I have spent years testing both platforms. GetResponse and ActiveCampaign sit at the same price point ($48-49/month) but solve completely different problems.
Here is the brutal truth about which one actually fits your business.
Quick Verdict
Choose GetResponse if you want an all-in-one platform (email + webinars + courses). Choose ActiveCampaign if you want the most powerful automation available. Both cost the same, but they are not competitors.
The Price Similarity (Where Confusion Starts)
GetResponse: $48.09/month (Creator plan, annual billing) ActiveCampaign: $49/month (Starter plan, monthly billing)
The pricing is nearly identical. This is where most people stop comparing and choose randomly.
Bad idea.
What GetResponse Actually Does Well
1. All-in-One Platform (The Killer Feature)
GetResponse includes:
- Email marketing
- Landing pages
- Webinars (unlimited attendees)
- Course creator
- Live chat
- Automation workflows
- Conversion funnels
One platform does everything.
Compare this to buying separately:
- Email platform: $29/month
- Webinar tool: $49/month (Zoom, etc.)
- Course platform: $149/month (Kajabi)
- Landing pages: $29/month
Total: $256/month vs GetResponse $48/month.
The value is undeniable if you use all the features.
2. Webinar Feature (Unique Selling Point)
GetResponse includes unlimited webinar attendees at every plan.
ActiveCampaign does not have a webinar feature at all.
If webinars are part of your marketing, GetResponse saves you $49+/month for a standalone webinar tool.
3. Course Creator Built-In
Sell courses directly through GetResponse. No need for Kajabi ($149/month) or Teachable ($39/month).
The course creator is not Kajabi-level sophisticated, but it works for basic courses.
4. Trustpilot Rating: 4.3/5
GetResponse has 979 reviews with a strong 4.3/5 rating. 63% are 5-star reviews.
Users praise the feature set and value. Complaints focus on billing disputes, not product quality.
What ActiveCampaign Actually Does Well
1. Automation Builder (The Best in Class)
850+ pre-built automation recipes. Visual drag-and-drop builder. Deep branching logic.
One G2 reviewer: "The automation builder is unmatched. I have not found anything close."
If automation complexity matters to you, ActiveCampaign is the clear winner.
2. Built-in CRM Included
Every ActiveCampaign plan includes a full CRM. Track deals, pipelines, and customer journeys.
GetResponse has basic contact management, but not a full CRM.
If sales processes matter to you, ActiveCampaign wins.
3. E-commerce Integration
Deep Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce integration.
Track revenue, attribute sales to specific emails, and create sophisticated e-commerce automations.
GetResponse has e-commerce features, but ActiveCampaign goes deeper.
The Trustpilot Warning
ActiveCampaign: 2.9/5 (1,312 reviews) GetResponse: 4.3/5 (979 reviews)
This is a massive gap.
ActiveCampaign complaints:
- Pricing quadrupled over 6 years for long-time users
- Billing disputes and cancellation issues
- WhatsApp add-on cannot be cancelled online
- No free plan (14-day trial only)
GetResponse complaints:
- Billing and cancellation issues (better than ActiveCampaign)
- Contact counting model frustrations
- Support quality varies
Both platforms have billing issues. ActiveCampaign users are angrier about pricing changes.
The Feature Comparison
| Feature | GetResponse | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Price (500 contacts) | $48/month | $49/month |
| Free plan | 14-day trial then limited | 14-day trial only |
| Automation | Good | Best in class |
| CRM | Basic | Full CRM included |
| Webinars | Included | Not available |
| Courses | Included | Not available |
| Landing pages | Included | Included |
| E-commerce depth | Good | Excellent |
| Trustpilot | 4.3/5 | 2.9/5 |
| Best for | All-in-one needs | Automation power |
Who Should Choose GetResponse?
Perfect for:
- Coaches and consultants (need webinars + courses)
- Small businesses wanting one platform
- Budget-conscious users who need multiple tools
- Info-product sellers
- Anyone running regular webinars
GetResponse replaces 4-5 separate tools. The value is undeniable if you use webinars and courses.
Real user story: "I replaced Zoom ($49), Kajabi ($149), and Mailchimp ($29) with GetResponse ($48). The math was easy."
Who Should Choose ActiveCampaign?
Perfect for:
- E-commerce stores with complex automation needs
- Sales teams needing CRM + email
- Technical marketers wanting powerful workflows
- B2B companies with long sales cycles
- Anyone valuing automation over simplicity
ActiveCampaign is the automation choice. If you need complex workflows, nothing else comes close.
Real user story: "Our automation has 27 branches. ActiveCampaign handles it easily. GetResponse would have fallen apart."
The Break-Even Math
At what point does ActiveCampaign make more sense than GetResponse?
GetResponse saves you:
- $49/month (webinar tool)
- $39/month (basic course platform)
- Total savings: $88/month in tool costs
ActiveCampaign earns you:
- More revenue through better automation (hard to quantify)
- Better sales tracking through CRM
- Deeper e-commerce integration
If you do not use webinars or courses, GetResponse loses its advantage.
If you rely on complex automation, ActiveCampaign is the only choice.
The Learning Curve Difference
GetResponse: Moderate learning curve
- Multiple features to learn
- Webinar setup takes time
- Course creator requires configuration
- More to master overall
ActiveCampaign: Steep learning curve
- Automation builder is powerful but complex
- CRM adds another layer to learn
- E-commerce features take time to master
- Most users use only a fraction of available features
One ActiveCampaign review: "I estimate I use only 30% of the features. The rest is overkill."
Final Verdict
Choose GetResponse if:
- You need webinars
- You sell courses
- You want one platform for everything
- You are budget-conscious
- You value feature breadth over automation depth
Choose ActiveCampaign if:
- Automation is your priority
- You need CRM + email
- You run an e-commerce store
- You have complex sales workflows
- You are willing to pay for power
The price is identical. The value is completely different.
GetResponse is the "do everything" platform.
ActiveCampaign is the "automation powerhouse."
Know which one you need before you sign up.
Both will lock you into annual billing. Both have frustrating cancellation processes.
But both will also transform your email marketing—if you choose the right one for your specific needs.
Start with the free trials. Test the automation builder. Run a webinar. Build a simple course.
See which platform feels like home after 14 days.
Your future self will thank you for doing the homework.