Softwr

Email Marketing · head to head

ActiveCampaign vs Aircall

ActiveCampaign logo

ActiveCampaign

Email Marketing

CRM, marketing automation, and sales platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Aircall logo

Aircall

Telecommunications

Cloud phone system for modern business

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ActiveCampaign has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ActiveCampaign starter tier capped at 5 automation actions per automation; unlimited actions require Plus tier or higher; Aircall a minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
  • They diverge on capability: ActiveCampaign covers Contact management, Aircall covers Cloud phone.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ActiveCampaign and Aircall actually diverge.

Attributes where ActiveCampaign and Aircall differ
AttributeActiveCampaignAircall
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
CategoryEmail MarketingTelecommunications
Founded20032014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ActiveCampaign

  • Contact management
  • Sales pipeline
  • Marketing automation
  • Email marketing
  • Customer service
  • Reporting
  • Automation
  • Zapier

Only in Aircall

  • Cloud phone
  • IVR
  • Call routing
  • Power dialer
  • Analytics
  • Call recording
  • Integrations
  • HubSpot

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ActiveCampaign

  • Businesses automating cross-channel campaigns (email, SMS, WhatsApp)not Aircall
  • Marketing teams needing AI-driven lead scoring and automationnot Aircall

Aircall

  • Cloud phone system for sales and support teamsnot ActiveCampaign
  • Call routing, IVR and shared numbersnot ActiveCampaign
  • Logging calls against CRM records through integrationsnot ActiveCampaign
  • Power dialling outbound lists on the Professional tiernot ActiveCampaign
  • SMS and MMS alongside voicenot ActiveCampaign

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ActiveCampaign

  • Starter tier capped at 5 automation actions per automation; unlimited actions require Plus tier or higher
  • Active Intelligence (AI features) limited or excluded in Starter and Plus tiers; Advanced Intelligence only available in Pro and Enterprise
  • SSO and advanced CRM integrations only available in Pro and Enterprise tiers
  • Multiple users scaling limited: Starter allows 1 user, Plus allows 3, Enterprise allows 5 users

Aircall

  • A minimum of 3 users on the published plans, rising to 25 on the Custom tier
  • Essentials is limited to 3 teams; unlimited teams need Professional
  • Salesforce CTI, the power dialer and advanced analytics all require Professional
  • SSO, API support and an SLA are Custom tier only
  • AI voice and messaging agents are separate add-ons billed per minute or per conversation on top of the seat price

Pricing, plan by plan

ActiveCampaign

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ActiveCampaign review.

Aircall

$30/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Aircall review.

Which should you pick?

Choose ActiveCampaign if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want sales pipeline.
ActiveCampaign review

Choose Aircall if

  • You need cloud phone.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want ivr.
Aircall review

Questions people ask

Is ActiveCampaign or Aircall better?
Neither clearly leads. ActiveCampaign starts at Free and Aircall at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ActiveCampaign or Aircall?
ActiveCampaign has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ActiveCampaign and $30/month for Aircall.
Does ActiveCampaign or Aircall run on more platforms?
ActiveCampaign runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Aircall runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use ActiveCampaign for free?
Yes. ActiveCampaign has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aircall starts at $30/month.
What is ActiveCampaign best used for?
ActiveCampaign is most often used for businesses automating cross-channel campaigns (email, sms, whatsapp), marketing teams needing ai-driven lead scoring and automation. Of those, businesses automating cross-channel campaigns (email, sms, whatsapp) and marketing teams needing ai-driven lead scoring and automation are not what Aircall is typically brought in for.
What can ActiveCampaign do that Aircall cannot?
ActiveCampaign covers Contact management, Sales pipeline, Marketing automation, Email marketing. Aircall covers Cloud phone, IVR, Call routing, Power dialer. Both handle Salesforce, SOC2, GDPR, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ActiveCampaign: Is there a free trial without providing a credit card?

Yes, ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day free trial that requires only an email address for sign-up. No credit card is needed and setup is instant.

Source
Aircall: What is the minimum cost to start with Aircall?

Aircall requires a 3-license minimum on annual billing, making the real entry price $90 per month ($30 per user times 3 users) for the Essentials plan, not the advertised $30 per user.

Source
ActiveCampaign: How is pricing determined for my account?

Pricing is custom and based on your contact volume, which ranges from fewer than 500 to more than 250,000 contacts. ActiveCampaign states they will put together a pricing package specific to your needs after you submit the pricing request form.

Source
Aircall: Does Aircall include AI call features in base plans?

No, AI Voice Agents and AI Assist Pro are separate add-ons billed on top of base plans. The Essentials and Professional plans include call recording and analytics but not AI features.

Source
ActiveCampaign: Do I need to talk to sales to access the platform?

No, the 14-day free trial provides full access to the autonomous marketing platform without requiring sales contact. After the trial ends, you must complete a pricing request form to move forward.

Source
Aircall: How many countries can I create phone numbers in?

Aircall supports creating local phone numbers in 100 or more countries, enabling businesses to appear local to customers regardless of location.

Source
Aircall: What is Aircall's uptime guarantee?

Aircall guarantees 99.95 percent uptime with seven global data centers and system redundancy on every level.

Source
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