ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot for Nonprofits
Two of the most powerful marketing automation platforms go head-to-head. ActiveCampaign delivers best-in-class email automation with 25+ AI agents starting at $15/month, while HubSpot offers a complete CRM ecosystem with Breeze AI and a generous free tier. Your decision hinges on whether you need a focused automation specialist or a unified platform for marketing, sales, and service.
Quick Verdict
Choose based on your nonprofit's priorities:
Choose ActiveCampaign if:
- •Email automation is your primary need and budget is limited
- •You want advanced automation on affordable plans ($15/month)
- •Predictive sending and AI-suggested segments matter
- •You need sophisticated donor journey automation
- •Email deliverability is a top priority
Choose HubSpot if:
- •You need a unified CRM, marketing, sales, and service platform
- •Starting free is essential (free CRM + email tools)
- •Content marketing and SEO are central to your strategy
- •Enterprise-grade reporting and attribution are required
- •You qualify for HubSpot's 40% nonprofit discount
At a Glance Comparison
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | HubSpot | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/month (1,000 contacts) | Free CRM; Starter $20/month | HubSpot (free tier) |
| Nonprofit Discount | 20% off all plans | 40% off Professional/Enterprise | HubSpot |
| Automation | Advanced on all plans; visual builder | Basic on free; workflows on Pro ($800+) | ActiveCampaign |
| AI Capabilities | 25+ AI agents, predictive sending | Breeze AI, 20+ agents, data enrichment | Tie |
| CRM | Built-in (basic deal tracking) | Full-featured CRM (industry leader) | HubSpot |
| Email Deliverability | Top-tier in independent tests | Solid but slightly below AC | ActiveCampaign |
| Integrations | 1,000+ native; Zapier 8,000+ | 1,500+ marketplace; Zapier | HubSpot |
| Ease of Use | 4/5 - Powerful but learning curve | 4/5 - Clean and intuitive | Tie |
| Reporting | Good email/automation analytics | Enterprise-grade with attribution | HubSpot |
| Content Marketing | Landing pages only | Blog, SEO, social, Content Hub | HubSpot |
| Automation Value | Full automation from $15/month | Workflows require $800+/month | ActiveCampaign |
| Best For | Email-focused automation on a budget | All-in-one CRM + marketing ecosystem | Context-dependent |
ActiveCampaign wins on automation depth and value; HubSpot wins on breadth and ecosystem
ActiveCampaign and HubSpot represent two fundamentally different philosophies for nonprofit marketing technology. ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation specialist—it does one thing exceptionally well and provides that capability at an accessible price point. HubSpot is an all-in-one business platform that unifies CRM, marketing, sales, and customer service under a single roof, backed by one of the most recognized brands in marketing technology.
For nonprofits, this distinction matters enormously. A small organization primarily needing to send targeted email campaigns, build donor nurture sequences, and automate follow-ups will find ActiveCampaign delivers remarkable value from $15/month. A growing nonprofit managing donor relationships, volunteer coordination, program marketing, and multi-channel communications may benefit from HubSpot's unified ecosystem—even at its higher price point. The right choice depends less on which platform is "better" and more on which approach matches your organization's operational reality.
Both platforms have invested heavily in artificial intelligence during 2025, making this comparison particularly timely. ActiveCampaign launched Active Intelligence with 25+ AI agents that autonomously handle campaign creation, automation building, and performance optimization. HubSpot introduced Breeze AI with content assistants, prospecting agents, and predictive intelligence powered by 200 million+ buyer profiles. For nonprofits evaluating AI-powered marketing tools, understanding how these AI capabilities translate to real-world nonprofit use is essential.
This comparison examines pricing, automation depth, AI features, CRM capabilities, integrations, and nonprofit-specific considerations. We'll help you understand not just which features each platform offers, but which features actually matter for nonprofit communications—and at what cost. Whether you're evaluating your first marketing platform or considering a switch from an existing tool, this analysis provides the practical framework to make an informed decision.
What is ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation platform headquartered in Chicago, serving over 185,000 customers in 170+ countries. Founded in 2003, it began as an email marketing tool and evolved into what many independent reviewers call the most powerful marketing automation platform available at its price point. The platform combines email marketing, automation workflows, a built-in CRM, and—since Fall 2025—an AI orchestration layer called Active Intelligence with 25+ autonomous AI agents.
For nonprofits, ActiveCampaign's primary value proposition is sophisticated automation at an accessible price. While competitors like HubSpot lock workflow automation behind $800+/month plans, ActiveCampaign provides visual automation builders with conditional logic, split actions, and behavior-based triggers starting at $15/month. This means a small nonprofit with a limited technology budget can build the same kinds of donor journey automations that enterprise organizations deploy—welcome series that adapt based on donor behavior, re-engagement campaigns triggered by inactivity, and multi-step nurture sequences that move supporters through engagement ladders.
The platform's email deliverability consistently ranks among the highest in independent testing, which matters significantly for nonprofits whose communications compete with commercial email for inbox attention. ActiveCampaign has also built a growing ecosystem of 1,000+ native integrations, connecting to common nonprofit tools like Salesforce, WordPress, Stripe, and donation platforms. For organizations already managing their technology stack through tools like knowledge management systems, ActiveCampaign integrates smoothly without requiring a complete platform overhaul.
ActiveCampaign Key Capabilities for Nonprofits
Active Intelligence (AI Engine)
AI orchestration layer managing 25+ autonomous agents for campaigns, automations, insights, personalization, and segmentation. Analyzes billions of data points from customer interactions to provide strategic recommendations and predict optimal approaches. Creates full campaigns from simple prompts, generates multi-step nurture flows, and suggests real-time performance optimizations.
Visual Automation Builder
Industry-leading workflow builder with if/then/else conditional logic, split actions, wait conditions, goals, and unlimited branching paths. Supports behavior-based triggers (email opens, link clicks, website visits, form submissions), time-based delays, and contact scoring. Available on all plans—not locked behind enterprise pricing.
Predictive Sending
AI analyzes each contact's engagement patterns to determine the exact optimal send time. Rather than blasting emails to entire lists simultaneously, messages are delivered when each individual is most likely to open—improving open rates and engagement without manual scheduling effort. Available on Professional plan ($149/month).
Built-in CRM
Lightweight CRM with contact management, deal pipeline tracking, task management, and lead scoring. While not as comprehensive as dedicated CRM platforms, it provides essential relationship management without requiring a separate tool. Custom fields, tags, and contact scoring help nonprofits track donor engagement levels.
Email Deliverability
Consistently ranked top-tier in independent deliverability tests by Email Tool Tester and others. Includes SPF/DKIM authentication, dedicated IP options, bounce management, spam testing, and proactive deliverability monitoring. Strong sender reputation infrastructure ensures nonprofit communications reach supporter inboxes.
What is HubSpot?
HubSpot is a comprehensive CRM and marketing platform headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, serving over 228,000 customers across 135+ countries. Founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot pioneered the concept of "inbound marketing" and has since evolved into a full-suite business platform encompassing Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, Content Hub, Operations Hub, and Commerce Hub—all unified around a free CRM core.
For nonprofits, HubSpot represents a fundamentally different value proposition than point-solution tools. Rather than excelling at one function (like email automation), HubSpot aims to be the single platform where every team—fundraising, communications, volunteer coordination, program management—manages their work. A supporter's journey from first website visit through donation, event attendance, and ongoing engagement can be tracked, automated, and analyzed across every touchpoint without switching between tools or reconciling data from multiple systems.
HubSpot's free tier is genuinely useful—not just a limited trial but a permanent plan that includes CRM, email marketing (up to 2,000 sends/month), forms, live chat, a meeting scheduler, and basic analytics. For cash-strapped nonprofits, this means starting with a professional-grade platform at zero cost. The 40% nonprofit discount on Professional and Enterprise tiers further improves accessibility for organizations ready to scale. Combined with AI-driven strategic planning, HubSpot can serve as the operational backbone for organizations building sophisticated supporter engagement programs.
HubSpot Key Capabilities for Nonprofits
Breeze AI Suite
Comprehensive AI layer organized into three pillars: Breeze Assistant (formerly Copilot) for content creation, meeting prep, and strategic analysis with web search and app connections; Breeze Agents (20+ autonomous agents) for prospecting, content generation, social media, and customer service; and Breeze Intelligence for CRM data enrichment using 200M+ buyer profiles with 40+ attributes per record.
Unified CRM Platform
Industry-leading CRM with contact management, company records, deal pipelines, tickets, custom properties, lifecycle stages, and activity timelines. Every interaction—email opens, website visits, form submissions, chat conversations, phone calls—is automatically logged against contact records. The free CRM supports unlimited users and up to 1,000,000 contacts.
Content Hub
Integrated content marketing platform with blog hosting, SEO recommendations, social media scheduling and monitoring, landing page builder, and AI-powered content generation through Breeze Content Agent. Includes Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) tools to optimize how your brand appears in AI-generated search results—an emerging priority for nonprofit visibility.
Marketing Automation
Workflow automation with if/then branching, delays, contact property updates, and multi-step sequences. Free plan includes basic form follow-up emails. Full workflow automation requires Professional plan ($800/month before nonprofit discount). Includes email A/B testing, smart content personalization, and multi-touch attribution reporting.
Reporting & Analytics
Enterprise-grade reporting with custom dashboards, multi-touch revenue attribution, campaign performance analytics, and predictive lead scoring. HubSpot's reporting capabilities significantly exceed most marketing automation tools, providing nonprofit leaders with clear visibility into which channels and campaigns drive the most supporter engagement and donations.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
Email Marketing Capabilities
Core email functionality comparison
ActiveCampaign
- 250+ responsive email templates
- Drag-and-drop editor with dynamic content blocks
- AI Campaigns Agent creates full emails from prompts
- Predictive sending optimizes delivery per contact
- Top-tier deliverability in independent benchmarks
- A/B testing on subject lines, content, and send times
HubSpot
- Free email marketing (2,000 sends/month)
- Drag-and-drop editor with smart content personalization
- Breeze Content Agent generates email copy and subject lines
- CRM-powered personalization tokens
- Send time optimization on Professional plans
- A/B testing with statistical significance reporting
Nonprofit Verdict: ActiveCampaign offers stronger email-specific features at lower price points, with better deliverability and more accessible AI-powered optimization. HubSpot's free email marketing is valuable for organizations just starting out, but its advanced email features require expensive Professional plans. For nonprofits where email is the primary communication channel, ActiveCampaign delivers more capability per dollar.
Marketing Automation
Workflow and automation capabilities
ActiveCampaign
- Visual builder with if/then/else on all plans
- 250 automation triggers on Starter; unlimited on Pro
- Behavior triggers: opens, clicks, page visits, purchases
- AI Automations Agent builds flows from natural language
- Split actions, goals, wait conditions, contact scoring
HubSpot
- Basic form follow-up on Free and Starter plans
- Full workflows require Professional ($800+/month)
- Pro includes branching, delays, and property updates
- Cross-object workflows (contacts, companies, deals)
- Workflow templates for common sequences
Nonprofit Verdict: ActiveCampaign wins decisively on automation accessibility and value. Its visual automation builder with conditional logic is available from $15/month—the same functionality HubSpot charges $800+/month for. For nonprofits building donor nurture sequences, volunteer engagement workflows, or event follow-up automations, ActiveCampaign provides dramatically more capability at a fraction of the cost.
AI Capabilities
Artificial intelligence features comparison
ActiveCampaign
- Active Intelligence: 25+ AI agents (Fall 2025)
- Campaigns Agent: full campaign creation from prompts
- Predictive sending per individual contact
- AI-Suggested Segments for high-impact targeting
- Natural language automation builder
- MCP Server for connecting external AI tools
HubSpot
- Breeze AI: Assistant, Agents, and Intelligence
- 20+ Breeze Agents for marketing, sales, service
- Predictive lead scoring with close probability
- Breeze Intelligence: 200M+ buyer profiles for enrichment
- Content Agent for blogs, emails, social media
- Buyer intent scoring and AEO optimization
Nonprofit Verdict: Both platforms offer impressive AI capabilities, making this a genuine tie. ActiveCampaign's AI excels at marketing automation—creating campaigns, optimizing send times, and surfacing audience segments. HubSpot's Breeze AI spans broader territory with sales prospecting, content generation, and CRM data enrichment. For email-focused nonprofits, ActiveCampaign's AI is more directly useful. For organizations managing the full supporter lifecycle, HubSpot's broader AI coverage adds more value.
CRM & Contact Management
Relationship management capabilities
ActiveCampaign
- Built-in CRM with deal pipelines and stages
- Contact scoring based on engagement behavior
- Custom fields, tags, and segmentation
- Limited reporting vs. dedicated CRM platforms
- No service desk or ticket management
HubSpot
- Industry-leading free CRM (unlimited users)
- Complete activity timeline across all touchpoints
- Custom properties, lifecycle stages, lead status
- Deal pipeline with forecasting and AI scoring
- Integrated service tickets and knowledge base
Nonprofit Verdict: HubSpot wins decisively on CRM capabilities. Its free CRM alone provides more relationship management functionality than ActiveCampaign's built-in CRM. For nonprofits needing to track supporter interactions across fundraising, volunteering, events, and communications, HubSpot's unified data model is significantly more powerful. ActiveCampaign's CRM covers email-centric relationship tracking adequately but lacks the breadth organizations need for comprehensive donor management.
Reporting & Analytics
Data insights and performance tracking
ActiveCampaign
- Email campaign performance analytics
- Automation performance tracking
- AI Insights Agent with real-time optimization tips
- Limited custom reporting and dashboards
- No multi-touch attribution modeling
HubSpot
- Custom dashboards with drag-and-drop widgets
- Multi-touch revenue attribution (Pro+)
- Campaign analytics across all channels
- Predictive forecasting and trend analysis
- Traffic, conversion, and pipeline reporting
Nonprofit Verdict: HubSpot's reporting is substantially more powerful. For nonprofits needing to demonstrate ROI to boards or funders—showing which campaigns drove donations, how different channels contribute to engagement, or forecasting fundraising performance—HubSpot provides the depth required. ActiveCampaign's reporting covers email and automation metrics well but lacks the cross-channel attribution and custom dashboards that growing organizations need.
Integration Ecosystem
Connecting with your nonprofit tech stack
ActiveCampaign
- 1,000+ native integrations (milestone in 2025)
- Salesforce, Shopify, WordPress, Stripe
- Zapier integration (8,000+ additional apps)
- MCP Server for AI tool connections (Beta)
- API access for custom integrations
HubSpot
- 1,500+ App Marketplace integrations
- Deep Salesforce bi-directional sync
- Native Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365
- Operations Hub for advanced data sync
- Extensive API and developer platform
Nonprofit Verdict: Both platforms integrate well with common nonprofit tools. HubSpot's ecosystem is slightly broader with deeper native integrations, especially for sales and service use cases. ActiveCampaign covers marketing-focused integrations thoroughly and adds 8,000+ apps through Zapier. For nonprofits using tools like automation platforms such as Zapier or Make, both connect seamlessly.
Pricing Breakdown & Total Cost of Ownership
Pricing is where these platforms diverge most dramatically. ActiveCampaign follows a predictable, gradual pricing model where capabilities scale with price. HubSpot offers a generous free tier but then jumps significantly at the Professional level—where most of the platform's differentiated value lives. Understanding the total cost of ownership, not just the sticker price, is essential for making the right decision.
ActiveCampaign Pricing
Per-contact pricing (20% nonprofit discount)
Starter - $15/month (~$12 nonprofit)
- • 1,000 contacts, 1 user
- • Email marketing, 250+ templates
- • Visual automation builder (250 triggers)
- • Inline forms and landing pages
- • Basic CRM, segmentation, and reporting
Plus - $49/month (~$39 nonprofit)
- • 1,000 contacts, 3 users
- • Everything in Starter, plus:
- • Lead scoring, conditional content
- • SMS marketing, custom audience sync
- • Advanced integrations
Professional - $149/month (~$119 nonprofit)
- • 1,000 contacts, 5 users
- • Everything in Plus, plus:
- • Predictive sending and content
- • Split automations, site messaging
- • Marketing attribution, conversion tracking
Enterprise - $259/month (~$207 nonprofit)
- • 1,000 contacts, 10 users
- • Everything in Professional, plus:
- • Custom objects, custom reporting
- • Dedicated account rep, phone support
- • HIPAA compliance support
HubSpot Marketing Hub Pricing
Per-contact pricing (40% nonprofit discount on Pro+)
Free - $0/month
- • Unlimited contacts in CRM
- • Email marketing (2,000 sends/month)
- • Forms, live chat, chatbots
- • Landing pages, meeting scheduler
- • Basic reporting dashboards
Starter - $20/month
- • 1,000 contacts
- • Remove HubSpot branding
- • Email health reporting
- • Form follow-up emails
- • Basic automation (limited)
Professional - $800/month (~$480 nonprofit)
- • 2,000 contacts ($3,000 onboarding fee)
- • Full workflow automation
- • Smart content, A/B testing
- • Blog, SEO, social media tools
- • Custom reporting, attribution
Enterprise - $3,600/month (~$2,160 nonprofit)
- • 10,000 contacts
- • Revenue attribution, predictive scoring
- • Custom objects, partitioning
- • Adaptive testing, behavioral events
- • Dedicated success manager
Total Cost of Ownership: Nonprofit Scenarios
Annual cost comparison with nonprofit discounts applied
Small Nonprofit (1,000 contacts, basic automation needed)
ActiveCampaign Starter: ~$144/year (with 20% nonprofit discount)
Includes: Full visual automation, email marketing, CRM, segmentation
HubSpot Free: $0/year
Includes: CRM, basic email (2,000/month), forms, live chat. No automation workflows.
Verdict: HubSpot Free is hard to beat on price, but ActiveCampaign's $144/year adds automation that HubSpot only offers at $800+/month. If automation matters, ActiveCampaign wins. If basic email and CRM suffice, HubSpot Free is the right choice.
Mid-Size Nonprofit (5,000 contacts, automation essential)
ActiveCampaign Plus: ~$1,680/year (with 20% discount, 5,000 contacts)
Includes: Full automation, CRM, lead scoring, SMS, 3 users
HubSpot Professional: ~$5,760/year (with 40% discount) + $3,000 onboarding
Includes: Full automation, CRM, blog, SEO, social, reporting, attribution
Verdict: ActiveCampaign saves ~$7,080 in year one ($4,080/year ongoing). If email automation is your primary need, the savings are significant. If you need HubSpot's CRM depth, content tools, and attribution reporting, the premium may be justified for larger organizations.
Large Nonprofit (25,000+ contacts, enterprise features)
ActiveCampaign Professional: ~$4,752/year (with 20% discount, 25,000 contacts)
Includes: Predictive sending, split automations, attribution, 5 users
HubSpot Professional: ~$8,640/year (with 40% discount, additional contact fees)
Includes: Full platform with all marketing, sales, and reporting tools
Verdict: ActiveCampaign still saves ~$3,888/year, but at this scale, HubSpot's unified platform, enterprise reporting, and multi-department coordination capabilities become increasingly valuable. Organizations managing complex donor lifecycles across multiple teams often find HubSpot's premium worth the investment.
Hidden Cost Considerations
- HubSpot onboarding fee: Professional tier requires a $3,000 one-time onboarding fee. Enterprise requires custom onboarding pricing.
- Contact overages: Both platforms charge for contacts exceeding plan limits. HubSpot's overage costs are typically higher per-contact than ActiveCampaign's.
- Add-on costs: HubSpot charges separately for additional API calls, transactional email, and dedicated IPs. ActiveCampaign includes most features within plan tiers.
- Annual contracts: HubSpot Professional and Enterprise are annual commitments. ActiveCampaign offers monthly billing on all plans (annual saves ~20%).
Nonprofit Discounts & Special Pricing
ActiveCampaign Nonprofit Program
- 20% discount on all plans (Starter through Enterprise)
- Available for registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Apply through ActiveCampaign website or contact sales
- Discount applies to both monthly and annual billing
- Stack with annual billing savings (~20% additional)
HubSpot for Nonprofits Program
- 40% discount on Professional and Enterprise tiers
- Available for 501(c)(3) nonprofits and eligible NGOs
- Free tier provides substantial value at no cost
- Starter plan ($20/month) may not need discount
- Apply through HubSpot for Nonprofits page
Ease of Use & Learning Curve
Both platforms have invested significantly in usability, but they differ in where complexity appears. HubSpot's interface is clean and approachable—new users can navigate the CRM, send emails, and create forms within hours. The challenge arises when accessing advanced features, which are spread across multiple Hubs and sometimes hidden behind pricing tiers. ActiveCampaign's core interface is equally intuitive for email and contacts, but its automation builder—while powerful—has a steeper learning curve for users new to visual workflow design.
ActiveCampaign Learning Timeline
Days 1-3: Basic Email Marketing
Import contacts, create first campaign, understand segmentation basics
Days 4-7: Automation Fundamentals
Build first automation workflow, set up triggers and conditions
Weeks 2-3: Advanced Automation
Conditional logic, split actions, contact scoring, CRM pipelines
Month 2+: AI Features & Optimization
Active Intelligence agents, predictive features, advanced segmentation
Support: Email and chat support on all plans. Phone support on Enterprise. Extensive documentation, webinars, and ActiveCampaign University courses.
HubSpot Learning Timeline
Days 1-2: CRM & Basic Tools
Navigate CRM, import contacts, send first email, set up forms
Days 3-7: Marketing Tools
Create landing pages, set up chat, explore reporting dashboards
Weeks 2-4: Workflows & Advanced Features
Build automation workflows (Pro required), custom properties, sequences
Month 2+: Platform Mastery
Breeze AI agents, attribution reporting, cross-Hub workflows, custom dashboards
Support: Email support on Starter. Phone and chat on Professional+. HubSpot Academy (free certifications), extensive documentation, community forums.
Data Privacy, Security & Compliance
Both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot take data security seriously, but they differ in compliance certifications and approach. For nonprofits handling sensitive donor information, understanding each platform's security posture is important—especially when managing data for vulnerable populations or operating under regulatory requirements.
| Security Feature | ActiveCampaign | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| GDPR Compliance | Yes - full compliance tools | Yes - full compliance tools |
| SOC 2 Type II | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Support | Enterprise plan only | Enterprise plan with BAA |
| Data Encryption | TLS in transit, AES at rest | TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest |
| Two-Factor Auth | Yes - all plans | Yes - all plans |
| SSO | Enterprise plan | Enterprise plan |
| Data Hosting | US, EU, Australia | US, EU (Germany) |
Both platforms meet enterprise security standards. For nonprofits handling health data (HIPAA), both require Enterprise tier commitments. HubSpot's slightly broader compliance certifications and larger security team may give confidence to organizations with strict regulatory requirements.
Pros & Cons for Nonprofits
ActiveCampaign
Pros
- Advanced automation on all plans (from $15/month)
- 25+ AI agents for campaign creation and optimization
- Top-tier email deliverability in independent tests
- Predictive sending optimizes timing per contact
- Dramatically more affordable than HubSpot for automation
- Monthly billing available (no forced annual contracts)
Cons
- No free plan (14-day trial only)
- CRM is basic compared to dedicated CRM platforms
- Limited reporting and no attribution modeling
- No content marketing tools (blog, SEO, social)
- Automation builder learning curve for beginners
HubSpot
Pros
- Genuine free tier with CRM, email, forms, and chat
- Unified CRM platform eliminates data silos
- Enterprise-grade reporting and attribution
- Comprehensive content marketing and SEO tools
- 40% nonprofit discount on Professional/Enterprise
- HubSpot Academy provides free professional certifications
Cons
- Massive price jump from Starter ($20) to Pro ($800/month)
- Automation locked behind Professional tier ($800+)
- $3,000 mandatory onboarding fee for Professional
- Annual contracts required on Professional/Enterprise
- Contact overage costs can add up quickly
Migration & Switching Considerations
Switching between marketing platforms requires careful planning, especially for nonprofits with active automation workflows and ongoing campaigns. Both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot provide migration support, but the process involves more than simply importing contacts.
What Transfers Easily
- Contact lists, custom fields, and tags via CSV export/import
- Email templates (HTML export, though rebuilding in new editor is often easier)
- Historical campaign performance data (as reports, not live data)
What Requires Rebuilding
- Automation workflows must be rebuilt from scratch (logic doesn't transfer between platforms)
- Forms, landing pages, and embedded widgets need to be recreated
- Integration connections must be re-established with third-party tools
- Email engagement history (opens, clicks) typically doesn't transfer
Migration Timeline for Nonprofits
- • Small nonprofit (under 5,000 contacts): 2-4 weeks for full migration
- • Mid-size nonprofit (5,000-25,000 contacts): 4-8 weeks including automation rebuild
- • Large nonprofit (25,000+ contacts): 6-12 weeks with overlap period recommended
Accessibility & Multilingual Support
Nonprofits serving diverse communities need platforms that support accessibility standards and multilingual communications. Both platforms handle these needs differently, and the right choice depends on your audience reach and compliance requirements.
ActiveCampaign
- Interface available in 14 languages
- Email content supports all character sets (UTF-8)
- Conditional content for language-based personalization
- Limited WCAG compliance documentation for emails
HubSpot
- Interface available in 11 languages
- Multi-language content management in Content Hub
- Smart content for language-based personalization
- Better WCAG-compliant email template options
Performance, Reliability & Uptime
For nonprofit campaigns—especially time-sensitive fundraising appeals or event registrations—platform reliability is non-negotiable. Both ActiveCampaign and HubSpot maintain high uptime standards, though their approaches differ.
| Metric | ActiveCampaign | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime SLA | 99.9% (Enterprise) | 99.95% (all plans) |
| Status Page | Public status page available | Public status page available |
| Email Sending Speed | Fast; throttled for deliverability | Fast; throttled for deliverability |
| Page Load Speed | Good; dashboard is responsive | Good; larger platform may load slower |
| Mobile Experience | Mobile app for CRM and contacts | Full-featured mobile app |
Which Tool Should You Choose?
The ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot decision ultimately comes down to your nonprofit's operational priorities, budget constraints, and growth trajectory. Use this decision framework to guide your evaluation. For additional context on choosing the right tools, see our guide on building AI champions within your organization.
Choose ActiveCampaign When:
- Email automation is your primary marketing activity — donor nurture sequences, event follow-ups, welcome series, and re-engagement campaigns are your core use cases
- Budget is a deciding factor — you need sophisticated automation but can't justify $800+/month for HubSpot Professional; ActiveCampaign delivers equivalent automation from $15/month
- You already have a separate CRM — if you use Salesforce, Bloomerang, or another donor management system, ActiveCampaign integrates as a marketing layer without duplicating CRM functionality
- Deliverability is critical — your fundraising appeals, event invitations, or time-sensitive communications must reach inboxes reliably
- You want flexibility without contracts — ActiveCampaign offers monthly billing on all plans, allowing you to scale up or down without annual commitments
Choose HubSpot When:
- You need an all-in-one platform — your organization wants CRM, marketing, donor communications, volunteer management, and analytics in one unified system rather than connecting multiple tools
- You're just getting started with limited budget — HubSpot's free tier provides genuine value (CRM, email, forms, chat) that can serve a small nonprofit indefinitely at zero cost
- Content marketing drives your strategy — if blog posts, SEO, social media, and content creation are central to your supporter engagement, HubSpot's Content Hub is unmatched
- Enterprise reporting is required — boards, funders, or regulatory bodies need detailed attribution reporting showing which activities drive donations and engagement
- Multiple departments need coordination — marketing, fundraising, programs, and volunteer teams all need access to unified supporter data and workflows
Getting Started with Your Choice
Whichever platform you choose, a structured evaluation process will help ensure the right fit. Both platforms offer opportunities to test before committing—use them.
Testing ActiveCampaign
- 1.Start a 14-day free trial (no credit card required)
- 2.Import a test segment of 100-200 contacts
- 3.Build one automation (e.g., welcome series for new subscribers)
- 4.Test AI Campaigns Agent with a real campaign prompt
- 5.Apply for nonprofit discount before converting to paid
Testing HubSpot
- 1.Sign up for free CRM (no time limit, no credit card)
- 2.Import contacts and explore the CRM interface
- 3.Create a form, landing page, and send a test email
- 4.Explore Breeze AI assistant and content generation
- 5.Apply for HubSpot for Nonprofits discount if upgrading
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for nonprofits: ActiveCampaign or HubSpot?
It depends on your needs. ActiveCampaign is better for email-focused automation on a budget ($15/month with 20% nonprofit discount). HubSpot is better for organizations needing a unified CRM and marketing platform, especially with its free tier and 40% nonprofit discount on Professional plans. Most small nonprofits focused primarily on email find ActiveCampaign more cost-effective.
Does ActiveCampaign offer a nonprofit discount?
Yes, ActiveCampaign provides a 20% discount for registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits on all plans. The discount applies to both monthly and annual billing. Contact their sales team or apply through the website to activate it.
Does HubSpot have a free plan?
Yes, HubSpot offers a genuinely useful free plan that includes CRM (unlimited contacts), email marketing (2,000 sends/month), forms, live chat, chatbots, landing pages, and a meeting scheduler. Many small nonprofits operate on the free plan indefinitely. The 40% nonprofit discount applies when upgrading to Professional or Enterprise tiers.
How do their AI capabilities compare?
Both invested heavily in AI during 2025. ActiveCampaign's Active Intelligence includes 25+ AI agents for campaign creation, automation building, and predictive sending. HubSpot's Breeze AI includes content assistants, prospecting agents, and data enrichment using 200M+ buyer profiles. ActiveCampaign's AI excels at marketing automation; HubSpot's AI spans sales, service, and content creation more broadly.
Why is HubSpot so much more expensive for automation?
HubSpot's pricing reflects its all-in-one platform approach. The Professional tier ($800/month) includes not just workflow automation but also blog hosting, SEO tools, social media management, smart content, custom reporting, and multi-touch attribution—features ActiveCampaign doesn't offer at any price. If you only need automation, ActiveCampaign is dramatically more affordable. If you need HubSpot's full feature set, the price becomes more reasonable in context.
Can I use both platforms together?
Yes, some nonprofits use HubSpot's free CRM alongside ActiveCampaign's email automation. HubSpot and ActiveCampaign integrate natively and through Zapier, allowing contact data to sync between platforms. This approach gives you HubSpot's CRM at zero cost and ActiveCampaign's automation at $15/month—a combination that provides substantial capability for under $200/year.
Which platform has better email deliverability?
ActiveCampaign consistently ranks higher in independent email deliverability tests. Both platforms provide essential features like SPF/DKIM authentication, bounce management, and spam testing. For nonprofits following best practices, both deliver reliably—but ActiveCampaign's slight edge may matter for organizations with very large email volumes or critical time-sensitive campaigns.
Can I migrate from one to the other?
Yes, both platforms support migration. Contacts, custom fields, and basic data transfer easily via CSV. Automation workflows must be rebuilt from scratch as they don't transfer between platforms. Plan for 2-4 weeks for small nonprofits and 4-8 weeks for larger organizations. Both offer migration support and onboarding assistance for new customers.
Need Help Deciding?
Book a free consultation and we'll help you evaluate which marketing automation platform best fits your nonprofit's needs, budget, and growth trajectory.