EmailOctopus vs GetResponse
Both are on our shortlist for course creators. They part company on several things that matter more than the monthly price.
EmailOctopus
GetResponseWhich one, for whom
- Starting out with no budgetEmailOctopusEmailOctopus can run an automated welcome sequence on its free plan. GetResponse cannot, so a new subscriber hears nothing from you until you pay.Start free on EmailOctopus
- A list already in the thousandsEmailOctopusEmailOctopus stays free to 2,500 subscribers against GetResponse's nothing.
- Worried about being locked inGetResponseEmailOctopus's terms cut off access to your contact data when you cancel. GetResponse does not do that.See GetResponse pricing
Side by side
| EmailOctopus | GetResponse | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 2,500 subscribers | None |
| Free sends | 10,000 emails/mo | 14-day trial only |
| Welcome sequence on free | Yes | No |
| Connects to Teachable | Through Zapier | Direct |
| Connects to Kajabi | Not listed | Through Zapier |
| Connects to Podia | Not listed | Direct |
| Connects to Thinkific | Not listed | Through Zapier |
| Paid from | $9/mo USD | €16/mo EUR |
| The catch | Fewer features than the others by design. Good if you only need to send, thin if you need funnels. | We could not confirm a permanent free plan on their pricing page, only a 14-day trial. |
| G2 score | 4.2 out of 5, from 46 reviews | 4.3 out of 5, from 1,141 reviews |
| Trustpilot score | 4.8 out of 5, from 267 reviews | 4.3 out of 5, from 1,029 reviews |
Figures read off each vendor's own pricing page on 9 September 2026. Where a row says not published, that vendor does not state a price at that list size and we will not invent one.
The last two rows are other people's scores, not ours, read on 6 September 2026. Check them yourself:EmailOctopus on G2, EmailOctopus on Trustpilot, GetResponse on G2, GetResponse on Trustpilot.
- EmailOctopus: The G2 score rests on 46 reviews, which is a small enough number that a handful of unhappy or delighted people can move it.
Getting your list back out
EmailOctopusHard to leave
Cancelling the paid plan on its own just drops you to the free tier: contacts and lists are retained, though automations pause. Their Terms of Use go further than that, though: "Once terminated, we may permanently delete your account and all the data associated with it, including your Content from our Website." A full, deliberate account deletion is described in their own help article as removing everything, including lists, campaigns and reports, and is irreversible. Export your list before deleting anything, not just before cancelling. Source
GetResponseEasy to leave
More lenient than most on this list. Their terms say a deactivated account, with its data and contacts, can be restored within 30 days for a free account or 120 days for a paid one. Their privacy policy adds that a paid account's data is then held for a further 120 days in backups only before final deletion, so a paying customer has roughly eight months before anything is unrecoverable. That protection is weaker for termination for cause, such as a breach of terms. Source
EmailOctopus vs GetResponse, answered
- Is EmailOctopus or GetResponse better for an online course?
- Neither is better outright, and anyone who says so is guessing on your behalf. EmailOctopus if you are starting out with no budget. EmailOctopus if you are a list already in the thousands. GetResponse if you are worried about being locked in.
- Which of EmailOctopus and GetResponse has the better free plan?
- EmailOctopus allows more free subscribers (2,500 against none). A bigger allowance is not automatically the better plan: check the welcome sequence row above, because that is where the two usually part company.
- Can I move from EmailOctopus to GetResponse later?
- Yes, and you should assume you will. Export your list before you cancel anything, and keep whatever marks who bought from you. We wrote the whole running order up separately.
Try either one
EmailOctopusCheapest way to run a plain list
$9/mo USDpaid plans start here. Free up to 2,500. Read off their pricing page on 9 September 2026.
Start free on EmailOctopusRead the full EmailOctopus breakdownGetResponseCapable all-rounder, but nothing is free
€16/mo EURpaid plans start here. No free plan. Read off their pricing page on 9 September 2026.
See GetResponse pricingRead the full GetResponse breakdownMoving between them? Read the switching guide first, or answer 5 questions to check neither of these is the wrong shortlist.
Neither of these? See all 14, including which ones connect straight to Teachable, Kajabi, Podia or Thinkific, or compare what they cost as your list grows.