GetResponse vs ActiveCampaign Email is still a great way for businesses to talk to customers, get new leads, and make more sales. Lots of email programs exist, so it’s hard to pick the best one. This article compares two top choices: GetResponse and ActiveCampaign. We’ll look at what they offer, how much they cost, their support, and other things to help you choose.
Feature Comparison
GetResponse and ActiveCampaign are both robust platforms that go beyond basic email marketing, offering a suite of features to streamline your marketing efforts. Here’s a detailed breakdown of their key features:
| Feature | GetResponse | ActiveCampaign |
|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing | Drag-and-drop email creator Pre-built templates A/B testing List segmentation High deliverability rate (GetResponse claims a 99%+ deliverability rate due to its strong sender reputation) | Drag-and-drop email creator Pre-built templates A/B testing List segmentation Focus on advanced automation and personalization |
| Marketing Automation | Visual workflow builder Pre-built automation templates Advanced triggering options | Comprehensive automation suite with a wider range of triggers and actions Multichannel marketing automation (automate marketing across various channels, not just email) |
| Landing Pages | Drag-and-drop landing page builder Customizable templates A/B testing | Drag-and-drop landing page builder Customizable templates Available on all plans except the Lite plan |
| Website Builder | Website builder with AI-powered features Pre-designed templates | Does not offer a website builder. |
| Conversion Funnels | Pre-built sales funnels Lead magnet funnels | Does not offer a dedicated conversion funnel feature. |
| Webinars | Webinar hosting capabilities Features like screen sharing and recording | Does not offer webinar hosting as a built-in feature. |
| CRM | Offers basic CRM features Requires integration with third-party CRM software for advanced functionalities | Includes a CRM with sales automation and deal tracking CRM is an add-on for some plans |
| SMS Marketing | Offers SMS marketing as an add-on feature | Offers SMS marketing as part of its higher-tier plans |
| Forms | Signup forms and popups | Offers various form types, including floating forms and popups |
| Advertising | Google Ads Social Media Ads | Facebook Custom Audiences and Lead Ads Retargeting ads (Google, Facebook, & LinkedIn) |
| Website Personalization | N/A | Dynamic content (personalize website content based on user behavior and preferences) |
| Integrations | Integrates with a wide range of third-party platforms, but offers fewer options compared to ActiveCampaign | Boasts a larger number of integrations with various marketing and sales tools |
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, both platforms offer tiered plans based on your contact list size and the features you need. Here’s a comparison of their pricing structures:
| Plan | Price (monthly) | Contacts | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| GetResponse | |||
| Free | $0 | 500 | Limited features, including email marketing, website builder, and landing pages |
| Email Marketing | Starting at $19 | 1,000 | Unlimited emails, autoresponders, landing pages, basic automation |
| Marketing Automation | Starting at $59 | 1,000 | Advanced automation, sales funnels, webinars (up to 100 attendees) |
| Ecommerce Marketing | Starting at $119 | 1,000 | Ecommerce-specific features, advanced automation, sales funnels, webinars (up to 300 attendees) |
| MAX | Custom | Custom | Enterprise-level features and support |
| ActiveCampaign | |||
| Lite | Starting at $29 | 1,000 | Email marketing, marketing automation (limited features), website tracking |
| Plus | Starting at $49 | 1,000 | CRM with sales automation, landing pages, SMS marketing, Facebook Custom Audiences |
| Professional | Starting at $149 | 2,500 | Advanced automation and reporting, predictive sending, site messages |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom reporting, single sign-on, dedicated account representative |
Note: Both platforms offer discounts for annual billing. GetResponse also offers a 50% discount for charities and NGOs .
Customer Support
GetResponse and ActiveCampaign both prioritize customer support, offering various channels to assist their users:
GetResponse
- Email support: Available 24/7 in multiple languages.
- Live chat: Available 24/7 in English.
- Help center: Provides articles and videos to guide users.
- Co-browsing: Allows support agents to view and interact with a customer’s browser session for MAX accounts .
ActiveCampaign
- Email support: Available 24/7.
- Live chat: Available during US business hours.
- Help center: Offers articles and FAQs.
- Community forum: Connects users with each other for support and discussions.
- One-on-one strategy session calls: Provides personalized guidance from ActiveCampaign experts .
User Experience and Ease of Use
While both platforms aim for user-friendliness, there are some notable differences in their user experience:
GetResponse
- GetResponse is generally considered easier to navigate, with a clean and intuitive interface .
- The platform’s customizable dashboard allows users to personalize their workspace and access frequently used features quickly .
- Some users find the drag-and-drop interfaces for creating landing pages and forms to be slightly less intuitive compared to other platforms .
ActiveCampaign
- ActiveCampaign has a modern and user-friendly design, but the platform’s extensive functionality can make it feel slightly more complex, especially for beginners .
- The platform’s Content Manager provides a centralized hub for storing and organizing marketing assets, which can be helpful for maintaining an organized workflow .
- Some users find the email editing experience to be less intuitive compared to other platforms, with some quirks that can slow down the process .
Case Studies and Testimonials
GetResponse and ActiveCampaign both show how their tools help people. Here are some examples:
GetResponse
ECS Publishing Group used GetResponse. Their email list grew by 10%. They sold more too. They used their store with it. They sent messages to people. They knew what people bought.
Jeanne-Marie Paynel helps parents. She uses GetResponse. She sends helpful messages. She gives good support.
Dell uses GetResponse. They teach partners about sales. They get more sales. They keep track of people better.
ActiveCampaign
Thrive Themes uses ActiveCampaign. It helps them grow. They send emails automatically. They make messages just for you. They track their goals.
Boutique Hotel Seven Days used ActiveCampaign. It helped them grow. They talked to people. They made messages just for them.
One video showed how a company used ActiveCampaign. They sent emails automatically. They managed sales. Their sales and marketing teams worked together. They used the CRM.
Awards and Recognition
Both platforms have received industry recognition for their features and performance:
GetResponse
- Best Sales Funnel Builder by EmailToolTester
- Leader in the G2 Summer 2022 Report
- Bronze Stevie® Award in the New Product category at the 19th annual International Business Awards
- Best B2B Email Marketing Solution in the 7th annual MarTech Breakthrough Awards
ActiveCampaign
- Market Leader by G2
- Top Rated Email Marketing Software award from TrustRadius
- Overall SaaS Award winner and SaaS Customer Success Award winner at the 2022 APPEALIE SaaS Awards
Pros and Cons
To provide a more nuanced perspective, let’s look at the pros and cons of each platform:
GetResponse
Pros:
- AI-powered tools: GetResponse offers AI-powered features for creating emails, landing pages, and websites, saving time and effort .
- All-in-one platform: Provides a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including a website builder and conversion funnels, eliminating the need for multiple platforms .
- Beginner-friendly: The platform is generally easy to use and navigate, making it suitable for beginners .
- Customizable dashboard: Allows users to personalize their workspace and access frequently used features quickly .
- Excellent deliverability: GetResponse boasts high deliverability rates, ensuring your emails reach your audience .
Cons:
- Limited flexibility for website and landing page builder: While functional, the website and landing page builders may not offer the same level of flexibility as dedicated platforms .
- Pricing can be expensive for large lists: As your contact list grows, GetResponse can become more expensive compared to other platforms .
- Advanced features require higher-tier plans: Many of GetResponse’s advanced features are only available on the more expensive plans .
ActiveCampaign
Pros:
- Powerful automation: ActiveCampaign excels in its automation capabilities, offering a wide range of triggers, actions, and pre-built automation recipes .
- High deliverability: ActiveCampaign consistently achieves high deliverability rates, ensuring your emails reach your subscribers’ inboxes .
- Extensive integrations: Integrates with a vast number of third-party platforms, providing flexibility and customization .
- Free migrations: Offers free account migration from other email marketing platforms .
- All-in-one sales and marketing platform: Offers a CRM add-on for users who need to manage their sales process within the same platform .
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve: The platform’s extensive functionality can make it more challenging to learn, especially for beginners .
- No free plan: ActiveCampaign does not offer a free plan, only a 14-day free trial .
- Limited features on the basic plan: The Starter plan has limitations on automation features and access to forms .
Frequently Asked Questions
What is different between GetResponse and ActiveCampaign?
Both are good for email. But they have some differences:
Automation: ActiveCampaign has better automation. It can do more things. GetResponse is easier to use.
Cost: GetResponse has a free plan. It costs less to start. ActiveCampaign can cost more.
Things it can do: GetResponse does more things. It builds websites. It has funnels. It hosts webinars. ActiveCampaign focuses on email. It has CRM too.
Other tools: ActiveCampaign works with more tools.
Easy to use: GetResponse is easier. ActiveCampaign is harder to learn.
Which is better for new people?
GetResponse is better for new people. It is easy to use. It does many things.
Which is better for experts?
ActiveCampaign is better for experts. It has strong automation. It works with many tools. It can be changed a lot.
Which is better for online stores?
Both are good for stores. GetResponse has a plan just for stores. It helps with carts. ActiveCampaign has good automation. It works with store platforms. The best one depends on what you need.
What support do they have?
Both have email support. They have chat help. They have help centers. GetResponse has 24/7 chat. ActiveCampaign’s chat is only open during US work hours. ActiveCampaign has a forum. It has one-on-one help too.
Can I try them free?
GetResponse has a free plan. ActiveCampaign has a 14-day free trial.
Conclusion
GetResponse is good. It helps your emails. It is easy. It has many things. It is cheap. It is good for all. It puts your site and emails in one place.
ActiveCampaign is best for automation. It automates well. It works with other tools. It sends emails fast. It is best if you need automation.
Which is best? It depends on you. Small shops may like GetResponse. It is easy. It has many things. If you know marketing, try ActiveCampaign. It automates well.
Think of your money. Think of your list. Think of what automation you need. Both have free tries. Try them out. See which is best.
