ActiveCampaign CRM vs Freshsales: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Alex Chen, SaaS & Productivity Analystยท8 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales in 2026, Freshsales is the stronger choice for sales teams wanting crm with built-in communication tools due to built-in calling and email. ActiveCampaign CRM excels for marketers who need crm deeply tied to email automation with excellent email plus crm combo. ActiveCampaign CRM offers Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation starting at $15/mo. Freshsales provides Built-in phone, AI lead scoring, Visual deal pipeline from $15/user/mo with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Freshsales delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 74/100. ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales compete in the crm segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading crm tools include Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Pipedrive. ActiveCampaign CRM serves 185K+ orgs users globally (founded 2003) while Freshsales reports 60K+ orgs active users (founded 2010).

ActiveCampaign CRM vs Freshsales at a Glance

ActiveCampaign CRM
Freshsales
Starting Price
$15/mo
$15/user/mo
Free Plan
No
Yes
User Rating
4.5/5
4.4/5
Best For
Marketers who need CRM deeply tied to email automa...
Sales teams wanting CRM with built-in communicatio...
Users
185K+ orgs
60K+ orgs
Founded
2003
2010
hiltonsoftware Score
73/100
74/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
โšก
ActiveCampaign CRM
CRM
73
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
๐ŸŒฑ
Freshsales
CRM
74
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED

What are the main differences between ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales?

ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Freshsales leads in 3 of 7 categories.

ActiveCampaign CRMFreshsales
77Ease of Use83
82Features76
64Value for Money70
72Customer Support70
64Integrations63
64Scalability62
69Learning Curve71

What are the pros and cons of ActiveCampaign CRM vs Freshsales?

ActiveCampaign CRM
+Excellent email plus CRM combo
+Powerful automation builder
-Not a standalone CRM
-Can be complex to configure
Freshsales
+Built-in calling and email
+Intuitive UI
-Advanced features require higher plan
-Limited third-party integrations

Which is better, ActiveCampaign CRM or Freshsales?

After evaluating ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Freshsales earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 74/100 versus ActiveCampaign CRM at 73/100. Freshsales stands out for "built-in calling and email" and "intuitive ui". ActiveCampaign CRM delivers competitive advantages in "excellent email plus crm combo", making ActiveCampaign CRM a viable alternative.

On pricing, Freshsales offers a free plan for SMBs and startups. ActiveCampaign CRM starts at $15/mo with no free tier, but justifies the cost with contact crm and deal tracking and enterprise-grade scalability.

Bottom line: Choose ActiveCampaign CRM for marketers who need crm deeply tied to email automation. Choose Freshsales for sales teams wanting crm with built-in communication tools. Both ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales are established crm platforms.

CHOOSE ACTIVECAMPAIGN CRM IF:

Marketers who need CRM deeply tied to email automation.

CHOOSE FRESHSALES IF:

Sales teams wanting CRM with built-in communication tools.

ActiveCampaign CRM vs Freshsales: Frequently Asked Questions

Is ActiveCampaign CRM better than Freshsales in 2026?
Freshsales outperforms ActiveCampaign CRM in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 74/100 compared to 73/100. ActiveCampaign CRM excels in Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation, making ActiveCampaign CRM the better choice for Marketers who need CRM deeply tied to email automation. Freshsales is the stronger option for Sales teams wanting CRM with built-in communication tools due to built-in calling and email. For teams needing built-in phone, hiltonsoftware.co recommends Freshsales.
How does ActiveCampaign CRM pricing compare to Freshsales in 2026?
ActiveCampaign CRM starts at $15/mo with no free tier. Freshsales starts at $15/user/mo and offers a free plan. ActiveCampaign CRM includes features like Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation. Freshsales provides Built-in phone, AI lead scoring, Visual deal pipeline. ActiveCampaign CRM serves 185K+ orgs users while Freshsales serves 60K+ orgs users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales?
ActiveCampaign CRM specializes in Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation, earning a 73/100 hiltonsoftware Score. Freshsales focuses on Built-in phone, AI lead scoring, Visual deal pipeline, scoring 74/100. ActiveCampaign CRM is best for Marketers who need CRM deeply tied to email automation. Freshsales is best for Sales teams wanting CRM with built-in communication tools. Both ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales serve the CRM market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from ActiveCampaign CRM to Freshsales?
Migrating from ActiveCampaign CRM to Freshsales is possible since both operate in the CRM space. Export data from ActiveCampaign CRM and verify Freshsales import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation (ActiveCampaign CRM) versus Built-in phone, AI lead scoring, Visual deal pipeline (Freshsales). Running both ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is ActiveCampaign CRM or Freshsales better for small business?
For small businesses, Freshsales offers a free plan making Freshsales more budget-friendly at 74/100 on hiltonsoftware.co. ActiveCampaign CRM (starting at $15/mo) is worth considering for Contact CRM, Deal tracking, Email automation. Both ActiveCampaign CRM and Freshsales scale from SMB to enterprise.

Reviewed by Alex Chen, SaaS & Productivity Analyst. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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