Ontraport vs. ActiveCampaign

Ontraport VS ActiveCampaign Tested and Compared for 2021

Both ActiveCampaign and Ontraport are two reliable email marketing tools that can help you create well-personalized and highly engaging campaigns. Read this Ontraport vs. ActiveCampaign comparison where we have analyzed their main features and benefits to find out which one is more suitable for your needs.

Written by Ria du Plessis - Digital Marketing Expert

Updated 9/1/2021

 

Ontraport logo

Ontraport Review

ActiveCampaign logo


ActiveCampaign Review

Score

8.2/10

8.4/10

Summary

This powerful marketing platform brings together email marketing, CRM, and landing page features.  

ActiveCampaign offers advanced automation and segmentation features, as well as flexible email design options. 

 

 Ontraport vs. ActiveCampaign  - Quick Comparison

 

Ontraport logo

ActiveCampaign logo

Pros 

  • Great landing page options
  • Powerful CM
  • Multiple integrations
  • Good reporting
  • Intuitive email builder
  • Sleek templates
  • Numerous design options
  • Great automations 

Cons 

  • Pricier than other tools
  • The interface could be more modern
  • Steep learning curve
  • No free plan
  • Customer support is limited 
  • The interface can be slow 

Key Features

  • Automation
  • Landing pages
  • CRM
  • Reports 
  • Automation
  • Email templates
  • Landing pages 
  • Segmentation

Pricing

  • $79 Basic plan 
  • $147 - Plus plan
  • $297 Professional plan
  • $497 - Enterprise plan
  • $9 - Lite plan
  • $49 - Plus plan
  • $129 Professional plan
  • $229 - Enterprise plan

Support

  • Chat
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Knowledge base
  • Screenshare
  • Chat
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Knowledge base

Ease of Use

  • Intuitive editor
  • Great customer support
  • Numerous training resources 
  • Training resources
  • Intuitive email builder 
  • Help button

Best fit for

eCommerce, companies requiring an all-in-one solution with in-built CRM

       Small companies

Email Design Options 

Let’s see which one of the two tools offers more email design options. 

Ontraport Email Design Options 

Ontraport offers a library of templates that allows you to create email campaigns easier. You can customize these templates using the platform’s visual email builder. It is relatively simple and offers a large range of styling options (colors, fonts, videos, images, banners, social share buttons, etc.). The emails sent from this platform are mobile-responsive. You can also build your templates from scratch using the HTML editor and the pre-designed content blocks Ontraport offers. 

Ontraport Email Design Options 

ActiveCampaign Email Design Options 

ActiveCampaign offers numerous solutions to creating highly engaging email campaigns. You can use one of the 125+ email templates in the platform’s library and customize them. The user-friendly editor uses a drag-and-drop approach, which makes it suitable even for beginners. The WYSIWYG interface makes it easy to style your campaigns. There are lots of email and layout elements you can change. There is also a dynamic HTML editor, allowing you to create emails from scratch. 

ActiveCampaign Email Design Options 

Winner 

Both platforms offer similar design options. However, we prefer ActiveCampaign for its intuitiveness. 

Landing Pages

Landing pages are useful when you are launching a new product or promotion, and you need a dedicated space to promote your new project and collect leads. 

Ontraport Landing Pages

One of Ontraport's core features is its landing page builder. This platform also relies on a visual builder to enable you to create these pages. The process is  based on using different content blocks. The styling and editing options are similar to what you experience while building email campaigns. There is also a vast array of mobile-responsive ready-made templates you can rely on. You can publish the pages on your website or use the platform’s free domains and connect them to payment gateways. 

Ontraport Landing Pages

ActiveCampaign Landing Pages

ActiveCampaign also offers a simple landing page builder and more than 40 templates you can use for different purposes. It is also possible to build landing pages from scratch. The drag-and-drop editor allows you to set up a new page in minutes. Afterward, you can host it on your website or use the platform’s domain. 

ActiveCampaign Landing Pages

Winner 

Ontraport is more advanced. 

Forms

Together with landing pages, forms allow you to boost your lead generation strategy and collect more contacts, which you can later convert into customers. 

Ontraport Forms

Ontraport offers the possibility to choose from different types of form templates, for example, upsell forms or order forms. This platform allows you to create forms in pop-ups lightboxes format. Double opt-in or single opt-in are two of the available options you can access in the form settings menu, along with form notifications and hidden form fields. Creating forms is an easy process. You only have to click and select the content blocks you want to use. Custom HTML forms are also available for those who can use coding. 

Ontraport Forms

ActiveCampaign Forms

This platform also offers a variety of forms and customization options. You can choose between pop-ups, inline, floating bar, or floating box forms. To customize your forms, you can use different button options, dropdown lists, checkboxes, or choose to hide fields. ActiveCampaign offers opt-in forms you can include in your landing pages or web pages. 

ActiveCampaign Forms

Winner 

We choose ActiveCampaign because it feels slightly more intuitive. 

You may also like the following comparison: ActiveCampaign vs Constant Contact

Segmentation

Segmenting your audience is an essential initial step you should take before you begin sending email campaigns, as different audience segments require personalized content. 

Ontraport Segmentation

Boasting an outstanding CRM, this platform also manages to bring segmentation to the next level. It allows you to segment your contact list according to different criteria, many of which you can’t find on other platforms. Lead source, demographics, customer engagement metrics, purchase history are just some of them. Moreover, the information you get on your contacts is constantly updated in the platform’s database. You can create lists and use tags. Basically, any piece of info you have collected on your customers can be used as a segmentation criterion. 

Ontraport Segmentation

ActiveCampaign Segmentation

With ActiveCampaign, you also enjoy plenty of flexibility and efficiency while segmenting your audience. You can create different lists and use tags to determine the common aspects that define your audience. You can access the lists effortlessly from different sections on the dashboard. Behavioral data, demographics, past purchases are some of the available segmentation criteria. 

ActiveCampaign Segmentation

Winner 

Ontraport offers more complex features. 

Automation

Automated workflows are an efficient and time-saving method of communicating with your contacts. 

Ontraport Automation 

Ontraport’s automation features can be accessed from the campaign builder. This platform calls elements the actions you can add to create customer itineraries. The campaign map can be customized to send an email sequence to a particular group, at a pre-defined moment. You can also add goals to your sequences and split them into multiple paths. 

Ontraport Automation 

Ontraport Automation 

Ontraport Automation 

ActiveCampaign Automation 

ActiveCampaign provides advanced automation features and a flowchart-based builder that enables you to create email sequences in no time. You can use different actions, automated behavioral tags, and triggers to create email campaigns of any complexity level.  With the Professional plan, you can even access split automation features. 

ActiveCampaign Automation 

Winner 

ActiveCampaign is more intuitive.  

Pricing 

Discover what pricing options you can access with Ontraport vs. ActiveCampaign. 

Ontraport Pricing 

Ontraport's all-in-one marketing and CRM solution offer different pricing plans. The Basic plan costs $79 and is available with 1,000 contacts. The Plus plan costs $149, and you can use it for 2,500 contacts. The Pro plan is the next tier, and it costs $297. It can be used for up to 10,000 contacts. The Enterprise plan costs $497, and it allows for 20,000+ contacts. You can try the platform for free for 14 days. For more than 20,000 contacts, the platform offers custom plans. 

Ontraport Pricing 

ActiveCampaign Pricing

ActiveCampaign provides four pricing plans. Unfortunately, there is no free plan available, but you can test the tool for free during a 14-days trial. The entry price for a subscription is $9 per month for a contact list of up to 500 contacts. The next tier is the Plus plan, which costs $49, followed by the Professional plan - $129 per month and the Enterprise plan - $229. 

ActiveCampaign Pricing

Winner 

ActiveCampaign is the more affordable option.

Ease of Use

Let’s see which one of the two platforms we are focusing on is easier to use. 

Ontraport Ease of Use

Ontraport is a complex, all-in-one marketing platform. It features numerous email automation tools and multiple customer relationship management features that can be used across different channels. For this reason, it is not the most user-friendly platform out there. Its multitude of features involves a steep learning curve. You can configure your dashboard, but it will take some time to do it if you have not used similar software before. 

ActiveCampaign Ease of Use

Compared to Ontraport, ActiveCampaign excels at the usability chapter. This platform features a main menu that lists all the main tools you can access with one click - campaigns, reports, landing pages, etc. Although it also offers numerous features, ActiveCampaign makes it easy to create email campaigns and allows you to jump backward or forward along during the process to implement necessary changes. The visual automation builder is also easy to use. 

Winner 

ActiveCampaign is more user-friendly. 

Reporting

Tracking your email campaigns' results is essential if you want to be able to improve their performance and Ontraport vs. ActiveCampaign offers excellent reporting tools. 

Ontraport Reporting

This platform features multiple reporting options. All the campaign analytics are well-organized and accessible from the main menu. Once you start an email campaign, you can automatically track its performance through metrics such as link clicks. Lead source, ROI reports, as well as Google Analytics stats are also available. 

Ontraport Reporting

ActiveCampaign Reporting

ActiveCampaign offers all the basic campaign metrics such as open rates, click-through, and unsubscribes. Heat maps, unique reads reports, automation reports, campaign comparison, or social media reports are also available, as well as different types of sales reports and custom reporting features. 

ActiveCampaign Reporting

Winner

Both platforms offer excellent reporting tools. It’s a tie. 

Integrations

Ontraport Integrations

This platform connects seamlessly with WordPress and different payment gateways such as Stripe, eWay, Paypal, Payjunction. Landing page builders such as Leadpages and ClickFunnels also integrate with Ontraport, as well as dozens of other third-party tools: Zapier, ClickBank, TruConversion, Wicked Reports, Calendly, Google Calendar, Docusign, Optinmonster, Freshdesk, Affilicon, etc. 

Ontraport Integrations

ActiveCampaign Integrations

ActiveCampaign also offers a good array of approximately 300 integrations with popular eCommerce tools, social media platforms, content management systems like WordPress, or marketing tools. 

ActiveCampaign Integrations

Winner

Both platforms offer numerous useful integrations, but ActiveCampaign seems to have a richer portfolio.

You may also like the following comparison: Drip vs ConvertKit

Customer Support 

Both platforms offer different support options. Let's see which one proposes a better service. 

Ontraport Customer Support 

Ontarport offers support via live chat, email, and phone. A vast knowledge base is also available, as well as screenshare support. Besides these typical customer support options, Ontraport also offers specialized assistance in helping customers set up their accounts. On the platform's website, you can find different consultants and their contact details. Their service is not free of charge, however. 

Ontraport Customer Support 

ActiveCampaign Customer Support 

ActiveCampaign features a handy help button you can access at any time as long as you are logged into your account. There are multiple customer support channels you can use if you want to get in touch with an agent: email, live chat, phone. The latter is only available with the platform's highest tier. An extensive knowledge base with multiple training resources and articles is available. You can even get one-on-one training sessions. 

ActiveCampaign Customer Support 

Winner 

Ontarport offers better customer support for all its users. 

When to Use Ontraport 

Ontraport is a comprehensive all-in-one marketing tool that offers numerous features. It is best suited for people also looking for a robust CRM as the platform integrates this feature. Since it is a complex tool, it is not the best choice for beginners. However, experienced digital marketers can leverage its powerful automation and list management features. 

When to Use ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is an efficient and reliable choice for marketers of any experience level, although beginners will need some time to get familiar with all of the platform’s functions. The principal audience of this software is small companies. ActiveCampaign is suitable for marketers who are looking for advanced automation and reporting.  

Pros and Cons

Let’s summarize the main pros and cons of these two powerful tools. 

Ontraport Pros and Cons 

Ontraport is an excellent all-in-one tool that offers a powerful CRM, great customer support options, as well as multiple reports, and an intuitive and flexible landing page and form builder. However, it is more expensive than other standalone email marketing platforms. 

ActiveCampaign Pros and Cons 

ActiveCampaign offers numerous well-designed email templates, an intuitive email and landing page editor, and powerful workflows. However, this platform also lacks a free plan, and its support options for the lower tiers are limited.

Alternatives

If you are looking for other email marketing tools, here are two excellent alternatives:

Omnisend: this platform offers affordable pricing plans, as well as a generous free plan. It provides advanced segmentation, great integrations, and SMS marketing features. 

GetResponse: This tool also allows you to create highly detailed automated workflows. It also includes an in-built CRM, thorough reporting, and A/B split testing. 

Final Winner 

Activecampaign

ActiveCampaign is our winner here, given its ease of use, powerful automations, numerous integrations, and email design options. Plus, it is more affordable than its rival.

Check out our other comparisons

ActiveCampaign vs Constant ContactDrip vs ConvertKitHubspot VS ActiveCampaign