ActiveCampaign vs Firsthand (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
ActiveCampaign
From $15/mo against from $26/mo
Free plan
Tie
Neither has one
Higher rating
ActiveCampaign
4.4 against 3.8
Same job?
Yes
Both are Marketing tools

Side by side

Compared on	ActiveCampaign	Firsthand
Our rating	4.4Better	3.8
Starts at	$15/moBetter	$26/mo
Free plan	No	No
Category	Marketing	Marketing
Plans	From $15/mo	From $26/mo
Key features	Active Intelligence carries memory across campaigns automatically Brand Kit maintains consistent voice, logo, and colors across generated content References a brand's own best-performing past emails automatically Multi-channel: email, SMS, WhatsApp, and 1,000+ integrations Pricing scales with contact-list size	Real-time conversational agents branded to the publisher Controls over agent voice, claims and boundaries Customer intent insight captured from conversations Built for marketers and publishers rather than support teams
Pros	Active Intelligence memory reduces repetitive brand-voice setup for new campaigns Long, proven operating history since 2003 Broad integration ecosystem across 1,000+ apps	Brand voice controls make consumer-facing agents deployable Conversations surface pre-purchase questions analytics misses
Cons	Pricing increases as a contact list grows, a real cost consideration at scale Some features considered essential are priced as add-ons beyond the advertised tier No permanent free plan to test before committing	Consumer-facing claims carry the same liability as advertising Needs ongoing monitoring rather than being set and forgotten
Company	ActiveCampaign, founded 2003

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260811. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is ActiveCampaign better than Firsthand?

In our reviews ActiveCampaign scores 4.4 and Firsthand scores 3.8. The better pick depends on the job. ActiveCampaign: Bootstrapped for 13 years before taking outside funding, now a $3B company. Firsthand: Brand agents that hold controlled, real-time conversations with consumers for marketers and publishers.

Which is cheaper, ActiveCampaign or Firsthand?

ActiveCampaign has the lower starting price: from $15/mo for ActiveCampaign and from $26/mo for Firsthand.

Do ActiveCampaign and Firsthand have free plans?

Neither lists a free plan.

More comparisons

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Firsthand compared with

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