Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a popular destination for ActiveCampaign users looking to reduce costs. It is less powerful on automation depth but significantly cheaper, especially for businesses with large contact lists.
This guide covers everything you need to migrate from ActiveCampaign to Brevo without losing subscribers or breaking your automations. Estimated time: half a day to a full day.
What transfers and what does not
| Item | Transfers? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts and email addresses | Yes | Via CSV export/import |
| Tags and segments | Partial | Export as custom fields, remap on import |
| Custom field data | Partial | Transfers if mapped correctly during import |
| Unsubscribe history | Yes | Import as suppressed contacts |
| Email templates | No | Need to be rebuilt in Brevo |
| Automation workflows | No | Need to be rebuilt from scratch |
| Campaign history | No | Historical stats stay in ActiveCampaign |
Step-by-step migration guide
Sign up at get.brevo.com/hjl3lwlukji3 before doing anything else. Keep your ActiveCampaign account running throughout the migration: do not cancel it until everything is confirmed working in Brevo.
Add your domain to Brevo and follow the DKIM authentication instructions. This improves deliverability and ensures your emails arrive in inboxes, not spam folders. Complete this before importing any contacts.
In ActiveCampaign, go to your audience and export your full contact list as a CSV. Make sure to include all custom fields, tags, and segments. Export your unsubscribed contacts separately: you will need to suppress these in Brevo to stay compliant.
Upload your CSV into Brevo and map each column to the correct field. Import your unsubscribed contacts as suppressed. Review the import report carefully before proceeding: fix any mapping errors before building automations.
Screenshot or document all your active automations in ActiveCampaign before rebuilding them in Brevo. Start with your highest-priority flows: typically your welcome series and any active nurture sequences. Do not activate them until you have tested them with your own email address.
Build your signup forms in Brevo and replace the ActiveCampaign embed codes on your website. Test each form to confirm subscribers land in the right list and trigger the correct automation.
Send a test campaign to yourself. Trigger your automations manually. Check every link. Confirm your unsubscribe flow works correctly. Only cancel ActiveCampaign once you are fully satisfied that Brevo is working as expected.
Once Brevo is fully operational, cancel your ActiveCampaign account. Check your billing date to avoid being charged for another month. Download any historical reports or data you want to keep before cancelling.
The bottom line
Brevo makes sense if you are paying for ActiveCampaign features you do not use. If your automation needs are moderate and cost is a priority, the switch will save you money. If you rely on ActiveCampaign's advanced automation, think carefully before moving.
Not sure Brevo is the right destination? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz for a personalized recommendation.