The verdict
For a small B2B team that nurtures leads, scores engagement and hands warm ones to sales, I'd pick ActiveCampaign. The automation depth is the stronger side, and it has a documented API, webhooks and an official remote MCP server.
If you run a small service business, such as coaching, consulting or an agency, and want to book, quote, invoice and take payment in the same place, I'd pick Keap.
If your CRM needs are complex, with several custom objects and cross-object reporting, neither is the final answer. Look at HubSpot or Pipedrive for the CRM. Both tools price by contact count, and Keap carries an early termination fee on annual contracts, so trial before you commit.
Side by side
| 7 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $15/mo | $249/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | No |
| Built-in CRM | Yes | Yes |
| SMS / multi-channel | Yes | Yes |
| Visual automation builder | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
ActiveCampaign
- Starter$15/mo
- Plus$49/mo
- Pro$79/mo
- Enterprise$145/mo
Keap
- Keap$299/mo
Who each is for
Choose ActiveCampaign if…
Pick ActiveCampaign when you want serious automation and a light CRM for a small team. I have used ActiveCampaign on several B2B projects, including my own startup. For email and automation it did the job and gave me more than I expected for the price.
It had rough edges. Now and then an automation did not trigger when it should, and very large workflows were slow to load. The CRM was where I hit the wall: I wanted custom objects and relational data and worked around it with tags. The developer docs now list a guide for custom objects on contacts, so check how far that goes.
It also connects to over a thousand apps, by the vendor's count.
Choose Keap if…
Pick Keap when you run a small service business and the pain is follow-up that nobody owns. Coaches, consultants and agencies are the natural fit.
A lead fills in a form, gets tagged and nudged, books an appointment and receives an invoice, and the whole thread stays on the contact record. A Business Line gives you a number for calls and texts that also lands on that record. Text marketing is an add-on, and the vendor lists over 5,000 integrations, including Zapier.
Keap is a sales-and-follow-up tool more than an email design tool. If advanced segmentation and email design are your main goal, check the email features first. Larger teams with detailed permissions and custom reporting may outgrow it.
Other options worth a look
SMS, RCS and email retention marketing for Shopify stores, with flows, opt-in tools and per-message pricing.
Email, SMS and web push marketing for online stores, with ready-made automations and a free plan to start.