ActiveCampaign vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel Comparison
ActiveCampaign
Starting at $29 /User/Month
- Free Trial
- Freelancers / Consultants
- Large Enterprises
ActiveCampaign is the most powerful marketing automation tool designed to help you nail your next digital campaign. From nurture campaigns that convert new subscribers into long-term customers, to smart lead scoring that…
Groove
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Groove is a sales engagement platform that makes communication and collaboration easy. Feature rich, the system is used by thousands of companies to connect sales teams, track deals from lead to close, and drive revenue.…
AroundDeal
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of high-quality, high-value prospec…
CrankWheel
Starting at $89 /Month
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, simplifying the process of responding to…
Groove leads on user satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating across 4,260 reviews.
ActiveCampaign vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — at a glance
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | Groove | AroundDeal | CrankWheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 5.0 / 5 |
| Reviews | 12,031 | 4,260 | 73 | 30 |
| Starting price | $29 /User/Month | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | $89 /Month |
| Free trial | Yes | No | No | No |
| Free version | No | No | No | No |
| Best for | Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Marketing Automation Software | Sales Engagement Software | Sales Intelligence Software | Sales Engagement Software |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac |
| API | Available | — | — | Available |
| Support modes | Business Hours, Online | Business Hours, Online | Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR | SOC 2, GDPR | — | — |
| Data residency | Global | Global | US | — |
Key differences between ActiveCampaign and Groove
- Pricing: ActiveCampaign starts at $29 /User/Month. Groove pricing is not publicly listed.
- Free trial: ActiveCampaign offers a free trial; Groove does not.
- Target audience: ActiveCampaign is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Groove targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Groove scores higher with a 4.7-star average.
- Deployment: ActiveCampaign supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Groove supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Compare ActiveCampaign vs Groove vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Marketing Automation Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for SMBs needing powerful, flexible marketing automation with integrated CRM.
- You want robust automation workflows with a visual builder for complex campaigns.
- You need strong segmentation and targeting for personalized marketing efforts.
- You value responsive, knowledgeable customer support to help navigate the platform.
- You require highly advanced, flexible email design customization beyond platform limits.
- You prefer very simple, minimal automation tools with little to no learning curve.
Best for medium-sized sales teams needing seamless Salesforce and Gmail integration.
- You want a simple, streamlined sales engagement platform with medium setup complexity.
- Your team relies heavily on Salesforce and Gmail for sales communication and tracking.
- You need effective email management and client interaction tracking via built-in Flows.
- Your organization requires highly customizable or complex sales workflows beyond Groove's scope.
- You need transparent, fixed pricing without engaging sales for quotes.
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
ActiveCampaign: Best for SMBs needing powerful, flexible marketing automation with integrated CRM. Groove: Best for medium-sized sales teams needing seamless Salesforce and Gmail integration.
Description | ActiveCampaign is the most powerful marketing automation tool designed to help you nail your next digital campaign. From nurture campaigns that convert new subscribers into long-term ... Read More about ActiveCampaign | Groove is a sales engagement platform that makes communication and collaboration easy. Feature rich, the system is used by thousands of companies to connect sales teams, track deals from ... Read More about Groove | AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of ... Read More about AroundDeal | CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, ... Read More about CrankWheel |
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Entry Level Pricing |
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SpotScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 9.8/10 | 9.4/10 | Not Available | Not Available |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||||
Best Company Size | 10-500 employeesSmall to medium businesses | 100 to 1,000 employeesMedium Business | — | — |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
- Smooth Automation: ActiveCampaign lets your marketing team create highly personalized customer experiences through reliable automation workflows. Set up a campaign that runs itself, engaging customers at the right moments without manual intervention.
- Advanced CRM Functionality: With its integrated CRM, ActiveCampaign helps you manage customer relationships efficiently. You'll gain insights into your sales pipeline and customer interactions, allowing you to make informed decisions that drive growth.
- Segmentation and Targeting: This platform lets you segment audiences precisely, making it easier to design messages based on user behavior and preferences. By doing so, you can significantly increase engagement rates and conversions.
- Smooth Collaboration: Groove improves team communication by integrating various tools into one platform. Managers will appreciate the ease of collaboration, while team members can easily share updates and feedback in real time.
- Increased Productivity: With Groove's intuitive interface and automation features, teams can focus on their core tasks rather than getting bogged down by administrative duties. Executives will find that this boost in productivity leads to faster decision-making and improved outcomes.
- Data-Driven Insights: Groove provides reliable analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing administrators to track performance metrics effectively. This data lets leaders make informed decisions that drive growth and efficiency across the organization.
No key benefits available yet.
No key benefits available yet.
Best fit
- 10 to 500 employees
- Martech, SaaS, E-commerce, Consulting, and Nonprofits
- Marketing Managers, Sales Managers, Customer Success Representatives, and CRM Administrators
- 100 to 1,000 employees
- Sales Automation, SaaS, Consulting, and Revtech
- Sales Managers, Account Executives, Business Development Representatives, and CRM Administrators
No best-fit guidance available yet.
No best-fit guidance available yet.
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Pricing starts at $15/month for basic automation but scales to $300+/month for enterprise features — teams under 10 people often switch to Mailchimp or ConvertKit for lower entry costs
- Interface requires 2–3 weeks of training for non-technical users; competitors like HubSpot and Klaviyo offer faster setup paths
- E-commerce sellers need Shopify or WooCommerce native connectors that ActiveCampaign doesn't provide natively — integration requires custom API work
- Users may seek alternatives to Groove if they find the platform's pricing model to be restrictive, especially for small businesses or startups with limited budgets that require cost-effective solutions.
- Some users might consider alternatives due to specific feature gaps in Groove, such as advanced reporting capabilities or integrations with niche tools that better suit their unique business needs.
- A need for improved customer support could drive users to explore other options, especially if they experience delays or inadequate assistance from Groove’s support team during critical times.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
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How do ActiveCampaign, Groove, AroundDeal and CrankWheel Compare on Features?
Total Features | 30 Features | 25 Features | 5 Features | 6 Features |
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Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare ActiveCampaign, Groove, AroundDeal and CrankWheel on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Platforms Supported |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | ✗ No | — |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Residency | 🌐 Global | 🌐 Global |
ActiveCampaign vs Groove vs AroundDeal User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | 5 (based on 30 reviews) | |||
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Rating Distribution | ||||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Overall, buyers appreciate ActiveCampaign for its powerful automation, excellent support, and user-friendly interface, though some find the learning curve and email design limitations challenging. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Overall, users praise Groove for its ease of use, seamless integrations, and productivity enhancements, though some desire improved organization features and clearer pricing. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 154 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is very strong across 30 reviews, with consistently positive feedback. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
| Negative Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
List of Customers
Customers | ![]() Platinum Skin Care ![]() MOM ![]() Heather Read Photography | ![]() Uber ![]() BBVA ![]() | No Customers information available. | ![]() CrankWheel_customers_0 ![]() CrankWheel_customers_1 ![]() CrankWheel_customers_2 |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | ![]() 7 Screenshots | ![]() 5 Screenshots |
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Videos | ![]() 2 Videos | ![]() 1 Videos |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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Related Blogs and Articles for Sales Engagement Software
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, ActiveCampaign or Groove?
- Groove edges out the other on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.5). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do ActiveCampaign and Groove offer a free trial?
- ActiveCampaign offers a free trial. Groove does not.
- What is the starting price of ActiveCampaign vs Groove?
- ActiveCampaign starts at $29 /User/Month. Groove starts at Contact for pricing.
- What are the top alternatives to ActiveCampaign?
- Top alternatives to ActiveCampaign include Outgrow, CleverTap, Moosend, Omnisend, Hubspot Marketing Hub.
- What are the top alternatives to Groove?
- Top alternatives to Groove include AroundDeal, CrankWheel, ZoomInfo Engage, EngageBay, Captavi.



























