Migrating from ActiveCampaign to Kit

Complete Guide: Migrating from ActiveCampaign to Kit (Same AccessAlly Site)

Why Migrate from ActiveCampaign to Kit?

Common reasons for migrating from ActiveCampaign to Kit (formerly ConvertKit):

• Cost Savings: Kit’s creator-focused pricing often costs less than ActiveCampaign for similar contact counts
• Simplification: Kit’s interface is simpler and easier to use for content creators
• Creator Features: Better newsletter tools, subscriber landing pages, and creator-focused automations
• Lower Complexity: Don’t need ActiveCampaign’s advanced CRM features (deals, pipelines, lead scoring)
• Better for Simple Funnels: Kit excels at straightforward email marketing and simple sequences

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What You’ll Need Before Starting

✅ Required Access & Accounts

• WordPress admin access to your AccessAlly site
• ActiveCampaign admin access (for data export)
• Kit account access (must be set up and configured)
• AccessAlly license that supports CRM switching
• Access to your payment gateway (Stripe or PayPal)

📋 Complete the Pre-Migration Checklist

Before proceeding, work through the complete Pre-Migration Checklist. Key items include:

• Full backup of WordPress site and database
• Export of all ActiveCampaign contact data
• Audit of your current member count, tags, and custom fields
• Data mapping spreadsheet (contacts, tags, custom fields → tags strategy)
• Staging site setup for testing (CRITICAL for CRM switches)
• Request 2-site exception from AccessAlly support
• Downtime plan and member communication

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Phase 1: Pre-Migration Setup (2-3 hours)

Step 1: Set Up Your Kit Account

If you haven’t already set up Kit:

1. Sign up for Kit at convertkit.com (choose appropriate tier for your subscriber count)
2. Complete basic account setup (name, timezone, sender email)
3. Configure email deliverability (verify sender email, add custom domain if needed)
4. Set up your sender profile (this appears in subscriber emails)
5. Test email sending (send yourself a test broadcast)
6. Create a test form and verify it works

Step 2: Export Your Data from ActiveCampaign

1. Log into your ActiveCampaign account
2. Go to Contacts → Export
3. Select “All Contacts”
4. Choose “All Fields” (don’t filter)
5. Select “Include Tags”
6. Click Export
7. ActiveCampaign will email you a CSV file
8. Download and open the CSV

What’s included in the ActiveCampaign export:

• Email addresses
• First and last names
• Phone numbers
• Custom fields (all types)
• Tags (in a single column, comma-separated)
• Subscription status
• Contact scores (if used)

What’s NOT included:

• Automation workflows (must be rebuilt in Kit as sequences)
• Deals and pipelines (Kit doesn’t have CRM features)
• Email campaign history
• Form designs
• Site tracking data
• Lead scoring rules

Step 3: Map Your ActiveCampaign Data to Kit

This is the most important planning step. Kit has fewer custom field types than ActiveCampaign, so you’ll need to convert some custom fields to tags.

Create a data mapping spreadsheet using the Data Mapping Reference Guide.

ActiveCampaign Field	Kit Field/Tag	Notes
Email	email	Required field
First Name	first_name	Standard field
Last Name	last_name (custom field)	Must create in Kit – not built-in
Tags	Kit tags	Recreate in Kit first
Text Custom Fields	Kit custom fields	Kit only supports text fields
Dropdown/Multi-select Fields	Convert to tags	Kit doesn’t support dropdowns – use tags
Date Fields	Text field or tag	Kit doesn’t have date fields – store as text
Number Fields	Text field or tag	Kit doesn’t have number fields – store as text
Checkbox Fields	Tags	Use tag presence = checked, absence = unchecked

Step 4: Convert Custom Fields to Tags (Critical Planning Step)

Because Kit has limited custom field support, you’ll need a strategy for converting ActiveCampaign custom fields to Kit tags.

Example conversions:

ActiveCampaign Field	AC Value	Kit Tag Strategy
Membership Level (dropdown)	Bronze, Silver, Gold	Create tags: “Level: Bronze”, “Level: Silver”, “Level: Gold”
Interest (checkbox)	Marketing, Sales, Tech	Create tags: “Interest: Marketing”, “Interest: Sales”, “Interest: Tech”
Join Date (date)	2024-01-15	Option 1: Store as text field “2024-01-15” Option 2: Create period tags “Joined: Q1 2024”
Account Status (dropdown)	Active, Paused, Cancelled	Create tags: “Status: Active”, “Status: Paused”, “Status: Cancelled”

Tag naming best practices for converted fields:

• Use prefixes to group related tags: “Level:”, “Status:”, “Interest:”
• Keep tag names consistent and descriptive
• Document your tag strategy for future reference
• Ensure only ONE tag from each group is applied (e.g., can’t be both “Level: Bronze” and “Level: Gold”)

Step 5: Recreate Your Tags in Kit

1. Make a complete list of all tags from your ActiveCampaign export
2. Add tags for converted custom fields (from Step 4)
3. Log into Kit → Subscribers → Tags
4. Create each tag in Kit (they auto-create on first use, but pre-creating helps organization)
5. Use the exact same tag names for easier mapping

Step 6: Create Custom Fields in Kit

Kit only supports simple text custom fields. Create these for any ActiveCampaign fields you’re keeping as custom fields (vs. converting to tags).

1. List all ActiveCampaign text fields you want to preserve
2. Go to Kit → Subscribers → Custom Fields
3. Click “New Custom Field” for each field
4. Use exact same field names as ActiveCampaign (makes CSV mapping easier)
5. Note: Kit custom fields are always text – no dropdowns, dates, or numbers

Recommended custom fields to keep as fields (not convert to tags):

• Last Name (Kit only has First Name built-in)
• Company/Organization
• Website URL
• Phone Number
• Address/Location (if needed)
• Freeform notes or bio

Step 7: Connect Kit to AccessAlly (Staging Site First)

1. On your STAGING site, go to AccessAlly → Settings → General
2. Under “CRM Integration,” change from ActiveCampaign to ConvertKit
3. Enter your Kit API credentials:
   • API Key (found in Kit → Settings → Advanced → API Key)
   • API Secret (found in same location)
4. Click Save and Test Connection
5. Verify the connection is successful

Step 8: Prepare Your CSV for Migration Wizard

Transform your ActiveCampaign export to match Kit’s structure, including your custom field → tag conversions.

Required columns for AccessAlly + Kit import:

• email – Email address (required)
• first_name – First name
• tags – Comma-separated list of Kit tag names (include converted field tags)
• last_name – If you created this custom field in Kit
• Any other custom field columns (using exact Kit field names)

CSV transformation steps:

1. Open your ActiveCampaign export in Excel or Google Sheets
2. Rename columns to match Kit format:
   • AC “Email” → email
   • AC “First Name” → first_name
   • AC “Last Name” → last_name (custom field in Kit)
   • AC “Tags” → tags
3. Convert custom fields to tags:
   • For each dropdown/checkbox/select field, create a formula to convert values to tag names
   • Example: If “Membership Level” = “Gold”, add “Level: Gold” to tags column
   • Append these converted tags to the existing tags column (comma-separated)
4. Remove columns for fields you’re not migrating
5. Remove unsubscribed contacts (or handle separately)
6. Save as new CSV: “activecampaign-to-kit-import.csv”

Example tag conversion formula (Excel/Google Sheets):

// If Membership Level column (F) contains "Gold", append "Level: Gold" to tags
=IF(F2="Gold", G2 & ", Level: Gold", G2)

// For multiple field conversions, chain IFs:
=G2 & IF(F2="Gold", ", Level: Gold", IF(F2="Silver", ", Level: Silver", ""))

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Phase 2: Migration Execution (2-3 hours)

Step 9: Import Contacts via Migration Wizard

1. On your STAGING site, go to AccessAlly → Migration Wizard
2. If you don’t see Migration Wizard, download and activate the plugin (instructions)
3. Click “Import from CSV”
4. Upload your prepared CSV file
5. Map CSV columns to Kit fields:
   • email → Email
   • first_name → First Name
   • tags → Tags (comma-separated)
   • last_name → Custom Field: last_name
   • Other custom fields to their Kit equivalents
6. Choose import options:
   • Update existing users: Check if members may already exist in WordPress
   • Create users in CRM: Check (this creates subscribers in Kit)
   • Add tags: Check (applies tags from CSV)
   • Send confirmation email: UNCHECK (subscribers already opted in)
7. Click “Start Import”

What happens during import:

• WordPress user accounts created (if they don’t exist)
• Subscribers created in Kit
• Tags applied in Kit (including converted field tags)
• Custom fields populated in Kit
• Subscriber ID from Kit stored in WordPress user meta
• This Subscriber ID linking is CRITICAL for access control

Step 10: Update AccessAlly Tags and Access Rules

AccessAlly stores tag names from your old CRM. After switching to Kit, you need to verify and update these.

1. Go through each AccessAlly Module or protected page
2. Check “Who Can Access” settings
3. Verify tag names still match Kit tags (especially if you renamed tags)
4. Update any tag-based access rules to use new tag names
5. Update membership levels to link to correct Kit tags
6. CRITICAL: If you converted custom fields to tags, update access rules accordingly
   • Example: If access was based on “Membership Level = Gold” field, change to “Level: Gold” tag

Critical areas to check:

• Module access rules
• Page protection settings
• Order form tag assignments
• Email wizard tag triggers
• Automation trigger rules

Step 11: Link Payment Gateway Subscriptions

If you have paid members with active subscriptions, ensure their Stripe/PayPal subscriptions are properly linked.

1. Export active subscriptions from Stripe or PayPal
2. Match subscription IDs to member email addresses
3. In AccessAlly, go to each member’s profile
4. Verify the subscription ID is stored correctly
5. Test that failed payments will cancel access

Detailed guide: Preserving Subscriptions During Migration

Step 12: Rebuild Your Automations in Kit

ActiveCampaign automations cannot be automatically migrated. You’ll rebuild them as Kit sequences and automations.

ActiveCampaign → Kit automation mapping:

ActiveCampaign	Kit Equivalent
Automation	Sequence or Visual Automation
Welcome sequence	Kit Sequence (time-based emails)
Tag trigger	Visual Automation trigger
Wait step	Wait step in Sequence or Automation
Conditional split	Conditional in Visual Automation
Goal reached	Event trigger in Visual Automation
Lead scoring	Not available – use tags instead
Site tracking automation	Limited – Kit has basic link tracking only

Common ActiveCampaign automations to rebuild in Kit:

• Welcome sequences: Use Kit Sequences (simple time-based emails)
• Tag-based automations: Use Kit Visual Automations
• Purchase follow-ups: Set up in Kit Sequences or Automations
• Re-engagement campaigns: Use Kit Broadcasts or Sequences

Kit automation types:

• Sequences: Simple time-based email series (e.g., 7-day welcome sequence)
• Visual Automations: More complex if/then logic with triggers, conditions, and actions
• Broadcasts: One-time emails to segments (not automated)

Step 13: Update Forms and Opt-ins

ActiveCampaign forms need to be replaced with Kit forms OR AccessAlly forms that submit to Kit.

Option 1: Use Kit Forms (Recommended for Public Opt-ins)

1. Create forms in Kit → Grow → Landing Pages & Forms
2. Kit generates embed code for WordPress
3. Replace ActiveCampaign form embeds with Kit embed code
4. Set up tag assignments for form submissions
5. Configure confirmation emails and sequences

Option 2: Use AccessAlly Forms (Recommended for Member Areas)

1. Create forms in AccessAlly → Opt-in Forms
2. Configure to submit to Kit
3. Better integration with WordPress/AccessAlly features
4. More control over styling and member experience
5. Can trigger AccessAlly-specific actions (content unlocking, etc.)

Option 3: Hybrid Approach (Best Practice)

• Use Kit forms for public-facing opt-ins (pre-member)
• Use AccessAlly forms for member area interactions
• This gives you best of both worlds

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Phase 3: Go-Live and Verification (2-3 hours)

Step 14: Test Everything on Staging

Before touching your live site, thoroughly test on staging:

• ✅ Member login works
• ✅ Content access rules work correctly
• ✅ Tags control access properly (especially converted field tags)
• ✅ Forms submit to Kit
• ✅ Purchase flow works end-to-end
• ✅ Subscription linking works
• ✅ Failed payment handling tested
• ✅ Sequences and automations trigger correctly
• ✅ Email sending works
• ✅ Custom fields populated correctly

Step 15: Switch Live Site to Kit

When staging tests pass, switch your live site:

1. Schedule downtime (2-4 hour window recommended)
2. Announce migration to members (email 24-48 hours in advance)
3. Put site in maintenance mode
4. Create fresh WordPress backup
5. Export final ActiveCampaign data (capture any new contacts since staging)
6. Switch AccessAlly to Kit (same steps as staging)
7. Import any new contacts from final export
8. Verify access rules and tags (spot-check 5-10 rules)
9. Test login for 3-5 members (different membership levels)
10. Take site out of maintenance mode
11. Monitor closely for 1 hour (watch for login/access issues)

Step 16: Complete Post-Migration Checks

Work through the complete Post-Migration Verification Checklist. Key items for AC → Kit:

✅ Contact Data Integrity

• Verify total subscriber count matches ActiveCampaign
• Check 10 random subscribers in Kit for complete data
• Verify Subscriber IDs properly stored in WordPress
• Check for duplicate subscribers
• Verify custom field data migrated correctly

✅ Tags & Field Conversions

• Verify original tags migrated correctly (sample 10 contacts)
• CRITICAL: Verify converted field tags applied correctly
  • Pick contacts with each dropdown/checkbox value
  • Confirm correct tag applied (e.g., “Level: Gold” for Gold members)
• Test tag-based access rules work
• Verify tag assignment via forms

✅ Access & Permissions

• Test login as multiple member types
• Verify access to protected content for each membership level
• Check tag-based access rules work (especially rules updated from custom fields)
• Test content unlocking based on tags

✅ Forms & Automations

• Test each opt-in form submission
• Verify form data reaches Kit
• Test order form purchases
• Confirm post-purchase sequences trigger in Kit
• Test auto-login after purchase
• Verify welcome sequences send correctly

✅ Subscriptions & Payments

• Verify active subscriptions linked correctly
• Test new purchase flow end-to-end
• Test subscription cancellation
• 🚨 CRITICAL: Test failed payment handling
• Verify member access aligns with payment status

Step 17: Monitor for 7 Days

Don’t cancel ActiveCampaign immediately. Monitor for issues during the first week:

• Day 1-2: Watch for immediate access issues, login problems, tag conversion issues
• Day 3-5: Monitor form submissions, sequence triggers, email deliverability
• Day 6-7: Check subscription/payment handling, member support tickets

What to monitor:

• Member support tickets (migration-related confusion?)
• Login errors or access issues
• Payment failures or subscription problems
• Form submission success rates
• Sequence and automation triggers
• Email deliverability (Kit has good deliverability, but verify)
• Access issues related to field → tag conversions

Step 18: Clean Up

Once migration is stable (7+ days):

1. Disconnect ActiveCampaign from AccessAlly (remove API keys)
2. Deactivate Migration Wizard plugin
3. Export final ActiveCampaign data for records (campaign history, analytics)
4. Downgrade or cancel ActiveCampaign (after 30-day safety window)
5. Remove staging site’s 2-site exception (contact AccessAlly support)
6. Update member documentation with any process changes
7. Document your tag conversion strategy for future reference

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Subscriber IDs Not Linking (CRITICAL)

Symptoms: Members have correct tags in Kit but can’t access content

Causes:

• Subscriber ID not stored in WordPress user meta during import
• Subscriber ID stored under wrong meta key
• WordPress user exists but Kit subscriber doesn’t

Solution:

1. Check WordPress user meta for “convertkit_subscriber_id” or “subscriber_id”
2. If missing, re-import the user via Migration Wizard with “Update existing users” checked
3. Verify the Subscriber ID in Kit matches the stored ID
4. Test access after fixing Subscriber ID

Issue 2: Converted Field Tags Not Applied

Symptoms: Members missing tags that should have been created from custom field conversions

Causes:

• CSV transformation didn’t properly convert field values to tags
• Tag formula had errors in spreadsheet
• Tags weren’t included in final CSV

Solution:

1. Check your CSV – verify tags column includes converted tags
2. Check a few subscribers in Kit – do they have the expected tags?
3. If tags are missing, re-export CSV with corrected tag conversion
4. Re-import with “Update existing users” checked
5. Spot-check 10 subscribers to verify tags applied

Issue 3: Custom Fields Not Imported

Symptoms: Custom field data missing from Kit subscriber profiles

Causes:

• Custom fields not created in Kit before import
• CSV column names don’t match Kit field names (case-sensitive)
• Field data in wrong format

Solution:

1. Verify custom fields exist in Kit → Subscribers → Custom Fields
2. Check exact field names (case-sensitive!)
3. Update CSV column headers to match Kit field names exactly
4. Re-import with “Update existing users” checked
5. Check a few subscribers to verify data populated

Issue 4: Access Rules Not Working After Field → Tag Conversion

Symptoms: Members who should have access based on membership level/status don’t have access

Causes:

• Access rules still reference old custom field logic instead of new tags
• Tag names don’t match what access rules expect
• Converted tags not applied to subscribers

Solution:

1. Review access rules in AccessAlly modules/pages
2. Update any rules that referenced custom fields to use new tags
3. Example: Change “Membership Level = Gold” to “Has Tag: Level: Gold”
4. Verify tag names match exactly (case-sensitive)
5. Test access for a member with each tag

Issue 5: Sequences Not Triggering

Symptoms: New subscribers not receiving welcome sequences or automated emails

Causes:

• Sequences not set to “Published” in Kit
• Form not configured to add subscribers to sequence
• Visual Automation trigger not set up correctly
• Subscriber already in sequence (Kit won’t re-add)

Solution:

1. Check sequence status in Kit → Sequences (must be “Published”)
2. Verify form settings → What happens after signup? → Add to sequence
3. For tag-based triggers, check Visual Automation settings
4. Test with a fresh email address (not existing subscriber)
5. Check Kit activity log for the subscriber to see what happened

Issue 6: Forms Not Submitting to Kit

Symptoms: Form submissions not creating/updating subscribers in Kit

Causes:

• AccessAlly not properly connected to Kit
• Form still configured for ActiveCampaign connection
• Kit API credentials expired or incorrect
• Form fields don’t map to Kit fields

Solution:

1. Verify AccessAlly → Kit connection still active (test connection)
2. Edit form settings in AccessAlly
3. Ensure form is set to submit to Kit (not ActiveCampaign)
4. Check field mappings match Kit field names
5. Test form submission and verify subscriber created in Kit
6. Check Kit activity log for the subscriber

Issue 7: All Members Lost Access After Migration

Symptoms: Every member getting “You don’t have permission” errors

Causes:

• Subscriber IDs not linking (most common – see Issue 1)
• Tag names changed during migration
• AccessAlly connection to Kit broken
• Membership level settings cleared

Solution:

1. DON’T PANIC – this is fixable
2. Check AccessAlly → Kit connection is active (test connection)
3. Pick one test member and troubleshoot their Subscriber ID (see Issue 1)
4. Check tag names in access rules match Kit tags exactly
5. Once you fix the root cause, it affects all members
6. If you can’t fix quickly, consider rolling back to ActiveCampaign temporarily

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Migration Timeline & Downtime

Total Time Estimate: 5-7 hours (plus 2-3 hours testing)

Phase	Time	Downtime Required?
Kit Account Setup	30-60 min	❌ No
Data Export & Mapping	1-2 hours	❌ No
Field → Tag Conversion Planning	1-2 hours	❌ No (critical planning step)
Tag/Field Recreation in Kit	30-60 min	❌ No
Staging Site Setup & Test	2-3 hours	❌ No (staging only)
Live Site CRM Switch	1-2 hours	✅ Yes (REQUIRED)
Sequence/Automation Rebuild	1-3 hours	❌ No (can do after)
Form Migration	30-60 min	❌ No
Testing & Verification	2-3 hours	❌ No

Recommended Downtime Window: 2-4 hours on a weekend or low-traffic period for the live site switch

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Real-World Field → Tag Conversion Examples

The custom field → tag conversion is unique to ActiveCampaign → Kit migrations. Here are detailed real-world examples to guide your conversion strategy:

Example 1: Membership Site with Tiered Access

ActiveCampaign Setup:

• Custom Field: “Membership Tier” (dropdown)
• Values: Free, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum
• Access rules: Different content for each tier

Kit Conversion Strategy:

1. Create tags: “Tier: Free”, “Tier: Bronze”, “Tier: Silver”, “Tier: Gold”, “Tier: Platinum”
2. In CSV, convert field value to tag using formula:

   =IF(C2="Free", "Tier: Free", IF(C2="Bronze", "Tier: Bronze",
    IF(C2="Silver", "Tier: Silver", IF(C2="Gold", "Tier: Gold",
    IF(C2="Platinum", "Tier: Platinum", "")))))

3. Update AccessAlly access rules:
   • Old: “If Custom Field ‘Membership Tier’ = ‘Gold'”
   • New: “If Has Tag ‘Tier: Gold'”
4. Create automation in Kit to manage tier tags (ensure only one tier tag per subscriber)

Example 2: Course Platform with Progress Tracking

ActiveCampaign Setup:

• Custom Field: “Course Status” (dropdown): Not Started, In Progress, Completed
• Custom Field: “Current Module” (number): 1-10
• Custom Field: “Completion Date” (date)

Kit Conversion Strategy:

1. Course Status → Tags:
   • Create tags: “Course: Not Started”, “Course: In Progress”, “Course: Completed”
   • Use tags for status-based automations
2. Current Module → Tags:
   • Create tags: “Module: 1”, “Module: 2”, … “Module: 10”
   • Or use a text custom field if you need to reference the exact number
3. Completion Date → Text Field:
   • Store as text custom field: “completion_date”
   • Format as “YYYY-MM-DD” for consistency
   • Or create quarter/year tags: “Completed: Q1 2024”, “Completed: Q2 2024”

Example 3: Coaching Program with Multi-Select Interests

ActiveCampaign Setup:

• Custom Field: “Interests” (multi-select checkboxes)
• Options: Marketing, Sales, Leadership, Operations, Finance, HR
• Subscribers can select multiple interests

Kit Conversion Strategy:

1. Create individual tags for each interest:
   • “Interest: Marketing”
   • “Interest: Sales”
   • “Interest: Leadership”
   • “Interest: Operations”
   • “Interest: Finance”
   • “Interest: HR”
2. In CSV, parse multi-select field and append all relevant tags:

   // If "Interests" column contains "Marketing, Sales, Leadership"
   // Convert to tags: "Interest: Marketing, Interest: Sales, Interest: Leadership"
   

3. Subscribers can have multiple interest tags (this works better in Kit than AC multi-select)
4. Segment broadcasts in Kit using tag combinations

Example 4: Event Registration with Attendance Tracking

ActiveCampaign Setup:

• Custom Field: “Event Registration Status” (dropdown): Registered, Attended, No-Show, Cancelled
• Custom Field: “Event Date” (date)
• Custom Field: “Event Type” (dropdown): Webinar, Workshop, Conference

Kit Conversion Strategy:

1. Registration Status → Tags:
   • “Event: Registered”, “Event: Attended”, “Event: No-Show”, “Event: Cancelled”
   • Use Kit automation to update status tags based on actions
2. Event Date → Text Field or Tags:
   • Option 1: Store as text field “event_date” (YYYY-MM-DD format)
   • Option 2: Create month-based tags: “Event: Jan 2024”, “Event: Feb 2024”
3. Event Type → Tags:
   • “Event Type: Webinar”, “Event Type: Workshop”, “Event Type: Conference”
   • Allows segmentation by event type for future promotions

Best Practices for Field → Tag Conversions

Field Type	Recommended Conversion	Why
Dropdown (single-select)	Tags with prefix (e.g., “Level: Gold”)	Easy to segment, clear naming, exclusive values
Checkbox (multi-select)	Individual tags (e.g., “Interest: Marketing”)	Subscribers can have multiple, easy to add/remove
Date (recent/relevant)	Text field (YYYY-MM-DD)	Preserves exact date for reference
Date (historical/grouping)	Period tags (e.g., “Joined: Q1 2024”)	Easier to segment cohorts
Number (exact value needed)	Text field	Preserves number for calculations or display
Number (ranges/tiers)	Range tags (e.g., “Score: 80-100”)	Easy to segment by range
Yes/No or Boolean	Single tag (presence = yes, absence = no)	Simplest approach, no negative tag needed
Long text/notes	Text field	Can’t represent long text as tags

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Advanced Migration Scenarios

Scenario 1: Migrating with Existing WordPress Users

If you already have WordPress users on your site (not just ActiveCampaign contacts), you need to merge the data carefully.

Challenge: You have 1,000 WordPress users and 5,000 ActiveCampaign contacts. Some overlap, some don’t.

Solution:

1. Export existing WordPress users (use migration wizard or Users → Export)
2. Identify overlap: Match emails between WordPress export and ActiveCampaign export
3. Create two CSV files:
   • File 1: Existing WordPress users with Kit data (UPDATE mode)
   • File 2: New subscribers from ActiveCampaign only (CREATE mode)
4. Import File 1 first with “Update existing users” checked – adds Kit data to existing WP users
5. Import File 2 second with “Create new users” checked – adds new members
6. Verify: Total WordPress users = original WP users + new AC contacts (minus duplicates)

Scenario 2: Migrating During an Active Launch

You’re in the middle of a product launch and can’t pause new signups during migration.

Challenge: New contacts signing up during migration window may be missed.

Solution:

1. Do NOT disconnect ActiveCampaign until migration is complete
2. Dual-run period:
   • Keep forms submitting to ActiveCampaign temporarily
   • Complete migration on staging
   • Set go-live date after launch ends
3. Or use parallel collection:
   • Update forms to submit to BOTH ActiveCampaign AND Kit during transition
   • Use Zapier or Make.com to duplicate submissions
   • Remove ActiveCampaign connection after migration verified
4. Final sync:
   • Export ActiveCampaign contacts one final time after launch
   • Import only NEW contacts (created since first import)
   • Switch to Kit permanently

Scenario 3: Partial Migration (Soft Transition)

You want to test Kit with a segment of your list before fully committing.

Challenge: Run ActiveCampaign and Kit simultaneously, then decide which to keep.

Solution:

1. Segment your list:
   • Example: Migrate only “Free” tier members to Kit
   • Keep “Paid” members on ActiveCampaign temporarily
2. Set up Kit connection on AccessAlly but only create access rules for free content using Kit tags
3. Paid content stays on ActiveCampaign tags temporarily
4. Monitor for 30 days:
   • How’s Kit deliverability?
   • Is the interface easier?
   • Are there any unexpected issues?
5. Full migration or rollback:
   • If Kit works well, migrate paid members
   • If issues arise, move free members back to ActiveCampaign

Scenario 4: Large List Migration (10,000+ Subscribers)

Large lists require extra planning to avoid timeouts and rate limits.

Challenge: Importing 20,000 subscribers at once may timeout or trigger rate limits.

Solution:

1. Batch your CSV:
   • Split CSV into batches of 2,000-5,000 contacts
   • Name files: batch-01.csv, batch-02.csv, etc.
2. Import batches sequentially:
   • Import batch-01.csv, wait for completion
   • Verify first batch imported correctly
   • Import batch-02.csv, and so on
3. Monitor Kit API limits:
   • Kit has rate limits on API calls
   • If you hit limits, wait 5-10 minutes between batches
4. Schedule during low-traffic hours:
   • Import overnight or on weekends
   • Reduces chance of member disruption if issues occur
5. Final verification:
   • Sum subscribers across all batches = total from ActiveCampaign?
   • Spot-check subscribers from each batch

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Post-Migration Optimization Tips

Week 1: Stabilization

Focus on ensuring the migration is stable and fixing any immediate issues.

• Monitor support tickets: Watch for member confusion or access issues
• Check email deliverability: Send broadcasts to small segments and monitor open rates
• Verify automation triggers: Test that sequences fire for new subscribers
• Test purchase flow: Complete test purchases to verify member creation and access
• Fix tag issues: If members report access issues, check tag assignments

Week 2-4: Optimization

Once stable, optimize your Kit setup for better performance.

• Clean up tags:
  • Remove duplicate or unused tags
  • Standardize tag naming (fix capitalization inconsistencies)
  • Create tag groups for better organization
• Improve automations:
  • Review sequences for deliverability (avoid spam triggers)
  • Add unsubscribe links to all emails
  • Test automation paths with different subscriber scenarios
• Optimize forms:
  • A/B test Kit form designs vs. AccessAlly forms
  • Add progressive profiling to collect more data over time
  • Set up thank you pages and confirmation emails
• Segment refinement:
  • Create segments based on engagement (opens/clicks)
  • Tag highly engaged subscribers for special offers
  • Identify inactive subscribers for re-engagement campaigns

Month 2+: Advanced Kit Features

Explore Kit-specific features you didn’t have in ActiveCampaign:

• Creator Network: Join Kit’s referral network to grow your list
• Subscriber Referrals: Enable subscriber sharing (built-in viral growth)
• Kit Commerce: Sell digital products directly through Kit (alternative to payment processor)
• Recommendations: Recommend other creators’ newsletters for commission
• Paid Newsletters: Offer premium newsletter subscriptions (if applicable)
• Landing Pages: Use Kit’s built-in landing page builder (may replace external tools)

Performance Benchmarks

Track these metrics to measure migration success:

Metric	Before (ActiveCampaign)	After (Kit)	Goal
Email Open Rate	Baseline %	Track for 30 days	Maintain or improve
Deliverability Rate	Baseline %	Monitor bounces	Kit typically 98%+
Support Tickets (Migration)	N/A	Count for 7 days	< 5% of list size
Conversion Rate (Forms)	Baseline %	Track for 30 days	Kit forms often convert better
Monthly Cost	AC cost	Kit cost	Usually lower with Kit
Time to Send Broadcast	Baseline time	Track time	Kit interface faster for most

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ActiveCampaign vs Kit: What You’ll Lose and Gain

What You’ll Lose (Kit Limitations)

• Advanced Custom Fields: No dropdowns, dates, numbers, checkboxes (must convert to tags or text fields)
• Complex Automations: Kit’s automations are simpler – multi-branch AC automations may need splitting
• CRM Features: No deals, pipelines, tasks, or account management
• Lead Scoring: Kit doesn’t have built-in lead scoring (use tags instead)
• Advanced Site Tracking: Kit has basic link tracking only (no page view tracking like AC)
• Contact Scoring: No engagement scoring features
• Split Testing: Limited A/B testing compared to AC
• Dynamic Content: AC’s conditional content is more sophisticated
• Facebook Custom Audiences: AC has better native social media integrations
• Sales Reporting: AC has more detailed attribution and sales reporting

What You’ll Gain (Kit Advantages)

• Simplicity: Much easier interface – less overwhelming for non-technical users
• Creator Focus: Better newsletter tools, subscriber landing pages, creator-specific features
• Lower Cost: Generally cheaper for similar subscriber counts
• Better Deliverability: Kit’s email deliverability is consistently excellent (98%+ typical)
• Cleaner UI: Less cluttered, more intuitive navigation
• Creator Community: Strong community of content creators using Kit
• Commerce Features: Built-in product selling (Kit Commerce) for digital products
• Faster Time-to-Value: Easier to set up and get results quickly
• Better Mobile App: Kit’s mobile app is highly rated for on-the-go management
• Ethical Marketing Focus: Kit emphasizes permission-based, creator-friendly practices

Is Kit Right for You? Decision Framework

Choose Kit if:

• You’re a content creator, educator, or course creator (Kit’s core audience)
• You want simpler, easier-to-use email marketing tools
• You primarily use email for broadcasts and simple sequences (not complex funnels)
• You don’t need CRM features (deals, pipelines, sales tracking)
• Cost savings matter and you’re on ActiveCampaign’s higher tiers
• You value excellent email deliverability and creator-focused support
• Your custom field needs are simple (mostly text)

Stay with ActiveCampaign if:

• You rely heavily on complex, multi-branch automations with many conditions
• You use ActiveCampaign’s CRM features (deals, pipelines, tasks)
• You need advanced custom fields (dropdowns, dates, numbers with logic)
• You run e-commerce with detailed sales attribution needs
• You use ActiveCampaign’s Facebook Custom Audiences integration extensively
• You have complex lead scoring that drives your sales process
• Your team is already trained on ActiveCampaign and comfortable with it

Or consider other options if:

• You need full CRM + marketing automation → Consider Ontraport or Keap
• You’re e-commerce focused → Consider Klaviyo or Drip
• You need enterprise features → Consider HubSpot or Marketo
• You want the simplest possible solution → Consider AccessAlly Managed Contacts

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my members need to reset their passwords after migration?

A: It depends on your setup. If members log in via WordPress (not through ActiveCampaign), their passwords remain unchanged. However, since you’re switching CRMs behind the scenes, it’s good practice to send a migration announcement email and offer password reset instructions in case members encounter any issues.

Q: Can I migrate my ActiveCampaign email templates to Kit?

A: Email templates cannot be automatically migrated. You’ll need to recreate your email designs in Kit’s email builder. Kit uses a simpler, more visual email editor than ActiveCampaign. The good news: Kit’s template library has many creator-focused designs you can start from. Copy your ActiveCampaign email content and paste it into Kit’s editor, then reformat using Kit’s styling tools.

Q: What happens to my ActiveCampaign email campaign history?

A: Campaign history (who received what emails, when) stays in ActiveCampaign and is not migrated. Before canceling ActiveCampaign, export any reports you need for record-keeping. Kit will start tracking engagement from the migration date forward. Historical data is useful for comparing before/after performance, so save those ActiveCampaign reports.

Q: How do I handle custom fields that track progressive profiling data?

A: If you use ActiveCampaign custom fields to progressively collect data (e.g., “asked about interest on form 1,” “provided phone on form 2”), you have two options in Kit:

1. Convert to tags: Use tags like “Data: Interest Collected”, “Data: Phone Provided” to track what you’ve collected
2. Use text custom fields: Store the actual data in Kit custom fields, but you lose field typing

Kit’s simpler structure may actually make progressive profiling easier – just check for tag presence to know what to ask next.

Q: Can I test the migration on a small segment first?

A: Yes, but with limitations. You can migrate a small segment (e.g., 100 test subscribers) to Kit first to verify your CSV format and tag conversions work correctly. However, you cannot run ActiveCampaign and Kit simultaneously for different member segments without custom development. The recommended approach: test on staging site with full data, then switch live site when confident.

Q: What if I have members in multiple languages?

A: Kit supports multi-language content, but differently than ActiveCampaign:

• ActiveCampaign: Has conditional content blocks based on language field
• Kit: Use tags for language segmentation (e.g., “Language: Spanish”, “Language: French”)
• Strategy: Convert your language custom field to tags, then create separate sequences/broadcasts for each language
• Forms: Create separate Kit forms for each language landing page

Q: Will my Zapier/Make automations still work after migration?

A: Any Zapier/Make automations connected to ActiveCampaign will break and need updating:

1. Identify all Zaps/scenarios using ActiveCampaign triggers or actions
2. Update them to use Kit triggers/actions instead
3. Kit has robust Zapier/Make integration – most actions map 1:1
4. Test each updated automation after migration

Do this BEFORE switching your live site to avoid broken integrations.

Q: How do I handle unsubscribed contacts?

A: You have two options:

1. Don’t import unsubscribed contacts (recommended): Filter them out of your CSV before import. This keeps your Kit list clean.
2. Import with “Unsubscribed” tag: Include them in CSV with tag “Status: Unsubscribed”, then immediately unsubscribe them in Kit. This preserves the unsubscribe status in case they contact you.

Important: Do NOT send marketing emails to unsubscribed contacts during or after migration. This violates anti-spam laws and damages your sender reputation.

Q: What happens to my ActiveCampaign integrations (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)?

A: Payment integrations work differently:

• AccessAlly manages payments: Your Stripe/PayPal integration is with AccessAlly, not your CRM. Switching from ActiveCampaign to Kit doesn’t break payment processing.
• What changes: After purchase, AccessAlly will tag members in Kit (not ActiveCampaign). Update your order forms to assign Kit tags.
• Webhooks: No changes needed – AccessAlly handles subscription webhooks regardless of CRM

Q: Can I migrate my ActiveCampaign win/loss sales data?

A: No. Kit doesn’t have ActiveCampaign’s deal/pipeline CRM features. If you track sales pipelines in ActiveCampaign, you’ll need to:

1. Export your deals data from ActiveCampaign for records
2. Use tags in Kit to mark “Prospect”, “Customer”, “Lost Deal” status
3. Or use a dedicated CRM (like HubSpot CRM – free) alongside Kit for sales tracking

Kit is designed for content creators, not sales teams. If CRM features are critical, consider Ontraport or Keap instead of Kit.

Q: How long does the actual import process take?

A: Import speed varies by list size:

• 500 subscribers: 3-5 minutes
• 1,000 subscribers: 5-10 minutes
• 5,000 subscribers: 25-50 minutes
• 10,000 subscribers: 50-100 minutes
• 20,000+ subscribers: Split into batches (see Scenario 4)

The Migration Wizard shows a progress bar. Don’t close the browser window during import. If the import stalls, contact AccessAlly support – they can resume it.

Q: What if I want to go back to ActiveCampaign after migrating?

A: You can roll back, but it requires work:

1. Keep your ActiveCampaign account active for 30 days (downgrade to smallest plan)
2. To roll back: Change AccessAlly’s CRM connection back to ActiveCampaign
3. Re-enter ActiveCampaign API credentials
4. Member access should restore immediately (as long as AC data wasn’t deleted)
5. You’ll lose any new contacts added to Kit during the trial period unless you export and re-import to AC

This is why testing on staging first is so important – you can test the full experience without committing.

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Need Help?

Migration Support:

• Review the Migration Support Policy
• For CRM switch assistance: Contact AccessAlly support
• Consider professional migration help for large or complex sites (especially if you have many custom fields to convert)

Related Guides:

• Pre-Migration Checklist
• Post-Migration Verification
• Data Mapping Reference
• How to Migrate CRMs and Keep The Same AccessAlly Site
• Preserving Subscriptions During Migration