Tarvent vs ActiveCampaign: A comparison that will surprise you

Tarvent vs. ActiveCampaign pricing
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Tarvent Journey Editor ActiveCampaign automation editor
NOTE: These automations do the EXACT same thing.
In our journey of comparisons, this one stood out as a delightful surprise. While ActiveCampaign boasts a fuller feature set, what truly caught our attention were the fundamental disparities between the two platforms.

Tarvent, though newer to the scene and lacking in certain integration, e-commerce, and CRM features, follows a distinct approach. It's all about quality over quantity. With each release, Tarvent ensures a fully baked feature brimming with customization and flexibility. On the flip side, ActiveCampaign's rapid feature rollout often sacrifices depth of customization. It's understandable, though—ActiveCampaign operates on a different scale, prioritizing investor satisfaction and expanding its customer base.

In essence, Tarvent places a premium on customer delight, intuitive design, and unrivaled flexibility. It's a testament to our commitment to offering a tailored experience that resonates with our users.

How does pricing compare?

ActiveCampaign offers a diverse range of pricing models, with 10 variations depending on your utilization of CRM or Transactional Email solutions. In contrast, Tarvent keeps it simple with a single comprehensive plan—the "Everything plan." No need to worry about functionality restrictions here; it's all-inclusive, no holds barred.

Tarvent vs. ActiveCampaign pricing

When it comes to catering to smaller contact lists, ActiveCampaign falls short, lacking a plan with equivalent features for those under 2,500 contacts. Meanwhile, Tarvent steps up to the plate, offering pricing options starting from just 500 contacts, with every feature included.

In our quest for fairness, we've diligently compared plans with similar features. Notably, ActiveCampaign's pricing escalates significantly when you factor in CRM and transactional email functionalities.

Who stands to benefit most from Tarvent and ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign could suit your needs if you're venturing into e-commerce without an existing CRM solution. However, considering ActiveCampaign's CRM pricing, you might find better value with a dedicated CRM provider.

Now, onto Tarvent—a stellar choice for those seeking a robust marketing platform with top-notch automation features. While light CRM features are on our roadmap, we recommend leveraging a dedicated CRM solution and seamlessly integrating it with Tarvent through our extensive Zapier integration. Plus, stay tuned—additional native integrations and e-commerce support are on the horizon.

In a nutshell, if you're after a one-size-fits-all solution that covers the basics, ActiveCampaign might be up your alley. But if you've already got a CRM setup and crave a marketing platform laser-focused on email marketing, marketing automation, and customer experience, then Tarvent's the way to go.

Let’s talk platform basics

Tarvent stands as a cutting-edge, web-based application incorporating the latest technology, architecture, and cloud services. We've meticulously optimized our platform to streamline navigation and enhance usability, empowering users to achieve more with minimal interface switching. With Tarvent, complete customization reigns supreme—every page, form, email, or notification your customers encounter can be tailored to ensure consistent brand representation. This holistic approach fosters turbocharged performance, heightened productivity, and smoother time management.

Now, onto ActiveCampaign—a platform renowned for its CRM and automation capabilities. However, users may find it challenging to adapt to its dated interface, which can feel sluggish and lacks the intuitive customization synonymous with Tarvent. Moreover, stability issues may arise, as observed through browser crashes.

Contact management

Contact screen
Edit contact screen in Tarvent

Maintaining pristine and well-prepared contact lists is paramount for any marketer. Now, let's delve into the specifics: both Tarvent and Active Campaign offer robust solutions for contact management, albeit with distinct approaches.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Unlimited number of audiences No concept of multiple audiences that can achieve what Tarvent can.
Unique identifier: Uniquely identify a contact by one or more fields other than their email address, allowing multiple contacts with the same email address. Email address must be used to identify contacts.
Unlimited number of sign-up forms Multiple sign-up forms, but very limited on question types.
Unlimited number of profile update forms Only 1 form allowed with very limited customization.
Unlimited number of unsubscribe forms Only 1 form allowed with very limited customization.
Complete customization of form and page Basic customization of form only, only three question types supported, and no page customization support.
Form-specific detailed reporting Very basic form reporting
Complete customization of confirmation page and emails Basic customization of form only, only three question types supported, and no page customization support.
Linked embedded forms so changes or live immediately without updating site HTML No support for basic forms with no styling
13 data types supported Only 3 data types (text, date, date/time) supported. Each field is tied to a question input type (i.e. text box, dropdown, etc.) instead of the form dictating the question input type.
Public and private groups No concept of groups. Lists are the closes thing to groups but without public/private controls.
Import contacts via file, copy and paste, email, or integrations No email-based import
Use your data file as the master and remove contacts from Tarvent not found in your file. No ability to treat data file as master file
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Campaign management

Campaign - Drag and drop editor
Campaign editor in Tarvent

Effective campaign management demands flexibility, customization, and user-friendliness. However, it appears that achieving flexibility often necessitates technical proficiency. Fortunately, Tarvent provides a level of flexibility that even seasoned marketers appreciate, without requiring extensive technical expertise. In contrast, ActiveCampaign relies on a third-party editor, which hampers its capability to introduce new features or seamlessly integrate with other parts of its platform. While Tarvent doesn't mandate technical skills, they can certainly be leveraged if available.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Send a campaign to an unlimited number of groups and segments within your audience Campaigns can be sent to multiple lists or segments, groups not supported
From name and email address can be pulled from a contacts profile. Basic personalization support with no logic or data formatting
From domain enforces verification to adhere to new Gmail and Yahoo rules for the best deliverability Supported, but difficult to configure with limited options
Subject line supports personalization, conditional content logic, and emojis Limited personalization support and no conditional content support.
AI-powered content generation for subject lines, preheader, and email content No AI-generation content support for subject line or preheader
Inbox preview to see what how your email looks in Gmail, Outlook, and iCloud Mail. No inbox preview
Custom header support for external system integration No custom header support
Operational email support allowing you to send emails to unsubscribed contacts when the email is about business operation changes. No operational email support
Auto-resend rules tell Tarvent to try resending an email if specific bounce types occur, such as a block. No manageable rety rules
Track replies in Tarvent as well as via email forwarded to a specified email address No support for email forwarding. Reply emails go directly to configured email address so no out-of-office or other junk replies can be filtered out.
Social media share configuration so your emails are shared using image and descriptions you specify Basic social share support, no support to control how the share looks in the feed.
Support for drag-and-drop, code, and AMP-based email designers No AMP support
Drag-and-drop editor has extensive styling options and editing controls including wizard-based personalization and conditional content logic generation so you never have to remember syntax. Uses 3rd party editor instead of their own. 3rd party dictates features supported. Misleading spam scoring since ISPs never reveal their spam rules, very limit preview options.
Campaign testing with support for custom profiles, multiple email address, and more to see exactly what will be sent each contact based on their profile. Limited campaign testing tool cannot provide a custom profile to meet specific conditional content testing needs.
Link checker verifies are your campaign links are working before you send. No link checker provided.
Campaign previewer to see your email on desktop, tablet, and mobile in landscape and portrait mode with custom profile support. Basic preview only
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Template management

Template editor
Template editor in Tarvent

Templates serve as the cornerstone for crafting email campaigns with unified branding, layout, and styling. They streamline the process, promoting efficiency and reducing the likelihood of errors. While both platforms offer options for custom templates, Tarvent distinguishes itself as the superior choice, providing advanced control over every facet of your template design.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Drag-and-drop, HTML code, plain text, and AMP support No AMP template support, very limited template options for all supported formats.
Set specific areas of the template as read-only so they cannot be changed within a campaign or Journey email using the template. No read-only or lock-down support
Feature-rich code editor with color coding, collapsible code sections, and wizard-based tools to insert personalization, conditional content logic, and data formatting. Basic code editor with no data formatting support.
Template testing with support for multiple email address, and more to see how the template renders in your various email clients No template testing tools provided.
Link checker verifies are your template links are working before you send. No link checker provided.
Template previewer to see your email on desktop, tablet, and mobile in landscape and portrait mode. Elementary preview only
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Automation

Automation - Journey with decision/conditional split
Journey editor in Tarvent

The significance of a robust automation solution cannot be overstated. Tarvent boasts an impressively feature-rich automation engine that ensures no opportunity goes unnoticed, responding precisely when needed to craft a meticulously curated experience for your contacts. While ActiveCampaign also offers a robust automation platform, it falls short in providing the more advanced actions supported by Tarvent.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Create journeys based on previous journeys, standard journey templates, or from scratch. Fewer standard journey templates and lots of templates built by others that were not verified.
Unlimited entry triggers can be created to control how contacts enter the journey. Adding several triggers becomes difficult to manage.
Unlimited exit triggers to remove a contact from a journey when specific conditions are met or events occur No exit trigger support
9+ journey flow controls are supported, including more advanced engagement splits, decision splits, and more. Splits limited to true/false paths and no support to join multiple paths together.
Split flow controls support up to 10 different paths with the same power as our segmentation engine for condition logic Limited to true/false paths, making the journey map very complex to handle various paths.
Ability to add step conditions allowing a step to be performed only if conditions are met. Otherwise, the contact skips the step and moves on the next stop. No step conditions supported
True multivariate email testing allowed multiple variations to be automatically tested, with the winning varioation going to future journey contacts. No multivariate or A/B testing support
Create goals and conversions either globally to the journey or at a specific point in the journey to better track progress of each contact. Conversions must be associated with a goal
Ability to allow contacts to enter a journey multiple times simultaneously. No support for contacts to be in a journey more than once simultaneously.
Flow report shows the most popular path and the conversion and attrition rate for each step in the journey to identify improvement areas quickly. No flow reporting supported
Detailed reporting for the overall journey, per journey step, and robust campaign-level reporting for each email sent. Only basic reporting provided.
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Landing pages

Landing page - Editor
Landing page editor in Tarvent

Expanding your audience base ranks among the top priorities for most marketers. Landing pages serve as pivotal tools to optimize lead acquisition and retention. By strategically aligning ads with landing pages, you can efficiently gather prospect information and secure permission to engage with them through the most cost-effective marketing channel: email marketing.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Ability to create landing pages from standard templates, previously created landing pages, or from scratch. Has support for web pages, but not landing page specific features like CTA tracking
Extensive page customization including SEO tags, favicon, page width, and more. Due to using a 3rd party editor, settings are not accessible while designing.
Multiple Calls-to-Action (CTAs) supported aand allowed on a single page including forms, buttons, and image links. No CTA tracking support
Support for personalization and conditional content No personalization or conditional content supportt
Ability to display an inline confirmation message, dialog-based confirmation message, a completely customizable confirmation page, or navigate to an external confirmation page. Basic submission handling without using automations.
Ability to preview your landing page on mobile, tablet, or desktop in landscape or portrait mode from your browser. Basic preview with no orientation support
Ability to add sent a notification emails, including form data, so you know when someone has submitted the form Basic submission handling without using automations.
Journey integration when specific landing page-related events occur. Has support but nothing specific to CTA
Detailed reporting for each form or other CTA, as well as page-level reporting Rudimentary reporting
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Surveys

Survey editor
Survey editor in Tarvent

Did you know that asking more questions and speaking less is a trait of highly intelligent individuals? Surveys serve as valuable tools, empowering you to inquire and grant your customers a platform to voice their opinions. Gain insights into what your customers appreciate about your offerings and identify areas for improvement to attract even more customers. Unlike ActiveCampaign, surveys aren't supported, but Tarvent's meticulously designed, user-friendly interface covers all bases, leaving little room for unmet needs.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Ability to create surveys from standard templates, previously created surveys, or from scratch. No survey support
Extensive page customization including SEO tags, favicon, page width, and more. No survey support
9+ question types including matrix-style questions, birthday, and more. No survey support
Optionally map survey questions to audience data fields allowing known contact’s profiles to be updated and unknown contacts to be added. No survey support
Ability to display an inline confirmation message, dialog-based confirmation message, a completely customizable confirmation page, or navigate to an external confirmation page. No survey support
Ability to preview your survey on mobile, tablet, or desktop in landscape or portrait mode from your browser. No survey support
Ability to add sent a notification emails, including form data, so you know when someone has submitted the form No survey support
Complete control over every aspect that interacts with the visitor for consistant branding and customer experience. No survey support
Journey integration when specific survey-related events occur. No survey support
Detailed reporting including page bounces, partial/complete submissions, and question and answer-level reporting details No survey support
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Digital asset management

Image manager
Image library in Tarvent

Regardless of your tenure in email marketing, organizing images, files, and related content can pose a challenge. Tarvent's library equips you with organizational tools to effectively manage your digital assets. Utilize features such as folder organization and tagging to streamline your workflow and maintain a tidy digital repository.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
List and folder view with support for multiple folder levels No parent/child folder support
Tagging support enabling view filtering for all assets with specific tags. No tag support
Store images, PDFs, content blocks, and more Limited only to images and files, no reusable content blocks
Content blocks allow for standardized reusable content such as email footers, page headers, and more. No concept of content blocks supported
Ability to search for a file based on the system-generated URL, which is helpful when working with code-your-own templates. Minimal search options
Ability to overwrite existing images and files with newer versions so templates, campaigns, and other items don’t have to be updated when a new version of a file is uploaded. This works with images for emails that have already been sent too! No overwrite support provided

Transactional email

Code generation
Transaction code generator in Tarvent

Imagine this scenario: Have you ever experienced the frustration of forgetting a password or tracking an online order? Those emails you receive in such instances are known as transactional emails, crucial for promptly delivering requested information to your customers and prospects. Tarvent's transactional email platform enables you to seamlessly send emails from any third-party application, be it web-based, mobile, desktop, or internal applications behind firewalls. This approach allows your marketing team to focus on crafting the visual appeal of the email, while developers ensure the transactional data meets your contacts' needs.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Integrated transactional email support Support through Postmark, a 3rd party acquisition for ActiveCampaign
Extensive integration with templates allowing the same functionality as campaigns but with transactional email Limited template support, must know HTML
Drag-and-drop template and code-your-own editors Only HTML markup templates supported
Data formatters provide extensive formatting options for your data, including defaults if data is missing No support
Wizards assist in inserting transactional data variables, conditional content, and data formatting options No support
Suppression list support for both transactional and marketing emails managed at the account level No support
Form-based code generator and testing tools, which support every option, allowing developers to send their first email in minutes with no need for documentation review. No support
Extensive reporting based on your custom-defined email types, sender domain, recipient domain, custom meta data, tags, and more. Very basic reporting
Customizable auto-rety rules to handle bounce issues that should be retried, such as temporary blocks. No support
SMTP support with every feature supported with our API-based option. Limited feature set compared to API option
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Reporting

Contact screen
Edit contact screen in Tarvent

For many marketers, reporting serves as the quintessential tool for gauging the effectiveness of their marketing endeavors. Those who have experienced Tarvent's reporting capabilities are likely firm believers in its prowess. We pride ourselves on leaving no stone unturned, addressing every inquiry comprehensively. Moreover, we ensure that the data is presented in a manner that is easily digestible for novices and promptly accessible for seasoned professionals craving in-depth insights. Our reporting endeavors always prioritize precision, empowering you to make well-informed decisions with confidence.

Tarvent ActiveCampaign
Extensive reporting leaving no question unanswered with every detail available online or via exports. Limited detailed reporting, not sufficient for experienced marketings.
Report-only user support allowing executives a simple-to-use Tarvent interface that is limited to just the reports No report-only access
Custom reports developed by Tarvent based on your specific needs. You control distribution and if the report should run while we take care of the data preparation and security for Personal Indentifiable Information (PII). Custom reporting is limited to functionality supplied with their report builder, if you have their highest plan.

Conclusion

In summary, both ActiveCampaign and Tarvent offer a wealth of features. However, a notable distinction exists between the two platforms. ActiveCampaign heavily relies on third-party editors to furnish specific functionalities, whereas Tarvent has developed its offerings from scratch, resulting in a more seamlessly integrated solution.

Tarvent intentionally abstains from offering Sales CRM functionality unless accompanied by robust extension capabilities. Conversely, ActiveCampaign provides a subpar Sales CRM solution that pales in comparison even to smaller CRM solutions like Zoho or Monday. Given that many of our customers already employ a CRM solution, we prioritize exceptional integrations with nearly every CRM platform available.

With Tarvent, irrespective of your marketing proficiency, company size, or requirements, you'll find all the tools necessary to maximize your marketing efforts. Furthermore, you retain full control over every design element your customers encounter, ensuring brand consistency.

While we haven't delved into security, our API, or numerous other aspects of these platforms, rest assured that our granular security measures empower you to manage access and permissions effectively. Our security protocols also safeguard Personal Identifiable Information (PII) through various means. Lastly, our GraphQL-based API grants access to every capability our platform offers, as it's the same API used internally.

Although Tarvent boasts extensive features, our intuitive platform caters to both novice and advanced marketers, fostering productivity without overwhelming complexity. As you explore, you'll uncover the myriad features Tarvent offers, granting you ultimate control over every interaction with your contacts.

TL;DR

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information, we understand. We aimed for thoroughness, perhaps even to excess.

Here's the bottom line: If you're seeking a modern, streamlined, and user-friendly platform that lets you hit the ground running without delving into extensive help documentation, Tarvent fits the bill. While ActiveCampaign boasts impressive features, some of which Tarvent has yet to implement, it relies on multiple third-party tools for critical functionalities, leading to potential integration inefficiencies.

Despite being a larger company with a broader customer base, Tarvent prioritizes personalized support, offering quicker response times, higher deliverability rates, and a lightning-fast platform experience.

In fairness, ActiveCampaign does offer features not currently available in Tarvent. However, as a growing brand, Tarvent is continuously expanding its feature set, aiming to surpass existing functionalities with extensive capabilities.

Tarvent's pricing is budget-friendly, featuring a single "Everything plan" and offering obvious add-ons as you delve deeper into marketing. To put it into perspective, Tarvent's $25/month plan far outshines ActiveCampaign's $49/month plan, which provides fewer features.

If you're craving a platform that equips you with the tools to become a marketing rockstar, Tarvent is the ideal choice, boasting bells, whistles, and all the cool stuff you need to shine.