I used to be all-in on ActiveCampaign, probably just like you.
It helped me run campaigns, set up automations, and segment my audience without needing 5 different tools. For years, I had no real complaints.
But slowly, and then suddenly, things changed.
- I got hit with higher pricing on ActiveCampaign
- I hadn’t changed anything.
- No new contacts, no upgraded plan, nothing.
Just a bigger charge, with no email about it, no “heads up” and no explanation in the dashboard.
That’s when I started seeing the same thing everywhere:
People posting on Reddit and in community groups — all saying the same thing.
Furthermore, I wrote a detailed ActiveCampaign review in which I explain all of the ins and outs of this software. Feel free to read that as well.
Join me as I share my story and the exit plan.
Contents
You’re Not Imagining It. Prices Really Did Go Up
If your ActiveCampaign bill suddenly jumped and you’re wondering if something changed — it did. You’re not imagining things, and it’s not just a one-off.
Prices have increased significantly across the board, and in many cases, older “grandfathered” plans have quietly been removed.
What used to feel like a fair monthly cost has turned into a real financial strain, especially for growing businesses with larger contact lists.
What’s worse: For a lot of users, the pricing didn’t just creep up — it spiked, sometimes by hundreds of dollars, with no added features and no clear explanation.
And while ActiveCampaign has added some newer plan names and slightly different feature bundles, here’s what the actual pricing looks like now for standard list sizes.
ActiveCampaign $USD Pricing (April 2025)
| Contacts | Starter | Plus | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 | $39/mo | $95/mo | $149/mo | $255/mo |
| 5,000 | $79/mo | $145/mo | $205/mo | $375/mo |
| 10,000 | $149/mo | $189/mo | $375/mo | $589/mo |
| 20,000 | $311/mo | $329/mo | $549/mo | $785/m |
These numbers speak for themselves — and for many users, they’re shocking. Especially when you consider how many people were paying significantly less just a few months ago.
- That’s why more and more people are sharing their stories online.
- And the pattern is clear: longtime customers, no plan changes, huge billing surprises.
Here are a few quotes from upset users:
“They just threw a price increase from $588 to $1,800 on us after five years of supporting them.”
“$1400/month suddenly turned into $2800/month. For the exact same list and features.”
“They removed my grandfathered plan and forced me onto a more expensive one — no heads-up, no options.”
Sources: Reddit 1, Reddit 2, Reddit 3, LinkedIn.
But… It’s Not Just About the Money
To be fair, ActiveCampaign still does a lot of things right.
- Their automations are solid.
- The logic is flexible.
- The integrations cover most use cases.
But this price increase didn’t feel like a growth decision — it felt like a quiet policy shift.
For long-time users, it came off like: Thanks for sticking with us. Now here’s your penalty.
I stayed loyal and I didn’t switch for years. I built tons of flows and trusted the platform. But once pricing became unpredictable, it started to feel risky.
Further quotes from the previously-mentioned sources:
“It’s not that it’s expensive now. It’s that I can’t trust the next invoice.”
“I’m scared to grow my list because I don’t know what the cost will be.”
“They’re acting like enterprise pricing is normal for small businesses.”
What Changed Behind the Scenes?
From what I can tell (and what many users confirmed), ActiveCampaign is phasing out older plans and pushing users into newer, more expensive tiers — even if nothing has changed in your account.
You don’t get the choice to keep your old pricing.
And once you’re in the new pricing model, you’re often paying more for the same (or sometimes less, since newer plans come with tighter limits on sends or seats unless you upgrade again).
The ActiveCampaign Exit Plan
I didn’t leave ActiveCampaign in a rush. There wasn’t some meltdown or disaster moment.
- I left because it quietly stopped making sense to stay.
- The price kept creeping up.
- The plan I was on changed without warning.
And every month, I started feeling nervous about what my next invoice would look like. I wanted something better — not fancier, just smarter.
What I Needed From The ActiveCampaign Alternative
- Predictable pricing — not “wait and see” billing
- Reliable automations — no learning curve every time something updated
- Support that’s actually there — not buried behind a paywall
- The freedom to scale without getting punished
So I moved to Encharge, and the switch was easier than I thought it will be.
What Surprised Me (In a Good Way)
The pricing was simple and public — no sales calls, no “contact us” quotes and I could send unlimited emails, even on the lower plans.
The automation builder was fast, visual, and easy to rebuild what I had in ActiveCampaign.
Most importantly, the Encharge team actually helped with the move. There’s free migration for any user coming from any other email marketing software.
Switching from ActiveCampaign to Encharge
| What You Care About | ActiveCampaign | Encharge |
|---|---|---|
| Email sending | Limited on most plans | Unlimited (Premium plan) |
| Pricing | Confusing, keeps changing | Simple, flat, public |
| Grandfathered plans | Removed for many users | We don’t play those games |
| Free migration help | Only for Enterprise users | Included on Premium |
| Team members | Extra cost on most plans | Unlimited on all plans |
| Support | Live chat on higher tiers only | Always included |
| Automation builder | Powerful but clunky | Fast, clean, easy to use |
Worried You’ll Lose Something By Switching?
Totally fair question. That was my concern too.
After using ActiveCampaign for years, I didn’t want to switch to something that felt like a downgrade. I had complex flows, behavior-based triggers, and tools like Stripe and HubSpot connected.
So naturally, I asked: Will I lose any of that?
The answer is no. You’re not losing anything — in fact, you’re probably gaining clarity and control.
Encharge gives you everything you expect from a serious email marketing tool:
You can build behavior-based flows that trigger based on what users do (or don’t do) — just like in ActiveCampaign. You can segment users with tags, create lead scoring systems, and personalize your emails with dynamic data.
The automation builder is visual, smooth, and intuitive:
- Drag and drop actions
- Set wait times
- Apply filters
Everything feels faster and cleaner.
You can send one-off broadcasts and fully automated sequences from the same platform. No need to juggle tools or pay for add-ons.
And yes, all the integrations are there: HubSpot, Stripe, Salesforce, Segment, Zapier, and dozens more. Whatever data you’re syncing in AC, you can pull into Encharge just as easily — sometimes faster.
Plus, no weird caps on team members. You can invite your whole team without worrying about hitting limits or paying extra.
So if you’re hesitating because you think switching might cost you features — it won’t.
You’re not stepping down.
You’re just finally using a platform that feels built for how you actually work.
How ActiveCampaign Handles Grandfathered Plans
There was a time when ActiveCampaign rewarded loyalty. If you were on an older plan, you could stick with it — even as new pricing came out.
That’s what grandfathered pricing used to mean.
Not anymore.
Over the last year, ActiveCampaign has quietly removed a huge number of grandfathered plans. Users who had been paying the same price for 5+ years suddenly found themselves on newer, more expensive tiers.
- No opt-in.
- No email.
- Just a different number on the invoice.
“They said my plan would stay locked. Then one day it was gone, and my bill doubled.”
“I thought grandfathered meant something. Apparently not.”
The worst part: There’s no way back. Once they migrate your account, support will tell you there’s nothing they can do.
Even if your usage didn’t change at all.
So if you’re wondering why your price went up — this is probably it.
And it’s not a mistake. It’s the new direction.
How Encharge Handles It Instead
At Encharge, we don’t play pricing games.
Our plans are public, flat, and predictable — and we don’t punish users for being early adopters. If you’re on a plan, you stay on that plan. If we ever launch new pricing, it only applies to new customers.
You won’t wake up one day with a surprise charge.
That’s how it should be — and that’s how we’ll keep it.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still with ActiveCampaign, I’m not here to tell you it’s a bad tool.
But if you’re tired of the pricing drama, you’re not alone.
The platform has clearly shifted focus — and for a lot of us, it just doesn’t fit anymore.
Switching to Encharge felt like going back to the early days:
When you actually trusted your tool, knew what it would cost, and felt good scaling with it.
If that’s what you’re after again — we’ve got room for you.
FAQ: ActiveCampaign Price Increase & Grandfathering
1. Why did ActiveCampaign raise their prices?
ActiveCampaign has quietly rolled out new pricing tiers, and in many cases, removed older, grandfathered plans. Even if your usage hasn’t changed, your plan might’ve — leading to a bigger bill without much notice.
2. What happened to ActiveCampaign grandfathered plans?
They’ve started phasing them out. Long-time users who were promised locked-in pricing are now being automatically pushed to newer, more expensive plans. Most found out after the billing change.
3. Can I go back to my old ActiveCampaign pricing?
In most cases — no. Once your old plan is removed, ActiveCampaign won’t restore it. Even users with long-term accounts have been told there’s no way to revert.
Thank you so much for reading this,
David Ch
Head of Marketing at Encharge
