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31
October
,
2024
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Choosing the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool can be a challenge, especially when comparing platforms like ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, and HubSpot.
Each has its unique strengths, pricing and ideal use cases.
Below, we break down the pros and cons of each CRM, along with their starting price points and the businesses they best suit.
ActiveCampaign is a powerful all-in-one marketing and automation tool, well-known for its advanced email marketing features and automation capabilities. It also integrates with a very large range of platforms and tech stacks.
It is a robust solution for businesses looking for deep customisation, automation and integrations.
• Advanced Automation: Offers complex automation workflows, ideal for nurturing leads and customer retention.
• Comprehensive CRM: Provides built-in CRM functionality, allowing for seamless email marketing and sales management.
• Affordability: Competitive pricing compared to similar platforms, making it appealing for small to mid-sized businesses.
• Customer Support: Strong customer support with one-on-one training and robust documentation.
• Integrations: ActiveCampaign has a strong API and has native integrations with many popular apps
• Advanced & Flexible Email Builder: The ActiveCampaign email builder is one of the best around in terms of functionality. The email builder is very advanced and allows you to save whole sections for use again in a library. It also allows flexibility to have a mix of html and using blocks in the email builder for businesses where design is key.
• Limited Social Media Tools: Lacks in-depth social media integration compared to competitors like HubSpot.
• Basic Reporting on Lower Plans: reporting features are generally basic with custom reporting only available on higher-tier plans.
Those looking to bring down the cost of their CRM. Small to mid-sized businesses looking for a blend of CRM and email marketing, particularly those that need automated workflows. We use ActiveCampaign ourselves at Walk Digital.
• Starter Plan $23 per month
Klaviyo is a CRM platform tailored primarily for e-commerce businesses, offering powerful email marketing and SMS marketing solutions. It’s known for its deep integrations with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce.
• E-commerce Focus: Excellent for businesses looking to leverage customer data for targeted email campaigns and SMS marketing.
• Rich Analytics: Offers detailed analytics and tracking, allowing businesses to measure the impact of each campaign.
• Highly Scalable: Suitable for both small startups and large-scale enterprises, especially in the e-commerce sector.
• User-Friendly Interface: Easier to use compared to more complex platforms
• Limited Beyond E-commerce: Klaviyo is tailored to e-commerce, so it may not be suitable for businesses outside this niche all though they have been expanding into other areas.
• Pricing Can Scale Quickly: As your contact list grows, the pricing increases significantly.
• Lack of Built-in CRM Features: Not a full-fledged CRM; its main focus is marketing automation. You can’t manage your sales pipeline if this is needed
E-commerce businesses that need to focus on email and SMS marketing, especially those using Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce.
• Free Plan: Up to 250 contacts, 500 emails (limited features).
• Paid Plans: Start at $20/month for 500 contacts (approximately AUD 31).
HubSpot is an all-in-one CRM platform that covers marketing, sales, and customer service. It’s highly scalable and integrates seamlessly with various tools, offering a full suite of features for businesses of any size.
• Comprehensive Suite: Combines CRM, marketing, sales, and customer support, making it an all-in-one solution.
• Ease of Use: HubSpot's interface is intuitive and beginner-friendly, making it ideal for businesses with limited CRM experience.
• Free CRM: The free version includes a robust CRM with access to contact management, deal pipelines, and email tracking.
• Extensive Integration Options: Seamless integration with a variety of platforms and tools.
• Expensive as You Scale: While the free CRM is generous, the advanced features in the paid plans can be costly. It is by far the most expensive choice between the 3
• No Automation in Free Plan: The free CRM lacks the advanced automation features available in the paid versions.
• More Suited to Larger Teams: Some of the best features are only truly beneficial for medium to large businesses.
• Limited Email Builder Functionality: The email builder in the platforms limited. You cannot use a blend of html and the builder as you can with some of the other CRMs.
Businesses looking for a fully integrated CRM with marketing, sales, and customer service functions, particularly those that expect to scale over time.
• Free Plan: Free CRM with limited features with Marketing pro starting at AU$1,151/mo if you need more advanced features.
Each of these CRMs: ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, and HubSpot offer unique advantages and trade-offs that cater to different business needs.
ActiveCampaign is ideal for small to mid-sized businesses needing automation nurture, to integrate other platforms or a great email builder. Plus it is a very affordable option. Klaviyo excels in e-commerce with its focus on data-driven email and SMS marketing, while HubSpot provides a comprehensive solution suited to larger teams seeking full sales CRM functionality.
Ultimately, the right choice will depend on your business's size, industry focus, and desired features. We recommend choosing the one that best meets your needs with your long-term growth and customer relationship goals. If you’d like to chat through your options, book a call with us and we can help you decide.
