Customer.io vs GetResponse
Customer.io is a email marketing platform while GetResponse is a all-in-one marketing platform. GetResponse has been around since 1998, giving it a 14-year head start over Customer.io (founded 2012). GetResponse is the more affordable option at $19/mo — that's $81 less than Customer.io's $100/mo entry point. GetResponse offers a free plan (500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month), while Customer.io does not. GetResponse has the edge with landing pages, ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Customer.io wins on rating.
GetResponse wins on price, deliverability, integrations, free tier.
Best for most users: GetResponse (small businesses).
Customer.io
Behavioral messaging platform for product-led SaaS and tech companies
Customer.io is a behavioral messaging platform built for product-led SaaS companies that need to trigger automated emails, SMS, push notifications, and in-app messages based on real-time user events. Its visual workflow builder and Liquid templating provide deep personalization, while the built-in Data Pipelines act as a lightweight CDP. Trusted by 8,000+ companies including Notion and Segment, it starts at $100/month for 5,000 profiles.
GetResponse
All-in-one marketing platform
GetResponse is a full-featured marketing platform that goes beyond email marketing to include webinars, landing pages, sales funnels, and marketing automation. Founded in 1998, it's one of the most established players with a strong track record for deliverability.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Customer.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $100/mo | $19/mo |
| Free Plan | No free plan | 500 contacts, 2,500 emails/month |
| Founded | 2012 | 1998 |
| Email Templates | 30 | 200 |
| Integrations | 150 | 170 |
| Deliverability Rate | 96% | 99% |
| Marketing Automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| A/B Testing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✕ | ✓ |
| Segmentation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag & Drop Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMS Marketing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ecommerce Features | ✕ | ✓ |
| API Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Language | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Push Notifications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live Chat | ✕ | ✓ |
| Advanced Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
Customer.io: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Powerful visual workflow builder with real-time event-based triggers for behavioral automation
- +Omnichannel messaging across email, SMS, push notifications, in-app, and webhooks in one platform
- +Built-in Data Pipelines that serve as a lightweight CDP, unifying web, mobile, and backend data
- +Segment builder is intuitive enough for marketers without requiring dedicated engineering support
- +Startup Program offers up to 12 months free for qualifying early-stage companies
Cons
- −Essentials plan starts at $100/month for only 5,000 profiles — expensive for small teams
- −Steep learning curve for non-technical users, especially with Liquid templating syntax
- −Pricing scales aggressively past 10K profiles with significant jumps between plan tiers
- −Template editor feels restrictive for highly custom-coded email layouts
- −Searching for past messages and editing templates can be unintuitive and slow
GetResponse: Pros & Cons
Pros
- +All-in-one platform with webinars, landing pages, and funnels
- +Excellent automation builder with visual workflows
- +Built-in webinar hosting
- +Strong deliverability (99%+)
- +Competitive pricing for feature set
Cons
- −Free plan limited to 500 subscribers
- −Interface can feel overwhelming for beginners
- −Webinar quality not comparable to dedicated platforms
- −Customer support response times vary
- −Some features locked behind higher tiers
The Verdict
Customer.io and GetResponse are closely matched — both score within 0.1 points of each other in our overall rating. Your decision should come down to specific needs rather than overall quality. On deliverability, GetResponse reports 99% compared to 96% for Customer.io — a meaningful difference if inbox placement is critical for your campaigns.
| Criterion | Weight | Customer.io | GetResponse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | 30% | $100/mo | $19/mo |
| Deliverability | 25% | 96% | 99% |
| Rating | 25% | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Integrations | 10% | 150 | 170 |
| Free Tier | 10% | No | Yes |
Weights determine how much each criterion counts toward the final score. See full methodology
Choose Customer.io if…
- + You're a product led saas companies with event driven messaging needs
- + You're a technical marketing teams that want advanced automation with liquid logic
- + Powerful visual workflow builder with real-time event-based triggers for behavioral automation
Choose GetResponse if…
- + You want lower starting costs ($19/mo)
- + You need a free plan to get started
- + You need ecommerce integrations
- + You need built-in landing pages