Marketo is an enterprise-focused marketing automation platform with advanced lead scoring and account-based marketing capabilities, while ActiveCampaign is a mid-market solution offering better affordability and integrated CRM functionality at a lower price point.
Marketo vs ActiveCampaign — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Enterprise marketing automation platform with advanced lead scoring and ABM capabilities
Enterprise-grade CRM and marketing automation platform with integrated sales and service tools.
Starting Price. Lead Scoring Capabilities. Built-in CRM. Account-Based Marketing (ABM). API Rate Limits. Learning Curve (Training Hours Required). Customer Support Tier
Choose Marketo if you're an enterprise with complex lead nurturing needs, require advanced ABM capabilities, and have dedicated marketing ops teams. Choose ActiveCampaign if you're a growing mid-market company seeking an affordable all-in-one platform with integrated CRM and faster implementation time.
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): Unlimited (tied to spend) | ActiveCampaign: 500
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 98.5% | ActiveCampaign: 97%
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 3-6 months | ActiveCampaign: 1-2 weeks
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 10+ enterprise systems | ActiveCampaign: 4+ (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, native)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): Predictive AI + behavioral + custom | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 9/10 (complex) | ActiveCampaign: N/A
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): <1 hour (24/7) | ActiveCampaign: 24 hours (email)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): $1,250 | ActiveCampaign: $15/month
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): $2,500 | ActiveCampaign: $299
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 50,000 | ActiveCampaign: 10,000
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 8-12 weeks | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 weeks
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 150+ | ActiveCampaign: 200+ professional templates
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): No (requires integration) | ActiveCampaign: Yes (native)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): 1,000,000+ | ActiveCampaign: 100,000
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): Full suite included | ActiveCampaign: Limited functionality
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Plus plan ($99+/month) and above
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: AI-generated email drafts included
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced - conditional branching, multi-step, custom logic
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: A/B testing and spam testing
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Limited platform support
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Native CRM with advanced features
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Experienced marketers preferred
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $15/month
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $49/month (Plus)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $145/month
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2 (Marketing & CRM)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $49/month
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Nearly identical ratings
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1,000 contacts
Average eCommerce Email Revenue Per Send
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Not published
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $9 (500 contacts)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $385–$495
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full B2B/B2C CRM with lead scoring
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Available (add-on/integration)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Supported via marketplace
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4,200% ROI (industry average)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Email, SMS, web, social, chat (native)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $9
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: No (forms only)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full-featured with scoring
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced (conditional logic, multi-branch)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 weeks (with training)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $149 (Pro plan, unlimited)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with pipeline, forecasting, and scoring
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Predictive sending, lead scoring
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited advanced workflows
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Moderate - requires learning
Starting Monthly Price (Annual Commitment)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Behavioral, manual, predictive (limited AI)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-5 days
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2-4 hour sync
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 10,000+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4-8 weeks
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Basic (via third-party apps)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 8-12% (varies by setup)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (behavioral, predictive, dynamic)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $15
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: None (paid only)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1000+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1 week
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 2 (last-click, first-click)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $25-50
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced predictive with AI priority ranking
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: No (14-day trial only)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 10-300 calls (tier-dependent)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 100+ (plan-dependent)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced with A/B testing, dynamic content, behavior triggers
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Predictive send time, contact scoring, revenue attribution
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited (500 contacts max)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced (deals, pipelines, forecasting)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (all paid plans)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (all plans)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 600 calls/min
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $9 (Lite tier)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: No free tier
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 500+ templates
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with sales pipelines and deal tracking
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 500+ pre-built workflows
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $229/month
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 3.9/5
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: No free plan
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes (paid add-on)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Advanced AI-powered with predictive scoring
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 14 days
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $549 (10 seats @ $35 + contact tier)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 200+
Marketing Automation Workflows (Pre-built)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 500
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 20+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1,000+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Unlimited with advanced conditional logic
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full CRM with lead scoring, pipeline, forecasting
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes - iOS and Android
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $49
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1,200+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Not included
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: All plans
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4 hours
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $99
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 4-6 weeks
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Yes - full sales pipeline, deal tracking
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: No - requires third-party integration
Mid-Tier Price (5K contacts/subscribers)
Enterprise Price (100K+ contacts/subscribers)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: $229+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 100+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full deal pipelines with forecasting and attribution
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 1,000
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Separate add-on ($10+/month)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: Full sales pipeline with deal tracking
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 8/10 (steep)
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 500+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage): N/A | ActiveCampaign: 300+
Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) — Wikipedia
How to choose between Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) and ActiveCampaign
Compare Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) vs ActiveCampaign
Marketo vs ActiveCampaign — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Marketo vs ActiveCampaign. Contains 128 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Marketo vs ActiveCampaign — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Marketo vs ActiveCampaign.
Which platform is better for small businesses?
ActiveCampaign is significantly better for small businesses due to its $15/month entry price point and integrated CRM. Marketo's minimum $1,250/month pricing and 80-120 hour implementation time are designed for enterprise teams with substantial budgets and dedicated staff.
Does ActiveCampaign have the same lead scoring as Marketo?
No. Marketo offers advanced predictive lead scoring powered by machine learning and historical behavioral data, while ActiveCampaign provides basic manual and behavioral scoring. For complex lead scoring models, Marketo is the clear winner, but ActiveCampaign's scoring is sufficient for most mid-market use cases.
Can I use Marketo without buying a separate CRM?
Marketo requires integration with an external CRM (such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or Veeva) or another customer data platform. ActiveCampaign includes a native CRM, eliminating this additional cost and integration complexity.
Marketo offers 24/7 premium support with dedicated account managers at enterprise tiers, while ActiveCampaign provides business-hours email support on standard plans. For mission-critical enterprise operations, Marketo's support is superior, but ActiveCampaign's support is adequate for most mid-market businesses.
How do the email deliverability rates compare?
ActiveCampaign reports an average email deliverability rate of 98.5% inbox placement, while Marketo typically achieves 95-97% depending on domain reputation and authentication setup. ActiveCampaign's superior infrastructure and dedicated IP options give it a slight edge for email-focused campaigns.
How to Choose Between Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) and ActiveCampaign
Starting Price: Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has $1,250/month, while ActiveCampaign has $15/month.
Lead Scoring Capabilities: Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has Advanced predictive and behavioral scoring, while ActiveCampaign has Basic manual and behavioral scoring.
Built-in CRM: Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has Integration required, while ActiveCampaign has Integrated CRM included.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has Native ABM tools with full suite, while ActiveCampaign has Limited ABM functionality.
API Rate Limits: Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has 50,000 calls/day, while ActiveCampaign has 10,000 calls/day.
Consider: Learning Curve (Training Hours Required)
Learning Curve (Training Hours Required): Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has 80-120 hours, while ActiveCampaign has 20-40 hours.
Customer Support Tier: Marketo (Adobe Marketo Engage) has Premium: 24/7 with dedicated account manager, while ActiveCampaign has Standard: Business hours, email-based.