Best software · Marketing
9 Best Marketing Automation Software of 2026
This list is for B2B and B2C marketers who build nurture flows, score leads and automate campaigns, and who need to know which plan actually includes those features. We compared documented features and published prices for 9 platforms, from small business tools to Salesforce's B2B suite. Scores weigh features at 40%, ease of use at 30% and value at 30%. Prices are the vendors' own US dollar figures where the page showed them; ActiveCampaign and Zoho are marked pending because their pricing pages did not show a USD figure when we checked.
By the Mojolin research desk · Updated November 7, 2026 · 9 tools compared · Prices checked on vendor pages, latest November 7, 2026
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
Mojolin is self-funded How we score
HubSpot Marketing Hub is our top pick because workflows, lead scoring and the CRM share one contact record, with a free plan and Starter listed at $20 per seat. ActiveCampaign is the best alternative for teams that want multi-step automation on every plan without enterprise pricing. Brevo is the value choice, with unlimited automation workflows on its $18 Standard plan. B2C brands should look at Klaviyo, product-led SaaS teams at Customer.io, and Salesforce customers at Account Engagement.
Top picks
Best overall
HubSpot Marketing Hub
8.8 / 10
B2B marketing teams that want nurture workflows, lead scoring and sales handoff on the same contact record.
Read the review →Runner-up
ActiveCampaign
8.7 / 10
Small and mid-size teams that want deep multi-step automation without an enterprise contract.
Read the review →Also great
Brevo
8.6 / 10
B2C marketers and small businesses that want unlimited automation workflows at a low monthly price.
Read the review →Comparison table
| # | Tool | Pricing | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HubSpot Marketing Hub | B2B marketing teams that want nurture workflows, lead scoring and sales handoff on the same contact record. | Free plan at $0; Starter from $20 per seat per month ($10 offer for new customers); Professional from $100 and Enterprise from $175 per seat per month | 8.8 |
| 2 | ActiveCampaign | Small and mid-size teams that want deep multi-step automation without an enterprise contract. | Starter, Plus, Pro and Enterprise plans priced by contacts, quoted for 1,000 contacts (see vendor pricing, USD check pending) | 8.7 |
| 3 | Brevo | B2C marketers and small businesses that want unlimited automation workflows at a low monthly price. | Free plan; Starter $9 per month, Standard $18 per month and Professional $499 per month, priced by monthly email volume | 8.6 |
| 4 |  Klaviyo | Ecommerce and B2C brands that automate flows from purchase and browsing data. | Free plan for 250 active profiles; Email from $20 per month and Marketing from $25 per month, priced by active profiles | 8.5 |
| 5 |  Zoho Marketing Automation | Budget-minded B2B teams that want scoring and journeys, especially those already using Zoho CRM. | Standard, Professional and Enterprise plans priced by contacts (see vendor pricing, USD check pending) | 8.3 |
| 6 |  Customer.io | SaaS and app teams that build lifecycle journeys from behavioral data. | Essentials from $100 per month billed monthly; Premium from $1,000 per month billed yearly; Enterprise custom | 8.2 |
| 7 |  GetResponse | Small marketing teams and creators who want automation, funnels and webinars in one subscription. | Monthly plans priced by list size, starting at $19 per month for 1,000 subscribers; 18% off yearly | 8.1 |
| 8 |  Salesforce Account Engagement | B2B companies on Salesforce CRM that need lead scoring and grading tied to sales. | Growth from $1,250 per org per month, Plus $2,750, Advanced $4,400 and Premium $15,000, billed annually | 7.7 |
| 9 |  Keap | Small service businesses that want CRM, automation, invoicing and appointments in one tool. | One plan with the full platform, starting at $320 per month with 2 users; extra users $39 per month | 7.5 |
Scoring weights
Every tool gets three editorial scores out of 10, from vendor documentation, product pages and the published price. The overall score is the weighted average below, the same method on every list. Full method
The full ranking
Rank 1 · Best overall
HubSpot Marketing Hub
A marketing suite built on the HubSpot CRM with email, forms, workflows, lead scoring and campaign reporting.
hubspot.com8.8
out of 10
Best for: B2B marketing teams that want nurture workflows, lead scoring and sales handoff on the same contact record.
HubSpot Marketing Hub is the most complete choice for B2B teams that run nurture flows off a shared CRM. Forms feed contacts into the CRM, workflows branch on contact properties and engagement, and lead scoring sorts contacts by interest and behavior so sales sees the warmest leads first. HubSpot says its automation can enroll AI-powered segments into tailored journeys and adjust as engagement changes.
The pricing is the catch. The free plan covers email campaigns, an AI assistant and live chat, and Starter lists at $20 per seat per month with a $10 limited offer for new customers. The deeper personalization and automation features sit in Professional, which starts at $100 per seat per month, and Enterprise starts at $175. Teams that already sell from HubSpot or Salesforce get the most out of it, because scores and activity travel with the contact. Small teams with one marketer may find ActiveCampaign or Brevo cheaper for similar flows.
Standout feature
Lead scoring, workflows and the CRM share one contact record.
Use cases
B2B demand generation teams
Score inbound leads and route the hottest to sales
Outcome: Faster follow-up on sales-ready contacts
Marketing operations managers
Build branching nurture workflows from form fills
Outcome: Consistent follow-up without manual sends
Salesforce shops
Send HubSpot lead scores to Salesforce
Outcome: Reps prioritize outreach with marketing context
Key features
- Workflows with branching logic based on contact properties and engagement
- Automated lead scoring based on contact interests and behavior
- Forms that remember returning visitors and trigger email sequences
- Campaign management, social publishing and built-in analytics
- Lead score sync from HubSpot to Salesforce for sales teams on that CRM
Pros
- Marketing, sales and service data live in one CRM
- Free plan includes email campaigns and live chat
- Branching workflows can enroll AI-built audience segments
Cons
- The big step in automation depth comes at Professional, from $100 per seat
- Per-seat pricing adds up as the marketing team grows
- The $10 Starter price is a limited offer for new customers
Rank 2 · Runner-up
ActiveCampaign
An email marketing and automation platform with multi-step journeys, AI builders and an optional CRM.
activecampaign.com8.7
out of 10
Best for: Small and mid-size teams that want deep multi-step automation without an enterprise contract.
ActiveCampaign is the strongest pick for teams that want serious automation without moving to an enterprise suite. Every plan, Starter included, has multi-step marketing automation and AI-powered builders for automations and campaigns, and the pricing page lists 15 active business goals on Starter. Plus adds cross-channel marketing, and segmentation moves from Limited on Starter to Standard, Advanced and Premium on the higher plans.
The gaps matter for B2B buyers. Lead scoring and win probability are listed as part of the Pipelines and Sales Engagement add-ons on Plus, Pro and Enterprise, and they are not available on Starter. Seats are tight too: Starter and Plus each include 1 user, Pro includes 3 and Enterprise 5. Plans are priced by contact count and quoted for 1,000 contacts, but the page did not render a USD figure for us, so confirm the price at your list size. For nurture flows and lifecycle email it is a deep and approachable tool.
Standout feature
Multi-step marketing automation is included on the entry Starter plan.
Use cases
Small B2B teams
Build a multi-step nurture flow for trial signups
Outcome: More trials turn into paying customers
Service businesses
Automate follow-up after a consultation request
Outcome: No lead goes without a reply
Growing marketing teams
Run campaigns across email and other channels on Plus
Outcome: One builder for all channels
Key features
- Multi-step marketing automation on every plan, including Starter
- AI-powered automation and campaign builders
- Cross-channel marketing from the Plus plan
- Email sends of 10x the contact limit on Starter and Plus, 12x on Pro and 15x on Enterprise
- Lead scoring and win probability through the Pipelines or Sales Engagement add-ons
Pros
- Multi-step automation is available from the entry plan
- Segmentation steps up from Limited to Premium across plans
- Connects to more than 1,000 apps
Cons
- Lead scoring is not on Starter and needs a sales add-on on higher plans
- Starter and Plus include only 1 user seat
- Pricing scales with contact count and was not shown in USD when we checked
Rank 3 · Also great
Brevo
An email, SMS and CRM platform with automation workflows and pricing based on monthly email volume.
brevo.com8.6
out of 10
Best for: B2C marketers and small businesses that want unlimited automation workflows at a low monthly price.
Brevo is the low-cost way to run real automation. The Standard plan, at $18 a month, lets you create an unlimited number of automated multi-step workflows and adds A/B testing, which covers welcome series, abandoned cart flows and re-engagement for most small businesses. Plans are priced by monthly email volume rather than contacts, so a large list you email a few times a month stays affordable, and Starter costs $9.
The limit is B2B lead management. Contact scoring is listed on Professional, which costs $499 a month and starts at 150,000 emails a month with 10 seats included, so scoring is far more expensive here than the entry price suggests. Brevo also bundles SMS, WhatsApp, transactional messaging and a sales CRM, which is useful for B2C brands. If you mainly need nurture flows and good value, Brevo is hard to beat; if scoring drives your process, compare HubSpot or Zoho.
Standout feature
Unlimited multi-step automation workflows on an $18 a month plan.
Use cases
Online shops
Send abandoned cart and post-purchase flows
Outcome: Recovered orders at a low monthly cost
Local businesses
Combine email and SMS reminders in one workflow
Outcome: Fewer missed appointments
B2C marketers with large lists
Pay by email volume instead of contacts
Outcome: Lower bills for infrequent sends
Key features
- Unlimited automated multi-step workflows on Standard
- A/B testing of subject lines and content on Standard
- Contact scoring on Professional
- Email, SMS, WhatsApp and transactional messages from one account
- Sales pipelines and a CRM alongside marketing
Pros
- Standard at $18 a month already includes unlimited automation workflows
- Pricing by email volume suits large lists that are emailed rarely
- Free plan for getting started
Cons
- Contact scoring needs Professional at $499 a month
- Starter does not include the marketing automation builder
- Professional is priced from 150,000 emails a month
Rank 4
Klaviyo
A B2C marketing platform for email, SMS and flows built on customer and order data.
klaviyo.com8.5
out of 10
Best for: Ecommerce and B2C brands that automate flows from purchase and browsing data.
Klaviyo is the automation platform built around B2C customer data. Profiles hold the events and order history that trigger flows and drive segments, and the platform lists predictive insights and unified profile management among its data features. The free plan covers 250 active profiles and 500 emails a month, and the Email plan starts at $20 a month for 500 active profiles and 5,000 emails.
The Marketing plan, listed at $25 a month with a limited $1 first month offer, adds social marketing, reviews and more channels on the same data. Klaviyo integrates with more than 400 apps. The trade-off is fit: it is designed for stores and consumer brands, so B2B teams looking for lead scoring, account views and sales handoff will be better served by HubSpot, Account Engagement or Zoho. Prices grow with active profiles, so price your list size a year out before committing.
Standout feature
Flows and segments run on the same profile and order data.
Use cases
Ecommerce brands
Trigger browse and cart abandonment flows
Outcome: More revenue from existing traffic
Consumer subscription businesses
Segment by purchase history
Outcome: Targeted win-back campaigns
Small shops
Start on the free plan with 250 profiles
Outcome: Automation before paying anything
Key features
- Free plan with 500 emails a month to 250 active profiles
- Email plan from 500 active profiles and 5,000 emails a month
- Flows, campaigns, segmentation and forms on one profile database
- Predictive insights and unified profile management
- Integrations with more than 400 apps
Pros
- Free plan includes small allowances for AI Composer, reviews and a helpdesk
- Profile data powers segments and flow triggers
- Marketing plan adds social, reviews and more channels
Cons
- Pricing rises with active profiles
- Built for B2C; B2B lead scoring is not its focus
- The $1 first month Marketing offer is limited time
Rank 5
Zoho Marketing Automation
A marketing automation suite with a workflow builder, lead scoring and multichannel campaigns from Zoho.
zoho.com8.3
out of 10
Best for: Budget-minded B2B teams that want scoring and journeys, especially those already using Zoho CRM.
Zoho Marketing Automation gives B2B teams scoring and journeys at a lower price point than the enterprise suites. Standard includes a basic workflow builder with templates, signup forms, website behavior tracking, SMS, social and WhatsApp marketing, and 10 users. Professional adds complete contact management with lists, scoring, tags and life cycle stages, advanced segmentation, an advanced workflow builder with reports, contact path tracing, landing pages and email A/B testing for 15 users.
Enterprise moves to 25 users and adds lead attribution, the complete workflow builder, X-RAY tracing in workflows, custom roles and webhooks. Every plan includes unlimited emails, free onboarding and 1:1 technical support, and there is a 14-day free trial without a credit card. Website visitor tracking is tied to contact count, so check the multiple on your plan. The pricing page did not show USD figures when we fetched it, so confirm the cost at your contact count.
Standout feature
Unlimited emails and at least 10 users on every plan.
Use cases
Zoho CRM customers
Score leads and pass them to sales
Outcome: Marketing and sales share one stack
Small B2B teams
Build journeys with re-entry rules
Outcome: Contacts get the right nurture path
Agencies
Use workspaces and custom roles on Enterprise
Outcome: Separate clients under one account
Key features
- Workflow builder with pre-built templates from Standard
- Lead scoring, tags and life cycle stages on Professional
- Contact path tracing and custom re-entry criteria in journeys
- Email, SMS, WhatsApp and social campaigns
- Lead attribution and webhooks on Enterprise
Pros
- Unlimited emails on every plan
- 10 users included on Standard, 15 on Professional and 25 on Enterprise
- Free onboarding and 1:1 technical support
Cons
- Scoring needs Professional
- Visitor tracking is capped as a multiple of contact count
- USD prices did not render on the page when we checked
Rank 6
Customer.io
A customer engagement platform that triggers cross-channel messages from product and event data.
customer.io8.2
out of 10
Best for: SaaS and app teams that build lifecycle journeys from behavioral data.
Customer.io is built for teams whose best signals come from product usage rather than form fills. Every event your app sends can start, branch or end a flow in the visual workflow builder, and an AI Agent helps draft and personalize campaigns. Essentials starts at $100 a month billed monthly with 5,000 profiles, 1 million emails a month, 2 object types and unlimited user seats.
Premium starts at $1,000 a month billed yearly and adds custom profile and email volume, 10 object types, scheduled routines, premium support, 90-day onboarding and HIPAA compliance. Early-stage companies that raised under $10M can apply for up to 12 months free. The trade-off is setup: you get the most from Customer.io when engineering sends clean event and object data, and there is no free plan. Marketers who want lead scoring and CRM handoff out of the box will find HubSpot faster to start.
Standout feature
Unlimited user seats on every plan, from $100 a month.
Use cases
SaaS product teams
Trigger onboarding messages from in-app events
Outcome: More users reach activation
Mobile app marketers
Run cross-channel lifecycle journeys
Outcome: Higher retention
Early-stage startups
Apply to the startup program
Outcome: Up to a year of the platform free
Key features
- Visual workflow builder for cross-channel journeys
- AI Agent that helps build and personalize journeys
- 5,000 profiles and 1 million emails a month on Essentials
- Object types for modeling accounts and other data
- Unlimited user seats on every plan
Pros
- Journeys trigger from any event your product sends
- Unlimited seats keep costs flat as the team grows
- Startup program offers up to 12 months free for companies that raised under $10M
Cons
- No free plan
- Event data setup usually needs developer help
- Premium jumps to $1,000 a month
Rank 7
GetResponse
An email marketing platform with automation workflows, landing pages, webinars and sales funnels.
getresponse.com8.1
out of 10
Best for: Small marketing teams and creators who want automation, funnels and webinars in one subscription.
GetResponse packs a lot of automation into a mid-priced subscription. Monthly plans are bracketed by list size and start at $19 a month for unlimited messages to 1,000 subscribers, with 18% off for yearly billing. The automation toolset covers drip campaigns, click and open follow-ups, contact tagging, contact scoring, abandoned cart triggers, visited URL automation and event-based automation.
The plan you need is Marketer, not Starter. Starter includes one custom automation workflow plus a welcome series, while Marketer unlocks unlimited workflows, advanced segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, sales funnels and promo codes. Creator adds webinars and a website builder for people who sell courses. GetResponse lacks the CRM depth and sales alignment features B2B teams get from HubSpot, but for small teams that run lead magnets, funnels and nurture sequences it is a balanced choice. There is a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
Standout feature
Contact scoring and unlimited sends at a $19 starting price.
Use cases
Course creators
Promote a webinar and follow up automatically
Outcome: More attendees convert to buyers
Small marketing teams
Score contacts by engagement
Outcome: Focus offers on the most engaged subscribers
Online stores
Recover abandoned carts on Marketer
Outcome: Recovered revenue from lost checkouts
Key features
- Unlimited monthly email sends on every plan
- Unlimited automation workflows on Marketer and above
- Contact scoring, tagging and event-based automation
- Abandoned cart recovery and sales funnels
- Webinars on the Creator plan
Pros
- Unlimited sends at every list size
- Contact scoring is part of the automation toolset
- Landing pages, popups and SMS are included
Cons
- Starter allows only 1 custom automation workflow
- Unlimited workflows need the Marketer plan
- Fewer B2B sales handoff features than HubSpot or Account Engagement
Rank 8
Salesforce Account Engagement
Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product, formerly Pardot, with lead scoring, grading and engagement programs.
salesforce.com7.7
out of 10
Best for: B2B companies on Salesforce CRM that need lead scoring and grading tied to sales.
Salesforce Account Engagement, the product formerly called Pardot, is the B2B pick for companies that already run sales on Salesforce. It scores and grades prospects, supports multiple scoring categories and rule-based account scoring, and runs nurture through engagement programs. Einstein features add lead and behavior scoring, send time optimization and engagement frequency.
The price is the barrier. Growth starts at $1,250 per org per month billed annually with 10,000 contacts and 50 forms and landing pages, Plus is $2,750, Advanced $4,400 and Premium $15,000 with 75,000 contacts. Extra contacts cost $100 per 10,000 a month and a dedicated IP is $500 a month. Setup and administration also take more skill than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign. For a Salesforce shop with a defined lead process, the native CRM link is worth it; everyone else should start with a cheaper tool.
Standout feature
Lead scoring plus grading, built to hand leads to Salesforce sales reps.
Use cases
Salesforce B2B companies
Score and grade leads before passing to reps
Outcome: Sales works the best fit leads first
Demand generation teams
Run engagement programs for long sales cycles
Outcome: Prospects stay warm until ready
Account-based marketers
Use account scoring and ABM features on Plus
Outcome: Focus on target accounts
Key features
- Lead scoring and grading with multiple scoring categories
- Rule-based account scoring
- Engagement programs for lead nurturing
- 10,000 contacts included on Growth, Plus and Advanced
- Einstein lead scoring, behavior scoring and send time optimization
Pros
- Native fit with Salesforce CRM for sales handoff
- Scores and grades combine fit and engagement
- Account-based marketing and analytics from Plus
Cons
- Growth starts at $1,250 per month billed annually
- Extra contacts cost $100 per 10,000 a month
- Dedicated IP and several features are paid add-ons
7.5
out of 10
Best for: Small service businesses that want CRM, automation, invoicing and appointments in one tool.
Keap is a small business CRM with automation built in, sold as one plan with the entire platform. It covers contact management with tags and company records, lead scoring that can trigger automation, landing pages, multi-page sales funnels, forms and broadcast, 1:1 and automated emails, plus appointments, invoicing and text marketing. Automation history shows what each contact has received and where they sit in a sequence.
The pricing page lists a start of $320 a month with 2 user licenses, and extra users cost $39 a month. Implementation services are required, which helps new users get value but adds to the first-year cost, and annual contracts carry a $299 early termination fee. That makes Keap expensive next to ActiveCampaign or Brevo for pure email automation. It suits owner-led service businesses that want to replace several tools with one system and are willing to pay for setup help.
Standout feature
CRM, automation, appointments and invoicing in one plan.
Use cases
Coaches and consultants
Automate follow-up from booking to invoice
Outcome: Less admin per client
Home service companies
Text and email leads automatically
Outcome: Faster response to new inquiries
Small agencies
Score leads and trigger sequences
Outcome: Owners spend time on the best prospects
Key features
- Lead scoring that can trigger automation
- Landing pages, multi-page sales funnels and forms that start automation
- Broadcast, 1:1 and automated emails with Gmail and Outlook sync
- Text marketing tiers and a dedicated business number
- Appointments, invoicing and payments in the same platform
Pros
- One plan includes the whole platform
- CRM, marketing and sales automation share contact data
- Lead scoring is included
Cons
- Starts at $320 a month, high for a small business
- Implementation services are required
- A $299 early termination fee applies to annual contracts
Frequently asked questions
+What is the best marketing automation software in 2026?
HubSpot Marketing Hub is our top pick for B2B teams because workflows and lead scoring share data with its CRM, and it has a free plan with Starter listed at $20 per seat per month. ActiveCampaign is the best alternative for smaller teams that want multi-step automation on every plan.
+What is the cheapest marketing automation software?
Brevo Starter costs $9 a month, and Brevo Standard at $18 a month includes unlimited automation workflows. HubSpot, Brevo and Klaviyo also have free plans, and GetResponse starts at $19 a month for 1,000 subscribers.
+Which marketing automation tools include lead scoring?
HubSpot, Salesforce Account Engagement, GetResponse, Keap and Zoho Marketing Automation Professional include lead or contact scoring. Brevo lists contact scoring on its Professional plan, and ActiveCampaign offers lead scoring through its Pipelines or Sales Engagement add-ons.
+What is the best marketing automation tool for B2C brands?
Klaviyo is the strongest B2C choice because flows and segments run on customer and order data, with a free plan for 250 active profiles and an Email plan from $20 a month. Brevo is a lower-cost option with email and SMS in one account.
+Is Pardot still available?
Pardot is now sold as Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement. Its Growth edition starts at $1,250 per org per month billed annually with 10,000 contacts included, and it adds lead scoring, grading and engagement programs.
+Which tool suits SaaS lifecycle marketing?
Customer.io is built for product-led SaaS and apps, triggering journeys from events your product sends. Essentials starts at $100 a month billed monthly with 5,000 profiles and unlimited user seats.
About this list
Updated November 7, 2026 by the Mojolin research desk. Mojolin is self-funded
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
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