Independently tested ranking
Best Marketing Automation Software for B2B in 2026
9 B2B marketing automation platforms compared on lead scoring, CRM sync, nurture programs, account-based marketing and price, from free CRM-based tools to enterprise suites.
- Tools compared
- 9
- With a free plan
- 1 of 9
- Median entry price
- $15/mo
- Average rating
- 4.3
On this page
- Quick answer
- Our top picks
- Key takeaways
- What is B2B marketing automation software?
- Comparison table
- The 9 best B2B marketing automation software
- Best B2B marketing automation software by need
- What to look for
- How much B2B marketing automation software cost
- How we ranked them
- How to choose B2B marketing automation software
- FAQ
- About the reviewer
- Related rankings
Which marketing automation software is best for B2B?
The best marketing automation software for B2B in 2026 is HubSpot Marketing Hub for an all-in-one platform with a built-in CRM, ActiveCampaign for mid-market budgets, Adobe Marketo Engage for enterprise lead management and ABM, Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) for teams on Salesforce, and Act-On for mid-sized teams that want less complexity. HubSpot has free tools for up to 2 users and ActiveCampaign starts at $15/mo billed annually, while the enterprise suites are sales-quoted on annual contracts.
Our top picks
Best overall
HubSpot Marketing Hub
Marketing automation, lead scoring and a CRM share one database, and B2B teams can start on free tools before moving to Professional.
Paid plans from Paid tiers vary
See why we picked itBest value
ActiveCampaign
Branching automations, site tracking and lead scoring from $15/mo billed annually, a big step up from basic email tools.
Paid plans from $15/mo annual
See why we picked itBest for enterprise B2B
Adobe Marketo Engage
Engagement programs, lead scoring, ABM and revenue attribution for large teams with marketing ops staff.
Paid plans from Custom
See why we picked itKey takeaways
- Your CRM decides most of the shortlist. Salesforce teams should look first at Account Engagement (Pardot), Marketo or Act-On, Zoho CRM users at Zoho Marketing Automation, and teams without a CRM at HubSpot.
- Lead scoring is the core B2B feature. Account Engagement adds grading on fit next to its engagement score, which helps sales tell interested prospects from qualified ones.
- Enterprise suites are sales-quoted. Marketo Engage, Account Engagement and Eloqua all sell on annual contracts, and most teams need a marketing ops specialist or partner to run them.
- HubSpot and ActiveCampaign are the cheapest serious entry points. HubSpot has free tools for 2 users, and ActiveCampaign Starter is $15/mo billed annually for 1,000 contacts.
- B2B SaaS teams need product data. Ortto and Encharge trigger journeys from product events and sync with HubSpot and Salesforce, which suits trial and onboarding flows.
What is B2B marketing automation software?
The best marketing automation software for B2B is a platform that captures leads, nurtures them with automated email programs, scores them on fit and engagement, and passes sales-ready leads to your CRM. B2B marketing automation is built for long buying cycles, where several people at one company research a purchase over weeks or months before talking to sales.
B2B marketing automation tools need to do more than send emails. They should track which pages known prospects visit, score and route leads, sync two ways with a CRM such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, HubSpot or Zoho CRM, and report on which programs create pipeline. For account-based marketing, they also need to group contacts into companies so you can target and measure named accounts.
Best B2B marketing automation software compared
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid plans from | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HubSpot Marketing Hub |
All-in-one automation and CRM | Yes (2 users) | Paid tiers vary | ★4.5 |
| 2 | ActiveCampaign |
Mid-market budgets | No (14-day trial) | $15/mo annual | ★4.5 |
| 3 | Adobe Marketo Engage |
Enterprise lead management | No | Custom | ★4.1 |
| 4 |  Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) |
Salesforce CRM teams | No | Annual, per org | ★4.0 |
| 5 |  Act-On |
Mid-market lead nurturing | No | By active contacts (annual) | ★4.3 |
| 6 |  Ortto |
CDP plus journeys for B2B tech | Not listed | By contact count | ★4.5 |
| 7 |  Oracle Eloqua |
Large global B2B enterprises | No | Custom | ★3.9 |
| 8 | Zoho Marketing Automation | Zoho CRM users | 15-day trial | By contacts | Not yet reviewed |
| 9 |  Encharge |
B2B SaaS product-led flows | No (14-day trial) | By contacts | ★4.6 |
Ratings are MakeSuccessOnline's. Prices are the cheapest paid plan, billed monthly unless marked annual, checked November 2026. Many B2B suites are sales-quoted, so prices are listed as custom or by contacts.
The 9 best B2B marketing automation software in 2026
B2B marketing automation splits into three groups: CRM-based platforms for growing teams, mid-market tools focused on lead nurturing, and enterprise suites for large marketing ops teams. Each pick below leads a specific B2B need.
#1Best overall B2B marketing automation with a built-in CRM
HubSpot Marketing Hub
HubSpot's marketing software runs on its free Smart CRM, so B2B leads, deals, workflows and reporting share one database.
- Paid plans from
- Paid tiers vary
- Free plan
- Yes (2 users)
- Best for
- Small to mid-size B2B companies that want marketing and sales on one platform
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android, API
HubSpot is the most common starting point for B2B teams that do not yet have a strong CRM. Marketing Hub sits on HubSpot's free Smart CRM, so every form fill, email click and deal lives on the same contact record. Marketing can see which leads turned into pipeline, and sales can see what a prospect read before the first call.
For B2B, the key features sit on Professional and above: full workflows, lead scoring and custom reports. That lets you score leads, rotate them to reps and report on the funnel without exporting lists. The trade-off is cost. Professional and Enterprise need annual commitments and one-time onboarding fees, and prices rise as you add seats and hubs.
Key features
- Free Smart CRMContacts, deals and activity sit in one CRM that every HubSpot hub uses, so B2B automation always works from the same data your sales team sees.
- Lead scoringOn Professional and above, score contacts so reps know which leads to call first instead of working through a raw list of form fills.
- Workflows and lead rotationAutomate record updates, tasks and lead rotation to reps. Simple automation is on Starter, and full workflows are on Professional and above.
- Breeze AIHubSpot's built-in AI drafts emails, summarizes records and researches companies using your CRM data, which speeds up account research and follow-up.
- Reporting and integrationsPre-built dashboards cover the funnel, with custom reports on Professional. The App Marketplace and integrations with Salesforce, Gmail, Outlook, Zoom, Slack and LinkedIn Sales Navigator connect the rest of a B2B stack.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free HubSpot tools for up to 2 users with contacts, email tracking, meeting links and basic reports |
| Starter | Higher | Per seat, with simple automation added to the free CRM |
| Professional | Higher | Full workflows, lead scoring and custom reports, on an annual commitment with a one-time onboarding fee |
| Enterprise | Higher | Higher limits and advanced controls, on an annual commitment with a one-time onboarding fee |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Marketing Hub is priced by tier and seat, and Professional and Enterprise carry one-time onboarding fees.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Marketing and sales share one CRM database
- Free tools let small B2B teams start before paying
- Easy for new users and reps to learn
- Huge range of integrations
Cons
- Lead scoring and full workflows need Professional
- Onboarding fees on Professional and Enterprise
- Costs grow quickly as you add seats and hubs
Is it right for you?
Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub ifYou are a growing B2B company without a deeply embedded CRM and want marketing automation, lead scoring and a CRM in one platform.
Look elsewhere ifYour sales team is committed to Salesforce or Dynamics and you want automation that runs inside that CRM instead.
#2Best value for B2B teams outgrowing basic email tools
ActiveCampaign
An email marketing and automation platform with flexible branching automations, lead scoring and a built-in CRM pipeline.
- Paid plans from
- $15/mo annual
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- Small and mid-sized B2B and SaaS teams nurturing leads over long cycles
- Works on
- Web, iOS, Android, API
ActiveCampaign gives smaller B2B teams the kind of automation logic that used to need an enterprise suite. Its builder combines email engagement, site visits, tags and form fills in branching automations, which suits buying decisions that take weeks rather than minutes. You can start from automation recipes and adapt them to your funnel.
Lead scoring and a CRM pipeline let you score contacts on behavior and pass hot leads to sales. Site tracking shows which pages known contacts visit, so a visit to your pricing page can trigger a follow-up or a sales task. It lacks the account-based depth of Marketo, but it costs far less to start.
Key features
- Branching automation builderCombine email engagement, site visits and tags in one flow with waits and conditions, so long B2B nurture tracks adapt to what each lead does.
- Lead scoring and CRMScore contacts by behavior and move hot leads into a sales pipeline, which gives small B2B teams a clear handoff without a separate CRM.
- Site trackingTrack which pages known contacts visit and use those visits to trigger automations, segments or score changes.
- Automation recipesStart from a large library of pre-built automation templates and adapt them, which shortens setup for lean marketing teams.
- Split testingTest subject lines and content in campaigns, and split paths inside automations to see which nurture sequence moves leads faster.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15/mo annual | 1,000 contacts, email and automations; price rises with list size |
| Plus | Higher | Starter features plus more automation, landing pages and reporting |
| Pro | Higher | Predictive sending and more reporting |
| Enterprise | Custom | Premium CRM integrations and dedicated support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Prices rise with contact count. 14-day free trial, no card required.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Very flexible automation logic
- Lead scoring and CRM pipeline built in
- Strong site tracking for B2B follow-up
- Low entry price for a serious tool
Cons
- No free plan
- Price rises quickly with contact count
- Lighter account-based marketing than enterprise suites
Is it right for you?
Choose ActiveCampaign ifYou are a small or mid-sized B2B team that wants deep automation and lead scoring without enterprise pricing or contracts.
Look elsewhere ifYou run large account-based programs across many regions and need enterprise attribution and governance.
#3Best for enterprise B2B lead management and ABM
Adobe Marketo Engage
Adobe's enterprise marketing automation platform for B2B lead management, nurturing, scoring, account-based marketing and revenue attribution.
- Paid plans from
- Custom
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Mid-market and enterprise B2B marketing teams with marketing operations staff
- Works on
- Web, API
Marketo Engage is the platform many enterprise B2B marketing teams standardize on. Smart campaigns react to behavior and data changes at scale, engagement programs drip content to leads over long cycles, and lead scoring decides when a lead goes to sales. It handles very large databases and complex rules that lighter tools struggle with.
Its B2B strengths are depth and reporting. Native two-way sync with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics keeps leads and campaigns aligned, account-based features target named accounts, and revenue attribution ties programs to pipeline. The trade-off is cost and effort: pricing is sales-quoted on annual contracts, and most teams need a marketing ops specialist to run it well.
Key features
- Engagement programsLong-running nurture streams drip content to leads and move them between streams as they engage, which fits B2B cycles that last months.
- Lead scoringScore leads on fit and behavior so sales receives the right leads at the right time, with smart campaigns updating scores automatically.
- Salesforce and Dynamics syncNative, bi-directional sync keeps leads, activities and campaigns aligned with your CRM, so reps and marketers work from the same data.
- Account-based marketingBuild account lists, target named accounts and measure engagement at the account level for programs aimed at buying committees.
- Revenue attributionAttribute pipeline and revenue to programs and channels, so marketing can show which campaigns produce deals.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Custom | Core lead management and email marketing |
| Select | Custom | Adds more advanced automation and analytics |
| Prime | Custom | Adds advanced attribution and ABM capabilities |
| Ultimate | Custom | Full feature set with highest limits |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. All tiers are sales-quoted on annual contracts and priced by database size.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built for complex B2B lead management
- Deep Salesforce and Dynamics sync
- ABM and revenue attribution on higher tiers
- Scales to very large databases
Cons
- Expensive and sales-quoted only
- Steep learning curve, usually needs marketing ops staff
- Long implementation and a dated interface in places
Is it right for you?
Choose Adobe Marketo Engage ifYou run a large B2B marketing team with marketing ops resources, a Salesforce or Dynamics CRM and a need for ABM and attribution.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a small B2B team without a dedicated marketing ops person, where HubSpot or ActiveCampaign will be faster to run.
#4Best for B2B teams on Salesforce CRM
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot)
Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product, formerly Pardot, for lead generation, nurturing, scoring, grading and sales alignment on the Salesforce platform.
- Paid plans from
- Annual, per org
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- B2B marketing teams already using Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Works on
- Web (runs on Salesforce), API
Account Engagement, still widely known as Pardot, is the natural choice when your sales team lives in Salesforce. It runs on the Salesforce platform, so prospects, campaigns and engagement sit right next to opportunities. Forms and landing pages capture leads straight into Salesforce, and reps get real-time alerts when a prospect visits a key page.
Its standout B2B feature is scoring plus grading. The score tracks engagement and the grade tracks fit, so sales can focus on prospects who are both interested and qualified. Engagement Studio builds nurture programs as an easy flowchart, and B2B Marketing Analytics ties activity to pipeline. Outside Salesforce it offers little value, and it sells on annual contracts only.
Key features
- Lead scoring and gradingScore prospects on engagement and grade them on fit, so sales sees who is both interested and qualified before calling.
- Native Salesforce integrationRuns on the Salesforce platform, so prospect activity and campaigns sit next to sales records with no connector to maintain.
- Engagement StudioA visual builder for nurture programs that branch on prospect actions and data, laid out like a flowchart of emails and waits.
- Sales alertsNotify reps in real time when their prospects engage, for example by visiting the pricing page, so follow-up happens while interest is high.
- B2B Marketing AnalyticsDashboards tie marketing activity to pipeline and revenue in Salesforce, with B2B Marketing Analytics Plus on the Advanced edition.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Higher | Email marketing, forms, landing pages and lead nurturing |
| Plus | Higher | Adds advanced email analytics, dynamic content and AI features |
| Advanced | Higher | Adds B2B Marketing Analytics Plus and sandboxes |
| Premium | Higher | Highest limits and premium support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Editions are billed annually per org, and Salesforce has been folding Account Engagement into its newer Marketing Cloud and Agentforce marketing offers.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Best fit for teams already on Salesforce
- Combined scoring and grading
- Engagement Studio is easy to understand
- Strong marketing-to-pipeline reporting
Cons
- Expensive, annual contracts only
- Little value without Salesforce CRM
- Setup often needs a Salesforce admin or partner
Is it right for you?
Choose Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) ifYour company runs Salesforce Sales Cloud and you want marketing automation that works natively with your sales records.
Look elsewhere ifYou use HubSpot, Pipedrive or another CRM, or you are a small business without a Salesforce admin.
#5Best for mid-sized B2B teams that want less complexity
Act-On
A marketing automation platform for mid-sized B2B teams, covering email, automated nurture programs, landing pages, forms and lead scoring with CRM sync.
- Paid plans from
- By active contacts (annual)
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Mid-sized B2B marketing teams that want automation without enterprise-suite complexity
- Works on
- Web, API
Act-On is built for mid-sized B2B marketing teams that need lead nurturing and scoring but do not want to staff an enterprise suite. Automated Programs give you a visual builder for nurture tracks that branch on email engagement and form fills, and landing pages and forms feed new leads straight into those programs.
It works well as a lighter alternative to Marketo for teams on Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics, with two-way sync that keeps contact and activity data aligned. Website visitor tracking and account-based features help sales see which companies are engaging. Pricing is based on active contacts rather than your whole database, though annual contracts are the norm.
Key features
- Automated ProgramsA visual journey builder for nurture tracks that branches on email engagement, form fills and other behavior, so leads keep moving without manual sends.
- Lead scoringScore prospects on fit and behavior so sales gets the leads most likely to buy, with scores visible in the CRM.
- Salesforce and Dynamics syncTwo-way sync keeps contact and activity data aligned between marketing and sales, which is what most mid-market B2B teams need from day one.
- Website visitor trackingTrack known and anonymous visitors' page views to inform scoring, segmentation and sales follow-up.
- Account-based marketingTarget and report on named accounts rather than only individual leads, useful when you sell to buying committees.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Professional | Higher | Email marketing, automated programs, landing pages, forms, lead scoring and CRM integration; priced by active contacts |
| Enterprise | Custom | Professional features plus advanced capabilities, higher limits and more support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Plans are billed annually and priced by active contacts.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built specifically for B2B lead nurturing
- Solid Salesforce and Dynamics integrations
- Simpler to run than Eloqua or Marketo
- Priced on active contacts, not total database size
Cons
- No free plan and mid-market pricing
- Annual contracts are the norm
- Interface and templates feel dated next to newer tools
Is it right for you?
Choose Act-On ifYou are a mid-sized B2B company on Salesforce or Dynamics that wants lead nurturing and scoring without a Marketo-level project.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a very small team on a tight budget, or you need product-event triggers for a SaaS onboarding flow.
#6Best for B2B tech companies that want a CDP and journeys together
Ortto
A marketing automation platform, formerly Autopilot, that combines a customer data platform, journeys, email, SMS and analytics in one product.
- Paid plans from
- By contact count
- Free plan
- Not listed
- Best for
- SaaS and B2B growth and marketing teams
- Works on
- Web (cloud)
Ortto suits B2B tech companies that run both product-led and sales-led motions. Its customer data platform pulls contacts, events and accounts from your apps and CRM into one profile, so a journey can react to a product signup, a trial milestone or a change in Salesforce or HubSpot. Segment and Stripe integrations bring in product and billing data.
Journeys are built on a clean visual canvas with branches, delays and goals, and you can send email and SMS from the same platform. Account-based features group contacts into companies for B2B targeting, and built-in analytics report on journeys and revenue without a separate BI tool. Plans scale by contacts, so pricing takes some work to compare.
Key features
- Customer data platformBrings contacts, events and accounts from your apps and CRM into one profile, so segments and journeys use product and sales data together.
- JourneysA visual builder for multi-step campaigns that react to behavior, with branches, delays and goals for trial, onboarding and nurture flows.
- Account-based featuresGroup contacts into accounts for B2B targeting and reporting, so you can see engagement across a buying team.
- SegmentationBuild audiences from profile fields, events and account data and reuse them across campaigns and journeys.
- Analytics and reportsBuilt-in dashboards plus journey and revenue reports show what each campaign achieved without exporting data.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Professional | Higher | Journeys, email, CDP, segmentation and analytics; priced by contacts |
| Business | Higher | Everything in Professional plus higher limits and advanced features |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom volume, advanced security and dedicated support |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Professional and Business can be billed monthly or annually and are priced by contacts.
Pros and cons
Pros
- CDP, automation and analytics in one tool
- Clean visual journey builder
- Syncs with Salesforce, HubSpot, Segment and Stripe
- Built-in reporting reduces need for extra tools
Cons
- Pricing is not easy to compare across plans
- Smaller ecosystem than HubSpot or Marketo
- Can be more than a simple newsletter sender needs
Is it right for you?
Choose Ortto ifYou are a B2B SaaS or tech company that wants product data, journeys and reporting in one place alongside your CRM.
Look elsewhere ifYou need deep Salesforce-native account-based marketing for a large enterprise sales team.
#7Best for large enterprises running complex, multi-region programs
Oracle Eloqua
Oracle's enterprise marketing automation platform for complex, multi-channel B2B campaigns, lead management and sales alignment.
- Paid plans from
- Custom
- Free plan
- No
- Best for
- Large B2B enterprises with dedicated marketing operations teams
- Works on
- Web, API
Oracle Eloqua is built for large B2B enterprises with big databases, many business units and strict governance. Campaign Canvas lays out multi-step, multi-channel campaigns with segments, emails, waits and decision rules, while Program Canvas automates the lead-management work behind the scenes, such as lead routing, data enrichment and CRM updates, so the database stays clean as it grows.
It gives sales real help too. Profiler shows reps a prospect's digital activity, and Engage lets them send marketing-approved emails from the CRM. Native integration covers Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics and Oracle Sales, and account-based features support named-account programs. Expect a sales-quoted annual contract, a steep learning curve and trained admins or an agency to run it.
Key features
- Campaign CanvasA drag-and-drop canvas for multi-step, multi-channel campaigns with segments, emails, wait steps and decision rules across regions and products.
- Program CanvasAutomates data and lead-management processes such as routing, enrichment and CRM updates, which keeps a large database clean.
- Lead scoringConfigurable models score on profile and engagement so sales receives qualified leads.
- Profiler and Engage for salesReps see a prospect's digital activity and send marketing-approved emails from the CRM, which keeps sales outreach on message.
- Account-based marketingAccount-level targeting, scoring and reporting for named-account programs.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Eloqua editions | Custom | Campaign and Program Canvas, lead scoring, sales tools and CRM integration; capabilities vary by edition |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Eloqua is sales-quoted on annual contracts, priced by database size and edition.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Handles very large databases and complex campaign logic
- Deep lead management and data processing automation
- Strong CRM and Oracle ecosystem integration
- Mature governance and security for enterprises
Cons
- Sales-quoted and expensive, with no self-serve trial
- Steep learning curve that usually needs trained admins
- Overkill for small and mid-sized teams
Is it right for you?
Choose Oracle Eloqua ifYou are a large B2B enterprise with marketing ops staff, many regions or business units, or an existing Oracle CX investment.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a small or mid-sized team that wants quick, self-serve setup.
#8Best affordable option for teams on Zoho CRM
Zoho Marketing Automation
Zoho's marketing automation app for lead generation, scoring, nurturing journeys and multi-channel campaigns, tightly connected to Zoho CRM.
- Paid plans from
- By contacts
- Free plan
- 15-day trial
- Best for
- Small and mid-sized B2B businesses, especially those using Zoho CRM
- Works on
- Web, API
Zoho Marketing Automation is the budget-friendly pick for B2B teams that already run Zoho CRM. Native two-way sync shares leads, scores and activity with sales, so a rep sees a lead's engagement without switching apps. Forms, popups and landing pages capture leads and feed them straight into nurture journeys, so no lead sits untouched after a download or demo request.
The journey builder handles multi-step nurture triggered by behavior, list membership or CRM events, and lead scoring on Professional ranks leads on fit and engagement. Web behavior tracking adds page visits to scoring and segments. It also runs email, SMS and social posting from one place. The best value comes from staying inside the Zoho suite.
Key features
- Zoho CRM syncNative two-way sync with Zoho CRM shares leads, scores and activity with sales, which removes the usual marketing-to-sales handoff gap.
- Lead scoringScore leads on demographic fit and engagement so the hottest B2B leads go to sales first. It is included from the Professional plan.
- Journey builderA visual builder for multi-step nurture journeys triggered by behavior, list membership or CRM events.
- Web behavior trackingTrack visitor activity on your website and use it in segmentation, scoring and journey triggers.
- Lead generation forms and landing pagesCapture leads with signup forms, popups and landing pages that feed directly into lists and journeys.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Higher | Email campaigns, forms and basic journeys |
| Professional | Higher | Standard plus lead scoring, advanced journeys and more channels |
| Enterprise | Higher | Professional plus advanced features and higher limits |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Plans are priced by contacts and billed monthly or annually. 15-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Affordable next to dedicated B2B suites
- Native fit with Zoho CRM and the wider Zoho suite
- Lead capture, scoring and journeys in one tool
- Free trial to test before buying
Cons
- Best value only if you already use Zoho apps
- Fewer third-party integrations than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
- Lead scoring needs Professional, and settings can feel scattered
Is it right for you?
Choose Zoho Marketing Automation ifYour sales team runs Zoho CRM and you want affordable lead scoring and nurturing that shares the same data.
Look elsewhere ifYou run large, complex campaign operations or your CRM is Salesforce, HubSpot or Dynamics.
#9Best for B2B SaaS lifecycle and trial flows
Encharge
A marketing automation platform for B2B SaaS that uses product, CRM and billing data to run behavior-based email flows.
- Paid plans from
- By contacts
- Free plan
- No (14-day trial)
- Best for
- B2B SaaS companies and marketing teams
- Works on
- Web, API
Encharge is built for B2B SaaS companies whose buyers start in the product. It triggers emails from product events sent through Segment, the API or integrations, so you can run onboarding, trial conversion and nurture flows based on what each user actually does. Stripe data adds billing events such as upgrades and failed payments.
For the sales-led side, two-way syncs with HubSpot and Salesforce keep contact and deal data aligned, lead scoring flags the most engaged users, and account-based features group people into companies. It is email-focused, with no native SMS, and the advanced features sit on higher tiers, but it covers SaaS lifecycle marketing without heavy engineering.
Key features
- Behavior-based emailsTrigger emails from product events sent via Segment, the API or integrations, so trial and onboarding messages match what users did.
- Account-based marketingGroup people into companies and run flows on account-level data, which fits B2B SaaS deals with several users per account.
- Lead scoringScore leads on behavior and attributes so sales can follow up on the most engaged trial users first.
- HubSpot and Salesforce syncTwo-way syncs keep contact and deal data aligned with your CRM, so product-qualified leads reach reps automatically.
- Visual flow builderBuild automations with triggers, conditions and actions on a canvas for onboarding, trial conversion and nurture.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | Higher | Flow builder, broadcasts, segmentation and core integrations; priced by contacts |
| Premium | Higher | Adds account-based features, CRM integrations and more advanced tools |
| Enterprise | Custom | Higher volumes and support, billed annually |
List prices as of November 2026; plans change often, so check the vendor's pricing page before you buy. Billed monthly with an annual discount available. 14-day free trial.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built for B2B SaaS lifecycle marketing
- Native integrations with Stripe, HubSpot and Salesforce
- Account-based features for B2B
- Product triggers through Segment without heavy engineering
Cons
- No free plan
- Email-centric, with no native SMS
- Account-based and CRM features sit on higher tiers
Is it right for you?
Choose Encharge ifYou run a B2B SaaS product with free trials or self-serve signups and want flows driven by product, billing and CRM data.
Look elsewhere ifYou are a services or manufacturing B2B company with no product events, where Act-On or HubSpot fit better.
Best B2B marketing automation software by need
- All-in-one automation and CRMHubSpot Marketing Hub
- Mid-market budgetsActiveCampaign
- Enterprise lead management and ABMAdobe Marketo Engage
- Teams on Salesforce CRMSalesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot)
- A lighter alternative to MarketoAct-On
- CDP and journeys for B2B techOrtto
- Large multi-region enterprisesOracle Eloqua
- Teams on Zoho CRMZoho Marketing Automation
- B2B SaaS trial and onboarding flowsEncharge
What to look for in B2B marketing automation software
- Lead scoring, and ideally gradingScore leads on behavior such as email clicks and page visits, and on fit such as job title and company size. Tools that keep the two separate, like Account Engagement's scoring and grading, make sales handoffs clearer.
- Native, two-way CRM syncCheck that the tool syncs with your CRM natively, not through a third-party connector. Leads, scores, activity and campaign membership should flow both ways so marketing and sales see the same record.
- Nurture programs for long cyclesYou need a visual builder for multi-step programs with waits, branches and goals, so leads keep getting relevant content over weeks or months without manual sends.
- Website visitor trackingSeeing which known prospects visit your pricing or product pages powers scoring, segmentation and sales alerts. Some tools also track anonymous visitors before they fill in a form.
- Account-based marketing featuresB2B deals involve buying committees. Look for account grouping, account-level scoring or engagement, and reports on named accounts, not only individual leads.
- Pipeline and revenue reportingMarketing has to show what it adds to pipeline. Look for reports that tie programs and channels to opportunities and revenue in the CRM, and check which plan includes them.
How much does B2B marketing automation software cost in 2026?
B2B marketing automation software ranges from free CRM-based tools to enterprise suites on annual contracts. Entry tools start around $15 a month for 1,000 contacts, mid-market platforms are priced by contacts, and Marketo, Account Engagement and Eloqua are sales-quoted.
| Tier | Typical price | Tools at this level | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | HubSpot free tools | Small B2B teams testing CRM-based marketing before paying; no lead scoring |
| Entry | From $15/mo annual | ActiveCampaign Starter, HubSpot Starter, Zoho Marketing Automation Standard | Small B2B teams with a few thousand contacts and simple nurture flows |
| Mid-market | Priced by contacts | HubSpot Professional, ActiveCampaign Plus and Pro, Act-On Professional, Ortto, Encharge, Zoho Professional | Growing B2B and SaaS teams that need lead scoring, CRM sync and reporting |
| Enterprise | Custom, annual contracts | Adobe Marketo Engage, Salesforce Account Engagement, Oracle Eloqua, HubSpot Enterprise | Large B2B teams with marketing ops staff, ABM programs and big databases |
Entry prices and pricing models from vendor pricing pages, November 2026. Most B2B tools raise prices as your contact count grows.
Budget for more than the license. HubSpot Professional and Enterprise carry one-time onboarding fees, and enterprise suites like Marketo and Eloqua usually need a marketing ops hire, an agency or a partner to implement. Count contacts carefully too: Act-On prices on active contacts, while most others price on your full database, so cleaning out old leads before you buy can lower your quote.
How we chose the best B2B marketing automation software
We started with the marketing automation tools in the MakeSuccessOnline directory and added well-known B2B platforms we have not reviewed yet, such as Zoho Marketing Automation. For each one we looked at how it handles a typical B2B setup: a gated content form, a multi-week nurture program, lead scoring with a sales handoff and CRM sync. We scored the results on the criteria below, alongside hands-on reviews, vendor documentation and pricing checked in November 2026.
- Lead managementLead scoring, grading, routing and how well the tool hands sales-ready leads to reps.25%
- CRM integrationNative, two-way sync with Salesforce, Dynamics, HubSpot or Zoho CRM, or a built-in CRM.20%
- Nurture automationVisual builders for long, branching programs that react to behavior and data.20%
- Account-based marketing and reportingAccount grouping, named-account targeting and reports that tie programs to pipeline.15%
- Ease of useHow quickly a B2B marketer can launch a working program without specialist help.10%
- Pricing and valueFree plans, entry prices, contracts, onboarding fees and how cost scales with contacts.10%
How to choose B2B marketing automation software
- Start with your CRMShortlist tools with native, two-way sync to the CRM your sales team uses. On Salesforce, compare Account Engagement, Marketo and Act-On; with no CRM, HubSpot gives you both.
- Agree on a lead definition with salesWrite down what makes a lead sales-ready, by fit and by behavior, before you demo tools. Then check each tool can score and route on those rules.
- Match the tool to your team sizeMarketo and Eloqua need marketing ops skills. A team of one or two marketers will get more done with HubSpot, ActiveCampaign or Act-On.
- Check your data sourcesB2B SaaS teams need product events from Segment or an API. Services firms mostly need forms, web tracking and CRM data.
- Decide how much ABM you needIf you sell to named accounts and buying committees, confirm account grouping and account-level reporting are on the plan you can afford.
- Get the full cost in writingAsk for pricing at your contact count now and in two years, plus onboarding fees, contract length and what happens if you go over limits.
Check during the free trial
- Does the CRM sync work both ways, and how fast do changes appear?
- Can you build your lead scoring model and route leads to the right rep?
- Can you build a real multi-week nurture program without help from support?
- Do reports tie campaigns to pipeline and revenue in your CRM?
- Which features you tested are on the plan you will actually buy?
Red flags
- CRM sync that only runs one way or through a third-party connector
- Lead scoring, ABM or reporting locked to a tier far above your budget
- No clear price at your contact count before you sign
- Multi-year contracts required before a pilot or trial
- Large onboarding fees with no defined implementation plan
B2B marketing automation software FAQ
What is the best marketing automation software for B2B?
HubSpot Marketing Hub is the best marketing automation software for B2B for most growing companies, because automation, lead scoring and a CRM share one database. ActiveCampaign is the best value for smaller teams, Adobe Marketo Engage suits enterprises with marketing ops staff, and Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) is the natural pick if your sales team runs Salesforce.
Is there free B2B marketing automation software?
Yes, HubSpot has free tools for up to 2 users with contacts, email tracking, meeting links and basic reports. Real B2B automation such as lead scoring and full workflows needs a paid plan. ActiveCampaign and Encharge offer 14-day free trials and Zoho Marketing Automation a 15-day trial, while Marketo, Account Engagement and Eloqua have no free plan.
How much does B2B marketing automation cost?
B2B marketing automation costs anywhere from $0 to custom enterprise contracts. ActiveCampaign starts at $15/mo billed annually for 1,000 contacts, mid-market tools such as Act-On, Ortto and Encharge are priced by contacts, and Marketo, Account Engagement and Eloqua are sales-quoted on annual contracts. HubSpot's higher tiers add one-time onboarding fees.
HubSpot vs Marketo: which is better for B2B?
HubSpot is better for small and mid-sized B2B teams that want an easy platform with a built-in CRM. Marketo Engage is better for large enterprises with marketing ops staff that need complex lead management, ABM and revenue attribution, usually with Salesforce or Dynamics as the CRM. Marketo costs more and takes longer to implement.
Pardot vs HubSpot: which should a B2B team choose?
Choose Pardot, now Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, if your sales team already runs Salesforce, since it works natively on that platform and adds lead grading. Choose HubSpot if you have no CRM or want marketing and sales on one easy platform. Account Engagement offers little value without Salesforce.
Do B2B companies need lead scoring?
Yes, most B2B companies with more than a handful of inbound leads a week benefit from lead scoring. It ranks leads on fit, such as job title and company size, and on behavior, such as page visits and email clicks, so sales calls the most promising leads first and marketing keeps nurturing the rest.
Do you need a CRM for B2B marketing automation?
In practice, yes. B2B marketing automation works best when it syncs leads, scores and activity with the CRM your sales team uses. HubSpot and ActiveCampaign include a CRM, while Marketo, Account Engagement, Act-On and Eloqua sync with Salesforce or Dynamics, and Zoho Marketing Automation pairs with Zoho CRM.
How do I choose B2B marketing automation software?
Start with your CRM and shortlist tools with native two-way sync to it. Then agree a lead definition with sales, match the tool's complexity to your team's skills, check that lead scoring and ABM are on a plan you can afford, and get the full cost at your contact count in writing before signing.
About the reviewer
Editor & Reviewer, MakeSuccessOnline
William Harrison is an editor and reviewer at MakeSuccessOnline. He reviews each tools ranking before it goes live, checking plans, prices, free tiers and features against the tool's own documentation, and keeps rankings current as tools change.