Act! vs EngageBay: CRM Platform Comparison

Act! vs EngageBay: CRM Platform Comparison

Sales teams evaluating customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking tools often narrow their shortlist to Act! and EngageBay. Both target the same job, but they cater to different workflows and budgets. This comparison covers pricing, features, and integrations so you can pick the right fit.

The Quick Answer

By each vendor's own wording, Act! lists full-featured crm and mobile app and interactive quotes and payments, while EngageBay lists landing page builder and service automation. A capability both offer can appear under different names, so read both feature lists below.

EngageBay offers a lower entry point at $0/mo compared to Act! at $30/mo.

If your priority is organizing contacts, tracking deals, and forecasting revenue, both tools target it. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and the specific capabilities you need most.

Understanding the Core Difference

Act! is Act! is a CRM and marketing automation platform for small and midsize businesses that unites sales, marketing and customer management in one platform. It is sold as Act! Advantage cloud plans and an Act! Premium Desktop on-premises edition.

EngageBay is EngageBay lets small businesses manage marketing, sales and customer service in one platform. The CRM sits alongside email marketing, landing pages, live chat and a helpdesk, with a free tier for teams of up to 15 members.

Both platforms offer email marketing, marketing automation, lead scoring. Where they diverge is in their approach to pricing tiers and advanced capabilities.

Pricing Comparison

$30/moAct! entry plan

Act! Advantage Standard

FreeEngageBay entry plan

Free

Act! Pricing (as of September 2026)

Source: Act! Pricing

EngageBay Pricing (as of September 2026)

Source: EngageBay Pricing

Pricing Analysis

EngageBay offers the lower entry point ($0/mo vs $30/mo). Teams watching their budget will appreciate the savings, especially when starting out.

Act! offers 5 pricing tiers compared to EngageBay's 4, giving you more granularity as you scale.

EngageBay includes a free tier, which is helpful for evaluating the platform without upfront cost.

Features Breakdown

Act! lists

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• Project management
• and 1 more listed below

Both tools

• Email marketing
• Marketing automation
• Lead scoring

EngageBay lists

• Landing Page Builder
• Service Automation
• Live Chat
• Helpdesk
• Custom Reporting

Act! Key Features

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Email marketing
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• Marketing automation
• Lead scoring
• Project management
• Accounting integration

EngageBay Key Features

• Email Marketing
• Landing Page Builder
• Lead Scoring
• Marketing Automation
• Service Automation
• Live Chat
• Helpdesk
• Custom Reporting

Shared Capabilities

Both Act! and EngageBay include:

• Email marketing
• Marketing automation
• Lead scoring

The two lists below are a diff of each vendor's own feature list by exact wording, so a capability both tools offer can appear on either side under a different name.

Listed only by Act!

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• Project management
• Accounting integration

Listed only by EngageBay

• Landing Page Builder
• Service Automation
• Live Chat
• Helpdesk
• Custom Reporting

Integration Ecosystem

Act! Integrations

Act! connects with: Outlook, Google Contacts, Slack, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Shopify, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero.

EngageBay Integrations

EngageBay connects with: Zapier, Shopify, Xero, SendGrid, Mandrill, Stripe, Slack, Twilio, WooCommerce, Google Meet.

Shared Integrations

Both tools integrate with: Slack, Shopify, Xero.

Integrations listed only by Act!: Outlook, Google Contacts, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online.

Integrations listed only by EngageBay: Zapier, SendGrid, Mandrill, Stripe, Twilio, WooCommerce, Google Meet.

Use Case Recommendations

Best Fit for Act!

• Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
• Teams that need a wide feature set (10 capabilities listed)
• Organizations with complex tech stacks needing broad integration support (16 integrations)
• Enterprise buyers who prefer custom pricing and dedicated support

Best Fit for EngageBay

• Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
• Teams that want to start free and scale up as needs grow
• Sales teams tracking deals from first touch to close
• Managers who need pipeline visibility and forecasting

Feature Comparison Summary

Getting Started Checklist

1. Define your customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking requirements and monthly budget
2. Estimate your expected contacts and deals to find the right tier
3. List the integrations your team currently relies on
4. Sign up for free trials or demos of both platforms
5. Run a small test with each tool before making a commitment
6. Evaluate the onboarding experience and support quality

Final Thoughts

Act! and EngageBay both serve the customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking market. EngageBay offers a more accessible entry point, while Act! starts at $30/mo. Your decision should weigh pricing against the specific features that matter most for your workflow.

Start with a trial of each to see which platform fits your team's daily process. The best tool is the one your team actually uses consistently.

Pricing and features verified as of September 2026. Visit Act! and EngageBay for current information.