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In a world where marketing is continually changing, you want to make sure that your marketing automation software is the best on the market. With different features, benefits, and integrations, choosing software that fits your company goals may seem overly complex. In this article, we are going to dive deep into some of the highest-rated marketing automation software systems to see how they compare  to the HubSpot Growth Platform.

What Is HubSpot?

HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing, sales, and service platform that enables businesses to grow through the inbound methodology. This system integrates marketing automation, a Content Management System (CMS), and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system all into one hub that is easy to navigate and tailored for everyday projects. The software allows users to carry out tasks through lead nurturing, email campaigns, blogs, social media, landing pages, and more to help businesses yield their full potential.

When it comes to HubSpot pricing, the base plan is $0/month for certain CRM and marketing automation features. (This is our favorite: The free HubSpot option is perfect for small businesses just starting out! HubSpot's integrated CRM, CMS, and service functionalities enable users to find all the data they need in one place. When the business begins to scale, all the information will be in the system ready to transition to an upgraded plan.)

ActiveCampaign

Email marketing, CRM functions, marketing automation, and messaging is all included in ActiveCampaign. This software is a popular option for small to mid-sized companies to combine CRM activities with marketing automation.

The base plan starts at $9/mo with 500 contact spots. If you are small to mid-sized companies with a tight marketing budget, ActiveCampaign is worth looking into.

With every price difference, there comes a fault. This is the main reason why the capabilities between HubSpot and ActiveCampaign vary. One of the capabilities to consider is ActiveCampaign does not have a built-in CMS for hosting blog content and website pages. To connect website data, a WordPress plug-in or other third-party plug-in will need to be installed for the two systems to communicate. Another fault with ActiveCampaign is it lacks landing page development capabilities. Landing pages increase the conversion rate and the number of contacts. Using sites like UnBounce or Landigi will have to be used in conjunction with ActiveCampaign to develop landing pages.

What does ActiveCampaign lack?

    • Landing Page Development
    • Social Media Scheduling
    • CMS (Website Pages)
Copy of ActiveCampaign vs. (1)

 

Marketo

Marketo is a marketing automation software that is targeted to larger B2B companies with a pre-existing CRM. Although Marketo is used primarily as an email automation tool, it also has lead management, consumer marketing, customer base marketing, and mobile marketing tools.

These tools are priced on an a la carte basis where these functionalities can be bundled or purchased individually. In addition to the a la carte pricing, there is a tier price based on the number of contacts in the system. The tiers are basic, pro, elite, and enterprise. The website does not disclose the specific pricing, but according to Fit Small Business, the pricing starts at around $20,000/year for 10,000 contacts.

If you are dealing with budget constraints then Marketo might not be the best fit initially. We suggest trying out HubSpot's free account tools when getting started. Also, unlike HubSpot, Marketo does not have a built-in CRM for sales management. The user will have to have a pre-existing CRM through Salesforce or another CRM before using Marketo's services.

What Marketo Lacks:

  • Sales CRM
  • Content Strategy
  • Website Creation
Copy of ActiveCampaign vs. (3)
 

Pardot

Acquired by Salesforce, Pardot is a software that has lead management, email marketing, ROI reporting, and AI tools.

The base price starts at $1,250/month with 10,000 contacts, but what do the capabilities actually look like?

When comparing HubSpot vs. Pardot, there are a few big differentiators. The main difference is that Pardot lacks "drag and drop" email template capabilities. There is even an additional charge for templates in Pardot, so you pay more out of pocket for design elements that should be standard in the base pricing.

What does Pardot lack?

  • Marketing Campaigns
  • "Drag and Drop" Templates
  • Custom Event & Revenue Reporting
Copy of ActiveCampaign vs. (5)

 

Drip

Drip is known for its e-commerce CRM and email automation functionalities. The company prides itself on customer data, personalization, engagement, and optimization to drive conversions.

The basic plan starts at $49/month for 2,500 contacts and unlimited email sends. The enterprise package pricing varies as the number of contacts increases, so this is something to note when choosing a marketing automation software.

Similar to ActiveCampaign, Drip does not have landing page development capabilities. This poses an obstacle for users since landing pages are an imperative piece to the marketing puzzle. Users using Drip will have to find another platform to create landing pages to drive leads through the marketing funnel. Also, Drip does not have split testing (A/B testing). The ability to test campaigns is important in determining what works and what doesn't. Without this feature, campaigns can not be effectively analyzed to reach optimal potential.

What Drip Lacks?

  • Landing Page Development
  • Bulk Social Media Scheduling
  • Split Testing (A/B Testing)
Copy of ActiveCampaign vs. (2)
 

SendinBlue

SendinBlue is an email automation and SMS company with a robust free plan. The purpose of the company is to help users communicate, personalize, and convert with their target audience through the platform's functionalities.

A basic plan with SendinBlue starts at $0/month for 2.5K contacts. This plan even allows users to send up to 300 emails a day.

Even though this free plan is enticing, SendinBlue does not have the complete all-in-one capabilities like HubSpot. Having only email and SMS messaging does not allow companies to unveil their hidden growth potential. Blog content, social media posts, website call-to-action buttons, and landing pages are additional ways to generate leads, and SendinBlue does not have the capacity to do these vital marketing functions.

What does SendinBlue lack?

  • Social Media Scheduling
  • CMS (Website Pages)
  • CRM
Copy of ActiveCampaign vs. (4)

Whether you choose HubSpot, Pardot, Marketo, or other sites, make sure that the marketing automation platform you choose is a fit for your company's needs by price and functionality.

It is no secret that as a HubSpot Platinum Certified Agency Partner, we are raving fans of the platform. If you decide to choose HubSpot for your marketing automation software, great choice!  👏 But, to make sure you're making the most of your account, download a copy of our free checklist and see which 21 HubSpot tools you need to check out!  

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Todd Laire

Todd Laire

B2B Sales and Marketing Leader | CEO at LAIRE, a Digital Growth Agency - Co-Founder, Entrepreneur, Public Speaker, Marketer, Sales Team Builder, and Change Advocate.