GetResponse vs Mailchimp compared on pricing, automation, webinars, ease of use, and hidden costs. See which email platform fits your business.
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Last updated: September 2026
Quick answer
Choose GetResponse if you want automation, funnels, and webinars in one platform and prefer unlimited email sends.
Choose Mailchimp if you want the most familiar, beginner-friendly tool with a huge integration ecosystem and a very small free tier to start.
Neither is the cheapest choice as your list grows. Both charge by contacts, so your bill rises with your list, not your sending.
At a glance
| GetResponse | Mailchimp | |
| Entry paid price (small list, monthly) | $19/mo (Starter, 1,000 contacts; $15.58/mo annual) | $13/mo (Essentials, 500 contacts) |
| Mid-tier automation | $59/mo (Marketer; $48.38/mo annual) | $20/mo (Standard, 500 contacts) |
| Top plan | Enterprise, custom pricing | Premium from $350/mo |
| Free option | 14-day free trial, no card required | Small free plan (recently reduced) |
| Email sends | Unlimited on all plans | Capped per plan |
| Webinars | Yes (Creator plan) | No |
| Sales funnels | Yes (Marketer and up) | No dedicated funnel builder |
| Integrations | Good | Very large ecosystem |
| Best for | Marketers, course creators, funnels | Beginners, brand familiarity |
Prices are list prices verified in September 2026 and change frequently. Confirm on each vendor’s pricing page.
Pricing: who costs less?
GetResponse’s pricing page, screenshotted directly from getresponse.com/pricing.
At the very bottom, Mailchimp is cheaper: Essentials starts at $13/month versus GetResponse Starter at $19/month. But the entry plans are not equal. GetResponse Starter includes unlimited sends and landing pages, while Mailchimp Essentials caps monthly sends and limits automation.
Once you need real automation, the picture changes. Mailchimp’s branching Customer Journey Builder sits on Standard (from $20/month). GetResponse’s unlimited automation workflows sit on Marketer (from $59/month at 1,000 contacts). At a small list size, Mailchimp Standard is the cheaper way to get branching automation.
As your list grows, Mailchimp gets expensive fast. Standard runs roughly $100/month around 5,000 contacts, while GetResponse Marketer is about $95 and Starter about $54 at the same size. Two billing details matter:
- Mailchimp counts unsubscribed contacts toward your bill unless you archive them, and contacts in multiple audiences count more than once.
- GetResponse has also been reported to count duplicates across lists.
Either way, keep one clean list, use tags and segments, and archive dead contacts.
| Contacts (approx. monthly) | GetResponse Starter | GetResponse Marketer | Mailchimp Essentials | Mailchimp Standard |
| 5,000 | $54 | $95 | $75 | ~$100 |
Ease of use
Mailchimp is widely seen as the friendlier of the two, with a clean interface, polished templates, and a huge library of tutorials. GetResponse packs in more (funnels, webinars, ecommerce), so its interface is busier and has a steeper learning curve for advanced features.
[ADD YOUR OWN: side-by-side screenshot of building the same email in both editors, and which you found faster.]
Automation
Both offer visual automation, but the gating differs:
- GetResponse: Starter gives you one custom automation workflow, plus a welcome email series. Marketer unlocks unlimited workflows with advanced segmentation, abandoned cart recovery, and sales funnels.
- Mailchimp: Essentials has basic automation. Standard adds the Customer Journey Builder with branching logic and send-time optimization.
For complex behavior-based journeys, GetResponse Marketer is stronger in depth. For simple welcome sequences at a low price, Mailchimp Standard is fine.
Landing pages, funnels, and webinars
This is where GetResponse pulls ahead. It includes landing pages, popups, and sales funnels, and its Creator plan adds native webinar hosting and a course builder. Mailchimp offers landing pages and a simple website builder, but no webinars and no dedicated funnel builder. If you’d otherwise pay for separate webinar software, GetResponse can save money overall.
Integrations and ecosystem
Mailchimp wins on integrations. It connects to hundreds of apps and is often the default supported email tool in ecommerce platforms, CRMs, and agency workflows. GetResponse integrates with the popular tools but has a smaller library, so confirm your must-have apps are supported before switching.
Deliverability and support
Both platforms have mixed user reviews on deliverability, and results depend largely on your list quality and domain authentication. Test with your own domain during each trial. GetResponse offers weekday human support and a 24/7 chatbot; support quality varies by plan on both platforms.
Pros and cons summary
GetResponse pros: unlimited sends, deeper automation, webinars, funnels, all-in-one value. GetResponse cons: busier interface, contact-based pricing climbs, smaller integration library
Mailchimp pros: beginner-friendly, big ecosystem, low entry price, recognizable brand. Mailchimp cons: expensive at scale, sends capped, paying for unsubscribed contacts, free plan cut back
Which should you choose?
- Solo blogger or tiny list, lowest cost: Mailchimp’s free or Essentials plan, or consider a different budget tool.
- Small business wanting automation on a budget: Mailchimp Standard at low list sizes; GetResponse Marketer as you scale.
- Course creator, coach, or launch marketer: GetResponse (Creator) for webinars plus follow-up.
- Ecommerce store: both work; check which integrates with your store platform.
- Agency or team needing many integrations: Mailchimp for ecosystem, or see GetResponse vs ActiveCampaign.
FAQ
Is GetResponse cheaper than Mailchimp? At the smallest sizes, Mailchimp is cheaper. At a few thousand contacts, GetResponse is often cheaper for comparable features.
Which is better for beginners? Mailchimp, for its simpler interface.
Which is better for automation? GetResponse Marketer for depth; Mailchimp Standard for a simpler journey builder.
Does either offer webinars? Only GetResponse.
Can I switch between them? Yes. Both let you import contacts via CSV, but you’ll need to rebuild automations manually.
Final verdict
For most small businesses focused on growth and conversions, GetResponse offers more built-in firepower per dollar as you scale. For simplicity and ecosystem, Mailchimp remains an easy starting point. Try both free trials with a real list and a real campaign, then compare deliverability and workflow speed before you commit.
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