Did you know that for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses get an average return of $36 to $42? This statistic highlights just how powerful email marketing can be for businesses of all sizes. However, the effectiveness of your campaigns hinges largely on choosing the right platform to manage your emails. With numerous options available, selecting the ideal email marketing tool can feel overwhelming.
Two of the most popular email platforms in 2025 are GetResponse and ConvertKit. Both are highly regarded, but they cater to different types of users and offer varying features that can influence the decision depending on your specific business needs.
GetResponse is known for its comprehensive, all-in-one marketing toolkit. ConvertKit is praised for its simplicity and focus on email for creators and bloggers. Interestingly, ConvertKit recently rebranded itself as "Kit" in September 2024, reflecting a shift toward even greater simplicity and focus on its core user base—content creators and small business owners.
In this guide, we’ll go into a detailed comparison of GetResponse vs ConvertKit, examining their features, automation capabilities, pricing, and ease of use. At the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which platform best suits your needs and help boost your email marketing strategy.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
>> GetResponse Official Site: Getresponse.com
>> ConvertKit Official Site: Kit.com
Email Templates
One of the key components of any email marketing platform is the variety and quality of its email templates. Templates help streamline the process of designing professional-looking emails, allowing marketers to focus on content creation rather than design.
GetResponse features over 500 customizable, mobile-responsive templates on its paid plans. These templates are designed to be visually appealing and offer a high level of flexibility in terms of layout and customization, making them suitable for businesses looking to create eye-catching emails that are unique to their brand's image.
Whereas, ConvertKit takes a more minimalistic approach, offering only 15 basic templates. The platform emphasizes simplicity, with a focus on text-based emails. This approach might feel limiting for businesses that rely heavily on visual content. However, it perfectly matches ConvertKit’s target audience—bloggers and content creators—who prefer clear, personalized messaging over complex designs.
Email Editor
The email editor is another important factor when selecting an email marketing tool, as it influences how easily you can design and customize your email campaigns.
GetResponse offers a drag-and-drop editor that is user-friendly and highly customizable. This editor allows you to move elements like images, text blocks, and buttons freely within the email template. This flexibility makes GetResponse ideal for users who need more advanced design features or want full control over the look of their emails.
On the other hand, ConvertKit keeps things simple with its text-focused email editor. While it doesn’t offer the same level of visual customization as GetResponse, its simplicity ensures that even beginners can easily create and send professional emails. ConvertKit’s editor is designed for users who prefer a no-frills approach and prioritize delivering content without distractions.
A/B Testing
Testing is critical for optimizing your email marketing campaigns, and A/B testing features help marketers refine what works best for their audience.
GetResponse has advanced A/B testing options, allowing you to test not only subject lines but also content elements such as images, copy, and call-to-action buttons. This comprehensive testing capability gives you deeper insights into what resonates most with your audience, helping improve engagement rates over time.
In contrast, ConvertKit has more limited A/B testing functionality. It allows you to test subject lines only, which can be useful for improving open rates but does not offer the same depth as GetResponse when it comes to testing content variables within the email itself.
Automation Builder
GetResponse’s visual automation builder is an excellent tool that allows you to build complex workflows with multiple triggers, conditions, and actions. This feature is ideal for businesses needing intricate customer journeys, such as e-commerce businesses managing various customer segments, abandoned cart follow-ups, or lead scoring based on behavior. GetResponse users can visually create automations with multiple entry points, decision splits, and detailed action steps, giving businesses the flexibility to tailor their workflows to unique customer needs.
ConvertKit’s automation builder, on the other hand, is streamlined for simplicity. Its automation editor focuses on ease of use with fewer options for complex workflows. However, it’s ideally suited for content creators who mainly need to build email sequences and simple funnels. ConvertKit users can quickly set up automations like sending targeted content based on email opens, but the system lacks the deep customizability of GetResponse’s builder. ConvertKit’s automation remains user-friendly and effective for simpler workflows.
Integration with Other Features
GetResponse shines in integrating its automation capabilities with a range of additional tools. Its automation sequences can incorporate features like webinars, CRM activities, survey tools, and even paid ads. This all-in-one capability makes GetResponse particularly appealing for businesses looking to centralize their promotional activities and streamline multi-channel campaigns.
Conversely, ConvertKit’s automation is more narrowly focused on email marketing. It lacks direct integration with non-email tools like webinars or CRM systems. This limits its use for businesses that need a more comprehensive marketing solution. However, for those looking to stick to basic email marketing without the complexity of additional features, ConvertKit’s simpler approach remains a practical option.
All-in-One Features of GetResponse
One of the major advantages of GetResponse is its broad set of additional marketing tools. In addition to email marketing, users have access to a webinar hosting platform, a CRM system, a landing page builder, and even tools for managing paid advertisements. This makes GetResponse a true all-in-one solution, allowing businesses to handle various aspects of their digital marketing in one place. These added features can significantly enhance marketing strategies, offering more opportunities to engage and convert leads.
Simplicity of ConvertKit
ConvertKit maintains a laser focus on email marketing and basic landing pages. Its feature set is limited but purposefully so, catering to users who prefer a straightforward platform without the complexity of additional tools. This makes ConvertKit ideal for content creators, bloggers, and small businesses that want simplicity and don't require the broader marketing features offered by more comprehensive platforms like GetResponse.
Ease of Use
For ease of use, ConvertKit edges it as being a more beginner-friendly option. Its clean and intuitive interface is designed with simplicity in mind, making it accessible for those with little to no technical experience. Content creators and small businesses will appreciate the straightforward design, which allows them to focus on crafting email campaigns without being overwhelmed by excessive features.
GetResponse, on the other hand, offers a far more full-featured platform. With its extensive range of features, it provides greater flexibility for businesses looking to scale their digital marketing strategy. However, this comes with a steeper learning curve. Mastering the platform requires more time and effort, particularly for those unfamiliar with advanced marketing tools like automation builders, CRM integration, or webinar hosting. With this in mind, users should be prepared for a longer onboarding process.
One of the unique features offered by ConvertKit is the option to use their P.O. Box physical address in your emails. In compliance with anti-spam laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act, email marketers are required to include a physical address in all promotional emails. Many small business owners and content creators may not feel comfortable sharing their home address with their subscribers. ConvertKit solves this problem by allowing users to use their P.O. Box, which protects privacy while maintaining legal compliance.
This feature is particularly beneficial for freelancers, bloggers, and small businesses that operate from home. It ensures your email campaigns meet regulatory requirements without exposing personal details. As privacy concerns grow, this offering becomes an attractive and unique aspect of ConvertKit, setting it apart from many other email marketing platforms that do not provide this option.
GetResponse, on the other hand, offers a different set of unique features that expand beyond email marketing. With tools such as webinar hosting, CRM integration, and eCommerce solutions, GetResponse positions itself as an all-in-one marketing platform. These features enable businesses to run more complex marketing strategies from a single dashboard, streamlining operations and increasing overall efficiency. This makes GetResponse ideal for businesses looking to consolidate multiple tools into one platform.
Each platform's unique offerings cater to different user needs, with ConvertKit focused on protecting user privacy and simplicity, and GetResponse providing an expansive set of tools for growing businesses.
The core features of both platforms grab the spotlight, but there are several minor but impactful features can greatly influence the user experience.
ConvertKit’s Reusable Content Snippets
ConvertKit allows users to create and save reusable content blocks, which can be inserted into multiple emails or sequences. This saves time for creators who frequently reuse content, such as promotional banners or disclaimers. This feature streamlines content management, making it easier to maintain consistency across campaigns.
Link Editing After Sending
Another unique advantage of ConvertKit is the ability to edit links in emails after they’ve been sent. If a link is incorrect, you can fix it, avoiding lost clicks or a poor user experience. This functionality provides peace of mind, especially for those managing large email lists and campaigns.
GetResponse’s Unsubscribe Survey
GetResponse allows users to include a survey for unsubscribing customers to better understand why they’re leaving the list. This feedback can be valuable for improving email content or re-engaging the subscriber in the future with targeted campaigns.
GetResponse Pricing
GetResponse is known for its competitive pricing, particularly for businesses seeking an all-in-one marketing platform. Paid plans start from $19 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers on the Email Marketing Plan.
This makes GetResponse an attractive option for businesses of all sizes, especially those that need more than just email marketing. With scalable pricing based on subscriber count and feature needs, GetResponse allows users to grow their plan alongside their business.
Additionally, the platform frequently offers promotions and free trials, making it easier for people to explore its full range of capabilities before committing to a paid plan.
ConvertKit Pricing
In contrast, ConvertKit tends to have a higher price point, especially as your email list grows. They offer a free Newsletter plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, but this plan has limited features such as only 1 email sequence included.
Paid plans start at $9 per month for up to 300 subscribers, which may seem steep compared to GetResponse. However, ConvertKit’s pricing reflects its focus on simplicity and targeted email marketing. For creators who value ease of use and don’t require an all-in-one solution, ConvertKit’s cost may still be justified. Its pricing is straightforward and doesn’t fluctuate based on the addition of extra features, making it a good option for those who prefer a simple, predictable structure.
Many people would say pricing is a significant factor when choosing an email marketing tool, but understanding the cost-saving mechanisms of each platform is also important.
ConvertKit Does Not Charge for Duplicate Contacts
A welcome cost-saving feature of ConvertKit is that it doesn’t count duplicate subscribers across different lists. For those managing multiple email segments, this can lead to substantial savings, as you won’t be charged for the same contact on different lists. This feature makes ConvertKit particularly appealing for users managing several content streams or product categories.
GetResponse’s Free Plan for Small Businesses
GetResponse provides a free plan that covers basic email marketing features for small businesses or people just getting started. ConvertKit also has a free tier, but GetResponse’s offering includes more features, such as autoresponders and a landing page builder. This makes GetResponse’s free plan more attractive for businesses planning to scale.
Who Should Choose GetResponse
GetResponse is an ideal choice for businesses seeking an all-in-one marketing solution. Its extensive feature set includes advanced automation, webinars, and CRM functionalities. These tools cater to companies that require a platform to manage multiple aspects of their marketing strategy.
Businesses involved in B2B or e-commerce will find great value in GetResponse. It supports complex workflows and offers tools for lead generation, customer relationship management, and comprehensive campaign tracking. Organizations looking for scalability will appreciate the flexibility of GetResponse’s plans. These plans can adapt as their marketing needs evolve.
Who Should Choose ConvertKit
ConvertKit is great for content creators, bloggers, and small businesses that want simplicity and ease of use. Its straightforward interface allows users to create and send engaging email campaigns quickly. This is especially beneficial for those without advanced technical skills.
For people who focus on nurturing relationships through personalized email sequences and tag-based automation, ConvertKit provides the necessary tools. It does so without overwhelming users with unnecessary features. This platform is particularly well-suited for those who want to streamline their email marketing strategy. They can maintain a strong connection with their audience while keeping things simple.
So, GetResponse vs ConvertKit, which one should you choose?
Both platforms serve distinct purposes within the email marketing landscape. GetResponse offers a comprehensive toolkit designed for businesses that need advanced features and integration capabilities. Whereas, ConvertKit provides a user-friendly experience tailored for content creators and those who value simplicity in their online marketing endeavours.
When choosing between the two, consider your specific needs regarding complexity, required features, and budget constraints. Businesses that demand a versatile platform with extensive tools should lean towards GetResponse. Meanwhile, those looking for an accessible solution focused on email marketing might prefer ConvertKit.
Both platforms offer free plans. This makes it easy for you to explore their features and functionalities before making a commitment. Taking advantage of these trials can help you make a more informed decision.
1. What are the main differences between GetResponse and ConvertKit?
GetResponse offers a comprehensive suite of marketing tools, including advanced automation, webinars, and CRM capabilities. ConvertKit is a platform geared more towards content creators and bloggers, providing straightforward email marketing solutions.
2. I've heard that ConvertKit has recently rebranded to Kit. What does this signify, and how does it affect creators?
ConvertKit's rebranding to Kit marks a shift in their focus toward enhancing features for creators. This rebranding is not just cosmetic. It reflects the addition of tools designed to simplify the creative process. Kit now offers better support for creators with features like improved audience segmentation, enhanced email automation, and better integration with third-party platforms. The aim is to provide a streamlined experience that helps content creators grow their businesses more effectively with fewer barriers.
To find out more about Kit’s latest features, visit their YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@kit-hq
3. Is there a free trial available for both GetResponse and ConvertKit?
Yes, both platforms offer free trials. GetResponse allows you to test their premium features for 30 days. ConvertKit offers a free Newsletter plan for up to 10,000 subscribers, making it easy to explore their capabilities without any upfront cost.
4. Which platform is better for beginners?
ConvertKit is generally considered more user-friendly and easier for beginners to navigate. Its simple interface and straightforward features make it accessible for those new to email marketing. GetResponse, while offering more advanced features, may require a steeper learning curve.
5. Can I use both GetResponse and ConvertKit for e-commerce?
Yes, you can use both platforms for e-commerce. GetResponse has specific features tailored for online sales, such as automation tools and landing page creation. ConvertKit also supports e-commerce integrations but is more focused on managing relationships with subscribers.
6. How does pricing compare between GetResponse and ConvertKit?
GetResponse typically offers more affordable plans, starting at $19 per month. ConvertKit is generally pricier, especially as your subscriber count increases, but it does have a free plan with a limited set of features. Evaluating your budget and needs can help you choose the best option.