The Frustration of ActiveCampaign Price Increase
I’ve been using ActiveCampaign—and plenty of other email marketing software—for nearly ten years. As a loyal customer, I found it to be one of the best options on the market, especially for deliverability and automation. Even though its interface wasn’t as user-friendly as some other platforms, I still recommended it to clients because of its superior functionality. Between HubSpot and ActiveCampaign, I genuinely thought ActiveCampaign was the better choice, which is why I didn’t mind paying for it. But then, out of nowhere, the price increases started, customer service decreased and my customer satisfaction decreased. It made me feel stuck.
Last year, when ActiveCampaign first changed their pricing, they tried to justify it by saying they were adding more features, more AI—things they claimed would help. But these were features that weren’t even part of my workflow. They weren’t making my life easier, just more expensive. All I wanted was for them to keep doing what we’d been doing all along, but instead, they made it seem like I should be excited to pay more for things I didn’t ask for.
This year, when they hiked up the prices again, I’d had enough. I started searching for alternatives, hoping I could find something better. And let me save you some time—they all have their pros and cons. Deliverability was the most important feature to me; after all, what’s the point of paying for email software if it barely reaches your customers? I found that while many online reviews outline which platforms have the best deliverability, in practice, it was often a different story. During my testing, emails frequently ended up in spam, junk, or promotion folders. ActiveCampaign shined in this area, as did HubSpot. But wow, compared to the others, HubSpot was the pricier option. I guess you have to pay a premium for that level of deliverability.
The whole process of trying to leave ActiveCampaign was very time consuming. It’s not just about canceling a subscription—you have to manually export all your data, figure out where to put it, and then go through the hassle of finding a new system. And then, just to rub salt in the wound, a few months after I left, they sent me an email offering a discount. A discount they could have offered me when I was still a loyal customer! It was frustrating beyond words.
That’s when I realized: I don’t want to keep going through this. I don’t want to keep relying on these companies that can pull the rug out from under me whenever they want. So I started thinking: What if I built my own system? One where I have control. One where I don’t have to worry about sudden price hikes or companies treating me like just another number.
Why Bring Email Marketing In-House?
Once I realized I was done relying on external companies for my email marketing, I started asking myself, “What’s the alternative?” The answer was clear: bring it all in-house.
Control Over Costs
One of the biggest reasons to make the switch is cost control. External platforms can change their pricing whenever they want, and you’re left with little choice but to pay or go through the painful process of switching. By managing your email marketing internally, you won’t have to worry about surprise price hikes. You’ll only pay for the tools you actually need and use, which means no more wasting money on features you never asked for.
Data Privacy and Ownership
Another key reason is control over your data. When you rely on third-party platforms, your customer data is stored with them. And while they may promise to protect it, the reality is that once your data is in their hands, you lose control. By bringing email marketing in-house, you not only protect your customer data, but you also ensure that no one else has access to it. You’re in charge of how it’s used, stored, and protected.
More Personalization, Less Dependence
When you manage your own system, you’re not just gaining control over costs and data—you’re gaining the ability to create more personalized, tailored campaigns. With the right tools, you can integrate different platforms, track customer behavior, and automate emails in a way that truly fits your business. You’re no longer dependent on one platform’s limitations—you have the freedom to build what works best for you.
In the end, the question becomes: Do you want to keep depending on third parties to manage your most important business communications? Or would you rather build a system that puts you in control, one that ensures your business runs the way you want it to?
Evaluating Your Current Tech Stack
Before you can fully bring your email marketing in-house, it’s important to evaluate the tools you’re already using. The reality is, you’re probably more prepared than you think. The key question to ask yourself is: Are you more aligned with Google, Microsoft, or potentially Amazon? These tech giants are the backbone of most software companies today, and chances are you’re already working within one of their ecosystems.
Google Workspace
If you’re running a business that relies heavily on Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, or Google Drive, you’re probably already integrated into the Google ecosystem. If that’s the case, you might want to consider upgrading to Google Workspace. With Workspace, you get enhanced features for business email, collaboration tools, and access to Google’s apps and services with more control. It’s a straightforward solution that’s relatively easy to manage and set up for email marketing.
Microsoft 365
For businesses that are already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem—using Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, or Teams—Microsoft 365 is likely the better choice. You’ll need Microsoft 365 for your business emails, Power Automate to handle automation, and SharePoint or Excel to manage your contact lists. If you’re using Microsoft 365, you also have the option to integrate with Dynamics 365 for CRM, though you can still manage your email marketing without it by using the tools you already have in place.
Amazon SES
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is often the engine behind many email marketing platforms. Companies like ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, and others rely on AWS’s infrastructure, particularly its Simple Email Service (SES), for email deliverability. While AWS is powerful, it’s not as user-friendly as Google or Microsoft. However, if you’re looking for a highly scalable solution and don’t mind a bit more technical setup, Amazon SES could be an option. But for most businesses, Google or Microsoft will provide all the tools you need without the complexity.
Understanding the Costs
When you’re moving your email marketing in-house, understanding the potential costs is crucial. One of the reasons people stick with external platforms is because they assume it’s easier and cheaper in the short term. But once you’ve set up your internal system, you’ll likely find that you’re saving money in the long run. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of costs.
Business Email Marketing Workflow Using Google Workspace
If you’re using Google Workspace, the cost will depend on the size of your team and the features you need. Pricing generally starts at around $6 per user per month for the Business Starter plan, but you might want to look at higher tiers like Business Standard ($12 per user per month) if you need more storage or advanced admin controls. This includes business email through Gmail, video meetings, and collaboration tools like Google Drive and Google Docs. Compared to paying a third-party email marketing service, this is a cost-effective option if you’re already invested in Google.
Microsoft 365 for Email Marketing Workflow
Microsoft 365 offers a range of pricing options, but for business email marketing, you’ll likely be looking at a combination of Microsoft 365 Business Premium (around $22 per user per month) and possibly Power Automate for more advanced automations. If you decide to incorporate Dynamics 365 for CRM and deeper analytics, this can add between $65 and $95 per user per month, depending on your needs. However, you don’t have to upgrade to Dynamics right away. With just Microsoft 365, Excel, and Power Automate, you can handle most email marketing tasks, including automation, tracking, and list management, without the added expense.
Amazon SES for Your Email Marketing Alternative
If you decide to go the Amazon route with SES (Simple Email Service), the pricing is more usage-based. For every 1,000 emails you send, the cost is roughly $0.10. However, SES requires a more technical setup and additional costs may arise if you need to integrate with other AWS services. Although SES is highly scalable, it’s not as user-friendly, so this option is best suited for businesses with technical expertise or those sending high volumes of emails.
Avoiding Immediate Upgrades Unit Testing
The key thing to remember is that you don’t need to jump into premium plans or complex setups right away. If you’re just starting out, the base plans from Google or Microsoft, along with some simple automation, can handle most of your needs. This allows you to keep your costs low initially and upgrade only when your business truly requires more features.
In the end, moving email marketing in-house gives you the flexibility to control what you spend and when you spend it, instead of being stuck with ever-rising fees from third-party platforms.
Replicating Essential Email Marketing Features In-House
When transitioning your email marketing in-house, the first concern is often: Will I be able to replicate the features of the email marketing software I’ve been using? The answer is yes, and with a little bit of setup, you can create a system that’s just as functional, if not more flexible. Here’s how to replicate some of the key features of email marketing software within Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Email Deliverability
One of the top features of email marketing platforms is deliverability, which ensures that your emails don’t end up in spam folders. To ensure strong deliverability in both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, you’ll need to set up your domains correctly. This involves configuring SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) records, which authenticate your emails and signal to recipients’ inboxes that your messages are legitimate. Both Google and Microsoft offer guides to help you set these up, and once configured, your emails will have the same deliverability rates as major email marketing platforms.
Lead Scoring
Lead scoring, which helps you prioritize sending emails to the most engaged contacts, is another feature you can replicate. In Google Workspace, you can use Google Sheets to track engagement metrics like email opens, clicks, and responses. With Google Apps Script or Make.com, you can automate this process and assign scores to each contact based on activity. In Microsoft 365, Excel and Power Automate can be used similarly, allowing you to prioritize contacts based on engagement and create workflows to target your most active leads first.
Segmentation
Segmentation is key to any email marketing campaign, allowing you to group contacts based on specific attributes. In Google, this can be done through Google Sheets by organizing your contacts into segments based on factors like purchase history or location. Google Apps Script can help automate the process of sending targeted campaigns to each segment. In Microsoft, you can manage segmentation in Excel or SharePoint, and Power Automate can help automate the delivery of tailored emails to each group based on your criteria.
Automation
Automation is a huge component of email marketing, and the good news is that you can create even more personalized automations with Google and Microsoft than many external platforms offer. In Google, Google Apps Script and tools like Zapier or Make.com allow you to set up sophisticated automations triggered by user actions, such as signing up for a newsletter or completing a purchase. The integration of various platforms (Google Sheets, Google Forms, etc.) allows for a highly customizable experience. In Microsoft, Power Automate can handle similar tasks, automating workflows across Outlook, Excel, SharePoint, and more. Both platforms allow you to integrate AI tools to enhance personalization, whether through tailored subject lines or customized content.
Unsubscribe Links
While unsubscribe links are standard in email marketing platforms, you can easily add one to your emails when managing campaigns in-house. In Google, you can create a Google Form where users can unsubscribe, with the form responses automatically updating a Google Sheet. Using Apps Script or Make.com, you can ensure that unsubscribed users are removed from future campaigns. In Microsoft, you can set up a similar process using Microsoft Forms, and Power Automate can handle the task of removing unsubscribed contacts from your lists.
Additional Features to Replicate
Beyond the core elements of email marketing, there are several other features that your typical email marketing software offers. The good news is that these can also be replicated within Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Analytics and Reporting
Most email marketing platforms offer detailed analytics, showing you open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. In Google Workspace, you can track similar metrics by integrating Google Analytics with your email campaigns or by using UTM parameters in your links. This will allow you to see how your emails are performing and track customer behaviors. With Microsoft 365, you can use tools like Outlook Analytics or Power BI to pull data from your email campaigns and generate reports on key metrics like open rates and engagement. Both systems can provide you with all the insights you need to optimize your campaigns over time.
A/B Testing
A/B testing—where you test two different versions of an email to see which performs better—is an important tool for optimizing your email marketing efforts. While it’s built into most email marketing platforms, you can easily replicate this in Google or Microsoft. In Google Workspace, you can create two segments in Google Sheets, send different versions of your email to each, and use Google Analytics to track performance. In Microsoft 365, Power Automate can help you divide your email list and send different versions, while Excel or Power BI can help you analyze the results. It’s a bit more manual, but still completely doable.
Templates and Design Tools
Drag-and-drop email template builders are a common feature of email marketing software, but you can achieve the same result by creating custom templates in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Once you’ve designed a template you like, you can reuse it for your campaigns. If you want more sophisticated design tools, you can also integrate external services like Canva, which allows you to create beautiful, professional email designs that can be easily uploaded and used in both Google and Microsoft.
Contact Management and List Cleaning
Managing and cleaning your email lists—removing duplicates, fixing errors, and keeping information up-to-date—is essential for maintaining a healthy email marketing system. In Google Workspace, you can use Google Sheets to manage your contacts and Google Apps Script to automate the cleaning process, such as removing invalid email addresses or merging duplicate entries. In Microsoft, Excel can serve the same purpose, and Power Automate can be used to clean and update your lists regularly.
Drip Campaigns
Drip campaigns—where a series of emails are automatically sent over time based on user actions—are a staple in email marketing. In Google, Google Apps Script or Make.com can help you create these sequences based on triggers, such as a user signing up for a newsletter or abandoning a cart. Power Automate in Microsoft 365 can handle drip campaigns similarly, allowing you to set up automated sequences for onboarding new customers, nurturing leads, or following up after a purchase.
The Value of Building an Internal Email Marketing & CRM System
I know what you’re probably thinking: “This sounds like a lot of work.” And yes, building an internal email marketing system does take some time and effort upfront. But once it’s set up, you’ll realize how minimal the ongoing work is—and how much control you’ve gained.
Initial Setup vs. Long-Term Benefits
The beauty of building an internal system is that it’s essentially a one-time setup. Yes, you’ll spend some time configuring your tools, but once that’s done, the system runs itself. You won’t have to worry about third-party companies changing their pricing or policies. You won’t be locked into a subscription you don’t need. You’ll be able to adapt and adjust your system as your business grows, without being tied to any external limitations.
Avoiding Being Held Hostage
At the end of the day, the real value lies in not being held hostage by software companies. You don’t have to rely on them to keep their prices steady or their features relevant to your needs. Bringing everything in-house means you’re in control, not just of your email marketing but also of your data, your costs, and your customer relationships. No more surprises when they decide to increase prices or roll out unnecessary features you don’t need.
Hiring Help
And if you’re reading all of this and still thinking, “I don’t have time for this,” that’s okay, too. You don’t have to do this alone. There are companies—like mine—that can help you set everything up, so you can sit back and enjoy the benefits without going through the hassle of building it yourself. Whether you want full control of the setup or just want to hand it off to someone else, the key is knowing that once it’s done, the system is yours, and no one can take that away from you.
Cutting Out the Middleman
When you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, you realize that most of these smaller email marketing platforms aren’t operating on their own technology. The reality is, there are three or four behemoth companies—Amazon, Microsoft, and Google—providing the infrastructure for nearly every other software service out there.
The Reality of Tech
These third-party email marketing companies are essentially wrapping their own intellectual property around the foundational technology of these giants and charging you a premium for access. ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, and others are using tools like Amazon SES for email deliverability and then layering on their own features like design templates or segmentation. But you have to ask yourself—do you really need that middleman?
Taking Control of Your Tech
By moving your email marketing in-house, you’re essentially cutting out the middleman. You’re no longer paying someone else to use technology you could be using yourself for a fraction of the price. If you’re the kind of person who’s organized, detail-oriented, and tired of being at the mercy of these external companies, then bringing your email marketing in-house is a good alternative for you. It’s a way to take full control of your business communications and free yourself from the constant cycle of price increases and limited features.
Conclusion: Taking the Next Step
At the end of the day, moving your email marketing in-house is about more than just saving money—it’s about taking control. You’re no longer relying on third-party platforms to manage your most important business communications. You’re creating a system that works for you, one that gives you the flexibility, cost-efficiency, and personalization that no external platform can provide.
Empowerment Through Ownership
By bringing your email marketing in-house, you’re empowering yourself and your business. You no longer have to worry about surprise price hikes, unnecessary features, or privacy concerns. You’re in control of your data, your customer relationships, and your costs. And once it’s set up, it will run smoothly with minimal effort on your part.
Call to Action
If this sounds like a direction you want to take but you’re not sure where to start, you don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’re ready to dive in yourself or would prefer some help along the way, there are resources available to guide you. And if you’re looking for a more hands-off approach, companies like mine can help set up your internal system, so you can sit back and reap the benefits without the upfront work.
It’s time to stop being held hostage by third-party platforms and take back control of your email marketing. The tools are out there—you just need to decide if now is the time to make the switch.
