ClickFunnels vs GetResponse: What Each Tool Actually Does
Before diving into feature grids and price tables, it helps to understand the core identity of each platform — because ClickFunnels and GetResponse started from very different places, and that shapes everything about how you'd use them.
ClickFunnels was purpose-built as a sales funnel builder. Its entire architecture is designed around guiding strangers through a structured sequence of pages — opt-in, sales page, order form, upsell — until they become paying customers. It now has over 95,000 active members and has expanded to include a website builder, email tools, and an online course platform.
GetResponse started as an email service provider (ESP) — in the same category as Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign — and has since grown into a broader all-in-one marketing suite with 350,000+ members. It now includes landing pages, webinar hosting, marketing automation, and basic funnel functionality.
The key insight is this: they overlap, but they are not interchangeable. Many businesses actually use both together — ClickFunnels to capture and convert traffic, GetResponse to nurture leads via email. That said, if you're choosing just one, the right answer depends on where your biggest bottleneck is.
Pricing Comparison: ClickFunnels vs GetResponse
Pricing is one of the starkest differences between these two platforms. ClickFunnels positions itself firmly at the premium end; GetResponse offers a more accessible entry point.
ClickFunnels Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Workspaces | Team Members | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $97/month | 1 | 2 | 10,000 |
| Scale | $197/month | 5 | 5 | 75,000 |
| Optimize | $297/month | 10 | 10 | 200,000 |
GetResponse Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Contacts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 500 | Basic email, 1 landing page, website builder |
| Email Marketing | $19/month | 1,000 | Unlimited emails, autoresponders, basic segmentation |
| Marketing Automation | $59/month | 1,000 | Full automation builder, webinars (100 attendees), scoring |
| Ecommerce Marketing | $119/month | 1,000 | Abandoned cart, promo codes, web push, ecommerce integrations |
| MAX (Enterprise) | Typically $1,000+/month | Custom | Dedicated support, SSO, transactional email, custom IP |
Bottom line on pricing: GetResponse's entry-level cost is dramatically lower — you can start building email funnels for $19/month versus $97/month for ClickFunnels' cheapest paid plan. However, ClickFunnels' Launch plan includes 10,000 contacts from day one, while GetResponse's $19 plan caps you at 1,000 contacts (scaling up costs more). For a high-volume email marketer, GetResponse can actually become more expensive at scale once contact tiers are factored in.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | ClickFunnels | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Funnel Builder | Core feature — multi-step funnels with upsells/downsells | Basic conversion funnels (limited step customization) |
| Email Marketing | Built-in, included on all plans | Core feature — industry-leading deliverability |
| Landing Pages | Unlimited, conversion-optimized templates | Available on all paid plans; free plan includes 1 |
| Marketing Automation | Basic workflows included | Advanced visual automation builder (from $59/month) |
| Webinar Hosting | Not included natively | Up to 1,000 attendees (Ecommerce plan) |
| Drag-and-Drop Editor | Yes — funnel-focused page builder | Yes — email and landing page editor |
| Order Forms & Checkout | Native 1-click upsells, order bumps, A/B testing | Basic ecommerce integrations; no native 1-click upsells |
| Online Courses | Built-in course/membership platform | Not available |
| Website Builder | Yes (added in ClickFunnels 2.0) | Yes — included on free plan |
| A/B Testing | Yes — pages and funnel steps | Yes — email subject lines and content |
| Free Plan | No (14-day free trial) | Yes — up to 500 contacts |
| Affiliate Management | Built-in affiliate program tool | Not available |
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Email Marketing and Automation: Where GetResponse Pulls Ahead
Email is GetResponse's home turf, and it shows. The platform offers a visual automation builder that lets you map out complex, branching workflows based on user behavior, tags, scores, and purchase history. Conditional logic, lead scoring, and event-triggered sequences are all available from the Marketing Automation plan at $59/month.
GetResponse's email deliverability is consistently rated among the best in the industry, with high inbox placement rates. Its segmentation tools are granular — you can slice your list by engagement history, page visits, purchase behavior, and custom fields.
ClickFunnels does include email functionality, but it's designed for transactional sequences tied to funnel actions — follow-up after an opt-in, post-purchase sequences, etc. It's capable, but it lacks the depth of GetResponse's automation workflows. If you need to run sophisticated, behavior-driven campaigns across a large list, GetResponse is the stronger tool. Users looking for something similar to GetResponse's automation capabilities should also consider ActiveCampaign, which goes even deeper into CRM-style automation.
Sales Funnels and Conversion Tools: Where ClickFunnels Wins
ClickFunnels was designed from the ground up to maximize conversions at every step of the buying process. That means native support for:
- One-click upsells and downsells — add post-purchase offers without requiring customers to re-enter payment details
- Order bumps — add-on offers directly on the checkout page
- Multi-step funnel sequences — lead magnet → tripwire → core offer → upsell, all in one connected flow
- A/B split testing across funnel pages to optimize conversion rates
- Built-in affiliate management — recruit and pay affiliates to promote your funnel
- Membership and course delivery — gate content behind a purchase without a third-party tool
GetResponse's conversion funnels are functional but limited by comparison. You can build a basic opt-in-to-thank-you page sequence, but the granular checkout mechanics (upsells, order bumps, multi-step offers) simply aren't there. For pure funnel architecture and checkout optimization, ClickFunnels has no rival in this head-to-head. If you want a funnel-focused tool at a lower price point, Systeme.io is worth examining — it replicates much of the ClickFunnels funnel logic at a fraction of the cost.
What Real Users Are Saying
Across review platforms, ClickFunnels users consistently praise the all-in-one convenience and the quality of the funnel templates. A common sentiment: "I replaced five tools with ClickFunnels and my entire sales system is now in one place." The biggest criticism is the price — at $97/month minimum, several reviewers note it's harder to justify for solopreneurs still testing their offer.
GetResponse users frequently highlight deliverability and automation depth. Many reviews mention migrating from Mailchimp due to better deliverability rates and more powerful segmentation. The webinar feature also draws strong praise. The most common complaint is that the landing page builder feels secondary compared to the email toolset — it works, but it's not where GetResponse puts its best engineering.
A notable pattern in independent reviews: businesses that started on ClickFunnels often add GetResponse (or a comparable ESP like ActiveCampaign) for list nurturing once their funnel is converting. This "use both" approach is arguably the intended configuration for high-growth businesses.
Which Tool Wins in Each Scenario
Choose ClickFunnels if:
- You sell digital products, courses, coaching, or physical products through a structured funnel
- You need one-click upsells and order bumps to increase average order value
- You want to host online courses or memberships without a separate platform
- You're running affiliate programs and need built-in tracking and payouts
- Your primary bottleneck is converting traffic, not managing large email lists
Choose GetResponse if:
- Email marketing and list nurturing is your primary channel
- You need advanced automation workflows with branching logic and lead scoring
- You host webinars as part of your sales process (up to 1,000 attendees)
- You're budget-conscious — $19/month is a real on-ramp for early-stage businesses
- You want a free plan to validate your strategy before paying anything
- Your list has complex segmentation requirements and high deliverability demands
The Verdict: Different Tools for Different Jobs
The honest answer is that ClickFunnels and GetResponse are not direct competitors in the traditional sense — they solve different primary problems. ClickFunnels wins on funnel architecture and checkout conversion mechanics. GetResponse wins on email deliverability, automation depth, and cost-efficiency.
If you had to pick just one: choose GetResponse if email marketing is central to your strategy and you need a scalable, affordable platform with solid automation. Choose ClickFunnels if your revenue model depends on structured sales funnels, upsells, and direct-response selling.
For most growing businesses, the best outcome is using them together — or replacing both with a true all-in-one platform like Kartra, which bundles funnel building, email automation, membership hosting, and affiliate management into a single system starting at $119/month. That's a legitimate middle path worth considering before committing to either tool independently.
If your budget is tight and you need funnel + email without paying ClickFunnels rates, Systeme.io's free plan covers both with no monthly fee for the first 2,000 contacts — a compelling alternative that neither ClickFunnels nor GetResponse can match on pure value at the entry level.
