6 Funnel-Building Tools With the Best Automation Features

In the competitive world of digital marketing, choosing the right funnel-building tool can make or break your strategy. With insights from leading experts such as a managing director and a sales operations manager, this article explores the top contenders for automation features. Discover how HubSpot offers comprehensive automation and learn how ClickFunnels ensures easy funnel automation among other key insights. Explore ‌six expert opinions to find the best tool for your needs.

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HubSpot Offers Comprehensive Automation

HubSpot is the best funnel-building tool for automation. Its ability to combine email marketing, CRM, and detailed workflows means you can automate everything from lead nurturing to post-sale follow-ups. 

For instance, we use HubSpot to automatically move leads through the funnel based on behavior, such as engaging with content or scheduling demos. This automation has boosted conversion rates by keeping leads engaged at each stage. I recommend HubSpot because of its flexibility—it lets you customize automated actions that fit your specific sales processes, ensuring smoother lead progression.

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

ConvertKit Excels in Email Drip Sequences

We’ve found ConvertKit to be the most effective funnel-building and email-marketing tool, especially for creators like us. I consistently recommend ConvertKit as the go-to customer relationship management (CRM) solution for content creators and tech enthusiasts.

ConvertKit’s automation features really set it apart. Their email drip sequences are a game-changer, allowing us to nurture leads and engage our audience with timely, relevant content. We can set up a series of emails that automatically send based on specific triggers or time intervals, keeping our subscribers informed and interested without constant manual effort.

Another standout feature is ConvertKit’s content snippets. These reusable blocks of content save us tons of time and ensure consistency across our communications. But what truly impresses me is the platform’s automated triggers and actions. We can set up complex workflows that respond to subscriber behavior, tagging contacts based on their interests and automatically moving them through our funnels. This level of personalization and efficiency is why we rely so heavily on ConvertKit for our marketing efforts.

Ryan Doser, Contributing Tech Author, TROYPOINT

ActiveCampaign Builds Multi-Step Funnels

While we like to use our CRMs for all we can, ActiveCampaign has stood out as one of the best independent funnel-building tools. It helps us build multi-step funnels that branch out depending on the actions leads and customers did (or didn’t) take. It also feeds nicely into our CRM, Salesforce. 

For example, we were working with a creative agency to build their funnel with ActiveCampaign. Step one was creating a landing page with a lead-magnet. Upon form fill-out, the lead was added both to AC and Salesforce and tagged with “Marketing Guide Downloaded.” 

Then, ActiveCampaign immediately sent a follow-up with the link for their download and launched a whole nurture sequence. Their actions were tracked—how many times they clicked on the content in that sequence to calculate the final qualification score. 

Then, depending on their qualification levels, we’d either reach out to them directly or follow up with more educational content like case studies tailored to every lead’s industry.

Lana Rafaela Cindric, Growth Associate, RevBoss

Ontraport Provides Intuitive Automation

As the founder of Team Genius Marketing, I have experience with various marketing-automation platforms and know what truly sets the best apart.

Based on the results I’ve seen for my clients, Ontraport stands out for their powerful, yet intuitive, automation features. Ontraport’s automation is highly effective; its visual campaign builder makes complex sequences easy to set up without technical skills. For a plumbing client, an automated lead-nurturing campaign in Ontraport boosted form completions by 34% in under three months.

While many tools claim “marketing automation,” only a few provide the blend of power and simplicity home-service businesses need. In my experience, Ontraport is a leader here. Their automation is sophisticated yet accessible, providing an ideal gateway to leveraging technology and data to gain a competitive edge.

Lesly Jean-Baptiste, Owner, Team Genius Marketing

Salesforce Pardot Simplifies Complex Automation

As an expert in CRM and marketing-automation implementation, I typically recommend Salesforce Pardot for its robust feature set and intuitive interface. Its drag-and-drop workflow builder makes complex automation simple to set up without technical skills.

For example, I helped an enterprise SaaS company implement lead scoring and multi-touch nurturing campaigns in Pardot. Within six months, their sales team reported a 17% decrease in sales-cycle length. Pardot’s AI-powered lead-scoring sorted hot leads from cold, ensuring sales called the most interested prospects first.

Pardot also integrates tightly with Salesforce CRM, enabling a seamless handoff of marketing-qualified leads to sales. Its email editor has hundreds of templates to choose from, and native integrations with email services like Mailchimp provide even more options. For clients on a budget, Pardot’s flexible pricing tiers and discounts for nonprofits and education institutions make it an accessible choice.

Compared to other tools I’ve used, Pardot strikes the best balance of powerful marketing automation with an intuitive, easy-to-learn interface. For growing companies, it’s a scalable solution that helps turn more leads into customers without requiring a large marketing team.

Ryan T. Murphy, Sales Operations Manager, Upfront Operations

ClickFunnels Ensures Easy Funnel Automation

ClickFunnels is great for businesses that want a smooth and simple way to create funnels without getting bogged down by technical details. The automation options are straightforward, and they can handle tasks like sending follow-up emails, tracking leads, and integrating with third-party apps. You don’t need to be a tech expert to get it all running, which is a huge plus.

I’ve seen how well ClickFunnels can automate lead generation. Once your funnel is set up, the tool takes over. You can automate email sequences, schedule follow-ups, and even trigger actions based on customer behavior, all within the platform. The system allows you to focus more on strategy rather than the day-to-day grind of nurturing leads manually.

Another strong point is how easily it integrates with other tools. Whether email marketing platforms, payment processors, or CRM systems, ClickFunnels connects with almost everything. This level of integration makes it feel like your entire marketing process is working in sync, which saves time and keeps everything organized.

If you’re looking for something that offers flexibility without requiring a steep learning curve, ClickFunnels is a solid choice. It’s reliable, user-friendly, and gets the job done when you need automation in place. Just start small, test it out, and build from there—you’ll see how the automation can help you scale.

Kate Donskaia, Marketing Manager, WealthProtector

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