Two tools, two philosophies. systeme.io is an all-in-one built to sell online (sales funnels, online courses, membership, email marketing) at a low price. GetResponse is an email marketing specialist founded in 1998, known for deliverability and marketing automation. They are often presented as direct competitors — and it's true that they overlap on email. But in 2026 they answer different needs, and picking the wrong one will cost you time and money. This comparison settles it, without sugar-coating, with indicative prices collected in August 2026 from the official pricing pages.
systeme.io, launched in 2017 by Aurélien Amacker, is a "business OS": you build your sales funnel, your course, your members area, your blog, your webinars and your emails in a single interface, with a very generous free plan. Its target: infopreneurs, coaches and course creators who want a complete tool without breaking the bank.
GetResponse, a historical player in email marketing, built its reputation on deliverability (the rate of emails that actually reach the inbox) and marketing automation. In recent years it added "Conversion Funnels", built-in webinars and an e-commerce module. Its target: businesses and marketers for whom email is the #1 channel.
In short: systeme.io starts from selling and adds email; GetResponse starts from email and adds selling. That difference drives everything else.
| Criteria | systeme.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | All-in-one online business (funnels, courses, membership, email) | Email marketing & automation specialist |
| Founded | 2017 | 1998 |
| Free plan | Yes — up to 2,000 contacts and 3,000 emails/month | Yes — up to 500 contacts and 2,500 emails/month |
| Entry price (paid) | ~$29/month (Startup plan, annual billing) | ~$19/month (Email Marketing plan, 500 contacts, annual billing) |
| Email marketing | Decent: sends, simple automations, basic segmentation | Excellent: strong deliverability, advanced automation, AI email generator, A/B testing |
| Sales funnels | Very good: native builder, templates, steps per plan | Basic: limited "Conversion Funnels" |
| Courses & membership | Native: course hosting, drips, quizzes, certificates, members area | No: no native course platform |
| Webinars | Yes, from the Webinar plan (~$49/month) | Yes, included in every paid plan |
| Blog / website | Native blog from the free plan | Landing pages only, no blog |
| CRM | Built-in CRM (pipeline, contact tracking) | Basic CRM + integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot…) |
| E-commerce | Digital products from Startup, native store on higher plans | Ecommerce Marketing module (cart abandonment, webhooks) on a dedicated plan |
| Built-in AI | AI assistant (emails, funnels, courses) on paid plans | AI email generator, AI autoresponder, send-time optimization |
| Support | Chat/email (mainly English) | Chat/email, multilingual help center |
| Target audience | Infopreneurs, coaches, course creators | Email marketers, e-commerce, marketing teams |
The easiest way to decide: test both. systeme.io with its free plan (2,000 contacts) and GetResponse with its free plan (500 contacts) or 30-day trial. Build the same funnel and the same campaign on both sides: the answer will feel obvious.
systeme.io — free trial → GetResponse — free trial →Indicative figures from the official pricing pages in August 2026 (annual billing, subject to change):
| Need | systeme.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Start at $0 | Free plan: 2,000 contacts, 3,000 emails/month, 1 funnel, 1 course | Free plan: 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month |
| Email only (small list) | Included from the Startup plan (~$29/month) | ~$19/month (500 contacts), ~$60/month at 5,000 contacts |
| Funnels + courses + email | All included in Startup (~$29/month) | No native equivalent: you need to stack tools |
| Live webinars | Webinar plan (~$49/month) | Included in every paid plan (from ~$19/month) |
| Unlimited usage | Unlimited plan (~$99/month) | Max plan (custom quote) |
Honest take: systeme.io is almost always cheaper, because email, funnels and course hosting are included in a single subscription. GetResponse charges for email, then advanced automation (Automation & Email Marketing plan), then e-commerce: at an equivalent need, the bill climbs fast. However, at 500 contacts, GetResponse's email-only plan is the cheaper entry point of the two.
This is GetResponse's historical core, and it shows:
systeme.io can send emails, sequences and simple automations — and for 80% of infopreneurs, that's enough. But if email is your main channel (daily newsletter, e-commerce, high volume), GetResponse's segmentation and sophistication make the difference.
Here the gap is even clearer:
If your model relies on selling courses, programs or subscriptions, systeme.io covers the whole journey — from the click on your article to the content behind the paywall — for ~$29/month.
systeme.io's limitations:
GetResponse's limitations:
| Your situation | Right choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You sell a course, a program or a membership | systeme.io | Funnel + course hosting + members area + email in one subscription |
| You're a coach, infopreneur or content creator | systeme.io | Generous free plan, all-in-one at ~$29/month, blog included for SEO |
| Email is your #1 channel (newsletter, e-commerce, nurture) | GetResponse | Deliverability, advanced automation, AI email, webinars included |
| You run an online store | GetResponse | E-commerce module, cart abandonment, purchase-behavior segmentation |
| You want everything on a small budget | systeme.io | The best features-to-price ratio in this niche |
| You have a marketing team and advanced needs | GetResponse | Sender-grade features, reporting, broader support |
Yes, and some people do: funnels and courses on systeme.io, "heavy" email on GetResponse, syncing contacts via Zapier or Make. But let's be honest: it doubles the budget and the complexity. Before going there, ask yourself whether systeme.io's email is not enough — in the vast majority of cases, it is. Only stack both when you reach a volume where deliverability and advanced automation become a real revenue issue.
Does systeme.io replace GetResponse? For simple email (sends, sequences, basic automations), yes. For advanced email (complex automation, deep deliverability, high volume), no: GetResponse remains superior on that ground.
Which one is cheaper in 2026? systeme.io, almost always: email, funnels and course hosting are included in a single subscription from ~$29/month. GetResponse starts cheaper on email only (~$19/month at 500 contacts), but the cost climbs fast with list size and features.
Can I move my list from one tool to the other? Yes, both export and import CSV. Keep consent dates and opt-in proofs: that's your legal responsibility (GDPR) whichever tool you use.
Which one is best for webinars? GetResponse includes them in every paid plan, from ~$19/month. With systeme.io you need the Webinar plan (~$49/month). If live webinars are central to you, GetResponse is better value on this specific point.
Which one should I pick to sell an online course? systeme.io, clearly: funnel, course hosting, quizzes, certificates and members area are native, all from ~$29/month.
Can I use both at the same time? Yes (sync via Zapier/Make), but it doubles the budget and the complexity. Only do it once you reach a volume where deliverability becomes a revenue issue.