Introduction
Choosing the right CRM and automation platform today is more important than ever. With rising ad costs, increased competition, and reduced attention spans, businesses need more than just email marketing—they need complete automation ecosystems.
That’s why the ongoing debate of GoHighLevel vs ActiveCampaign has become a hot topic in 2025.
Both platforms offer powerful automation and marketing tools, but they serve different audiences and deliver very different levels of value—especially for digital marketing agencies, freelancers, and small business owners.
Table of Contents
If you’re searching for:
- A powerful CRM
- Advanced automation
- A unified all-in-one marketing platform
- White-label capabilities
- A SaaS revenue model
- Unlimited client accounts
- Or simply more affordability
…then this detailed comparison will help you pick the right platform.
Let’s dive deep into GoHighLevel vs ActiveCampaign and see which platform actually gives you the best ROI in 2025.
What Is GoHighLevel?
GoHighLevel (often called HighLevel) is an all-in-one CRM, marketing automation, funnel builder, and agency management platform designed specifically for:
✔ Digital marketing agencies
✔ Freelancers
✔ Local businesses
✔ Coaches and consultants
✔ SaaS creators
HighLevel replaces dozens of tools, including:
- ClickFunnels
- ActiveCampaign
- Calendly
- Mailchimp
- Kajabi
- Pipedrive
- Salesforce (for small businesses)
Its biggest advantage?
HighLevel includes SaaS Mode and white-label capabilities, allowing you to launch your own branded software company with one subscription.
What Is ActiveCampaign?
ActiveCampaign is one of the most popular email marketing and automation platforms. It is known for:
✔ Advanced email marketing
✔ Strong workflows
✔ Good segmentation
✔ High email deliverability
ActiveCampaign is primarily built for small and medium-sized businesses that want powerful email automation—but it does not provide a full all-in-one solution like GoHighLevel.
ActiveCampaign focuses on:
- Email campaigns
- Automations
- Forms
- Basic CRM
- Segmentation
- Lead scoring
Unlike GoHighLevel, it does not provide funnels, booking calendars, a full CRM pipeline, white labeling, or SaaS capabilities.
GoHighLevel vs ActiveCampaign: Feature Comparison Table (2025)
| Feature | GoHighLevel | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | ✔ Advanced | ✔ Basic |
| Email Automation | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes (stronger email focus) |
| Funnels | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| Websites | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| SMS Marketing | ✔ Yes | Limited (addon required) |
| Social Media Scheduling | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| Appointment Scheduling | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| AI Automation | ✔ Yes | Limited |
| Pipelines | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Memberships/Courses | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| Reputation Management | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| White Label | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| SaaS Mode | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| Unlimited Client Accounts | ✔ Yes | ✖ No |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
Conclusion:
ActiveCampaign excels in email, but GoHighLevel wins as an all-in-one ecosystem for agencies and SMBs.
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GoHighLevel Feature Breakdown
1. GoHighLevel CRM
The GoHighLevel CRM is built for agencies and businesses that need:
- Pipeline management
- Lead tracking
- Stage automation
- Call/text logging
- AI-powered follow-up
- Multi-location support
- Unlimited client accounts
Compared to ActiveCampaign, HighLevel’s CRM is significantly more powerful and customizable.
2. GoHighLevel Automation
GoHighLevel automation allows you to build:
- SMS sequences
- Email workflows
- Trigger-based pipelines
- Missed-call text-back
- Voicemail drops
- AI chatbots
- Appointment reminders
- Multi-channel follow-ups
ActiveCampaign is strong in email automations but lacks multi-channel automation, which makes HighLevel the better choice in 2025.
3. GoHighLevel Pricing
GoHighLevel provides unlimited usage, unlike ActiveCampaign which charges by:
- Contacts
- Features
- User seats
HighLevel offers 3 main pricing plans:
- Starter ($97/month)
- Pro ($297/month)
- SaaS Mode ($497/month)
Compared to ActiveCampaign, which can reach $500–$1,500/month with all features and contact lists, GoHighLevel provides better value—especially for agencies.
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4. GoHighLevel SaaS Mode
This is where HighLevel truly becomes unbeatable.
In SaaS Mode, you can:
✔ Sell your own software
✔ Create your own pricing plans
✔ White-label the platform with your branding
✔ Charge clients $97–$497 per month
✔ Automate onboarding & billing
✔ Build recurring revenue
ActiveCampaign does not offer SaaS capabilities or white labeling.
5. GoHighLevel White Labeling
You can customize:
- Branding
- Logo
- Colors
- Domain
You essentially run your own software business powered by HighLevel.
ActiveCampaign cannot be white-labeled.
6. Funnels, Websites & Memberships
GoHighLevel includes:
- Funnel builder
- Website builder
- Membership course builder
ActiveCampaign requires 3rd-party tools like:
- ClickFunnels
- WordPress
- Teachable
- Circle
These additional tools increase cost and complexity.
ActiveCampaign Feature Breakdown
1. Email Marketing
ActiveCampaign is one of the best email marketing platforms in the world because of:
- High deliverability
- Strong segmentation
- Advanced automations
- Good templates
If your business is email-heavy and doesn’t need funnels, SMS, or white-label features, ActiveCampaign performs well.
2. Automation Builder
ActiveCampaign’s automation builder is powerful but limited to:
- Email campaigns
- Lead scoring
- Segmentation
- Basic triggers
No SMS, no unified inbox, no AI workflows, and no appointment automation.
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3. CRM
ActiveCampaign includes a CRM, but it’s:
- Less visual
- Less customizable
- Not designed for agencies
GoHighLevel’s CRM is much more comprehensive.
4. Pricing
ActiveCampaign charges based on:
- Features
- Users
- Contact volume
This makes it expensive very quickly.
Example:
10,000 contacts with full features can cost $600+/month.
GoHighLevel offers unlimited contacts across all plans.
GoHighLevel vs ActiveCampaign: Pros & Cons
GoHighLevel Pros
✔ All-in-one platform
✔ Affordable pricing
✔ Unlimited contacts
✔ Funnels, websites, and pipelines built-in
✔ White label capabilities
✔ SaaS Mode for recurring income
✔ Powerful CRM
✔ Multi-channel automation
✔ Agency-friendly tools
✔ Centralized dashboard
✔ AI follow-up features
GoHighLevel Cons
✖ Takes time to learn
✖ Some templates require customization
✖ Overkill for users who only need email
ActiveCampaign Pros
✔ Excellent email deliverability
✔ Great automation builder
✔ Strong segmentation
✔ Easy to use
✔ Reliable system
ActiveCampaign Cons
✖ No funnels
✖ No SMS unless paid add-ons
✖ No white label
✖ Pricing increases fast
✖ Limited CRM features
✖ Not designed for agencies
Pricing Comparison (2025)
GoHighLevel Pricing
- Starter: $97/month
- Pro: $297/month
- SaaS Mode: $497/month
Includes unlimited:
- Contacts
- Funnels
- Workflows
- Users
- Client accounts
ActiveCampaign Pricing
- Lite: ~$49–$149/month
- Plus: ~$79–$249/month
- Professional: ~$129–$400/month
- Enterprise: $500–$1,500/month+
Pricing increases with:
- Contact volume
- CRM access
- Automation features
- Advanced reporting
For agencies, this becomes costly fast.
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Who Should Choose Which Platform?
❗ Choose GoHighLevel if you are:
✔ A digital marketing agency
✔ A freelancer wanting to scale
✔ A small business needing automation
✔ Someone selling services
✔ Someone who wants to sell software
✔ Someone wanting funnels + CRM + automation in one place
❗ Choose ActiveCampaign if you are:
✔ A small business focused 90% on email
✔ You don’t need funnels or SMS
✔ You don’t want to manage clients
✔ You prefer a simple email-focused tool
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is GoHighLevel better than ActiveCampaign?
Yes, especially for agencies, freelancers, and businesses needing an all-in-one CRM, automation, and funnel-building system.
2. Is ActiveCampaign good for agencies?
It works for basic automation, but it lacks client management features and becomes expensive.
3. Does GoHighLevel replace ActiveCampaign?
Yes. You get everything ActiveCampaign offers plus:
- Funnels
- SMS
- CRM
- Pipelines
- White label
- SaaS Mode
4. Is GoHighLevel pricing affordable?
Compared to competitors, GoHighLevel offers massive value—especially with unlimited accounts and contacts.
5. Can I sell GoHighLevel as my own software?
Yes! With SaaS Mode and white label capabilities, you can create your own branded software company.
Final Verdict — GoHighLevel vs ActiveCampaign: Who Wins in 2025?
After testing both platforms extensively for client projects and agencies, the winner is clear:
👉 GoHighLevel is the best choice for agencies, freelancers, and SMBs in 2025.
While ActiveCampaign is excellent for email-only workflows, GoHighLevel delivers:
- A complete CRM
- Full automation
- Funnels & websites
- SMS & call tracking
- White label
- SaaS Mode
- Unlimited client accounts
This makes GoHighLevel the most cost-effective and scalable solution available today.
Ready to Try GoHighLevel? Start Your Free Trial
If you’re ready to automate your business, scale your agency, or even launch your own SaaS brand:
👉 Start Your Free GoHighLevel Trial
https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=vinoth-62
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