ActiveCampaign vs Kit
Both are on our shortlist for course creators. They part company on several things that matter more than the monthly price.
ActiveCampaign
KitWhich one, for whom
- A list already in the thousandsKitKit stays free to 10,000 subscribers against ActiveCampaign's nothing.Start free on Kit
- Worried about being locked inKitActiveCampaign's terms cut off access to your contact data when you cancel. Kit does not do that.
- Selling the course from the same toolKitKit can take the payment itself, so you do not need a separate checkout.
Side by side
| ActiveCampaign | Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | None | 10,000 subscribers |
| Free sends | 14-day trial only | Unlimited broadcasts |
| Welcome sequence on free | No | No |
| Connects to Teachable | Direct | Direct |
| Connects to Kajabi | Direct | Direct |
| Connects to Podia | Direct | Direct |
| Connects to Thinkific | Direct | Direct |
| Paid from | A$23/mo AUD | $33/mo USD |
| The catch | Starter caps you at 5 actions per automation, which a real welcome sequence will hit. | Digital product sales carry a 3.5% + 30c fee on every plan. |
| G2 score | 4.4 out of 5, from 14,791 reviews | 4.4 out of 5, from 236 reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 2.7 out of 5, from 1,433 reviews | 4.1 out of 5, from 154 reviews |
Figures read off each vendor's own pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026. Where a row says not published, that vendor does not state a price at that list size and we will not invent one.
The last two rows are other people's scores, not ours, read on 6 September 2026. Check them yourself:ActiveCampaign on G2, ActiveCampaign on Trustpilot, Kit on G2, Kit on Trustpilot.
- ActiveCampaign: Reviewers disagree about this one. It scores 4.4 on G2 and 2.7 on Trustpilot. Read a page of each before you decide, because one of those audiences is having a different experience to the other.
Getting your list back out
ActiveCampaignHard to leave
Read this before you sign up. Their terms say that on cancellation "you will not have access to or be able to restore any Contact Data". Export your list before you cancel, not after. Source
Kit
Deleting the account is self-serve and takes 24 to 48 hours. Export first: their help page says all data is permanently deleted, with no recovery window documented. Source
ActiveCampaign vs Kit, answered
- Is ActiveCampaign or Kit better for an online course?
- Neither is better outright, and anyone who says so is guessing on your behalf. Kit if you are a list already in the thousands. Kit if you are worried about being locked in. Kit if you are selling the course from the same tool.
- Which of ActiveCampaign and Kit has the better free plan?
- Kit allows more free subscribers (10,000 against none). A bigger allowance is not automatically the better plan: check the welcome sequence row above, because that is where the two usually part company.
- Can I move from ActiveCampaign to Kit later?
- Yes, and you should assume you will. Export your list before you cancel anything, and keep whatever marks who bought from you. We wrote the whole running order up separately.
Try either one
ActiveCampaignDeepest automation, once the list pays for itself
A$23/mo AUDpaid plans start here. No free plan. Read off their pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026.
See ActiveCampaign pricingRead the full ActiveCampaign breakdownKitBiggest free list, sells products out of the box
$33/mo USDpaid plans start here. Free up to 10,000. Read off their pricing page between 9 and 24 September 2026.
Start free on KitRead the full Kit breakdownMoving between them? Read the switching guide first, or answer 5 questions to check neither of these is the wrong shortlist.
Neither of these? See all 14, including which ones connect straight to Teachable, Kajabi, Podia or Thinkific, or compare what they cost as your list grows.