ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter vs Copper CRM — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter starts at $19/mo. Copper CRM starts at $12/mo. Copper CRM is $7/mo cheaper on the entry tier than ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter.
See price history: ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter · Copper CRM
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter (Per Usage) — ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter bills on usage — contacts on top of a paid plan starting at $19/mo. The plan includes an allowance; anything beyond it is metered.
- Copper CRM (Per Seat) — Copper CRM bills on a fixed plan from $12/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter is ActiveCampaign's entry marketing automation product — email marketing, drip campaigns, segmentation, and basic automation at 1,000 contacts baseline for $19/mo monthly ($15/mo annual). Price scales with contact list size: 10K contacts ≈ $149/mo Plus. ActiveCampaign sells 2 additional products with independent pricing not tracked here: ActiveCampaign Sales (standalone CRM), ActiveCampaign Bundle (Marketing + Sales combined at a discount, Bundle Plus at $93/mo is the sweet spot for many customers). All three products scale with contact count. Popular with SMBs and solopreneurs graduating from Mailchimp.
Copper CRM is the Google Workspace-native CRM built inside Gmail. Basic $29/seat/mo ($23 annual, 2,500 contacts); Professional $69/mo ($59 annual, 15,000 contacts); Business $134/mo ($99 annual, unlimited contacts). Chrome + Gmail plugins are core differentiators.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter monthly | ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter annual | Copper CRM monthly | Copper CRM annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Starter | $19 | $15 | $12 | $9 |
| Mid tier | Plus / Basic | $59 | $49 | $29 | $23 |
| Pro / power | Pro / Professional | $99 | $79 | $69 | $59 |
| Teams | — / Business | — | — | $134 | $99 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / — | $179 | $145 | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter is worth it if… SMBs (500-5,000 contacts) that need email + basic automation + CRM in one tool without HubSpot's price tag. Starter covers most basic email flows; Plus adds sales automation and SMS.
Copper CRM is worth it if… Copper CRM is ideal for small agencies and consultancies that live in Gmail and want zero-setup CRM directly inside their inbox.
Bottom line: Choose based on how you want to pay — ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter is per usage, Copper CRM is per seat.
Choose ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter over Copper CRM if…
Choose ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, from $19/mo).
- You match the profile ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter is built for: SMBs (500-5,000 contacts) that need email + basic automation + CRM in one tool without HubSpot's price tag.
- You need a general-purpose marketing & email option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Copper CRM if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $12/mo).
- You match the profile Copper CRM is built for: ideal for small agencies and consultancies that live in Gmail and want zero-setup CRM directly inside their inbox.
- You need a general-purpose marketing & email option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter | Copper CRM | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $19/mo | $12/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | Per Usage | Per Seat |
| Verification | Checked October 3, 2026 | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified October 3, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter and Copper CRM
- How much does ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter cost in 2026?
- Does ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter have a free plan?
- How often does ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter change prices?
- What are the best ActiveCampaign Marketing Starter alternatives in 2026?
- How much does Copper CRM cost in 2026?
- Does Copper CRM have a free plan?
- What are the best Copper CRM alternatives in 2026?