GetResponse vs Mailchimp at a glance
| Feature | GetResponse | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | All-in-one marketers wanting funnels & webinars | Beginners & email-first small businesses |
| Starting price | Free, then $19/mo | ★ Free up to 500, then $13/mo |
| Free plan | Up to 500 contacts | Up to 500 contacts |
| Automation | ★ Strong visual workflows | Customer Journeys builder |
| Webinars & funnels | ★ Built-in webinars and sales funnels | Not available |
| Ease of use | Approachable but feature-dense | ★ Very beginner-friendly |
| Templates/editor | Good selection | Large template library |
| Pricing at scale | ★ Reasonable, plan-tiered | Climbs quickly |
Winner by category
Webinars and funnels live alongside email in a single platform.
A lower starting price and friendly onboarding ease the first campaign.
Native webinar hosting is a genuine differentiator most rivals lack.
Its visual workflows edge out Mailchimp's Customer Journeys.
Reasons to choose GetResponse
GetResponse has spent years broadening from an email tool into a full marketing platform, and that ambition is its main selling point. Alongside email and automation, it bundles things most competitors don’t touch: native webinar hosting, conversion funnels, landing pages, and even basic ecommerce. For a small business or course creator who would otherwise stitch together three or four subscriptions, having them under one login is a real saving in both money and hassle.
The webinar feature is the headline. Running live or on-demand webinars directly from the same tool that holds your email list means your registration, reminder, and follow-up sequences are automatic rather than manually exported between apps. The conversion funnels work similarly, chaining landing pages, signup forms, and automated emails into a single guided flow you can launch from one place.
The email side is no afterthought either. GetResponse’s visual automation builder is genuinely strong, with conditions, triggers, and branching that hold up well against dedicated automation tools. The trade-off is that all this breadth makes the interface busier, and the better features sit on higher plans starting at $19/mo. If you only want to send newsletters, you’d be paying for a lot you won’t use.
Reasons to choose Mailchimp
Mailchimp’s strength is doing the common things well and making them easy. The onboarding is welcoming, the dashboard is uncluttered for a tool of its size, and a newcomer can ship a decent-looking campaign quickly. That approachability is why it remains the default recommendation for first-time senders.
It is email-first by design, with a large template library, a mature drag-and-drop editor, and reporting that goes deeper than most. While it has expanded into landing pages, light CRM, social posts, and ads, it deliberately stays out of webinars and complex funnels, keeping the product focused on what most small businesses actually do day to day. Its entry paid plan is also cheaper, starting around $13/mo against GetResponse’s $19/mo.
The limits are the flip side of that focus. There are no webinars, the funnel tooling is basic, and the automation, while capable, doesn’t match GetResponse’s depth. Pricing can also climb steeply at larger list sizes. Mailchimp is the better email specialist; it’s not trying to be an all-in-one.
Pricing compared
Both platforms offer a free plan for up to 500 contacts, so the entry experience is similar at zero cost. On paid plans, Mailchimp starts lower at roughly $13/mo versus GetResponse’s $19/mo, which makes Mailchimp the cheaper choice for plain email work.
The value picture flips once you factor in what GetResponse bundles. If you’d otherwise pay for a separate webinar tool and funnel builder, GetResponse’s plan can easily come out ahead overall. Mailchimp, meanwhile, can get expensive at larger list sizes despite the lower headline price. The “cheaper” tool genuinely depends on how many jobs you’re asking it to do.
The verdict
Choose GetResponse if you want webinars, funnels, and email working together in one platform and you’ll use that breadth. Choose Mailchimp if you want a cheaper, email-first start with the friendliest onboarding in the category. For the wider field, see our best email marketing software roundup.
Pricing note: email marketing pricing scales with list size and changes often, > verify current plans on each tool’s site before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Is GetResponse better than Mailchimp?
If you want webinars, sales funnels, and email in one tool, yes, GetResponse does more under one roof. If you want a cheaper, email-first start with a gentle learning curve, Mailchimp is the better fit.
Does GetResponse include webinars?
Yes. Native webinar hosting is one of GetResponse's standout features and is included on its higher plans, something Mailchimp doesn't offer at all.
Which is cheaper, GetResponse or Mailchimp?
Mailchimp's entry plan is lower at around $13/mo versus GetResponse's $19/mo, and both have free tiers up to 500 contacts. But GetResponse can be better value if you'd otherwise pay separately for webinars and funnels.
Can GetResponse replace my funnel builder?
For many small businesses, yes. GetResponse includes conversion funnels and landing pages, which can replace a separate funnel tool, whereas Mailchimp focuses on email and basic landing pages.