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Last updated: October 29, 2026
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GetResponse vs ActiveCampaign (2027): Prices, Automation and Which to Pick
Choose GetResponse if you want email marketing with funnels, landing pages and webinars in one subscription: at 1,000 contacts, Marketer costs €44.28 a month and Creator (with webinars for up to 100 attendees) €50.84 on 12-month billing, and there's a free plan. Choose ActiveCampaign if you need advanced, CRM-connected automation for a sales process: Starter costs about $15 a month at 1,000 contacts, Plus about $49 and Pro about $79, according to 2026 pricing guides, with a 14-day trial.
- GetResponse (1,000 contacts): Starter €16 (€13.12 on 12-month billing); Marketer €54 (€44.28); Creator €62 (€50.84); free plan; 14-day trial.
- GetResponse automation: Starter 1 workflow; Marketer and Creator unlimited, with abandoned cart.
- ActiveCampaign (1,000 contacts, annual) *: Starter about $15 (5 actions per automation); Plus about $49; Pro about $79; Enterprise about $145.
- ActiveCampaign: no free plan; 14-day trial without card; CRM and sales automation from Plus.
* From 2026 pricing guides.
GetResponse vs ActiveCampaign at a glance
| GetResponse | ActiveCampaign | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | Free plan + 14-day trial | 14-day trial |
| Entry plan | Starter €13.12 (1 workflow) | Starter about $15 (5 actions) * |
| Full automation | Marketer €44.28 | Plus about $49 * |
| Webinars | Creator, up to 100 attendees | No |
| CRM and lead scoring | Contact scoring | CRM pipeline, sales automation |
| Best for | Course creators, funnels | B2B, services, SaaS |
What a real business pays at 1,000 contacts
| Business | GetResponse (12-month) | ActiveCampaign (annual) * |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter plus welcome email | Starter €13.12 | Starter about $15 |
| Full automation with abandoned cart | Marketer €44.28 | Plus about $49 |
| Webinars plus automation | Creator €50.84 | Plus + a webinar tool |
| Lead scoring and sales handoff | Marketer (contact scoring) | Plus or Pro about $49–$79 |
Automation compared
GetResponse's workflows on Marketer and Creator branch on opens, clicks, purchases, visits and tags, and cover welcome series, abandoned carts and webinar reminders. ActiveCampaign's builder goes further for B2B: multi-branch journeys, lead scoring, deal pipelines and automations that create tasks for salespeople. If your marketing hands leads to a sales team, ActiveCampaign fits better; if you sell through funnels and webinars, GetResponse does.
Three real-world scenarios
A coach selling a course through webinars
GetResponse Creator (€50.84) covers email, landing pages, automation and webinars.
A B2B services firm nurturing leads for sales
ActiveCampaign Plus (about $49) adds lead scoring and a CRM pipeline.
A small store recovering carts
Both work: GetResponse Marketer or ActiveCampaign Plus. Also compare Omnisend, built for stores.
Start GetResponse free → 14-day premium trial, no credit card · Affiliate link
Hidden costs to watch
- GetResponse Starter's single workflow.
- ActiveCampaign Starter's 5 actions per automation.
- Contact growth on both.
- Currency: GetResponse showed euros.
- A separate webinar tool if you choose ActiveCampaign.
Alternatives worth comparing
| Tool | Entry price | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|
| MailerLite | Comfort from $12 | Cheapest automation |
| HubSpot | Free CRM; Marketing Starter $7/seat | CRM and marketing on one database |
| Omnisend | Standard from $16 (500 contacts) | Ecommerce automation |
See GetResponse pricing, ActiveCampaign pricing, GetResponse alternatives and ActiveCampaign alternatives.
Who should choose which
Choose GetResponse if you sell courses, run webinars or build funnels and want one tool for all of it. Choose ActiveCampaign if your automation needs to feed a sales team with scored, qualified leads.
How to choose in 5 steps
- Decide whether you sell through funnels and webinars or through sales conversations.
- Count contacts and estimate growth.
- Price both at your list size.
- Rebuild your key automation in GetResponse's trial and ActiveCampaign's trial.
- Compare conversions after a month.
Terms explained
- Workflow or automation: a triggered email sequence.
- Action: one step in an ActiveCampaign automation.
- Funnel: pages and emails that lead to a sale.
- Lead scoring: points that identify sales-ready leads.
3-year cost at 1,000 contacts
| Plan | Per year | 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| GetResponse Marketer (12-month billing) | €531.36 | €1,594.08 |
| GetResponse Creator (12-month billing) | €610.08 | €1,830.24 |
| ActiveCampaign Plus (annual) * | about $588 | about $1,764 |
| ActiveCampaign Pro (annual) * | about $948 | about $2,844 |
Add a webinar tool to ActiveCampaign's total if you need webinars; add a CRM to GetResponse's if you need a sales pipeline.
Ease of use
GetResponse is built around ready-made funnels, templates and automation recipes, so marketers can launch a lead magnet, landing page and email sequence quickly. ActiveCampaign's automation builder is visual and very flexible, which takes longer to master but handles complex B2B logic. Teams without a marketing operations person usually get results faster on GetResponse.
Integrations
Both connect with major ecommerce platforms, CRMs and payment tools, and with Zapier and Make. ActiveCampaign has a particularly large catalogue of integrations for sales tools; GetResponse includes webinars, landing pages and funnels natively, so it needs fewer extra tools.
Questions to ask before choosing between GetResponse and ActiveCampaign
- Do you sell through webinars and funnels, or through sales conversations?
- How many contacts will you have in a year?
- Do you need lead scoring and a deal pipeline?
- Which tools must connect to your email platform?
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing GetResponse Starter when you need more than one workflow.
- Choosing ActiveCampaign Starter when your automations need more than 5 actions.
- Paying for a separate webinar tool you could avoid.
Which plan to start on
If you need only a newsletter and a welcome email, both entry plans work. If you need several automations, start on GetResponse Marketer or ActiveCampaign Plus, because their entry plans limit automation (1 workflow on GetResponse Starter, 5 actions per automation on ActiveCampaign Starter). Add Creator only if you'll run webinars.
Setting up either tool in your first week
- Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
- Import contacts who agreed to receive emails, with their tags.
- Build a sign-up form or landing page for your main offer.
- Create a welcome automation of three emails.
- On GetResponse, add a webinar or funnel if you sell that way; on ActiveCampaign, set up lead scoring and a deal pipeline.
- Review opens, clicks and conversions after two weeks.
Our verdict
GetResponse is the better choice for creators and marketers who sell through funnels and webinars. ActiveCampaign is the better choice for B2B and service businesses that need automation tied to a sales pipeline. At 1,000 contacts their full-automation plans cost about the same.
How we compiled this page
GetResponse prices come from its official pricing page on October 30, 2026 (euros at 1,000 contacts). ActiveCampaign prices come from 2026 pricing guides, marked with *, because its page uses a calculator.
FAQ
Is GetResponse cheaper than ActiveCampaign?
At similar automation levels the prices are close at 1,000 contacts: €44.28 for Marketer versus about $49 for ActiveCampaign Plus.
Does ActiveCampaign have webinars?
No. GetResponse Creator includes webinars for up to 100 attendees.
Which has better automation?
ActiveCampaign for complex B2B journeys and lead scoring; GetResponse for funnel and ecommerce workflows.
Does GetResponse have a free plan?
Yes, plus a 14-day premium trial. ActiveCampaign offers a 14-day trial only.
Does ActiveCampaign include a CRM?
Yes, from Plus.
Can I migrate between them?
Yes, by exporting contacts as CSV and rebuilding automations.
Is there a long-term contract?
Neither requires one on monthly billing; 12-month or annual billing lowers the price.
Which is better for ecommerce?
Both support abandoned-cart automation; GetResponse includes it on Marketer, ActiveCampaign on Plus and above.
Which has better landing pages?
GetResponse, with a full funnel builder; ActiveCampaign includes landing pages on higher plans.
Which is easier for beginners?
GetResponse's templates and recipes are quicker to start with.
Can I try both before paying?
Yes. Use the free plans or trials of both with real data for a week, then decide.
Can I switch later?
Yes. Both import and export CSV files; switching is easier while your data is still simple.
Sources
getresponse.com/pricing, checked October 30, 2026; activecampaign.com/pricing with prices from 2026 pricing guides.
Related
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