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 has the edge with landing pages, ecommerce integrations.
Quick Verdict
Customer.io wins on rating.
GetResponse wins on price, deliverability, integrations.
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 | No free plan |
| 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 | No |
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 ecommerce integrations
- + You need built-in landing pages
- + You're a small businesses