BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: How to Select the Right CRM

When it comes to choosing the right CRM for your business, the decision can be tough with so many options available. If you’ve narrowed your search to BIGContacts vs ActiveCampaign, congratulations! You’re on the right path.

Both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign are strong CRM contenders, each offering unique features and benefits.

I’ve had the chance to use both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign extensively and gained some valuable insights. This comparison isn’t straightforward—both tools provide great value depending on your business needs.

Let’s get started and explore the features, pros, and cons of each to help you decide which CRM is the best fit for you.

To learn more about choosing the right CRM for your business, watch this video:

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What Is BIGContacts?

BIGContacts is a user-friendly CRM tool designed to help small to medium-sized businesses manage and grow their customer relationships. Known for its simplicity and powerful functionality, BIGContacts streamlines contact management, sales pipeline management, task management, email marketing and automated workflows—all within a single, integrated platform.

The platform is particularly useful for teams seeking to centralize communication, as it allows businesses to store detailed contact information, track email conversations, set reminders for follow-ups, and manage tasks and calendars. BIGContacts also offers sales pipeline management to help users visualize the progress of each lead, making it easy to identify high-priority opportunities.

With customizable dashboards and real-time reporting features, BIGContacts provides actionable insights into customer behavior and sales performance, supporting more personalized and effective customer interactions. It integrates well with various other tools, allowing for a seamless CRM experience.

If you’re considering this solution, here’s a quick BIGContacts review: it’s an affordable, intuitive, and highly adaptable CRM that simplifies contact and sales management for growing businesses.

If you are curious to know more about BIGContacts CRM tool, here is a quick video for you:

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What Is ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign is a comprehensive customer experience automation platform that combines email marketing, automation, CRM, and machine learning to enhance business interactions with customers. Designed for businesses of all sizes, it helps you streamline customer journeys from initial interest to long-term loyalty through its powerful automation tools and flexible features.

With ActiveCampaign, you can create automated workflows that personalize communication-based on user behavior, segment contacts for targeted messaging, and manage the entire sales pipeline in one place. The platform integrates with hundreds of apps, allowing for seamless data sharing across e-commerce, CRM, support, and productivity tools.

When considering an ActiveCampaign comparison with other platforms, its unique combination of effective email marketing, in-depth CRM, and advanced automation stands out. Unlike standalone email marketing or CRM tools, ActiveCampaign’s capabilities extend to automated follow-ups, predictive lead scoring, and customer segmentation, making it ideal for businesses aiming to nurture relationships and drive growth.

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Features

Before we talk about which is the best software among the two, here’s a quick glance at the 2 tools –

BIGContacts vs. ActiveCampaign: Feature-by-Feature Comparison

To determine the best tool between BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign, I’ll be evaluating them based on these 7 crucial factors:

1. Contact Management
2. Integration & Automation Features
3. Sales Pipeline Management
4. Data Management & Security
5. Email Marketing
6. Customer Support
7. Reporting and Analytics
8. Pricing

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Contact Management

Both BIGContacts vs. ActiveCampaign provide contact management solutions—but which one truly excels?

BIGContacts offers 360° contact management that goes beyond the basics. With custom fields, tagging, and grouping, it enables powerful contact segmentation that supports targeted marketing efforts and personalized client interactions. The tool’s seamless task and calendar integration allows you to keep track of each contact’s journey.

BIGContacts also allows segmentation based on criteria such as industry, location, lead status, or any custom field, making it incredibly versatile and easy to align with your unique business needs.

ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, provides centralized contact management with a focus on tagging, segmenting, and lead scoring. The platform’s advanced segmentation capabilities use behavioral triggers, location, and lead scores to create targeted lists. It also offers Bulk Actions, allowing you to make changes across multiple contacts at once, which helps streamline contact updates.

Image Source: ActiveCampaign

Winner:

BIGContacts shines as a CRM alternative with its customization and contact organization capabilities. Its 360° visibility, combined with flexible segmentation and calendar integration, gives it an edge for businesses looking to personalize client relationships effectively.

Here’s the score after round 1:

BIGContacts – 1, ActiveCampaign – 0

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Integration & Automation

When it comes to integration and automation, both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign offer powerful options. But which one stands out?

BIGContacts integrates with widely-used platforms like QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and Zapier, adding essential functionality for business operations. Its email marketing features support drip campaigns, form builders, and automated email sequences for effective lead nurturing and follow-ups.

The built-in calendar syncs with Google Calendar and Outlook, keeping scheduling easy. Additionally, BIGContacts offers custom workflows that automate repetitive tasks, reducing manual effort and helping you maintain accurate records.

ActiveCampaign, however, takes integration a step further. It connects seamlessly with popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Magento, which is a huge plus for businesses in online retail. It also integrates with key advertising platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, and LinkedIn, giving users an edge in targeted marketing campaigns.

Image Source: Shopify App Store

ActiveCampaign’s integration with payment processors like Stripe and PayPal enables streamlined transaction tracking and billing management, making it ideal for service-based businesses and e-commerce alike.

Winner:

In terms of integration and automation, ActiveCampaign has a slight edge. Its extensive integrations, particularly for e-commerce and advertising, create a well-rounded solution for businesses aiming to expand their marketing and sales reach. If you’re exploring ActiveCampaign alternatives, it’s tough to beat the range and depth of tools ActiveCampaign provides for businesses across various industries.

Here’s the score after round 2:

BIGContacts – 1, ActiveCampaign – 1

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Sales Pipeline Management

Both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign offer impressive sales pipeline management, but which one stands out in this CRM Comparison?

BIGContacts delivers a visual sales pipeline that tracks every deal’s progress in real-time. The customizable sales stages adapt perfectly to any sales process, making it highly versatile. One standout feature is the drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to seamlessly move deals through the pipeline.

Automated follow-ups and reminders ensure no opportunities slip through the cracks, while detailed reporting provides actionable insights to optimize your sales strategy. These features make managing sales workflows a breeze.

ActiveCampaign also offers comprehensive pipeline management with features like customizable pipelines, automated deal updates, and goal tracking. Its tools help you stay on top of your sales process and ensure smooth transitions between stages.

Image Source: ActiveCampaign

While ActiveCampaign focuses on automation, it lacks the intuitive visual interface and effective reporting options that BIGContacts excels in.

Winner:

While ActiveCampaign’s pipeline management is powerful, BIGContacts takes the crown with its visual, drag-and-drop interface and advanced reporting features. These tools make it easier to manage deals efficiently while gaining deeper insights into your sales performance.

Score Update:

BIGContacts – 2, ActiveCampaign – 1

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Data Management & Security

When it comes to data management and security, both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign offer impressive capabilities. But which one truly stands out?

BIGContacts enables seamless data imports from various sources, including CSV files, web forms, and Gmail. Its powerful security features include Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), compliance with GDPR and CCPA regulations, and advanced encryption methods.

Image Source: ProProfs

You also get customizable user permissions, allowing you to precisely control data access. Additionally, BIGContacts keeps detailed logs of all system activities, ensuring transparency and reliability.

ActiveCampaign also emphasizes data security, offering compliance with GDPR and even HIPAA for healthcare-related data.

Image Source: ActiveCampaign

The platform conducts regular security audits, implements strict access controls, and uses data encryption to maintain security. Transparent privacy policies clearly outline data usage, which is a definite plus.

Winner:

While both tools provide strong data management and security, ActiveCampaign edges out with its broader compliance standards, detailed activity logs, and seamless data import options. It’s the more comprehensive choice for businesses looking for reliability and control in their CRM.

Here’s the score after round 4:

BIGContacts – 2, ActiveCampaign – 2

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Email Marketing

Email marketing is a crucial functionality for any CRM. Let’s see how these two tools compare in this area.

BIGContacts stands out with its advanced email marketing capabilities. It offers automated follow-ups, drip email campaigns, and email tracking, making it a powerhouse for nurturing leads. These features ensure you stay on top of your outreach efforts and deliver personalized emails at the right time.

Plus, BIGContacts allows seamless integration of email templates, saving time and boosting efficiency. Coupled with its cost-effective plans, BIGContacts pricing adds incredible value for businesses seeking effective email marketing tools.

ActiveCampaign, on the other hand, provides basic email marketing features such as dynamic content, A/B testing, email templates, and scheduled emails. While these features are useful, they lack the depth and automation required for more advanced marketing strategies.

Image Source: ActiveCampaign

For businesses with complex workflows or heavy email requirements, ActiveCampaign may not be the best fit.

Winner:

When it comes to email marketing, BIGContacts takes the lead with its comprehensive feature set, making it the ideal choice for businesses looking to amplify their marketing efforts.

Here’s the score after round 5:

BIGContacts – 3, ActiveCampaign – 2

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Customer Support

Customer support plays a pivotal role in choosing the right CRM. So, how do BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign compare?

BIGContacts provides 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat support, ensuring users have access to help when needed. It also includes personalized onboarding, which is a great way to get started with the platform and understand its features effectively.

This around-the-clock assistance is ideal for teams requiring immediate solutions at any time of the day.

ActiveCampaign takes support queries via chat and email. The platform also boasts a detailed knowledge base for self-help and offers priority support for users on higher-tier plans, ensuring faster resolutions for critical issues.

Image Source: ActiveCampaign Help Centre

However, support availability is limited to standard business hours, which could be a drawback for businesses operating in multiple time zones.

Winner:

While ActiveCampaign provides reliable and personalized support, BIGContacts edges ahead with its 24/7 availability and effective self-help resources. For businesses needing constant access to assistance, ActiveCampaign proves to be the better choice.

Here’s the score after this round :

BIGContacts – 4, ActiveCampaign – 2

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Reporting and Analytics

When it comes to reporting and analytics, both BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign offer insightful features. But which one provides more effective tools for tracking and improving your performance?

BIGContacts offers highly customizable, pre-built reports that focus on the sales pipeline, marketing campaigns, and overall team activity. Its visual dashboards provide a clear view of key metrics, making it easy to track progress at a glance.

With real-time analytics, you can stay up-to-date on how your business is performing. Additionally, BIGContacts offers detailed email campaign tracking and sales funnel analysis, enabling you to fine-tune your strategies effectively.

ActiveCampaign also offers advanced analytics with real-time insights and engagement tracking. However, its reporting features are not as flexible as BIGContacts’ and often require more customization to focus on specific metrics.

Image Source: Venture Harbour

While it does allow for customization, the overall reporting interface is a bit more complex.

Winner:

BIGContacts takes the lead in reporting and analytics with its intuitive, real-time dashboards and customizable reports, making it a more powerful tool for tracking and optimizing business performance.

Here’s the score after round 7:

BIGContacts – 5, ActiveCampaign – 2

BIGContacts Vs. ActiveCampaign: Pricing

Choosing a CRM is more than just about features; it’s about getting the best value for your money. So, from a user’s perspective, which software wins in terms of pricing? Let’s dive in.

BIGContacts:

BIGContacts offers two plans:

• The Free Plan: The freemium plan is available for up to 100 contacts. This plan is ideal for micro-businesses or startups just starting out.
• The Business Plan: Priced at $9.99 per month for 1000 contacts, billed annually. This plan is suitable for businesses with a large contact list and includes dedicated onboarding support.

Image source: BIGContacts

ActiveCampaign:

ActiveCampaign provides a range of plans to cater to different business needs:

• Starter: Starts at $15/month. It offers basic CRM functionality.
• Plus: Starts at $49/month. It offers automation and powerful customer insights.
• Pro: Starts at $79/month. This plan offers omnichannel marketing automation.
• Enterprise: Starts at $145/month. This plan offers to run campaigns at scale with enterprise-level support.

While BIGContacts offers various plans, each with increasing levels of functionality, you may need to opt for the higher-tier plans to access all features, which can be costly for smaller businesses.

Winner:

For businesses seeking a CRM with great features at a competitive price, I’d recommend BIGContacts. Its free plan is more generous, and the business plan offers excellent value. Therefore, the final score is:

BIGContacts – 6, ActiveCampaign – 2

Why BIGContacts Could Be Your Next CRM After ActiveCampaign?

After comparing BIGContacts and ActiveCampaign CRM, it’s clear that each has its strengths.

However, my recommendation leans towards BIGContacts, especially for startups and small to medium-sized businesses.

BIGContacts excels at merging contact management with email marketing, providing an efficient and cost-effective solution for small businesses. This integration saves time and money while offering a single platform for both sales and marketing teams. Additionally, BIGContacts’ pricing is more competitive and accessible.

ActiveCampaign CRM also offers excellent features, particularly for businesses looking for advanced functionalities and willing to invest a bit more. However, BIGContacts stands out for those seeking a balance of affordability and comprehensive features.

To make the best decision, consider taking advantage of the free demos or trial plans offered by these platforms. Testing the software firsthand will give you a better feel for which one meets your specific needs.

Frequently Asked Quetions

What are the different markets in which ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts compete against each other?

ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts compete in several markets, primarily focusing on small to mid-sized businesses looking for CRM solutions. They both target industries like e-commerce, retail, real estate, and professional services, providing tools for contact management, marketing automation, and sales tracking. Depending on your needs, one may suit your business better than the other.

How does the market share of ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts compare to that of the sales management market?

When comparing the market share of ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts in sales management, BIGContacts has a larger presence, given its focus on marketing automation, contact management, and broader integrations. However, ActiveCampaign is known for its user-friendly interface and strong CRM features, making it a great choice for businesses that prioritize simple, efficient sales management.

How many customers are acquired by ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts in the sales management segment?

Both ActiveCampaign and BIGContacts are trusted by businesses for sales management, but BIGContacts stands out with its user-friendly interface and strong focus on customer acquisition. While ActiveCampaign serves a wide range of customers, BIGContacts excels in providing tailored solutions, making it a great choice for businesses looking for a CRM that helps acquire and manage customers efficiently.