All-in-one platform combining CRM, email, and visual workflow automation for marketing, sales, and service.
Tool Directory
Best Marketing Automation Tools
A shortlist of marketing automation tools, grouped by whether you need all-in-one campaigns, behavior-based messaging, or cross-app workflow integration.
Marketing automation tools trigger emails, campaigns, and workflows based on customer behavior so nurturing and lifecycle marketing run without manual effort. HubSpot and ActiveCampaign are the leading all-in-one platforms for email and CRM-driven automation; Customer.io and Braze specialize in behavior-triggered messaging across channels; Marketo is the enterprise B2B standard; and Zapier and Make connect the tools you already use into automated cross-app workflows. Most teams pair one automation platform with Zapier or Make for the integrations it doesn't cover natively.
The shortlist
Email marketing and automation platform with a strong visual automation builder and built-in CRM for SMBs.
Behavior-based messaging platform that triggers email, SMS, and push from real-time product and event data.
Enterprise customer engagement platform for cross-channel lifecycle messaging across email, push, in-app, and SMS.
Adobe's enterprise B2B marketing automation platform for lead nurturing, scoring, and account-based programs.
Ecommerce-focused email and SMS automation with deep Shopify integration and behavior-driven flows.
Connects thousands of apps to automate cross-tool workflows without code, filling gaps native integrations miss.
Visual workflow automation platform for building multi-step, branching integrations across apps with fine control.
FAQ
What is the best marketing automation tool for a small business?
HubSpot and ActiveCampaign are the most common picks for SMBs — both combine email, a CRM, and a visual automation builder. HubSpot has a generous free tier and scales further; ActiveCampaign is often praised for powerful automation at a lower price. For ecommerce specifically, Klaviyo is the standard.
What is the difference between marketing automation and workflow automation tools like Zapier?
Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot or Customer.io own the customer data and send the campaigns — emails, SMS, and lifecycle flows. Workflow tools like Zapier and Make connect separate apps together, passing data between them and triggering actions. Most teams use both: a platform to run marketing, and Zapier or Make to wire up everything else.
Is there free marketing automation software?
Yes. HubSpot and Klaviyo both offer free tiers with basic automation, and Zapier and Make have free plans for a limited number of tasks or operations. Free tiers are enough to get started, but contact limits and feature caps usually push growing teams onto paid plans.
Do the work, not just pick the tool
The right tool helps — but an AI agent with the right skill does the work. Install the matching Marketing Skill: