | Basic via integration | Native product feed blocks, recommendations, catalog data | Not applicable |
| Dynamic content | Conditional content blocks | Dynamic blocks pulling from product catalog and customer data | Conditional blocks for subscriber data |
| Mobile preview | Built-in mobile and desktop preview | Built-in responsive preview | Responsive preview included |
Deliverability Comparison
| Factor | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average inbox placement | 93% (industry tests) | 89% (industry tests) | 91% (internal benchmarks) |
| Dedicated IP | Available on Enterprise plan | Included for high-volume senders | Not available |
| DKIM/SPF | Full support with guided setup | Full support with guided setup | Full support with setup wizard |
| Bounce handling | Automatic hard/soft bounce management | Automatic bounce handling with smart suppression | Automatic bounce management |
| List hygiene | Inactive contact cleanup, engagement tagging | Sunset flow templates for inactive profiles | Engagement-based list cleaning |
| Smart sending | Predictive sending | Smart send time per recipient | Timezone-based sending |
ActiveCampaign has a slight deliverability edge. Klaviyo aggressive sending pace (common in e-commerce) can impact deliverability if not managed with sunset flows.
Integration Ecosystem
ActiveCampaign: ~900 integrations. Klaviyo: ~350. Sequenzy: ~35.
E-commerce Platforms
| Service | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Yes (Deep native integration) | Yes (Best-in-class native integration) | No (Not supported (SaaS-focused)) |
| BigCommerce | Yes (Native integration) | Yes (Deep native integration) | No (Not supported) |
| WooCommerce | Yes (Native integration) | Yes (Native integration) | No (Not supported) |
Payment/Billing
| Service | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Native deep integration) |
| ReCharge | Yes (Via integration) | Yes (Native integration for subscriptions) | Yes (Native deep integration) |
Reviews/Social Proof
| Service | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yotpo | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Native integration) | No (Not supported) |
| Trustpilot | Yes (Via Zapier) | Yes (Via integration) | No (Not supported) |
Analytics & Reporting
| Metric | ActiveCampaign | Klaviyo | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per email | Via e-commerce integrations | Native, real-time, per email and per flow | MRR impact per sequence |
| Open rate tracking | Yes, with trends | Yes, with benchmarks | Yes, per step and overall |
| Click rate tracking | Yes, with click maps | Yes, with click maps | Yes, per link |
| Predictive analytics | Predictive sending only | Predicted LTV, churn risk, gender, next order date | Not available |
| Flow performance | Per-step conversion rates | Revenue attributed per flow and per step | Per-step conversion tracking |
ActiveCampaign: Unique
- + Contact trending reports
- + Deal attribution
- + Custom report builder
- + Automation map
Klaviyo: Unique
- + Predicted lifetime value
- + Revenue per recipient
- + Product performance by email
- + RFM analysis dashboard
Sequenzy: Unique
- + MRR impact per sequence
- + Trial conversion funnel
- + Churn prevention metrics
Pros & Cons
ActiveCampaign
Pros
- + More versatile across industries (B2B, SaaS, services)
- + Built-in CRM with lead scoring
- + Higher deliverability in independent tests
- + Larger overall integration ecosystem
- + More predictable pricing at scale
Cons
- - E-commerce capabilities are less deep than Klaviyo
- - No predictive analytics for customer behavior
- - Product recommendation blocks are limited
- - No native RFM segmentation
- - SMS is a paid add-on, not built-in
Klaviyo
Pros
- + Best-in-class e-commerce data integration
- + Predictive analytics (LTV, churn risk, next order date)
- + Native product recommendations in emails
- + Revenue attribution per email and flow
- + Built-in SMS with flow integration
Cons
- - Pricing escalates steeply above 10K contacts
- - No CRM or lead scoring
- - Not suited for B2B or SaaS use cases
- - Complex for non-e-commerce businesses
- - Free plan is very limited (250 contacts)
Best For: Who Should Use What?
Shopify store automation
Abandoned cart, post-purchase, and win-back flows
Klaviyo best-in-class Shopify integration, product recommendations, and revenue tracking are unmatched for e-commerce.
B2B lead nurture
Multi-step nurture with scoring and CRM handoff
ActiveCampaign CRM, lead scoring, and versatile automation builder are designed for B2B workflows.
SaaS trial conversion
Converting free trial users to paid
Sequenzy native billing triggers and pre-built SaaS sequences handle this better than either general-purpose tool.
DTC brand with SMS
Email plus SMS flows for direct-to-consumer brand
Klaviyo unified email and SMS in flows with product data creates the best DTC experience.
SaaS with Stripe billing
Billing-driven drip campaigns for a SaaS product
Neither ActiveCampaign nor Klaviyo offers native Stripe triggers. Sequenzy is built for this.
Migration Guide
ActiveCampaign to Klaviyo
- 1. Export contacts with tags and custom fields from ActiveCampaign
- 2. Import profiles into Klaviyo with property mapping
- 3. Connect e-commerce platform (Shopify, etc.) to Klaviyo
- 4. Recreate automations as Klaviyo flows
- 5. Set up equivalent segments and lists
- 6. Test all flows before activating
Watch Out
- ! CRM deals and lead scoring have no Klaviyo equivalent
- ! Non-e-commerce automations may not translate well
- ! Goal steps need to be reimagined as conditional splits
- ! Historical engagement data stays in ActiveCampaign
Klaviyo to ActiveCampaign
- 1. Export profiles with properties from Klaviyo
- 2. Import contacts into ActiveCampaign
- 3. Recreate flows as ActiveCampaign automations
- 4. Set up CRM and lead scoring if needed
- 5. Connect e-commerce integrations
- 6. Configure domain authentication
Watch Out
- ! Predictive data (LTV, churn risk) will not transfer
- ! Product recommendation blocks will need manual recreation
- ! RFM segments have no direct ActiveCampaign equivalent
- ! Revenue attribution needs reconfiguration
The Bottom Line
Choose ActiveCampaign if...
- ✓ You are a B2B, SaaS, or services business
- ✓ CRM and lead scoring are essential
- ✓ You want versatile automation for non-e-commerce workflows
- ✓ Budget predictability at scale matters
Choose Klaviyo if...
- ✓ You run an e-commerce store, especially on Shopify
- ✓ Revenue attribution per email is important
- ✓ You want predictive analytics for customer behavior
- ✓ You need SMS integrated into your e-commerce flows
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Klaviyo better than ActiveCampaign for e-commerce?
Yes. Klaviyo is purpose-built for e-commerce with product-level data, predictive analytics, and native Shopify integration. ActiveCampaign is more versatile across industries but less deep for e-commerce specifically.
Can I use Klaviyo for a SaaS business?
Klaviyo is designed for e-commerce and lacks features SaaS businesses need, like CRM, lead scoring, and billing-event triggers. ActiveCampaign or Sequenzy would be better choices for SaaS.
Why is Klaviyo so expensive at scale?
Klaviyo pricing scales steeply with contact count. At 50K contacts it costs around $720/mo. This reflects its deep data infrastructure but can be prohibitive for businesses with large lists and lower margins.
Which has better predictive analytics?
Klaviyo, by a wide margin. It offers predicted lifetime value, churn risk, gender prediction, and expected next order date. ActiveCampaign offers predictive sending only.
Can ActiveCampaign do abandoned cart emails?
Yes, via Shopify and WooCommerce integrations. However, Klaviyo abandoned cart flows include product images, dynamic pricing, and multi-step sequences with SMS, which are more sophisticated.