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Last updated: October 29, 2026

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Best Marketing Automation Software (2027): 6 Tools Compared by Price and Power

For most small businesses, the best marketing automation software is ActiveCampaign: Plus costs about $49 a month at 1,000 contacts with unlimited automation actions, according to 2026 pricing guides, and it has a 14-day trial. HubSpot is best if you want automation on a free CRM and an all-in-one platform (Marketing Hub Professional from $800 a month), Klaviyo is best for ecommerce, and MailerLite is the cheapest real automation, from $12 a month with 50 active automations.

Marketing automation tools compared

* From 2026 pricing guides.

What marketing automation should do

Good marketing automation saves time and earns revenue by sending the right message at the right moment. Look for these capabilities:

1. Triggers: start automations from sign-ups, purchases, page visits, tags or dates.
2. Branching: send different paths based on behaviour (opened, clicked, bought).
3. Segmentation: group contacts by data and actions.
4. Lead scoring: spot sales-ready leads (ActiveCampaign, HubSpot).
5. Multichannel steps: email plus SMS or other channels.
6. Reporting: see which automations drive conversions.

1. ActiveCampaign: best overall

ActiveCampaign's visual automation builder handles multi-branch journeys, lead scoring and sales follow-up in one place. Starter costs about $15 a month at 1,000 contacts, with 5 actions per automation; Plus, about $49, removes that limit and adds sales automation; Pro, about $79, adds A/B testing of automations, according to 2026 pricing guides. It offers a 14-day trial without a credit card.

Watch for: no free plan, and prices rise with contacts. See ActiveCampaign pricing and ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot.

2. HubSpot: best all-in-one platform

HubSpot's CRM is free for 2 users, and Starter costs $7 per seat on annual billing. Its advanced marketing automation sits in Marketing Hub Professional, from $800 a month with 3 core seats and 2,000 marketing contacts, plus a one-time $3,000 onboarding fee. The benefit is one database for marketing, sales and service.

Watch for: the price jump to Professional. See HubSpot pricing.

3. Klaviyo: best for ecommerce

Klaviyo automates around store events (viewed product, added to cart, placed order) and predictive data. It's free for 250 active profiles and costs about $30 a month at 1,000 profiles, according to pricing guides.

Watch for: it's designed for stores, not B2B lead nurturing. See Klaviyo pricing.

4. GetResponse: best with webinars and funnels

GetResponse combines email automation with landing pages, funnels and webinars. Starter (about €13 a month at 1,000 contacts, annual) allows 1 automation workflow; Marketer (about €44) unlocks full automation, including abandoned cart.

Watch for: Starter's single workflow. See GetResponse alternatives.

5. MailerLite: cheapest real automation

MailerLite's free plan includes 3 automations; Comfort, from $12 a month, includes 50 active automations with up to 100 steps each. For welcome series, lead magnets and simple nurturing, it's the best value.

Watch for: no lead scoring or deep CRM. See MailerLite pricing.

6. Brevo: best for large lists and multichannel

Brevo bills by emails sent rather than contacts, includes marketing automation, and adds SMS and WhatsApp with credits. Starter starts at about $9 a month, according to pricing guides.

Watch for: advanced workflows sit on higher tiers *. See Brevo pricing.

What each tool costs at 1,000 contacts

Three real-world scenarios

A consultant nurturing leads from a free guide

A lead-magnet sequence and a welcome series: MailerLite Comfort from $12 a month covers both.

A B2B company scoring leads for sales

Lead scoring, branching nurture and sales handoff: ActiveCampaign Plus (about $49) is the efficient choice; HubSpot Professional if you want everything on one platform.

An online store recovering carts

Abandoned cart, browse abandonment and post-purchase flows: Klaviyo or Omnisend.

Start ActiveCampaign's 14-day trial → No credit card required · Affiliate link

Five automations every business should build

1. Welcome series for new subscribers.
2. Lead-magnet delivery with a short follow-up sequence.
3. Re-engagement for contacts who stopped opening.
4. Post-purchase or post-signup onboarding.
5. Sales handoff when a lead shows buying intent.

See marketing automation examples for templates.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Building complex journeys before the basics work.
2. Automating emails to contacts who didn't opt in.
3. Never reviewing automations once they're live.
4. Paying for enterprise features you don't use.
5. Ignoring deliverability; see our email deliverability guide.

How to choose in 5 steps

1. List the automations you need in the next six months.
2. Count contacts and estimate growth.
3. Decide whether you need a CRM on the same platform.
4. Build one real automation in two trials or free plans.
5. Compare conversions and time saved after a month.

Terms explained

• Trigger: the event that starts an automation.
• Branch: a split in an automation based on conditions.
• Lead scoring: points assigned to contacts by behaviour.
• Nurture sequence: emails that build trust over time.
• Action: one step inside an automation.

Measuring automation results

Track three numbers for every automation: the share of contacts who complete it, the conversion it was built for (purchase, booked call, upgrade) and unsubscribes. Review them monthly and cut steps that don't move the conversion.

Our verdict

ActiveCampaign is the best marketing automation software for most small businesses: powerful automation at about $15 to $79 a month at 1,000 contacts. HubSpot is the best all-in-one platform if budget allows, Klaviyo is the best for ecommerce, and MailerLite is the cheapest way to get real automation, from $12 a month.

How we compiled this ranking

We checked official pricing pages on October 29, 2026 (HubSpot, MailerLite, GetResponse) and used 2026 pricing guides where vendors price through calculators (ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, Brevo), marked with *. We ranked tools on automation capability, cost at 1,000 contacts and fit for common small-business needs. See also best email marketing software for small business.

FAQ

What is the best marketing automation software for small business?

ActiveCampaign for most small businesses; MailerLite for the lowest cost; HubSpot for an all-in-one platform.

How much does marketing automation cost?

From about $12 a month (MailerLite Comfort) to $800 a month or more (HubSpot Marketing Hub Professional), depending on contacts and features.

Is there free marketing automation software?

MailerLite's free plan includes 3 automations; Klaviyo and Omnisend include ecommerce flows on free plans; HubSpot's free CRM includes basic tools.

Is HubSpot worth it for marketing automation?

For teams that want marketing, sales and service on one database and can afford Professional, yes. Smaller teams often get more value from ActiveCampaign.

What's the difference between email marketing and marketing automation?

Email marketing sends campaigns; marketing automation sends triggered, personalized sequences based on behaviour and data.

Do I need a CRM for marketing automation?

Not always. Email-first tools like MailerLite work without one. For lead scoring and sales handoff, a CRM-connected tool such as ActiveCampaign or HubSpot helps.

Sources

activecampaign.com/pricing, hubspot.com/pricing, klaviyo.com/pricing, getresponse.com/pricing, mailerlite.com/pricing and brevo.com/pricing, checked October 29, 2026. ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo and Brevo prices from 2026 pricing guides.