GetResponse vs ConvertKit Full Comparison: What You Should Know!
By: Rahman Ziaur
Tags: Getresponse, Email Marketing, Marketing, Lead Generation, Business

GetResponse vs ConvertKit Full Comparison

Looks like you’re looking for the perfect tool for email and lead generation, and you’ve been at a crossroads:

GetResponse vs ConvertKit.

(*Affiliate Disclaimer — this article may contain affiliate links. if you make any purchase through any of those links, we get a little commission to promote our work of bringing you relevant helpful information.*)

Both of these are marketing automation tools that help you achieve similar core goals. Both can help you grow your email lists, nurture contacts and even sell more products or services.

We would definitely sound a bit biased if we do this article all about GetResponse, so we do not tell you which one to choose here.

Instead, we guide you to make your own decision. Because you are in the best position to make the right decision for your needs — you need to be the caller.

So in this paragraph, we will make a detailed comparison between the two tools and their features, so you can choose which one best suits your needs.

Without further ado, here are features you should keep in mind when trying to choose between GetResponse & ConvertKit!

Author’s Note: This comparison is correct on January 14, 2021. We do our best to keep it as accurate as possible, and we check it regularly, but if you want to familiarize yourself with the offer from our competitors, you should check it on their official website or contact their representatives.

Any marketing automation provisions from these tools? Landing page capabilities, anyone? What about their email marketing capabilities? What about conversion funnels? Which one lets you run webinars? What’s their pricing like? Which one offers ready-made templates? Which one is best for bloggers? Do they let you tag subscribers? What about workflows? Do they provide Web push notifications? Which one helps you to run Facebook and Google ads easily? GetResponse vs ConvertKit: full feature comparison Wrapping Up

1. Any marketing automation provisions from these tools?

GetResponse

GetResponse Main User Dashboard

One of GetResponse’s most important features is its suite of marketing automation tools.

If you have an existing contact list with another marketing platform when you first start using GetResponse, you can easily import your contacts with either a CSV file or integrate GetResponse with the other provider.

Then you can use our set of automation features to create email campaigns instantly.

Our main dashboard has two options: “quick actions”, which help create smooth, professional email marketing campaigns with pre-built templates and triggers, or the main menu to take advantage of all the communication and growth tools in the suite.

navigation menu and quick actions on getresponse dashboard

And if you need e-commerce integrations, GetResponse has you covered. Our marketing automation workflows allow you to send abandoned shopping cart sequences, transactional messages, and even product recommendations to customers automatically using triggers.

If you are new to marketing automation, you can start an interactive tutorial and quickly learn how to use the terms, actions and filters. There are also some pre-designed automation templates to choose from.

Pre-designed automation templates in GetResponse.

Of course, you can build your workflows from scratch at any time.

For example, if a customer abandons their shopping cart, the marketing automation workflow will trigger an abandoned customer message sent to them:

Cart abandonment flow in GetResponse Marketing Automation workflows.

You can also add elements and terms to these marketing automation settings using the drag-and-drop feature, making it one of the easiest ways to build custom automation parameters based on your needs.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is also equipped with a range of marketing automation tools that aim to keep complex workflows simple.

Like GetResponse, ConvertKit has a drag-and-drop builder that helps you build your follow-up emails and marketing campaigns. And if you are not sure where to start or what your automation should look like, you can use one of the ready-made templates:

For example, if you want to create an evergreen newsletter, this is what the finished template looks like:

Automation Example

If you want to change an event, action or condition, you can easily customize the path.

The difference between the tools is that while both have a number of marketing automation features, GetResponse also has a conversion funnel feature (which we will dig into a bit), which makes it easier to draw out which automation to use under certain circumstances. ConvertKit does not currently have this feature.

2. Landing Page Features, Anyone?

GetResponse

You can use GetResponse Landing Page Creator to build a landing page from scratch, or, if you need help, to customize one of the 100+ ready-made templates.

Landing page templates in GetResponse.

In both cases, you have access to our drag-and-drop editor where you can customize text and images and add custom HTML, CSS or Javascript code. And if you want to add external content like your Twitter feed or custom countdown timers, this feature lets you do just that.

With the creator of the landing page, you can also:

structure your landing pages using sections

add content blocks for images, video, text, and buttons

add static and pop-up forms

add webinar registration forms

add a sense of urgency with countdown timers

collect payments thanks to our PayPal integration

add social sharing icons

add custom-code elements using HTML, CSS, or Javascript

preview your landing page to see what it looks like on a desktop or a mobile device

Like our other templates, our landing pages are mobile, and you can hide or show elements only for mobiles or desktops.

We also make it easier for your landing pages to find on search engines because you can edit all elements from the page title to the URL::

Landing Page Setting in GetResponse

Our integrations with analytical tools such as Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager give your site a better chance of appearing in search results.

In addition, we have built-in A / B test functionality to split your landing pages to see which lead magnet or prompt button converts more leads.

Finally, because our marketing suite also includes tools such as webinar software, the landing pages are fully integrated with them so that you can use the landing pages as a webinar and get your email list even faster.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit also has a landing page builder and ready-made templates. However, there are far fewer templates than GetResponse offers — only 18 to choose from!

The difference between the two landing page builders is that while GetResponse is a drag-and-drop editor, ConvertKit has more of a static editor. You can still edit parts of the landing page such as colors, text, and images, but the elements cannot be moved:

But the templates are well built. If you find one you like, you can edit the elements side by side using only tags and drop boxes — no coding required:

And if you do not even have a website but still want to collect leads, you can simply use these landing pages to create a contact list and sell products.

3. What about their email marketing capabilities?

GetResponse

The power of GetResponse comes from combining email marketing and automation. The tool makes it easy to create email campaigns and then put your lead care efforts on the autopilot.

The first way to do this is to create autoresponders, otherwise known as email drop-off campaigns. You can create and customize these with our ready-made templates, and with the intuitive calendar view, it’s easier to visualize when these emails hit your subscriber’s inboxes:

subscriber’s inboxes:

Manage autoresponders tab in the calendar view — GetResponse.

Now the cool part about GetResponse’s email marketing suite is that it gets to know your contacts with their data.

If you are not sure when to send out your campaigns or what time zone your contacts are in, GetResponse has two features that automatically adjust the transmission time to your contact’s time zone or use their previous behavioral data.

These are just a few examples of why we brand ourselves as the simplest and most comprehensive email marketing tool.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit’s email marketing features stand out because they follow the basics.

First of all, ConvertKit does not use email templates. You can only add text, images and GIFs to emails because they think that the less you add the better chance you have of converting your leads.

Even if you want to add extra elements, you can not drag and drop. You are limited to an editor where you have to add elements as if you were in a word processor like Google Docs.

YYou can also easily edit email marketing funnels just by clicking on them in the workflow:

ConvertKit Automation

As ConvertKit also has a landing page feature like GetResponse, it’s easy to link elements to get the most out of its email marketing features. However, you have limited customization options.

4. What about conversion funnels?

GetResponse

Here, GetResponse goes from being just an email marketing suite to a complete marketing machine.

Thanks to our conversion funnel tool, you can create a custom “conversion funnel” with all the tools in our toolbox, such as:

Landing Pages

Stores

Facebook Ads

Instagram Ads

Social Ads creator

Sales pages

Payment processors

Follow-up/abandoned cart emails

All you have to do is choose a template and it will tell you which elements to add in each step of your funnel. Even better, you can visualize it:

Example of a simple list building funnel created in GetResponse Conversion Funnels.

There are a variety of conversion funnel templates you can use, and each step also comes with useful templates. So if you need to build a landing page and an email sequence, you can use the templates in each step to create a funnel that converts without spending hours doing so.

Conversion funnels are such a great feature because you can track your entire customer journey from the moment a customer clicks on your ad or landing page to the moment they make a purchase.

Because you have a conversion funnel that tracks every step, you can change parts that do not work and optimize the ones that are.

In the past, you would need a set of different marketing tools to make this happen. But with GetResponse — you can do everything under one roof.

ConvertKit

While ConvertKit has automated workflows, it does not have a conversion funnel function.

5. Which one lets you run webinars?

GetResponse

GetResponse is the only major email provider on the market that offers webinar software.

If you start a webinar with GetResponse, you have access to important features such as:

design tools and interactive whiteboard

screen sharing/interactive chat room

recording (so you can remarket the webinar once it’s over)

surveys and Q&A session

moderated chat

multiple hosts

Facebook and YouTube streaming option

Like other tools in our suite, you have different webinar layouts and other features available to you:

GetResponse Webinars

When the webinar is complete, all you need to do is set the webinar’s URL, date and time and you’re ready to go. And your participants can see your webinars no matter what device they use.

Finally, with GetResponse’s survey tool, you can gather feedback at the end of the webinar, and since it’s linked to the rest of the marketing platform, you can automate your follow-up sequences after webinars based on their responses!

ConvertKit

ConvertKit does not have a dedicated webinar tool. Instead, it depends on integrations with tools such as WebinarJam, WebinarNinja and Crowdcast.

6. What’s their pricing like?

GetResponse

GetResponse has a pricing plan that suits everyone and offers three different pricing levels plus a Max plan with the price based on your list size.

Of the Plus plans, our Plus plan is the most popular, but you need to choose the plan that offers the features you need and fits your budget:

GetResponse pricing overview.

If you decide to join us, we will reward you with a discount if you choose a one- or two-year plan.

If you choose a one-year plan, you will receive an 18% discount, while a two-year plan will shave 30% of your bill.

The best part is that we let you test it with our 30-day free trial.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit now has a limited free version and offers a 14-day trial period for those who want to try all its features.

If you need access to automation and integrations, you must have access to a paid plan.

These are available in two levels: Creator and Creator Pro.

If you are seriously looking

If you want to seriously expand your email list and nurture your customers using automated sequences, you need to access one of the paid plans.

Unlike GetResponse, ConvertKit does not offer a discount if you buy a one- or two-year plan.

7. Which one offers ready-made templates?

GetResponse

GetResponse is equipped with lots of free email templates for designers. It also has an email creator that you can use to build your own from scratch.

Let’s start with the templates.

Email marketing templates in GetResponse

They are all responsive and work on all devices, and the library is updated regularly to keep up with the latest design trends, which means your emails never look outdated when they end up in your inbox.

If you want to customize a template or create your own, the email creator allows you to add text, video, images and even custom code

GetResponse Email Creator

With our creator, you can:

structure emails using sections

add content blocks for images, video, text, and buttons

save sections to use on future campaigns and product launches

customize emails by adding your brand’s logos, fonts, and color palette

add custom-code elements using HTML

preview your email to see what it looks like on a mobile device or in major email clients

spam-check your message before sending it to your audience

All of these features not only make it easier to optimize campaigns so that they look professional in your subscribers’ inboxes, but it can also improve their engagement.

If you want to go beyond a template, the HTML feature allows you to customize emails for more complex projects.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit’s selling point is that it does not use templates.

And as a result, their email builder looks like a word processor or your regular Gmail account:

ConvertKit Email Builder

ConvertKit’s thinking is that the more elements you put in an email, the less likely it is to reach its destination — your subscriber’s inbox.

And while it’s a healthy strategy for some, most marketers who sell their products or services online can probably use a ready-made template designed to create conversions.

8. Which one is best for bloggers?

GetResponse

Keeping a consistent message is important for bloggers, which is why GetResponse has created several tools that are ideal for bloggers.

These include:

· Intuitive drag-and-drop email creator with ready-made templates

· RSS-to-email tool that automatically pulls new posts from your feed and sends them to your audience via email

· Registration forms and pop-up forms that help you gather more subscribers to newsletters

· Lead Magnetic Funnels Well Designed To Help You Host And Promote Your eBooks And Other Digital Products

· Facebook and Instagram ads for those who want to reach a wider audience

· Creator of social ads that allow you to design engaging posts for your social media profiles

· Web push notifications to keep your audience updated on new updates

GetResponse RSS

GetResponse RSS Email Editor

ConvertKit

Bloggers built ConvertKit, so it’s not surprising that it’s great for bloggers.

If you post regularly, you can choose which days and times to schedule to reach your audience.

You can also filter your list of tags, segments, subscription dates, or even by their first names so that broadcasts and RSS feeds are sent to specific audiences.

The features of ConvertKit’s RSS feed are easy to customize:

ConvertKit RSS

The biggest difference between the two tools for bloggers is that ConvertKit only has 18 landing pages to choose from. If you need a platform with more options, that may not be enough.

In addition, ConvertKit also lacks the conversion funnel feature, so it can be more difficult for bloggers to convert subscribers even after they end up in the funnel.

9. Do they let you tag subscribers?

GetResponse

You can automatically tag and segment leads based on their behavior with GetResponse.

If one of your subscribers opens certain types of content or clicks on links about a particular product, you can program GetResponse so that they tag them and automatically send out follow-ups that reflect their behavior:

marketing automation workflow tagging scoring

Example of a marketing automation workflow that assigns points and tags recipients based on their behavior.

This level of segmentation helps you target based on their behavior and helps you increase your chances of turning them into customers.

ConvertKit

You can also tag subscribers and create rules for your subscribers in ConvertKit.

If you want to send a specific offer to a specific group or make sure that people who subscribe to a previous course get a discount on their next, you can.

Once the tags are added, they’ll show up in your contact feed:

10. What about workflows?

GetResponse

GetResponse’s visual workflow builder lets you map email automations using triggers.

You can create a sequence that is aimed at frequent customers or people who have participated in a previous webinar and not converted.

This is what the workflow builder looks like:

Inside the workflow builder, you can add “triggers” based on conditions. So if someone has just subscribed to your email list, the workflow could look like this:

You can also add “triggers” for events like:

new subscribers

email opens

clicks on links

abandoned carts

product purchases

product upgrades

URLs visited (i.e. pricing pages)

You can use these triggers to create and customize your built-in sequences, reactivation campaigns, and wagon transfer campaigns to increase engagement and sales.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is also equipped with workflows that you can customize based on triggers.

In workflows, you can structure automations around three scenarios: events, actions, and conditions.

For example, an “event trigger” will send out an email at a specific time, no matter where the subscriber is, while an “action trigger” will be disabled if a subscriber clicks on a link or prompt.

Here’s what ConvertKit’s workflows look like:

As we mentioned earlier, ConvertKit makes it easy to customize the content of these workflows. If you click on a trigger or email, the content editor can edit it without taking you to another screen:

11. Do they provide Web push notifications?

GetResponse

GetResponse allows you to interact with visitors to the site via web push notifications.

These messages can be sent to a user via desktop browser and mobile browser. Web push notifications are delivered to a user’s desktop or mobile screen when they have their browser open — whether the user is on the site or not.

ConvertKit

You cannot run push notifications via the Web from your ConvertKit dashboard. However, you can integrate dedicated tools such as Push Push Go.

12. Which one helps you to run Facebook and Google ads easily?

GetResponse

One of the most important obstacles for freelancers, bloggers and small businesses is finding time to create ads that are engaging enough to attract new subscribers.

GetResponse has two tools to help you overcome these obstacles: our creator of social ads and our creator of Facebook ads.

These tools make it easy to create and publish both image and video ads directly from GetResponse to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Like other GetResponse features, you can use ready-made templates to create a professional Facebook ad and launch it directly to Facebook:

Once the ad is launched, you can track engagement and conversion rates from within your GetResponse dashboard.

You can also automatically add Facebook Pixel to your landing pages, which you can use to target potential customers with your Facebook ads — even directly from the GetResponse dashboard!

ConvertKit

You may not run Facebook or Google ads from your ConvertKit dashboard.

But you can add your Facebook Pixel to your ConvertKit landing pages, so any Facebook campaigns you run will be reflected in your custom Facebook audience.

And if you have the Creator Pro plan, ConvertKit now has direct integration with Facebook Custom Audiences so you can sync segments directly to Facebook.

So instead of spending time importing and exporting CSV to run Facebook ads, the integration does it automatically.

GetResponse vs ConvertKit: full feature comparison

GetResponse vs ConvertKit Honest Comparison: CONCLUSION

Like all tools you invest in, it takes some research to choose the right one for your needs.

Not only do you need to look at the features of each tool but you also need to find one that fits into your existing tech stack and your budget.

GetResponse and ConvertKit are both e-mail marketing powerhouses, each with different strengths.

Which is best for you? Only you know the answer!

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