One of these has no free plan at all but the deepest automation builder in this roundup. The other starts free and throws in live webinars most competitors charge extra for. Here is who each one actually fits.
ActiveCampaign and GetResponse both get pitched as the “serious” email platform once a business outgrows a basic sender, but they take different routes to get there. ActiveCampaign goes all in on automation depth and offers no free plan at all. GetResponse starts free and bundles webinars, a website builder, and course tools that would otherwise require a separate subscription.
ActiveCampaign‘s Starter plan starts at $15/month on annual billing for 1,000 contacts. GetResponse‘s Starter plan starts at $19/month for the same contact count, though GetResponse also offers a free tier.
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✗ 14-day trial only | ✓ 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/mo |
| Entry paid price (1,000 contacts) | $15/mo (annual billing) | $19/mo |
| Automation recipes / workflows | 950+ recipes, unlimited actions (Plus+) | ~ 1 workflow on Starter, unlimited on Marketer |
| Predictive sending / conditional content | ✓ Pro plan and up | ✗ |
| Native webinar hosting | ✗ | ✓ up to 100 attendees (Creator) |
| CRM integrations | Salesforce, MS Dynamics (Pro+) | Standard integrations only |
| Our overall score | 4.6/5 | 4.3/5 |
Pricing: no free plan vs a free plan with real limits
The headline prices are close. The free-tier gap is not.
Bottom line: ActiveCampaign's Starter plan starts at $15/month on annual billing ($19/month paid monthly) for 1,000 contacts, but there is no free plan at any contact count, only a time-limited trial before a paid subscription is required. GetResponse's Starter plan starts at $19/month for the same 1,000 contacts, slightly more than ActiveCampaign's annual price, but GetResponse's free plan covers 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month indefinitely, letting a small business run a real newsletter at zero cost before ever paying. For a buyer who wants to test an email platform without a credit card commitment, that difference matters more than the few dollars separating the two paid entry tiers.
Both platforms' prices scale fast with contact count. ActiveCampaign's Starter plan alone ranges from $15/month at 1,000 contacts to well over $100/month at higher list sizes, so confirm pricing at your actual list size before committing to either.
Automation depth: the clearest gap between these two
ActiveCampaign built its entire reputation on this dimension.
Bottom line: ActiveCampaign ships with over 950 pre-built automation recipes and unlimited automation actions from its Plus plan up, with predictive sending and conditional content available on Pro and above, features aimed at teams that want automation to make real-time decisions about when and what to send. GetResponse's automation is comparatively basic: its entry Starter plan allows just one automation workflow, though the Marketer plan removes that cap and adds unlimited workflows at a lower price than ActiveCampaign's equivalent Plus tier. For a business running simple welcome and follow-up sequences, GetResponse's automation is enough. For a team that wants branching logic driven by real-time behavior, ActiveCampaign is built for that specifically.
If predictive sending, conditional content, and hundreds of pre-built recipes matter to your workflow, ActiveCampaign's higher price is the cost of the deepest automation builder in this roundup.
Webinars and courses: GetResponse’s clearest advantage
A feature ActiveCampaign does not attempt to compete on at all.
Bottom line: GetResponse's Creator plan bundles native webinar hosting for up to 100 attendees, a website builder, and course creation tools supporting up to 500 students, all inside the same subscription used for email marketing. ActiveCampaign offers no webinar hosting or course tools whatsoever; it is purpose-built around email, SMS, and CRM-style automation rather than live events or content delivery. For a coach, consultant, or education business that runs regular webinars or sells a course, GetResponse removes the need for a separate webinar platform like Zoom Webinar or a course host like Teachable.
Should I choose ActiveCampaign or GetResponse?
Bottom line: ActiveCampaign suits teams that want the deepest branching automation and are ready to pay from day one; GetResponse suits teams that want a free starting point plus webinars and course tools bundled into the same subscription.
- You want the deepest branching automation builder in this roundup
- You need predictive sending or conditional content
- You want premium CRM integrations like Salesforce or MS Dynamics
- You are comfortable paying from day one with no free tier
- 950+ pre-built automation recipes would save your team real setup time
- You want a real free plan, not just a time-limited trial
- You run webinars and want them bundled with your email platform
- You want to sell a course without adding a third-party tool
- Your automation needs are straightforward, not deeply branching
- You want a website builder included in the same subscription
For teams that want the deepest automation builder in this roundup and are ready to pay for it, ActiveCampaign is the stronger long-term pick, with over 950 automation recipes and predictive sending unavailable on GetResponse at any price.
But GetResponse is the right call for one specific buyer: a budget-conscious team or solo business that wants to start free and needs webinars or course tools bundled with email marketing rather than paid for separately.
Before choosing ActiveCampaign, confirm your automation needs actually require branching logic and predictive sending. If a single workflow and occasional webinars cover your use case, GetResponse's free plan is the lower-risk way to start.
The most common questions teams ask when choosing between ActiveCampaign and GetResponse ActiveCampaign is the better default for teams that want the deepest automation builder in this roundup, scoring 4.6/5 versus GetResponse's 4.3/5, with over 950 automation recipes and predictive sending on its Pro plan. GetResponse is the better pick for budget-conscious teams that want a free plan to start on and native webinar hosting without adding a separate tool, a combination ActiveCampaign does not offer at all. ActiveCampaign's Starter plan starts at $15/month on annual billing for 1,000 contacts, with no free plan and only a trial period before you pay. GetResponse's Starter plan starts at $19/month for 1,000 contacts, but GetResponse also offers a free plan covering 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month, something ActiveCampaign does not have at any price. Yes. GetResponse's free plan covers up to 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month. ActiveCampaign does not offer a free plan at all, only a 14-day trial, after which a paid subscription is required to continue sending. ActiveCampaign has the deeper automation builder, with over 950 pre-built automation recipes, unlimited automation actions from its Plus plan up, and predictive sending plus conditional content on Pro and above. GetResponse's automation is more basic by comparison, limited to a single workflow on its entry Starter plan, though its Marketer plan adds unlimited automation workflows at a lower price than ActiveCampaign's equivalent tier. GetResponse includes native webinar hosting for up to 100 attendees on its Creator plan, alongside a website builder and course creation tools, letting a business run live sessions without a separate webinar platform. ActiveCampaign does not offer webinar hosting at all; it is built purely around email, SMS, and CRM-style automation, not live events.Frequently asked questions: ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse
Is ActiveCampaign or GetResponse better?
How much does ActiveCampaign cost compared to GetResponse?
Does GetResponse have a free plan?
Does ActiveCampaign or GetResponse have better automation?
Does GetResponse include webinars and does ActiveCampaign?
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