Best Marketing Automation Software (5 Options Compared)

Best of

Best marketing automation software: 5 options compared

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Our top pick: GoHighLevel. GoHighLevel stands out for bundling automation with CRM, funnels, calendars and multichannel messaging, so one subscription covers capture, follow-up and billing.

Tool	Best for	Free option	Starting price
1. GoHighLevel Our pick	agencies and service businesses that want CRM, funnels and texting in one place	14-day free trial	From $97/mo
ActiveCampaign	teams that want deep email automation	14-day free trial	See official pricing
GetResponse	creators and sellers who want email, funnels and webinars in one tool	14-day free trial	From €16/mo
Keap	small businesses that want guided onboarding and phone support	Trial with limits	From $299/mo
HubSpot	teams that want a free CRM now and marketing, sales and service tools later	Free CRM	Free CRM; paid hubs vary

How we chose

We looked at automation depth, bundled channels (email, SMS, WhatsApp), CRM, funnels and entry price. Facts come from each vendor’s own public pages; where a price or limit was not shown we say so instead of guessing.

The options in detail

Our pick

GoHighLevel

Best for: agencies and service businesses that want CRM, funnels and texting in one place.

Unlimited contacts and users on every plan
Sub-accounts for client work (3 on Starter, unlimited on Unlimited)
CRM, funnels, calendars, invoicing and messaging included

Watch out: Usage fees (SMS, calls, email, AI) are billed on top.

Read the GoHighLevel review

Also consider

ActiveCampaign

Best for: teams that want deep email automation.

Marketing automation included on all email plans
Landing pages from the Plus plan
SMS, WhatsApp and CRM pipelines sold as add-ons

Watch out: The Starter plan limits automations to 5 actions.

Official site

Also consider

GetResponse

Best for: creators and sellers who want email, funnels and webinars in one tool.

Automation, landing pages, funnels and web push
Webinars on the Creator plan and above
150+ integrations

Watch out: Unlimited automation and webinars sit on higher plans.

Read the GetResponse review

Also consider

Keap

Best for: small businesses that want guided onboarding and phone support.

U.S.-based phone support and a dedicated Customer Success Manager
CRM, landing pages, texting, quotes, invoices and recurring payments
2 users included; extra users $39/mo

Watch out: Implementation services are required, and annual contracts carry an early termination fee.

Official site

Also consider

HubSpot

Best for: teams that want a free CRM now and marketing, sales and service tools later.

2,000+ integrations, per the official site
Marketing, Sales, Service, Content and Data hubs on one record
Small Business Bundle with starter editions

Watch out: Costs can rise as you add hubs and contacts.

Read the HubSpot review

Verdict

If the points above match your needs, start with GoHighLevel and use its free option or trial to confirm. Choose another option only when a specific limit blocks you.

Start the 14-day free trial

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Go deeper: gohighlevel vs activecampaign keap · getresponse vs mailchimp activecampaign · GoHighLevel review · GoHighLevel alternatives

Prices and limits can change; always confirm on the official sites. Last verified: 2026-10-13