Marketing automation pricing is designed to look simple and bill by the thing that grows fastest: your contact list. Understanding the tiers before you import is the difference between a $200 and a $1,200 monthly bill for the same team.
How billing works
| Basis | Typical entry price | Grows with |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing contacts | $20–$100/month | Anyone you email |
| Active profiles | $50–$300/month | Identified users in the database |
| Emails sent | $10–$50 per 10k | Campaign volume |
| Seats | $0–$50/user | Number of users |
The tier cliff problem
Most platforms price in bands: 2,000 contacts, then 5,000, then 10,000. Crossing a band can double the bill even if you added a handful of records. Before importing an old list, archive anyone who has not engaged in 12 months. That single step often keeps a business in a lower band for another year.
What is usually extra
- Landing pages and forms beyond the plan limit
- A/B testing and advanced segmentation
- SMS credits, billed per message and by country
- CRM sync beyond a basic connector
- Dedicated IP for deliverability
Forecasting your bill
Estimate three numbers: engaged contacts you will email monthly, campaigns per month, and seats. Then price the next band up, not the current one — list growth rarely stops. If the next band is unaffordable, the platform’s pricing model is wrong for your growth pattern, and a usage-based tool may fit better.
Where teams overspend
- Paying for contacts who never open an email
- Buying the “all-in-one” suite when only email is used
- Duplicating the CRM’s automation with a second workflow engine
- Ignoring SMS costs in campaign planning
FAQ
What counts as a marketing contact?
Definitions vary. Most platforms count anyone you can email, including unsubscribed records on some plans. Read the definition before importing.
Is it cheaper to send from our CRM?
For simple newsletters, often yes. Dedicated automation earns its price when you need complex journeys, landing pages, and segmentation.
How much does deliverability cost?
A dedicated IP typically adds $30–$100 per month and requires consistent volume. Below roughly 50,000 emails monthly, a shared IP is usually better.
Can we pause the subscription seasonally?
Some vendors allow pauses; most do not. If your business is seasonal, confirm the policy before signing an annual contract.