Pricing model

States how the vendor charges for the product, for example by contacts, by user, by volume sent or by feature tier, so costs can be compared.
On this pageWhat it is

What it is

The pricing model is the basis on which a vendor charges, not the amount itself. Common bases in marketing automation are the number of contacts stored, the number of emails sent, the number of users, or a bundle of features in tiers. Some tools mix several, charging for contacts and then adding more for extra features. Reading the model tells you what will make a bill grow as your business does.

Why it matters

Two tools with similar headline figures can behave very differently as you grow. A tool that charges by contacts becomes expensive if you hold a large list of mostly inactive people. A tool that charges by emails sent punishes frequent sending. Charging per user is gentle on a big list and heavy for a large team. Choosing the wrong model for your pattern can turn a cheap tool into an expensive one within a year.

It matters most when you plan to grow your list, send more often or add colleagues. For a very small and stable setup, almost any model is fine.

Also consider what happens at the limits: whether the vendor blocks sending, bills extra or forces a move up a tier.

What to check

  • What exactly is counted: all contacts, only active ones, emails sent, or users.
  • What happens when you go over the limit on your plan.
  • Are key features such as automation, reporting or a dedicated sending address held back for higher tiers.
  • How would the bill change if your list or sending volume doubled.

Tools with Pricing model

  • Keap logo
    ToolClient acquisition
    Keap
    Consolidates customer management, email marketing, sales pipelines and invoicing into one system for small businesses.

    Marketing automation

    From $249/mo yearlyAffiliate link
    Sign up on Keap

    Pricing model: Contact-tiered plans plus per-user fee

  • Postscript logo
    ToolClient acquisition
    Postscript
    SMS, RCS and email retention marketing for Shopify stores, with flows, opt-in tools and per-message pricing.

    Marketing automation

    From $100/moFree plan
    Sign up on Postscript

    Pricing model: Plan fee plus per-message rates, pay after send

  • ActiveCampaign logo
    ToolClient acquisition
    ActiveCampaign
    Automates email, SMS and sales follow-up through visual workflows with a built-in CRM and contact lists.

    Marketing automation

    From $15/moAffiliate link
    Sign up on ActiveCampaign

    Pricing model: Contact-tier based, billed monthly or annually

  • Omnisend logo
    ToolClient acquisition
    Omnisend
    Email, SMS and web push marketing for online stores, with ready-made automations and a free plan to start.

    Marketing automation

    From $16/moFree planAffiliate link
    Sign up on Omnisend

    Pricing model: Contact-based tiers (Free, Standard, Pro, Custom)

  • P(
    ToolClient acquisition
    Pardot (Marketing Cloud Account Engagement)
    Salesforce's B2B marketing automation for lead generation, scoring, nurture and sales alignment on top of the CRM.

    Marketing automation

    From €1,250/mo yearly
    Sign up on Pardot (Marketing Cloud Account Engagement)

    Pricing model: Per-org monthly editions, billed annually

In Marketing automation ranking order; the number is each tool's place. Some of this is collected from public sources and not yet checked by us.

Also in other categories

Tools filed under other categories that have Pricing model.