ActiveCampaign is the natural choice for Constant Contact users who need a proper CRM and sophisticated automation. It is significantly more powerful and more expensive, but for businesses that have outgrown Constant Contact's capabilities, it is the right move.
This guide covers everything you need to migrate from Constant Contact to ActiveCampaign without losing subscribers or breaking your automations. Estimated time: half a 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 ActiveCampaign |
| Automation workflows | No | Need to be rebuilt from scratch |
| Campaign history | No | Historical stats stay in Constant Contact |
Step-by-step migration guide
Sign up at try.activecampaign.com before doing anything else. Keep your Constant Contact account running throughout the migration: do not cancel it until everything is confirmed working in ActiveCampaign.
Add your domain to ActiveCampaign 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 Constant Contact, 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 ActiveCampaign to stay compliant.
Upload your CSV into ActiveCampaign 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 Constant Contact before rebuilding them in ActiveCampaign. 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 ActiveCampaign and replace the Constant Contact 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 Constant Contact once you are fully satisfied that ActiveCampaign is working as expected.
Once ActiveCampaign is fully operational, cancel your Constant Contact 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
ActiveCampaign makes sense if Constant Contact's automation limits are holding you back or you need CRM features. Be prepared for a steeper learning curve and higher cost, but the automation capabilities are in a different league.
Not sure ActiveCampaign is the right destination? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz for a personalized recommendation.