GetResponse vs Mailchimp
A side-by-side comparison of two marketing tools for small businesses.
Bottom line
GetResponse and Mailchimp score within a point of each other on SMB fit (8/10 vs 8/10), so the better choice comes down to your specific workflow, budget, and the feature details below.
At a glance
| Attribute | GetResponse | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| SMB score | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Category | Marketing | Marketing |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Starting price | — | From $13/mo |
| Best for | GetResponse fits small businesses that want email marketing, automation, and selling tools in one place without paying for separate platforms. It works especially well for ecommerce stores, coaches, and content creators who plan to sell courses or paid newsletters alongside their email list. | Mailchimp is the go-to choice for early-stage and growing small businesses that need a reliable email marketing foundation without a dedicated marketing hire. It suits e-commerce shops using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce that want automated cart-recovery and product-recommendation emails. Service businesses—salons, consultants, fitness studios—benefit from the drip sequences that keep leads warm over weeks. Nonprofits and community organizations appreciate the clean audience management tools. It's also a strong fit for solopreneurs who want to graduate from manual newsletter tools to something with actual automation, and for agencies managing a handful of small client accounts under one umbrella login. |
GetResponse
GetResponse combines email marketing, automation, landing pages, and course creation in one platform so small businesses can grow their list and sell more without juggling multiple tools.
GetResponse serves 350,000+ businesses with email marketing, automation, and sales tools under one roof. The Starter plan costs $19 per month for up to 1,000 contacts and includes unlimited email sends, a landing page builder, signup forms, popups, and one automation workflow. Up…
Key features
- Unlimited email sends on all plans with AI-powered content and subject line generators
- Automation workflows with abandoned cart recovery, purchase triggers, and contact scoring on Marketer and above
- Landing page builder with unlimited pages and visitors on all plans
- Course creator with unlimited courses and up to 40,000 students and 0% transaction fees on Creator plan
- Webinars for up to 100 attendees with paid webinar support and recording storage on Creator plan
Mailchimp
Send email and SMS campaigns, automate follow-ups, and track results—all without hiring a marketing team.
Picture a bakery owner who spent years collecting customer emails on a paper sign-up sheet but never had time to do anything with them. With Mailchimp, she imports that list in minutes, picks a pre-built template, and sends a weekly specials newsletter before the morning rush is…
Key features
- Drag-and-drop email builder with hundreds of pre-built responsive templates
- SMS campaigns available alongside email for multi-channel outreach
- Automated workflows for welcome series, cart abandonment, and re-engagement
- A/B and multivariate testing to optimize subject lines and content
- Send-time optimization predicts the best delivery window per contact
- Audience segmentation based on behavior, purchase history, and tags
- Built-in reporting dashboard tracking opens, clicks, and revenue attribution
- Free plan supporting up to 250 contacts and 500 monthly sends
Limitations
Mailchimp's per-contact pricing model means costs escalate faster than expected as lists grow—a 10,000-contact list on the Standard plan will run noticeably more than entry-level pricing suggests. The free plan's 250-contact ceiling is low enough that many businesses outgrow it quickly. Advanced automation logic (conditional branching, complex triggers) is available but can feel less intuitive compared to dedicated automation-first platforms. Customer support on free and lower-paid tiers is limited to email and chat; phone support is reserved for Premium subscribers. Transactional email (receipts, password resets) requires a separate Mailchimp Transactional add-on, which adds cost and setup steps.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is GetResponse or Mailchimp better for small businesses?
- GetResponse and Mailchimp score within a point of each other on SMB fit (8/10 vs 8/10), so the better choice comes down to your specific workflow, budget, and the feature details below.
- How does pricing compare between GetResponse and Mailchimp?
- GetResponse offers pricing that varies — check the vendor site. Mailchimp offers a free tier or trial with paid plans from about $13/mo. Always confirm current plans on each vendor's website before you commit.
- When should I choose GetResponse over Mailchimp?
- GetResponse is a strong fit for GetResponse fits small businesses that want email marketing, automation, and selling tools in one place without paying for separate…. Lean toward Mailchimp if you need Mailchimp is the go-to choice for early-stage and growing small businesses that need a reliable email marketing foundation without a….
Read the full profiles: GetResponse · Mailchimp · All Marketing tools