ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse
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Pick GetResponse if you want the better all-round value in 2026 — email, native webinars, funnels and automation in one bundle, a free plan, and Trustpilot 4.3/5 across 981 reviews. Pick ActiveCampaign only if you specifically need its deeper conditional automation and CRM and accept the documented support trade-off (Trustpilot 2.7/5). GetResponse scores 8.0/10; ActiveCampaign scores 6.2/10, dragged down by sentiment despite a strong automation engine.
ActiveCampaign
6.2/10The historical depth leader in email + CRM + conditional automation — strong automation engine and CRM, but Trustpilot 2.7/5 reflects a documented support and pricing problem in 2024–26.
GetResponse
8.0/10The European email + webinar + funnels veteran — bundles email, webinars (native), funnels and automation in one platform with Trustpilot 4.3/5 across 981 reviews. Strong pick for coaches running webinar launches.
Who wins for whom
- →Existing ActiveCampaign customers with deep automation investments where switching cost exceeds the friction.
- →Coaches who genuinely need lead scoring and conditional CRM logic and accept the support trade-off.
- →Operators replacing legacy enterprise email tools — ActiveCampaign still wins that specific comparison.
- →Teams that value 20+ years of automation maturity over newer, simpler entrants.
- →Power users who will use the deeper automation surface enough to justify the sentiment risk.
- →Coaches and course creators running webinar-driven launches who want native webinars bundled with email.
- →Operators in EU/UK and global markets where GetResponse has stronger brand recognition.
- →Budget-conscious creators who want email, automation, webinars and funnels in one bundle.
- →Newsletter operators planning to monetize through webinars and challenges as well as broadcasts.
- →Anyone who weights proven, positive Trustpilot sentiment in their tool decision.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | ActiveCampaign | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2003 | 1998 |
| Final score | 6.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Trustpilot | 2.7/5 (1,371 reviews) | 4.3/5 (981 reviews) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Starting price | $19/mo (scales with contacts) | $19/mo (scales with contacts) |
| Mid tier | $59/mo Plus | $59/mo Marketing Automation |
| Automation depth | Deepest in this pair | Solid, more approachable |
| CRM | Built-in sales CRM | Lightweight CRM |
| Native webinars | No | Yes |
| Funnels / pages | Landing pages | Funnels + pages |
| Lead scoring | Yes (mature) | Yes |
| Deliverability | Strong | Strong |
| Support sentiment | Documented problem (2.7/5) | Positive (4.3/5) |
| Learning curve | Moderate-steep | Moderate |
The headline: a sentiment gap, not a feature gap
On raw capability, ActiveCampaign is the deeper automation engine — 20+ years of maturity in conditional workflows, lead scoring and a built-in sales CRM. If the comparison were features-on-paper only, it would be closer. But the final scores (6.2 vs 8.0) are pulled apart by Trustpilot: ActiveCampaign sits at 2.7/5 across 1,371 reviews, reflecting a documented support and pricing problem in 2024-26, while GetResponse holds 4.3/5 across 981 reviews. That matters because email tools are long-term relationships. A deep automation engine you can't get support for, with pricing that escalates as your list grows, is a real operational risk. GetResponse trades a little automation depth for a bundle that includes native webinars and a markedly better support experience.
Where ActiveCampaign still wins
ActiveCampaign remains the better tool for operators who genuinely live in automation. Its conditional logic, branching and lead scoring are more sophisticated than GetResponse's, and its sales CRM is more capable. For a business with mature, multi-branch automations already built — complex lead-nurture trees, behavior-based scoring, tight CRM integration — the switching cost can exceed the friction of staying. It's also still the winner against legacy enterprise email tools. The caution is honesty about whether you'll use the depth. Many buyers choose ActiveCampaign for automation they never fully implement, then hit the support and pricing issues anyway. If you're a power user who will actually use the deeper surface, it can be worth the trade-off; if you won't, you're taking the downside without the upside.
GetResponse's webinar bundle
GetResponse's standout is native webinars — a feature neither ActiveCampaign, Kajabi nor ClickFunnels includes. For coaches and course creators whose launches run on live webinars and challenges, bundling the webinar tool with email, automation and funnels collapses what would otherwise be two or three subscriptions into one $59/mo plan. This reframes the comparison for a specific buyer. If your sales motion is webinar-driven (live training to pitch to cart), GetResponse isn't just the safer-sentiment choice — it's structurally a better fit because the webinar and the follow-up email sequence live in the same automation. ActiveCampaign would require a separate webinar platform and an integration to achieve the same flow, adding cost and brittleness.
Pricing and how it scales
Both start near $19/mo, but the long game differs. ActiveCampaign's pricing scales steeply with contact count and feature tier, and 'pricing surprises as the list grows' is a recurring theme in its reviews. GetResponse offers a free plan to start and scales more predictably into its Marketing Automation tier (~$59/mo) where the webinar and funnel features unlock. For a creator forecasting growth from 1K to 25K subscribers, the total cost of ownership often favors GetResponse — not because the sticker price is lower at month one, but because it stays predictable and bundles tools you'd otherwise pay for separately. ActiveCampaign's costs (and its support friction) tend to bite precisely when your list and your dependence on the platform are growing.
Frequently asked questions
Is ActiveCampaign or GetResponse better in 2026?
GetResponse is the better all-round value for most coaches and course creators — it bundles email, native webinars, funnels and automation, has a free plan and holds Trustpilot 4.3/5. ActiveCampaign has the deeper automation engine but is held back by a documented support and pricing problem (2.7/5). Choose ActiveCampaign only if you specifically need its advanced conditional automation and CRM and will actually use that depth.
Why is ActiveCampaign's score so much lower?
Its 6.2/10 reflects a strong automation engine dragged down by Trustpilot 2.7/5 across 1,371 reviews — a documented support and pricing-escalation problem in 2024-26. The product capability is real, but our final score blends expert assessment with user sentiment, and the support experience is a genuine operational risk for a tool you depend on long-term. GetResponse's 8.0 reflects more balanced strength across capability and sentiment.
Does GetResponse really include webinars?
Yes — native webinar hosting is bundled in GetResponse's higher tiers, alongside email, automation and funnels. It's a differentiator neither ActiveCampaign, Kajabi nor ClickFunnels offers. For webinar-driven launches, having the webinar and the follow-up email sequence in one platform (and one automation) is a structural advantage worth the comparison on its own.
Should I switch from ActiveCampaign to GetResponse?
It depends on how deep your automations are. If you've built complex, multi-branch automations and lead scoring that work, the rebuild cost may exceed the benefit — stay and manage the support trade-off. If your automations are standard (welcome, nurture, launch) and you're hitting support or pricing friction, GetResponse offers similar everyday capability plus webinars at more predictable cost and far better sentiment.
Which has better automation?
ActiveCampaign, on depth — its conditional logic, branching and lead scoring are more sophisticated, the product of 20+ years of focus. GetResponse's automation is solid and more approachable but not as deep. The honest question is whether you'll use ActiveCampaign's extra depth; many buyers pay for automation they never fully implement, then absorb the support and pricing downsides anyway.
Which is better for a creator outside the US?
Often GetResponse — it's a European veteran (founded 1998) with strong brand recognition in EU, UK and global markets, and its bundled webinars and funnels suit creators who want fewer tools. ActiveCampaign is US-centric and competes on automation depth. For a non-US creator weighing brand familiarity, value and sentiment, GetResponse is usually the more comfortable pick.
Guides featuring these tools
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Which email marketing tool course creators should actually pick in 2026 — MailerLite for value, GetResponse for bundled webinars, Kit for creator-commerce, ActiveCampaign only if you already use its depth. Tested against real course launches.
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The best GoHighLevel alternatives in 2026 by use case: Systeme.io for value, GetResponse for a bundled email+webinar platform, Kajabi for course-first creators, ClickFunnels for funnels. Honest about what nothing replaces.
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