GetResponse vs Mailchimp: Which Email Marketing Platform Is Best?

In 2026, the gap between email marketing platforms has widened. It’s no longer just about sending newsletters; it’s about automation, AI, revenue tracking, and how much you pay as you scale.

Choosing the wrong platform is a costly mistake. Migrating thousands of contacts, rebuilding automations, and fixing broken API integrations can paralyze a marketing team for weeks.

I’ve spent the last decade managing email lists ranging from 500 to 500,000 subscribers. I’ve used both GetResponse and Mailchimp extensively.

Quick Overview:

• Mailchimp remains the king of simplicity and brand ecosystem. If you want a beautiful template, a free start, and a tool that integrates with literally everything, it’s a safe bet.

• GetResponse has evolved into a revenue-generating powerhouse. It is objectively better for automation, webinars, and scaling. If you are an affiliate marketer, course creator, or serious ecommerce business, GetResponse offers significantly more value per dollar.

Here is the deep dive into why these two giants are no longer peers—they are tools for different types of businesses.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	GetResponse	Mailchimp
Best For	Marketers, Educators, Ecommerce, Affiliates	Beginners, Local Biz, Creative Agencies
Starting Price (1k contacts)	~$19/mo (Email Marketing Plan)	~$26/mo (Essentials Plan)
Free Plan	Free up to 500 contacts (Limited features)	Free up to 500 contacts (Strict send limits)
Email Sending Limits	Unlimited on all paid plans	Capped (10x-12x your contact limit)
Automation	Visual workflow builder (Advanced)	Customer Journeys (Intermediate)
Landing Pages	Advanced (Sales funnels & A/B testing)	Basic (Good for simple lead capture)
Webinars	Native Built-in	No (Requires 3rd party integration)
Hidden Costs	Charges for active subscribers only	Often charges for unsubscribed contacts
Overall Value	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High)	⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)

GetResponse Overview

What it is:

GetResponse has successfully pivoted from a simple autoresponder to an “all-in-one” online marketing platform. In 2026, it isn’t just an email tool; it’s a hub for webinars, landing pages, SMS, and complex sales funnels.

Key Strengths:

• Conversion Focus: Every feature—from the “Conversion Funnel” tool to AI product recommendations—is built to get a sale, not just an email open.

• Webinars: It is one of the few platforms with a built-in webinar host, saving you the $50+/month you’d spend on Zoom or GoToWebinar.

• Affiliate Friendly: Unlike Mailchimp, which can be strict with affiliate links, GetResponse is generally more lenient and supportive of affiliate marketers.

Who should use it:

Course creators, ecommerce stores using Shopify/Magento, affiliate marketers, and small businesses that want to automate sales without hiring a developer.

Mailchimp Overview

What it is:

Mailchimp (owned by Intuit) is the world’s most recognized email platform. It excels at making email marketing feel friendly and accessible. Its “Intuit Assist” AI and massive integration library make it the default choice for many startups.

Key Strengths:

• Design & UX: The drag-and-drop editor is best-in-class. It’s hard to make an ugly email in Mailchimp.

• Ecosystem: If a new SaaS tool launches tomorrow, it will integrate with Mailchimp on day one.

• Creative Assistant: Their AI branding tools can automatically generate designs based on your website’s URL, which is a massive time-saver for agencies.

Who should use it:

Brick-and-mortar businesses, non-profits, creative agencies, and solopreneurs who need a “set it and forget it” newsletter solution with a low learning curve.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

1. Email Editor & Templates

Mailchimp wins on aesthetics. Their editor is fluid, and the creative assistant automatically pulls your logo and brand colors to create on-brand designs instantly.

GetResponse is functional but utilitarian. The editor is powerful and supports custom HTML blocks easily, but the templates can feel slightly dated compared to Mailchimp’s polished library. However, GetResponse’s “AI Email Generator” is surprisingly good at drafting copy for you.

2. Marketing Automation Depth

GetResponse is the clear winner.

This is the biggest differentiator. GetResponse uses a visual “Workflow Builder” that lets you create complex logic: If they click Link A, wait 2 days, then send Email B. If they don’t click, send Email C. It supports lead scoring and tagging deeply.

Mailchimp’s “Customer Journeys” have improved significantly, but they are still rigid compared to GetResponse. You often hit walls where you can’t branch logic exactly how you want without upgrading to the Premium tier.

3. AI Tools & Predictive Features

Mailchimp leverages Intuit’s massive data lake. Their predictive segmentation (e.g., “Likely to purchase”) is excellent for ecommerce.

GetResponse focuses its AI on content creation. Its AI subject line generator and email writer are fantastic for combating writer’s block. If you need help writing, go GetResponse. If you need help targeting, Mailchimp has the edge.

4. Webinars & Course Tools

GetResponse wins by default.

Mailchimp does not host webinars. You have to pay for a separate tool and integrate it.

GetResponse allows you to host webinars, share your screen, and—crucially—automatically segment attendees vs. non-attendees into different email follow-up sequences. This is a “killer feature” for coaches and B2B businesses.

5. Ecommerce Features

Both integrate well with Shopify and WooCommerce.

• Mailchimp is great for “abandoned cart” basics and product retargeting ads (Instagram/Facebook).

• GetResponse shines with Transactional Emails (like receipts/shipping updates) included in its Ecommerce plan. In Mailchimp, transactional email is often a separate paid add-on (via Mandrill).

6. Scaling & List Management

GetResponse is cheaper and fairer.

GetResponse charges you for active subscribers. If someone unsubscribes, you stop paying for them.

Mailchimp’s billing policy has historically charged for all contacts in your audience—even unsubscribed ones—unless you manually archive them. This “zombie contact” tax can inflate your bill by 20-30% without you realizing it.

Pricing Comparison (Updated 2026)

Pricing is where the battle is often decided. Mailchimp used to be the “cheap” option, but that era is over.

Starter Pricing (approx. 1,000 contacts)

• GetResponse (Email Marketing Plan): ~$19/month. Includes unlimited emails, autoresponders, and basic landing pages.

• Mailchimp (Essentials): ~$26/month. Includes removal of branding and A/B testing, but limits monthly sends to 10x your contact count (10,000 emails).

Mid-Tier Comparison (Automation)

• GetResponse (Marketing Automation): ~$59/mo. Unlocks webinars, advanced workflows, and 3 users.

• Mailchimp (Standard): ~$60-$70/mo (varies by location). Unlocks behavioral targeting and “Send Time Optimization.”

The “Unlimited” Factor

GetResponse allows unlimited email sends on all paid plans.

Mailchimp caps you. On the Standard plan, the limit is usually 12x your contact count. If you are a dailyemailer or run high-frequency flash sales, Mailchimp forces you to upgrade purely for volume, punishing your success.

Verdict on Value: GetResponse offers better value for money, especially as you scale past 5,000 contacts.

Pros and Cons

GetResponse Pros

• Unlimited Email Sends: No anxiety about hitting monthly caps.

• All-in-One Tool: Webinars, funnels, and landing pages replace other SaaS subscriptions.

• Better Automation: Visual builder handles complex scenarios easily.

• Affiliate Friendly: More permissive with affiliate marketing content.

GetResponse Cons

• Steeper Learning Curve: The sheer number of features can be overwhelming.

• Template Design: Templates are functional but less “pretty” than Mailchimp’s out of the box.

Mailchimp Pros

• User Experience: incredibly easy to use and navigate.

• Integrations: Connects with virtually every app on the internet.

• Free Plan Availability: Good for hobbyists (though limits are strict in 2026).

• Design Tools: Creative Assistant makes branding effortless.

Mailchimp Cons

• Pricing Structure: Gets very expensive as you scale; charges for inactive contacts.

• Strict Rules: Aggressive account bans for affiliate marketing or “risky” industries.

• Support: Free support is non-existent after the first 30 days on the free plan.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose GetResponse if:

1. You sell knowledge: If you do courses, webinars, or consulting, the built-in webinar and funnel tools will save you $1000/year in other software costs.

2. You need advanced automation: If you want to tag users based on which link they clicked and send them down different paths, GetResponse handles this natively.

3. You have a large list: The unlimited sending and active-subscriber billing model make GetResponse much cheaper for lists over 10,000 contacts.

Choose Mailchimp if:

1. You are a local business or simple ecommerce: If you just need to send a nice-looking newsletter once a week and an abandoned cart email, Mailchimp is perfect.

2. You rely on specific integrations: If your tech stack requires a niche integration (e.g., a specific booking platform or POS), Mailchimp is more likely to support it natively.

3. Design is your #1 priority: If you are a design agency or creative brand where the visual aesthetic of the email is more important than backend logic.

Best Alternatives

If neither of these feels right, consider:

• ActiveCampaign: The “Gold Standard” for automation. It is more expensive than GetResponse but offers CRM capabilities that rival Salesforce.

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): The budget king. They charge by email volume, not contacts. If you have a huge list but send infrequently, this is your cheapest option.

• ConvertKit (Kit): The creator’s choice. If you are a blogger or writer who values plain-text emails and simple automation, this is the most streamlined experience.

Final Verdict

In the GetResponse vs Mailchimp battle of 2026, the winner depends on your business model.

Mailchimp is the “Apple” of email marketing—sleek, pretty, easy to use, but you pay a premium for the brand and the ecosystem. It is the safe choice for beginners.

GetResponse is the “Android” or “PC”—customizable, powerful, slightly more complex, but infinitely more capable for power users.

Our recommendation?

If you are serious about using email to drive revenue through funnels and automation, GetResponse is the superior tool. The combination of webinars, unlimited sending, and lower scaling costs makes it the smarter business decision for growth.