What do you need to do first?
Selling a course or download? Start by checking Systeme.io. Mainly trying to send better emails and follow-ups? Compare GetResponse. Check that the plan includes the exact job you need done.
Affiliate links: we may earn money if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
People ask us to pick a winner between these two a lot, and the honest answer is that the question is a little off. Systeme.io is built to run your whole online sales process — pages, checkout, courses, email — from one place. GetResponse is built around email first, with a marketing toolkit layered on top of it. They overlap, but they’re not solving the same problem.
So instead of crowning one, we’re going to walk through what each one is actually for, what it costs right now, and which questions about your own business should decide it.
The short answer
- Pick Systeme.io if you’re selling an online offer — coaching, courses, a membership, a simple digital product — and want your pages, checkout, and email running from one account instead of five.
- Pick GetResponse if email is the main job and you want room to grow into automation, webinars, or a course later without switching platforms.
- Both have real free plans. Systeme.io’s free plan covers up to 2,000 contacts; GetResponse’s free plan covers up to 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month. Try the one that matches your bigger problem before you pay for either.
Side-by-side: what each one is actually built around
| Job | Systeme.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Core strength | Selling — pages, checkout, and delivery in one flow | Email — sending, list-building, and follow-up |
| Sales pages & checkout | Built in, connected by default | Available on higher paid plans, added on top of email |
| Courses & memberships | Built in, even on the free plan | Course tool included only on the top paid plan |
| Email automation | Included, more basic | Its main strength — deeper segmentation and workflows |
| Webinars | Not included | Included on the top paid plan |
| Free plan contact limit | 2,000 contacts | 500 contacts |
If most of that table sounds like it’s describing two different tools — that’s because it mostly is. The real decision is which job is costing you more time right now: getting something built and sold, or getting better at reaching the list you already have.
Systeme.io: best if selling is the bottleneck
Sales pages · checkout · courses · email · appointments
Systeme.io’s whole pitch is that a one-person business shouldn’t need five subscriptions to sell one offer. You can build a page, collect an email, take a payment, and deliver a course from the same account — no separate checkout tool, no separate course host.
The free plan covers up to 2,000 contacts, three connected sales-page setups, one blog, one course, one referral program, and a web address of your own, with unlimited emails. Paid plans start at Startup for $17 a month (5,000 contacts, unlimited sales-page setups, up to five courses), then Webinar at $47 a month (10,000 contacts), then Unlimited at $97 a month (unlimited contacts, all features, sub-accounts).
Affiliate link. Current-fact check: Systeme.io official pricing and features pages, reviewed September 3, 2026.
GetResponse: best if email is the bottleneck
Email · automation · landing pages · webinars · courses
GetResponse starts from the email list and builds outward. If your actual problem is that your list isn’t growing, isn’t getting opened, or isn’t leading to sales, GetResponse’s automation and segmentation tools go deeper than Systeme.io’s do.
The free plan covers up to 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month, with one landing page and one basic website — automation, funnels, and webinars are reserved for paid plans. Paid plans start around $19 a month for Starter (unlimited sends, one automation workflow, landing pages, forms), then Marketer around $59 a month (unlimited automation, segmentation, abandoned-cart recovery, sales funnels), then Creator around $69 a month, which adds a website builder, webinars, and a course tool.
Affiliate link. Current-fact check: GetResponse official pricing and features pages, reviewed September 3, 2026.
Pricing, side by side
| Plan tier | Systeme.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails, 3 sales-page setups, 1 course | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month, 1 landing page, no automation |
| Entry paid | $17/month — 5,000 contacts, unlimited sales-page setups, 5 courses | ~$19/month — unlimited sends, 1 automation workflow, landing pages |
| Mid tier | $47/month — 10,000 contacts, unlimited everything, webinars | ~$59/month — unlimited automation, segmentation, sales funnels |
| Top tier | $97/month — unlimited contacts, all features, sub-accounts | ~$69/month — adds website builder, webinars, and courses |
Prices and limits change on both sides, so check each provider’s live pricing page before you commit a whole list migration to either one.
A simple way to decide
Pick Systeme.io if all of this sounds like you
- You have — or are close to having — something specific to sell online.
- Getting a page, checkout, and delivery set up is the part that’s been stalling you.
- You’d rather start free and grow into a bigger plan than pay for automation you’re not using yet.
Pick GetResponse if this sounds more like you
- You already have a list, or growing one is the main goal.
- You want automation, segmentation, or webinars as your list grows — not just a newsletter.
- Selling directly through the platform is a nice-to-have, not the main job.
If you genuinely can’t tell yet, that’s a sign to start with whichever free plan matches your bigger list — Systeme.io if you expect over 500 contacts soon, GetResponse if you’re starting smaller and want to lean into email specifically.
How we evaluated this comparison
We went through both companies’ current official pricing, features, and help pages and compared what’s included at each tier against the jobs a small business or solo online seller actually needs done. This isn’t a hands-on lab test of every feature, and we’re not claiming either platform is best-in-class at everything it offers.
We weighed what each free plan actually unlocks, what the first paid tier costs and includes, and which core job — selling versus emailing — each platform is built around first. Details change, so check both providers’ live pricing pages before you buy or migrate a list.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use both at the same time?
Some businesses do — Systeme.io for pages and checkout, GetResponse for deeper email automation — but that reintroduces the multiple-subscriptions problem both tools are trying to solve. Most small businesses are better off picking the one that matches their bigger bottleneck first.
Which one is better for a total beginner?
Systeme.io’s free plan gets you further without paying, since checkout and course delivery are included from the start. GetResponse is just as easy to learn, but its more useful features sit behind a paid plan sooner.
Does either one replace my website?
Both can host simple pages, but neither is built for a large or highly custom website. If you need a full business site beyond sales and signup pages, see our website builder guide.
What if I already have an email list somewhere else?
Both platforms let you import an existing list, though you should confirm your contacts opted in to email from you specifically — most senders require that before you import and start sending.
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