In this buying guide, we compare the Emma & ActiveCampaign email marketing platforms on automation, features, and pricing. Spoiler alert: we’re pretty fond of Emma, but we’ll call out where each platform actually wins—even when it stings a little 🤍
Disclaimer: The features, pricing, and details mentioned for each product are as of September 2025 and may have changed since then.
| Category | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Pricing | Starts $99/mo; Emma Lite for 10k contacts, annual contract | 14-day free trial, then starts at $29/mo with pricing based on contacts. No free plan. |
| User sentiment | 4/5 average rating (500+ reviews) | 4.5/5 (13K+ reviews) |
| Automation & journeys | Multi-step journeys with branching, welcome and drip, API and date triggers | 900+ automation recipes with advanced conditional logic. |
| AI features | AI Assistant for writing and edits, A/B and subject tests, reporting insights | AI campaign builder, predictive sending, brand kit. |
| Deliverability & reliability | High deliverability (99.53% as of a 2022 review), SPF/DKIM/DMARC guidance, SFTP sync | 99%+ delivery with robust infrastructure. |
| Segmentation & personalization | Dynamic segments with real-time updates, dynamic content, opt-down center | Behavior-based + AI segmentation, dynamic content blocks. |
| Integration ecosystem | Hundreds of integrations and open API, deep CRM syncs (Salesforce, Blackbaud, EverTrue), Shopify app, Eventbrite | 950+ integrations: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Zendesk Sell, Eventbrite, Salesforce, Zapier |
| Conversion & list-building tools | Landing pages included on Essentials plan, brand controls for consistent capture | Advanced forms, landing pages, conditional content. |
| Support & resources | Email and phone support, live tech support Mon–Fri 7am–7pm CT, onboarding services | Chat (Mon–Fri 3 am–11 pm CT; Sun 6–11 pm CT) + ticket support. No phone support. |
“Emma is our top-of-the-line and favorite email marketing tool”
Anna L., Senior Vice President Marketing (G2)“We have never faced failure since day one. I can say that it helps generate a positive turnover. Emma has been our favorite since the start. I decided to choose Emma as our email marketing tool and beyond any doubt it has proved itself over and over again…”
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Average Rating | 4/5 (500+ reviews) | 4.5/5 (14K+ reviews) |
| Setup Experience | Quick and easy setup — from minutes to hours for SPF authentication. | 5 minutes – 24 hrs for validating domain authentication. |
| Learning Curve | Intuitive interface with guide to getting started, and Quick Start training. | Intuitive interface, guides with videos available for new users. |
| Best for: | Franchises & multi-location teams needing centralized brand control | Growing businesses needing advanced features |
Emma is built for franchises and multi-location teams that need smooth adoption without IT headaches. Its approachable setup and simple onboarding reduce friction, making it easier for distributed teams to maintain consistency without sinking time into training.
ActiveCampaign suits growing businesses chasing sophistication in their marketing. With higher user ratings and resources geared toward deeper learning, it’s a natural fit for brands ready to embrace advanced features while still keeping usability within reach.
“Emma is very user friendly and insight oriented”
“The navigations to Emma are very simple and self explanatory. There is a very short learning curve and a very clean UI to use.”
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Email Editor | Drag-and-drop editor with mobile design mode | Drag-and-drop builder |
| Template Library | Hundreds of pre-designed, mobile-optimized templates | 250+ templates with advanced personalization options |
| Design Flexibility | Style locking, asset sharing, template approval workflows | Flexible layouts with conditional content and optional HTML editing. |
| Branding Consistency | Professional templates with brand locking capabilities for consistent branding | AI-powered brand kit for consistent application |
| Best for: | Teams requiring consistent branding across locations | Teams needing advanced personalization and control |
Emma is best for teams that need brand consistency across multiple locations. Its locked styles and shared assets keep everyone aligned, ensuring that no matter who hits send, the brand looks polished and uniform.
ActiveCampaign is geared toward marketers who want granular personalization and flexibility. With deeper customization options and AI support, it’s a strong fit for businesses that prioritize adaptive designs and individualized customer experiences.
Car Talk simplified templates and optimized for mobile with clear CTAs using Emma, sustaining ~40% opens and up to 50% clicks on The Puzzler and lifting overall click rates by nearly 20%.
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Trigger Options | Signup, date-based, field change, contact import, and custom API events | Contact behavior, purchases, web/app activity |
| Conditional Logic | Branching on opens/clicks; dynamic-content rules from contact fields; up to 20 branches | Advanced if/then logic with branching |
| Prebuilt Journeys | Common workflows: welcome series, re-engagement/drip, abandoned cart | Prebuilt automated journeys, like welcome series, lead nurturing, abandoned cart, re-engagement, and event reminders. |
| Journey Complexity | Multi-step workflows with Wait/Send steps and branching; automate from activity inside or outside the inbox | Highly customizable multi-step journeys with deep segmentation |
Emma is built for teams that want structured, ready-to-launch workflows like welcome or re-engagement campaigns. Its approach balances simplicity with flexibility, making it ideal for distributed brands that need automation without overwhelming complexity.
ActiveCampaign serves businesses that want deep, highly customizable journeys, from nurturing sequences to behavioral triggers. It’s a better fit for growth-focused teams looking to squeeze more value from advanced segmentation and personalized automation.
Dogfish Head activated automated welcomes and a web-series send with Emma, with welcome emails averaging ~78% opens and 27% clicks and the series pulling ~58% opens and 33% clicks.
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| AI Content Creation | AI Assistant writes/rewrites email copy, fixes grammar, and adjusts tone/length to speed up campaign creation | Generative AI for emails, landing pages, subject lines, plus AI Prompt Block for campaigns. |
| Design Intelligence | Drag-and-drop editor with mobile design mode; brand controls lock styles and manage shared templates | AI Brand Kit applies fonts, logos, and colors across campaigns. |
| Optimization Tools | Subject line split testing, A/B content testing, click-map visualization, and detailed analytics/compare reports | AI Campaign Builder creates campaigns from prompts; AI Automation Builder builds workflows. |
| Predictive Features | Response Dashboard shows robust analytics that reveal subscriber insights so you can double down on what works. | Predictive sending, win probability scoring, and trend forecasting. |
| Best For | Small businesses needing all-in-one AI help for content, design, and reporting. | Growth-focused teams needing AI-driven automation and advanced targeting. |
Emma is tailored for small businesses that want AI to take repetitive work off their plate. By smoothing content creation and surfacing clear insights, it helps lean teams save time and keep campaigns consistent without needing data scientists or copywriters at every turn.
ActiveCampaign is designed for growth-focused teams chasing precision and scale. Its AI-driven workflows, predictive analytics, and trend forecasting empower marketers to refine campaigns dynamically.
“Very smooth email marketing experience with Emma”
“I liked using the platform a lot, it was very smooth to use and AI suggestions were cherry on a cake truly.”
— Nirmalya N., WhatsApp Chatbots and Automation Information Technology and Services (G2)
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Delivery Rate | High deliverability (99.53% deliverability as of 2022 review) | Approximately 94% industry-standard delivery rates |
| Inbox Placement | Strong reputation management across multiple accounts | Full delivery stack for high-volume and authenticated senders |
| Deliverability Tools | Supports SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication with best-practice guidance to improve inboxing | Automated list cleaning, double opt-in support, spam check, domain verification, campaign previews |
| Sending Reliability | Automated SFTP Connect for steady contact syncs. | Predictive sending, real-time monitoring, re-engagement |
| Best for: | Multi-location brands needing to monitor delivery and manage authentication across sub-accounts | Teams needing detailed attribution and insights |
Emma is a natural fit for multi-location brands that can’t afford inbox inconsistencies. With its strong reputation safeguards and hands-on authentication guidance, it gives marketing teams peace of mind that campaigns will reliably land where they matter most—even across multiple accounts.
ActiveCampaign suits growth-driven teams hungry for precision and scale. Its predictive sending and deep monitoring provide sharper attribution, making it ideal for businesses where every open and click must feed back into performance analytics and inform the next campaign decision.
“Emma is an excellent product for SMEs for email & SMS marketing”
“The deliverability rate of Emma was the highest we ever saw for any of our Email campaigns and we could send numerous campaigns at once that was the highlight.”
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Segmentation Tools | Dynamic segments with real-time updates based on behavior, demographics | AI-assisted segmentation with CRM data, behavior, and purchase history |
| Custom Fields | Dynamic blocks that personalize per subscriber using fields or custom API events. | Conditional and dynamic content blocks powered by CRM data |
| Dynamic Content | Personalization/merge tags from contact fields (e.g., name, custom fields) in the editor. | Automatically generated tags + custom fields from CRM |
| Personalization Depth | Customizable subscription center with opt-down options | Preference center with CRM-linked management |
| Best for: | Complex audience management across multiple accounts | Businesses needing AI-driven targeting and granular audience control |
Emma is ideal for organizations juggling complex audiences across multiple accounts. Its real-time segmentation and customizable controls make it easier to keep messaging relevant without overwhelming teams, especially in multi-location or multi-brand setups.
ActiveCampaign is built for businesses chasing precision at scale. With AI-driven targeting and CRM-fueled personalization, it empowers growth-focused teams to deliver hyper-specific messaging that aligns tightly with buyer behavior and purchase history.
Convince & Convert used Emma’s audience-choice segmentation and sponsor-friendly newsletter format to grow and engage the daily “Definitive” readership while preserving trust and giving partners credible visibility.
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Number of Integrations | Hundreds of integrations + open API | 950+ integrations across CRM, ecommerce, ads, forms, and sales tools |
| CRM Integrations | Salesforce, Blackbaud, EverTrue with deep sync capabilities | Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Zoho, Zendesk, Pipedrive |
| E-commerce Integrations | Shopify app; SFTP Connect for automated data sync | Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento |
| API Flexibility | Ecommerce, landing pages, events (Eventbrite) | Full API for bi-directional sync; CRM + sales data mapping |
| Best for | Distributed brands (franchises, universities) needing centralized control with deep CRM integrations. | Agencies or teams managing complex multi-channel stacks needing flexibility |
Emma fits distributed brands like franchises and universities that rely on deep CRM connections. Its ecosystem supports centralized control, making it easier for organizations with multiple branches to sync data without losing oversight.
ActiveCampaign is tailored for agencies or fast-moving teams managing complex tech stacks. With a massive integration library and bi-directional sync, it offers the flexibility to connect every channel—ideal for businesses scaling across CRM, ecommerce, and sales workflows.
“Emma is the best ever multi-channel email marketing software”
“Emma is the best ever email marketing software used by me with various features. The ease of use in analytics of campaigns makes my life easier… Integration of this software to my CRM is soo easy and if I get any query, their customer support is ready to help me in the quickest way.”
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Starter Offer | $99/mo; Emma Lite (10,000 contacts, annual contract) | 14-day free trial across all plans |
| Most Popular | Emma Essentials — $159/mo (10,000 contacts, annual contract; adds landing pages, unlimited automation, SMS*) | Plus $49/mo (automation and insights), Pro $79/mo (predictive sending and advanced segmentation) |
| Pricing Model | Contact-based tiers with flat monthly/annual billing; per-contact overages if you exceed your limit; custom quotes for >10k contacts; annual discounts available | Tiered plans (Starter $15/mo → Plus $49/mo → Pro $79/mo → Enterprise $145/mo); feature-based scaling with AI, CRM, and multichannel options |
| Best for | Large organizations who want to scale | Teams needing advanced automation, AI features, and enterprise scalability |
Emma works best for large organizations that prefer predictable budgeting. Its flat-rate, contact-based pricing reduces surprises, giving enterprises clarity when scaling across thousands of subscribers without constantly juggling feature tiers.
ActiveCampaign is better suited for teams that want flexible growth with feature unlocks. Its tiered model scales with automation, AI, and multichannel needs, making it ideal for businesses that evolve quickly and need advanced functionality at each stage.
| Feature | Emma | ActiveCampaign |
| Support Availability | Email & phone support, plus Support Hub; live tech support Mon–Fri, 7am–7pm CT. | All plans: chat + ticket support. Sales: phone line available. Community forum + University training resources.Mon–Fri 3 am–11 pm CTSun 6–11 pm, CT |
| Support Response Time | Business-hours live support; priority phone support available on Corporate plan | Helpful but some users note longer wait times. |
| Knowledge Resources | Support Hub, Emma 101 resource hub & webinar , and video library | Learn library, community forum, certification courses. |
| Onboarding Assistance | Professional Services onboarding packages (strategic kickoff, list import, custom training). | Onboarding on higher tiers + customer enablement workshops. |
| Best for | Teams wanting business-hours live help + self-serve resources; larger orgs needing priority phone support & services. | Teams wanting structured guidance and training. |
Emma is designed for larger organizations that rely on live support during business hours and structured professional onboarding services. With priority phone support and guided training, it’s a strong match for franchises or universities needing reliable troubleshooting without disrupting daily operations.
ActiveCampaign works best for teams that want structured enablement through training courses, community resources, and workshops. It’s ideal for growing businesses that prefer scalable learning over constant live assistance.
“Emma has made my job communicating to my customers so valuable!”
“Emma’s customer support is extremely superior to many other development tools I have used in the past. By using Emma to send my emails, newsletters and landing pages, I am able to get metrics that are so valuable.”
“Emma captures any type of campaign solution”
Hanna L., Head Of Solutions Media Production (G2)“Emma has supported the creation of a content distribution resolution component; for us, it has been invaluable because it has been able to automate the marketing and sending of mass emails to promote our services… It has helped us improve the quality of our service through customer interaction.”
“We have been using Emma for a few years now”
Sarah D., Senior E-commerce Strategy Manager (G2)“We use Emma for marketing our campaigns, target our specific customers and audience as well as send targeted emails for subscriptions and promotions to our targeted customers. Sending mass emails is not a big deal now…Honestly, it works so well for us.”
“Emma email marketing – a multi-tasker email marketing tool”
Angelika E., Marketing & Sales Lead, Retail (Brick and Mortar) Gift Cards (G2)“It provides ease to the users for creating and summarizing results. It is easy to update and add new contacts on this platform. It allows people to manage their list of emails. It has great integration with other applications. Users can also edit them for a long time as well. There are certain different features in this regard.”
