ActiveCampaign vs Marketo
Complete comparison guide to help you choose the right marketing tool for your needs.
The Winner
Too Close to Call
Both ActiveCampaign and Marketo are excellent choices. Your decision should be based on specific feature needs and use case.
Quick Comparison
| Criteria |  ActiveCampaign |  Marketo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/mo Best | Custom pricing |
| User Rating | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Review Count | 18,162 Best | 7,505 |
| Free Trial | 14 days Best | No |
| Annual Discount | 20% Best | N/A |
| Best For | B2B marketers with complex automations | Enterprise multi-channel marketing automation |
Feature Breakdown
Feature Comparison
ActiveCampaign Marketo ActiveCampaign
- Industry-Leading Automation
- Built-In CRM
- High Deliverability
- Predictive AI
- Learning Curve
- Contact-Based Pricing Scales
- Mixed Support Reviews
Marketo
- Sophisticated AI-Powered Lead Scoring
- Deep CRM Integration
- Enterprise-Scale ABM
- Proven ROI at Scale
- Steep Learning Curve
- No Public Pricing Transparency
- Long Implementation Timeline
ActiveCampaign Overview
ActiveCampaign excels at marketing automation for growing businesses. Starting at $15/month, it offers visual workflow building, CRM with sales automation, and AI-powered predictive sending. Best for B2B marketers and agencies who need sophisticated automation without Salesforce-level complexity or pricing.
Best For:
- B2B marketers with complex automations
- Small businesses wanting CRM and email marketing combined
- Agencies managing multiple client accounts
Marketo Overview
Adobe Marketo Engage is a powerful enterprise marketing automation platform with AI-powered lead scoring, advanced ABM capabilities, and deep CRM integration. Best for large B2B organizations with dedicated marketing ops teams and budgets starting at $40K+/year. Expect a 3-month implementation period but 5.44x average ROI once deployed.
Best For:
- Enterprise multi-channel marketing automation
- B2B companies with long sales cycles requiring sophisticated lead nurturing
- Marketing teams already using Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics CRM
- Organizations needing advanced ABM (Account-Based Marketing) capabilities
- Companies with dedicated marketing operations specialists
- Businesses requiring deep analytics, attribution, and ROI tracking
Our Verdict
Both ActiveCampaign and Marketo are excellent choices for their respective strengths. ActiveCampaign is ideal for B2B marketers with complex automations, while Marketo shines at Enterprise multi-channel marketing automation. Your final choice should depend on your specific requirements and budget.