GetResponse is the better fit for a small business that wants email, landing pages, automation and webinars in one subscription, while Mailchimp is the better fit for a team that values familiarity, a huge integration catalog and a gentle start on a free plan. That is the short answer to getresponse vs mailchimp, and it rests on published pricing and feature documentation, not on a hands-on trial.
The honest split is features against familiarity. GetResponse documents native webinars, funnels and an automation builder on its paid plans, and Mailchimp documents none of the webinar side. Mailchimp, in return, is the name most freelancers, agencies and their clients already know, and its tools and templates are the ones most third-party apps connect to first. Pricing on both sides shifts with list size and sources disagree on exact figures, so verify current prices on each vendor's site before you commit.
How We Compared These Email Platforms
We compared GetResponse and Mailchimp using each vendor's public pricing and feature pages, help documentation, and recurring patterns in published user reviews. We did not run campaigns through either account. We applied the same four yardsticks to both: what the free plan really allows, what a list of 1,000 and 5,000 contacts costs on a paid plan, which marketing tools sit inside the subscription, and how easy it is to leave if you outgrow it.
Where third-party pricing guides disagreed, we say so rather than pick a number. Several comparison pages in search results are written by competitors or affiliates, so their verdicts get little weight here. For wider context on the category, see our roundup of the best email marketing software for small business.
Free plans compared: what you actually get
Both vendors offer a free tier, and both have changed it recently. Reviewers of Mailchimp report that the free plan was cut in January 2026 to roughly 250 contacts and a small monthly send cap, down from 500 contacts, though sources disagree on the exact send limit. GetResponse's free plan is most often described as covering up to 500 contacts and about 2,500 emails a month, with GetResponse branding on emails and a single landing page. Some pricing sites list a trial instead of a free tier, so check the current sign-up page.
The practical difference is automation. Third-party summaries describe GetResponse's free plan as having no automation workflows and Mailchimp's as allowing only simple single-step automation, though the accounts conflict. Neither free plan is a place to run a real business funnel; both are best treated as a trial that happens to last longer than 14 days.
Paid pricing at 1,000 and 5,000 contacts
Both vendors price by contact count, so cost climbs as your list grows. The table below uses figures reported by third-party pricing guides in 2026. Treat every number as approximate and verify current pricing, because sources disagree and GetResponse reportedly changed plan pricing in March 2026.
| Item | GetResponse | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan, about 1,000 contacts | Starter, reported around $15 to $19 per month | Essentials, reported from about $13 per month for 500 contacts |
| Mid plan with full automation | Marketer, reported around $44 to $59 per month | Standard, reported from about $20 per month for 500 contacts |
| Top self-serve plan | Creator, reported around $51 to $69 per month, adds webinars and courses | Premium, reported from about $350 per month at 10,000 contacts |
| Native webinars | Documented on higher plans | Not documented |
| Integration catalog | Large, but smaller than Mailchimp's by most counts | Largest of the two |
At around 5,000 contacts, one pricing table lists Mailchimp Standard near $100 a month. Some comparison sites report GetResponse as cheaper at that size, but those pages are often affiliate-driven, so run both quotes yourself with your actual list size. Also note that Mailchimp reportedly counts unsubscribed contacts toward billing unless you archive them.
Where GetResponse pulls ahead
GetResponse's documented advantage is breadth inside one plan. Its paid tiers bundle an automation builder, landing pages, sign-up forms and, on higher plans, webinars and course-style funnels. For a coach, consultant or training business that sells through live sessions, that bundle can replace two or three separate subscriptions.
Reviewers also point to send policy. Several comparison guides state that GetResponse does not cap sends on its paid plans while Mailchimp limits monthly sends relative to list size, which matters if you email a small list often. Verify that on the current plan pages, since send limits are among the details that change most.
Where Mailchimp pulls ahead
Mailchimp's strength is ecosystem and familiarity. Third-party sources cite more than 300 integrations against roughly 170 for GetResponse, and a long tail of website builders, e-commerce platforms and freelancers know its editor. If your agency, designer or developer already works in Mailchimp, onboarding cost is close to zero.
The weaknesses reviewers repeat are cost creep and plan gating. Features that feel standard, such as multi-step automation and advanced segmentation, sit on the Standard tier, and billing by total contacts means a growing list gets expensive quickly. Mailchimp is also the platform most often named by people searching for an alternative, which is a signal worth weighing.
Switching costs and data portability
Both platforms let you export contacts as CSV files, which is the part that matters most. What does not move cleanly is automation logic, templates and campaign history, so budget time to rebuild workflows rather than expecting an import to carry them over. If you are choosing between them on a long horizon, the rebuild cost is the same in either direction, which argues for picking the one you would be comfortable on in two years instead of the one with the lowest first-month price.
Deliverability, templates and day-to-day use
Both platforms document standard sender authentication and compliance tools, and neither can guarantee that your messages reach the inbox, because that depends on your list quality and sending habits more than on the vendor. Reviewers describe Mailchimp's drag-and-drop editor and template library as friendly for beginners, and GetResponse's editor as capable but with more menus to learn as you add funnels and automation.
Before you pay, list the three campaigns you will send in your first month, such as a welcome series, a monthly newsletter and a sale announcement, and check that each is possible on the plan you are considering. That small exercise exposes plan gating faster than any feature table.
Which one fits which small business
- Solo owner with a small list: Start on either free plan, expect to outgrow it within months, and favor whichever editor you find easier to read.
- Coach, trainer or course seller: GetResponse, because documented webinars and funnels sit in the same account.
- Shop or agency working with many third-party tools: Mailchimp, because of the larger integration catalog and wider familiarity.
- Growing list above several thousand contacts: Get written quotes from both, because per-contact pricing diverges most at this size.
The bottom line: choose GetResponse if you want webinars, funnels and automation in a single subscription, and choose Mailchimp if familiarity and the widest integration catalog matter more to you.
