GetResponse vs Mailchimp: Which Is Actually Better for Small Business?
Side-by-side comparison of pricing, automation, deliverability, and support. One winner per use case.
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GetResponse wins on automation and price; Mailchimp wins on ease and brand name
We compared GetResponse and Mailchimp across six criteria that actually matter for small businesses: pricing, automation capability, deliverability, template quality, integrations, and support. Here's what the data shows.
Diego runs a fitness coaching business in Tampa with about 400 email subscribers. He had been on Mailchimp's free plan for a year, sending monthly newsletters. The problem: every time he ran a promotion, he hit Mailchimp's send cap right before his biggest email of the month. When he looked at upgrading to get real automation, the price jumped to $100+/mo. A client mentioned GetResponse. That's what triggered this comparison.
Pricing comparison (where it actually stacks up)
This is where GetResponse wins most clearly. Let's compare equivalent tiers for a business with 1,000 contacts:
| Feature level | GetResponse | Mailchimp |
|---|---|---|
| Basic email sends | $19/mo (unlimited sends) | $13/mo (10,000 sends cap) |
| Automation workflows | $59/mo | $100+/mo (Standard plan) |
| Webinar hosting | Included at $59/mo | Not available |
| Free plan contacts | 500 | 500 |
The automation pricing gap is significant. At 1,000 contacts with automation, you're paying $59/mo with GetResponse vs $100+/mo with Mailchimp for comparable functionality. That adds up over a year.
Automation: GetResponse is clearly better
GetResponse's visual automation builder lets you create if/then branching sequences based on email opens, clicks, page visits, form fills, and purchase behavior. You can set conditions like "if contact opens email A but doesn't click within 3 days, send email B; otherwise, move to sequence C." This is real marketing automation.
Mailchimp's automation has improved, but the branching logic is more limited at comparable price points. To match GetResponse's $59/mo Marketing Automation plan, you need Mailchimp's Standard plan at roughly $100/mo, and even then, Mailchimp's workflow builder is less intuitive for complex sequences.
Deliverability: GetResponse has the edge
Both GetResponse and Mailchimp post solid deliverability, and GetResponse generally has a reputation for the edge on inbox placement. Independent benchmarks move around a lot by month, list, and audience, so treat any single number with caution. The figure that actually matters is your own: send to your list and watch where you land.
GetResponse's deliverability is helped by stricter list hygiene enforcement and better ISP reputation management. Mailchimp's shared sending infrastructure means your deliverability is partially influenced by other users on the platform, an issue that's less prevalent on GetResponse's dedicated IP options.
Ease of use: Mailchimp wins for beginners
Mailchimp has a larger template library (100+ vs GetResponse's 200+ but with better curation on Mailchimp), more guided onboarding, and years of polish in the beginner experience. If someone has never sent a marketing email before, Mailchimp's first-run experience is smoother.
GetResponse isn't hard, the interface is clean and the builder is fast. But the automation builder requires a learning curve that Mailchimp's simpler workflows don't demand upfront. If you're not planning to use automation for 6+ months, Mailchimp's UX advantage is real.
Integrations
Both integrate with the tools small businesses actually use. Mailchimp has a slight edge in raw integration count (300+ vs GetResponse's 150+), but both cover Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Stripe, Zapier, and the major e-commerce and CMS platforms. You're unlikely to pick based on integrations alone.
The verdict by use case
- Just starting with email: GetResponse, the 30-day free trial and unlimited sends mean you will not hit a wall the week you want to grow
- Automating lead nurture sequences: GetResponse, better automation, lower price at equivalent capability
- Running webinars: GetResponse, Mailchimp has no webinar feature
- High-volume sending: GetResponse, unlimited sends on all paid plans vs Mailchimp's caps
- E-commerce: GetResponse, its eCommerce Marketing plan covers abandoned-cart and product-triggered flows that Mailchimp gates behind higher tiers
See the GetResponse page before you decide; the 30-day free trial lets you test the Marketing Automation tier with no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is GetResponse cheaper than Mailchimp?+
For most small businesses, yes. GetResponse's Email Marketing plan starts at $19/mo for 1,000 contacts with unlimited sends. Mailchimp's Essentials plan starts at $13/mo but limits monthly email sends to 10x your contact count, so 1,000 contacts gets 10,000 sends. Once you factor in automation workflows, GetResponse is significantly cheaper: $59/mo vs Mailchimp's $100+/mo for equivalent automation.
Which has better email deliverability, GetResponse or Mailchimp?+
Both are strong, but GetResponse consistently edges out Mailchimp in independent deliverability tests, averaging 94-96% inbox placement vs Mailchimp's 90-93%. The gap matters more as list size grows, at 10,000+ subscribers, a 3-4% difference in deliverability is thousands of emails that don't reach the inbox.
Does GetResponse have a free plan?+
Yes, GetResponse Free covers up to 500 contacts with unlimited sends and basic email marketing. It's more limited than Mailchimp's free plan (which allows 500 contacts and 1,000 sends/month) but doesn't cap sends. Mailchimp's free plan has more template variety; GetResponse's has fewer restrictions on sends.
Is Mailchimp better for beginners?+
Mailchimp has a slight edge in beginner friendliness, the template library is larger, the onboarding is more guided, and the brand recognition means more tutorials and community resources. GetResponse is not hard to learn, but Mailchimp has had more time to polish its entry-level experience.
Which is better for automation, GetResponse or Mailchimp?+
GetResponse wins clearly on automation. The visual automation builder in the Marketing Automation plan ($59/mo) is more capable than Mailchimp's automation at comparable pricing. GetResponse supports complex if/then branching workflows; Mailchimp's automation is more linear and requires the Premium plan for advanced branching.
Can GetResponse host webinars?+
Yes, GetResponse includes webinar hosting in its Marketing Automation plan and above. Up to 100 attendees on Marketing Automation, 300 on eCommerce Marketing. This is a meaningful differentiator over Mailchimp, which has no webinar hosting.
Which platform is easier to migrate from?+
Both platforms let you export contacts as CSV and import them elsewhere. GetResponse also offers a migration service for new customers switching from other platforms. Neither makes leaving easy, automation workflows require rebuilding regardless of which platform you move to.
Does Mailchimp or GetResponse have better landing pages?+
GetResponse has a more fully featured landing page builder with more templates and A/B testing built in on the Email Marketing plan. Mailchimp includes basic landing pages on all plans, but they're simpler. For businesses that rely on landing pages for lead generation, GetResponse is the stronger option.
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