B2B software sales have a specific set of requirements that consumer-facing tools weren't designed for: long sales cycles, multiple decision-makers, account-level reporting, and the need to tie marketing activity to pipeline and revenue. The platforms built for B2B treat the account as the primary object, not the individual contact.
What to look for in marketing automation software for b2b companies
For Business-to-business companies of any size, the highest-priority criteria are: account-level reporting and attribution, multi-stakeholder deal tracking, pipeline to revenue analytics, intent and engagement scoring by account.
- Automation builder depth; can it handle complex branching logic and wait conditions?
- Lead scoring; can it score based on demographic fit and behavioral signals?
- CRM sync quality; does it maintain a clean bidirectional sync with your CRM?
- Attribution; can it attribute pipeline to specific campaigns and channels?
- Scalability; will it handle your database size and email volume without degrading?
The 10 best marketing automation software tools for b2b companies
#1 HubSpot
★★★★½ 4.4/5 on G2 (12,000+ reviews) · Free; paid from $15/mo
B2B teams use HubSpot with an account-level focus; the question is whether it reports on accounts and pipeline rather than just individual contacts and email sends.
HubSpot combines CRM, marketing automation, email, and sales tools in one platform. The free CRM is genuinely useful; the Marketing Hub Professional tier at $800/mo adds real automation.
Pros
- Generous free CRM tier
- All-in-one platform
- Strong integration ecosystem
Cons
- Expensive at Professional tier ($800/mo)
- Contact-based pricing scales fast
- Advanced features gated
#2 Adobe Marketo Engage
★★★★☆ 4.1/5 on G2 (2,400+ reviews) · Custom (typically $36,000+/yr)
B2B teams use Adobe Marketo Engage with an account-level focus; the question is whether it reports on accounts and pipeline rather than just individual contacts and email sends.
Marketo Engage (now Adobe) is the enterprise marketing automation standard for large B2B organizations. It handles complex lead management, scoring, and nurturing workflows that HubSpot can't match at scale.
Pros
- Most powerful B2B marketing automation
- Deep Salesforce integration
- Handles complex enterprise workflows
Cons
- Very steep learning curve
- Expensive
- UI is dated
- Requires dedicated marketing ops
#3 Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement
★★★½☆ 3.9/5 on G2 (1,800+ reviews) · From $1,250/mo
B2B teams use Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement with an account-level focus; the question is whether it reports on accounts and pipeline rather than just individual contacts and email sends.
Pardot (now Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) is the natural choice for orgs already deep in the Salesforce ecosystem. Its native sync is its main advantage; otherwise HubSpot or Marketo are typically rated higher.
Pros
- Native Salesforce integration
- Strong for Salesforce-centric orgs
- Mature feature set
Cons
- Dated UI
- Lowest G2 rating in category
- Expensive for what you get
- Requires Salesforce
#4 ActiveCampaign
★★★★½ 4.5/5 on G2 (13,000+ reviews) · From $29/mo
B2B teams use ActiveCampaign with an account-level focus; the question is whether it reports on accounts and pipeline rather than just individual contacts and email sends.
ActiveCampaign is the automation powerhouse for SMBs. Its visual automation builder is the most capable in its price range, and the included CRM makes it a full sales and marketing platform.
Pros
- Best-in-class automation builder
- CRM included
- Strong deliverability
Cons
- No free tier (trial only)
- UI can overwhelm beginners
- Reporting could be deeper
#5 Oracle Eloqua
★★★½☆ 3.9/5 on G2 (760+ reviews) · Custom (typically $2,000+/mo)
B2B teams use Oracle Eloqua with an account-level focus; the question is whether it reports on accounts and pipeline rather than just individual contacts and email sends.
Oracle Eloqua is the enterprise marketing automation platform for large organizations already in the Oracle ecosystem. Its G2 ratings lag behind Marketo and HubSpot, but it handles complex multi-brand and multi-geography implementations that few other platforms can.
Pros
- Handles extremely complex enterprise workflows
- Strong Oracle ecosystem integration
- Mature platform with deep reporting
Cons
- Lowest G2 rating in category
- Very dated UI
- Implementation costs are extremely high
- Requires specialist admin
#6 Act-On
★★★★☆ 4.1/5 on G2 (900+ reviews) · From $900/mo
B2B demand gen teams use Act-On for account-level nurture sequences and lead scoring when they need more sophistication than ActiveCampaign but don't want Marketo's implementation overhead.
Act-On is a B2B marketing automation platform built for demand generation teams at companies with 50 to 1,000 employees. It offers segmentation, lead scoring, and campaign tracking at a price point between HubSpot Professional and Marketo, without requiring dedicated marketing operations staff to run it day to day.
Pros
- Priced between SMB and enterprise tiers
- Solid lead scoring without heavy setup
- Responsive support team
Cons
- Smaller integration ecosystem than HubSpot
- Reporting UI feels dated
- Not built for enterprise scale
#7 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys
★★★½☆ 3.8/5 on G2 (600+ reviews) · From $1,700/mo per tenant
B2B companies already running Dynamics 365 as their CRM or ERP get marketing automation without a separate integration layer; accounts, quotes, and deal stages flow directly into campaign triggers.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys (formerly Dynamics 365 Marketing) is the logical choice for organizations already in the Microsoft ecosystem. It connects to Dynamics 365 Sales, Business Central, and Teams without middleware, which reduces the data quality issues common with third-party CRM-to-MA integrations. The trade-off is one of the lower G2 ratings in this category and configuration complexity that typically requires IT involvement to deploy.
Pros
- No middleware needed for Dynamics 365 shops
- Native Teams and Business Central integration
- Account and deal-stage triggers built in
Cons
- Lower G2 rating than most competitors here
- Tenant-based pricing model is confusing
- Usually requires IT to configure
#8 Brevo
★★★★★ 4.5/5 on G2 (2,800+ reviews) · Free tier available; paid from $9/mo
Smaller B2B teams use Brevo for quote follow-up sequences and account nurture emails when they don't need Marketo or HubSpot's full feature set or price tag.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is an email-first automation platform with one of the highest G2 ratings in this category. Its automation builder handles basic trigger sequences well and the free tier is genuinely usable, not just a trial. For B2B teams with under 10,000 contacts who need reliable email delivery, basic automation, and optional SMS, Brevo is the clearest value option at its price point. It is not a replacement for Marketo or HubSpot for teams running multi-channel account-based programs.
Pros
- Highest G2 rating of any tool on this list
- Usable free tier
- Straightforward automation builder
Cons
- Not built for complex multi-step B2B workflows
- Lead scoring is basic compared to HubSpot or Act-On
- CRM functionality is minimal
#9 SALESmanago
★★★★☆ 4.4/5 on G2 (290+ reviews) · From about $410/mo (€378)
B2B teams with a European customer base or GDPR-sensitive data requirements use SALESmanago as an HubSpot alternative built around real-time behavioral tracking.
SALESmanago is a European-headquartered marketing automation and customer data platform. It centralizes website, email, and transaction behavior into unified account and contact profiles, then triggers campaigns off that real-time activity. Reviewers consistently cite a steep initial learning curve, but rate the segmentation and personalization depth highly once configured. It is a smaller ecosystem than HubSpot or Marketo, with fewer third-party integrations.
Pros
- Real-time behavioral tracking and segmentation
- EU data residency for GDPR-sensitive teams
- Strong customer support ratings
Cons
- Steep learning curve reported by reviewers
- Smaller integration ecosystem
- Less brand recognition in North America
#10 Zoho Marketing Plus
★★★★☆ 4.3/5 on G2 (450+ reviews for Zoho Campaigns) · From $25/user/mo
B2B companies running Zoho CRM get native contact sync and deal-stage triggers without a separate integration layer when they add Zoho Marketing Plus.
Zoho Marketing Plus is the email and automation component of the Zoho One suite. For B2B companies using Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, or Zoho Desk, Marketing Plus is the natural automation layer because the data sync is native and bidirectional. For companies not already in the Zoho ecosystem, other options on this list are easier to configure and better supported. The per-user pricing is competitive but scales quickly with team size.
Pros
- Native bidirectional sync with Zoho CRM
- Competitive per-user pricing
- Bundled with the broader Zoho One suite
Cons
- Value drops sharply outside the Zoho ecosystem
- Per-user pricing scales fast with team size
- Support is slower than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
Quick comparison
| Tool | Starting price | G2 rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Free; paid from $15/mo | 4.4/5 | startups, smb |
| Adobe Marketo Engage | Custom (typically $36,000+/yr) | 4.1/5 | enterprise, complex-workflows |
| Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement | From $1,250/mo | 3.9/5 | salesforce-users, enterprise |
| ActiveCampaign | From $29/mo | 4.5/5 | b2b, automation |
| Oracle Eloqua | Custom (typically $2,000+/mo) | 3.9/5 | enterprise, large-teams |
| Act-On | From $900/mo | 4.1/5 | mid-market, b2b-demand-gen |
| Dynamics 365 CI - Journeys | From $1,700/mo per tenant | 3.8/5 | microsoft-ecosystem, enterprise |
| Brevo | Free; paid from $9/mo | 4.5/5 | smb, email-first |
| SALESmanago | From about $410/mo | 4.4/5 | eu-teams, behavioral-personalization |
| Zoho Marketing Plus | From $25/user/mo | 4.3/5 | zoho-ecosystem, smb |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best marketing automation software for b2b companies?
Based on G2 ratings, pricing, and fit for Business-to-business companies of any size, HubSpot ranks as our top pick. It scores well on ease of use, pricing transparency, and the features most relevant to this use case. That said, the right tool depends on your specific stack and workflow; review the full list above.
How much does marketing automation software cost for b2b companies?
Pricing spans a wide range. Enterprise platforms: Adobe Marketo Engage (typically $36,000+/yr), Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (from $1,250/mo), Oracle Eloqua (typically $2,000+/mo), and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys (from $1,700/mo per tenant). Mid-market: Act-On from $900/mo, HubSpot Marketing Hub Professional from $800/mo, SALESmanago from about $410/mo. SMB options: ActiveCampaign from $29/mo, Zoho Marketing Plus from $25/user/mo, and Brevo from $9/mo (free tier available). Enterprise vendors typically require a quote; list prices are starting points.
Is there a free marketing automation software option for b2b companies?
Yes; HubSpot offers a free tier, and Brevo offers a free plan for low email volume. HubSpot combines CRM, marketing automation, email, and sales tools in one platform. Check current terms on each vendor's pricing page as free tier limits change.