Can ActiveCampaign be self-hosted?

No. ActiveCampaign is a hosted SaaS only — there's no self-hosted edition. If self-hosting is a requirement, Broadcast is a self-hosted alternative you run on your own server.

Can I migrate my contacts from ActiveCampaign?

Yes. Export your contacts, tags, and custom fields to CSV and import them into Broadcast, then rebuild the automations you actually use. Because you self-host, your data stays yours.

What about GDPR / EU data residency with ActiveCampaign?

Self-hosting lets you keep subscriber data on your own EU server, unlike ActiveCampaign's US-based SaaS. See our ActiveCampaign & DSGVO assessment for the Schrems II / US-transfer details.

Self-hosted — one-time license

The self-hosted ActiveCampaign alternative

ActiveCampaign is a powerful hosted automation suite—but you can’t self-host it, and its per-contact pricing rises as your list grows. Broadcast runs on your own server for a one-time license: own your data, escape per-contact billing, and keep the email automation most teams actually use.

Buy Broadcast — $250 Calculate your savings

At a Glance

Hosting

ActiveCampaign: SaaS only

Broadcast: Self-hosted

Pricing

ActiveCampaign: Monthly, per contact

Broadcast: $250 one-time

Data & residency

ActiveCampaign: Their US servers

Broadcast: Your server

Best at

ActiveCampaign: Deep CRM/automation

Broadcast: Owned, focused email

Straight answer: there’s no self-hosted edition of ActiveCampaign—it’s SaaS only. If you specifically want to run email automation on your own infrastructure and stop paying per contact, Broadcast is the closest self-hosted, buy-once option. If you rely on ActiveCampaign’s deep CRM, lead scoring, and multi-channel journeys, it’s still more powerful—this page is honest about that trade.

Feature Comparison

Where Broadcast and ActiveCampaign each pull ahead

Feature	Broadcast	ActiveCampaign
Self-hosted	Yes — your server	No (SaaS only)
Pricing	$250 one-time	Monthly, scales w/ contacts
Subscribers/contacts	Unlimited	Tiered by count
Drip / automations	Built-in (conditions)	Advanced
CRM / sales	No	Yes
Lead scoring	No	Yes
Multi-channel (SMS, etc.)	Email-focused	Yes
Segmentation	Tags, lists, custom fields	Advanced
ESP choice	SES, Postmark, any SMTP	Built-in only
Data ownership / residency	Your server (EU-friendly)	US-based SaaS
Setup & maintenance	You self-host	Fully managed

ActiveCampaign genuinely out-features Broadcast on CRM, scoring, and multi-channel. The question is whether you’ll use that depth—and whether owning your platform and dropping per-contact billing matters more.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Broadcast if you…

• Want to self-host and own your data (ActiveCampaign can’t be self-hosted)
• Are tired of per-contact pricing that climbs with your list
• Need solid email automation, not a full CRM
• Care about EU data residency / GDPR control
• Prefer a one-time license to a monthly subscription

ActiveCampaign may be better if you…

• Need a built-in CRM and sales pipeline
• Rely on lead scoring and complex multi-channel journeys
• Want a fully managed tool with no server to run
• Use its large ecosystem of native integrations

Frequently Asked Questions

No. ActiveCampaign is a hosted SaaS only—there’s no self-hosted edition. If self-hosting is a requirement, you need a different platform; Broadcast is a self-hosted alternative you run on your own server.

For email campaigns and drip automation, yes. For a built-in CRM, lead scoring, and multi-channel journeys, no—Broadcast is focused email marketing, not a sales-and-marketing suite. Replace ActiveCampaign with Broadcast when email is the part you actually use.

Yes. Export your contacts, tags, and custom fields to CSV and import them into Broadcast. You’d rebuild the automations you actually use. Because you self-host, your data stays yours throughout.

Self-hosting lets you keep subscriber data on your own EU server. See our ActiveCampaign & DSGVO assessment for the Schrems II / US-transfer details.