SEO & GEO professional · Email marketing and CRM platforms · Verified
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AWeber
Desk research
From Lite, billed annually
$12.50/mo
$15/mo billed monthly
GetResponse
Desk research
From Starter, billed annually
$15.58/mo
$19/mo billed monthly
vs
Quick answer
GetResponse is the cheaper pick for most lists. At 500 subscribers AWeber's Lite wins at $15/month billed monthly. GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly, because GetResponse's ladder starts at 1,000 contacts. From there GetResponse's Starter undercuts Lite at every band I price. At 1,000 contacts Starter is $19/month billed monthly and Lite is $25/month billed monthly. At 5,000 Starter is $54/month billed monthly and Lite is $60/month billed monthly. AWeber's case is native paid-subscription tooling and a managed Done For You plan. Prices verified 19 Oct 2026.
Across the three setups below: GetResponse in 2 of 3 scenarios.
Which one fits you?
Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier
AWeber
My pick
$12.50/mobilled annually
At 500 subscribers AWeber's Lite is $15/month billed monthly and GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly, because GetResponse's ladder starts at 1,000 contacts. GetResponse's free version stops at exactly 500 contacts, with its badge on every email and no automation, so Starter is the plan that really covers this list. The gap is a few dollars a month, but AWeber is the cheaper of the two on both billing bases, and Lite also includes native paid-subscription tooling.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you expect to pass 1,000 contacts soon: from that band up GetResponse's Starter is cheaper at every size I price, and it includes 3 seats.
At 5,000 contacts GetResponse's Starter is $54/month billed monthly and AWeber's Lite is $60/month billed monthly. The gap carries over to annual billing too, with Starter at $44.28/month billed annually and Lite at $50/month billed annually.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you want AWeber's built-in paid-subscription tooling or its Done For You managed setup and are fine paying the difference.
At 1,000 contacts with 3 seats, GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly and already includes 3 seats. AWeber's Lite also includes 3 seats, but at this list size it is $25/month billed monthly.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you want native paid-subscription tooling for selling to your list: AWeber builds it into Lite and Plus, and GetResponse's pricing page doesn't list an equivalent.
AWeber's first band is half the size of GetResponse's, so it wins on sticker price for a very small list. Once you pass 1,000 contacts the order flips, and the scenario costs above show by how much.
AWeber
Lite: $15/month billed monthly, or $12.50/month billed annually, at 500 subscribers
GetResponse
Starter: $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually, at 1,000 contacts, the smallest band GetResponse prices
Free plan
AWeber stops at the trial. GetResponse keeps a free version for a list of up to 500 contacts, but with its badge on every email and no automation, it suits a pause or a test more than a list you plan to grow.
AWeber
None. 14-day trial only; the pricing page doesn't state whether a card is required
GetResponse
No free plan card. After the 14-day trial (no card required) the account drops to a limited free version: up to 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month, a GetResponse badge on every message, no dynamic segments, and newsletters only, with no autoresponders or automation messages.
Subscriber ceiling before you're forced to a different plan
Neither tool forces a plan change as the list grows, so the real difference is the rate you pay at each size, and GetResponse's is lower from 1,000 contacts up.
AWeber
Lite and Plus both price up to 150,000 subscribers on the same plan
GetResponse
Starter, Marketer and Creator all price up to 100,000 contacts before Enterprise
Managed, done-for-you setup
If you want someone else to build your first campaign, AWeber is the one with an actual paid option for that. GetResponse expects you to do it yourself or through an agency.
AWeber
AWeber sells a Done For You plan: $30/month billed monthly, plus a one-time setup fee at a limited-time promotional rate per the vendor's pricing page
GetResponse
Not offered; nothing comparable in GetResponse's published plans
Built-in monetization
AWeber documents paid-subscription tooling at the entry tier. GetResponse's pricing page doesn't list an equivalent line item.
AWeber
Paid subscriptions and sales tracking are included on both Lite and Plus, with a lower transaction fee on Plus per the vendor's pricing page
GetResponse
GetResponse's pricing page doesn't surface an equivalent monetization line item the way AWeber's does
What will AWeber or GetResponse cost for your setup?
The cheapest plan that covers each setup, add-ons included. Prices exclude VAT.
Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier
500 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user
ToolMonthlyYearly, per month
AWeber
My pick
$15
$12.50
Lite
Above 150,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.
GetResponse
$19
$15.58
Starter
Above 100,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.
For each tool I price every current plan plus the add-ons a setup needs, from the vendor's published prices only, and take the cheapest. Monthly and annual billing are priced separately. When a limit or price isn't published, the tool shows as not fitting instead of a guess.
Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier: A list of about 500 contacts, just past the free tiers most vendors offer. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.
Growing list, sending regularly: A list of 5,000 contacts, sending regularly. One login. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.
Small team managing one list together: Three people logging in to the same 1,000-contact list. Seats, not list size, are the deciding limit. Tools priced by emails sent are costed at three mailings per subscriber a month.
AWeber vs GetResponse side by side
I compare email/CRM platforms on: Real cost per list size, both billing bases; Free-tier contact ceiling before you must pay anything; Team seats included, and the seat price past that; List segmentation depth; Automation workflow depth and any step/action limits; Deliverability and sending limits (emails per month, per day, or per rolling window); CRM and ecommerce integration depth; What happens past your plan's contact ceiling (overage pricing vs a forced upgrade).
AWeber and GetResponse compared on the main buying criteria
Criterion
AWeber
GetResponse
Real cost per list size, both billing bases
Lite: $15/month billed monthly, or $12.50/month billed annually, at 500 subscribers; rises with the list, see the scenario costs above for 1,000 and 5,000
Starter: $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually, at 1,000 contacts; rises with the list, see the scenario costs above for 5,000
Free-tier contact ceiling before you must pay anything
None. Paid from the first subscriber, after the 14-day trial
500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month on the limited free version left after the 14-day trial; newsletters only, with a GetResponse badge
Team seats included, and the seat price past that
3 on Lite, unlimited on Plus; no published per-seat add-on price
3 on Starter, 5 on Marketer and Creator, unlimited on Enterprise
Automation workflow depth and any step/action limits
Automations are included on Lite and Plus, but the exact workflow or step count per tier isn't published as a figure
Automations are included on Starter, Marketer and Creator; same gap, no per-tier step count
Deliverability and sending limits (emails per month, per day, or per rolling window)
Not broken out by tier
Not broken out by tier
All details, including automation and AI workflows
All compared details for AWeber and GetResponse
Criterion
AWeber
GetResponse
CRM and ecommerce integration depth
Paid subscriptions and sales tracking are included on Lite and Plus
Not broken out by tier
What happens past your plan's contact ceiling (overage pricing vs a forced upgrade)
AWeber publishes prices up to 150,000 subscribers and no price above that
GetResponse publishes prices up to 100,000 contacts, the ceiling of Starter, Marketer and Creator, and no price above that
Full price ladder at the entry band
Lite: $15/month billed monthly, or $12.50/month billed annually, at 500 subscribers. Plus: $30/month billed monthly, or $20/month billed annually. Done For You: $30/month billed monthly, plus a one-time setup fee at a limited-time promotional rate.
Starter: $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually, at 1,000 contacts. Marketer: $59/month billed monthly, or $48.38/month billed annually. Creator: $69/month billed monthly, or $56.58/month billed annually. Enterprise: custom, contact sales.
Pricing model
Subscriber-count tiered, with published prices on the vendor slider from 0-500 up to 100,001-150,000 subscribers on both monthly and annual billing. Above 150,000 no price is published.
Subscriber-count tiered. Prices are published at 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000 and 100,000 contacts; the slider's last step, "100,000+", shows the 100,000 price.
Annual discount at the entry tier
Lite drops from $15/month billed monthly to $12.50/month billed annually on annual billing
Starter drops from $19/month billed monthly to $15.58/month billed annually on annual billing
Subscriber/contact ceiling per plan
Lite: 150,000. Plus: 150,000. Done For You: 150,000.
14 days. The pricing page doesn't state whether a card is required to start it.
14 days, no card required.
Enterprise pricing
Not offered as a named tier; Done For You is AWeber's premium option instead.
Custom, contact sales, unlimited seats included; no public number.
Who should pick AWeber, and who should pick GetResponse?
AWeber
Desk research
Best for solo marketers and small businesses
AWeber's Lite plan starts at $15/month billed monthly at the smallest list size and includes 3 team seats. Plus starts at $30/month billed monthly and adds unlimited seats and automations. Both plans are priced by subscriber count, and AWeber publishes prices up to 150,000 subscribers. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Best for: Small to mid-size creators and small business owners who need email automation and landing pages, want to monetize subscribers directly, and can handle the subscriber-tiered pricing structure.
Strengths
Lite plan at $15/month billed monthly is a low entry point for creators building an email presence, with 3 team seats included.
Plus has unlimited team seats and unlimited automations, where Lite is limited on automations.
Low monetization fees: 0.6% on Plus, 1.0% on Lite, letting creators keep more of paid subscription revenue.
Limits
No free plan; only a 14-day trial. You must commit to Lite ($15/month billed monthly) or Plus ($30/month billed monthly) to start.
Lite is priced up to 150,000 subscribers, and the price rises with each subscriber band as your list grows.
Pricing scales by subscriber count on both Lite and Plus; the entry prices are just the starting point. Subscriber-count tiered, with published prices on the vendor slider from 0-500 up to 100,001-150,000 subscribers on both monthly and annual billing. Above 150,000 no price is published.
Skip it if you need a free forever tier or flat-rate pricing. Also skip it if you want unlimited team seats and automations without paying more per subscriber band, since Plus costs more than Lite at every list size.
GetResponse is a list-size-priced email platform. Plans start at $19/month billed monthly on the entry Starter tier at its smallest list size, and cost rises as the list grows. Starter, Marketer and Creator add more automation and team seats, and a 14-day trial needs no credit card. After the trial the account drops to a limited free version, but GetResponse doesn't publish its contact limit on the pricing page, so treat the paid plans as the real product.
Best for: Email marketers who outgrow free tiers and want automations and team seats on a pay-as-you-grow model. Starter includes 3 seats, and Marketer and Creator include 5.
Strengths
14-day trial with no credit card required, and the account falls back to a limited free version afterwards instead of closing.
Marketer and Creator include unlimited automations, where Starter allows a single automation workflow.
3 team seats on Starter, 5 on Marketer and 5 on Creator, unlimited on Enterprise.
Limits
The free version left after the 14-day trial adds a GetResponse badge to every message, drops dynamic segments, switches off published automation workflows, and caps you at 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month. Anything serious needs a paid plan.
Pricing scales with list size, from $19/month billed monthly at the smallest list size. Subscriber-count tiered. Prices are published at 1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000, 25,000, 50,000 and 100,000 contacts; the slider's last step, "100,000+", shows the 100,000 price.
Starter allows a single automation workflow, so businesses running several automations move up to Marketer.
Skip it if you want a clearly defined free plan to grow on before paying (GetResponse's post-trial free version carries its badge on every email and caps the list at 500 contacts), or you prefer flat-rate pricing over subscriber-count scaling.
Pick it if you want a permanent free plan that keeps a few automations running, instead of AWeber's 14-day trial or GetResponse's post-trial free version, which sends newsletters only.
Pick it if you want CRM and sales-pipeline tools bundled with email from day one, deeper than AWeber's monetization line item or anything documented on GetResponse.
Check each vendor's help center for an AWeber-to-GetResponse migration guide before switching; a CSV export and import is the fallback either way. AWeber's 14-day trial doesn't state whether a card is required, and GetResponse's 14-day trial needs none. Rebuild your core automations during the trial before you commit, rather than assuming a one-click import exists.
What would change my pick?
AWeber cutting its Lite rates above 500 subscribers to match GetResponse's Starter would remove GetResponse's price lead at 1,000 contacts and 5,000.
GetResponse adding a band below 1,000 contacts would settle the very small list, where AWeber's $15/month billed monthly currently wins on price.
GetResponse documenting a native paid-subscription fee would close the one feature gap that favors AWeber.
AWeber vs GetResponse: questions people ask
Is AWeber cheaper than GetResponse?
Only at the very bottom. At 500 subscribers AWeber's Lite is $15/month billed monthly and GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly. At 1,000 contacts GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly and AWeber's Lite is $25/month billed monthly. At 5,000 Starter is $54/month billed monthly and Lite is $60/month billed monthly.
Does AWeber have a free plan?
No. It has a 14-day trial and nothing free beyond that. The pricing page doesn't say whether a card is required to start the trial.
Does GetResponse have a free plan?
Only a limited one. It has a 14-day trial, confirmed to need no card, after which the account becomes a free version capped at 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month, with a GetResponse badge on every message. After the trial days it sends newsletters only, with no autoresponders or automation. Real use means a paid plan.
What will this cost me at 5,000 contacts?
GetResponse's Starter is $54/month billed monthly and AWeber's Lite is $60/month billed monthly. On annual billing Starter is $44.28/month billed annually and Lite is $50/month billed annually.
Does AWeber offer a managed setup service?
Yes, Done For You: $30/month billed monthly at the entry band, plus a one-time setup fee at a limited-time promotional rate per the vendor's pricing page. GetResponse has nothing comparable in its published plans.
How many seats do I get on the cheapest plan?
Both give you 3 seats at the entry tier: AWeber's Lite includes 3 and GetResponse's Starter includes 3. Past that, AWeber's Plus jumps to unlimited seats while GetResponse's Marketer and Creator move to 5.
Which is better for a small business just getting started with email?
AWeber if your list is at or under 500 subscribers, where Lite is $15/month billed monthly and GetResponse's Starter is $19/month billed monthly. GetResponse if you are at 1,000 contacts or more, or planning to be: it is cheaper at every band above 500 and includes 3 seats on Starter.
Joonas Rotko
SEO & GEO professional, founder of That Marketing Buddy
I'm a Finnish SEO and GEO professional with 11+ years in digital marketing, including years as a co-owner of a digital marketing agency. On That Marketing Buddy I test and compare SEO and AI-visibility software for entrepreneurs, marketing professionals and agencies.
: GetResponse now publishes a limit for its free version: 500 contacts and 2,500 emails a month, newsletters only after the trial days, with its badge on every message. The free-plan rows and FAQ now say so. The picks stay the same.
: GetResponse now keeps a limited free version after its trial, with no published contact limit. The picks stay the same.
: GetResponse prices re-read in US dollars (an earlier pass had used euro figures) and the published ladder now runs to 100,000 contacts. AWeber's lead at 500 subscribers is a few dollars wider; the picks do not change.
: AWeber's price ladder re-read from the live pricing page: Lite starts at the 500-subscriber band at a lower price than before, and the ladder now runs on both billing bases. GetResponse's Starter is now cheaper than AWeber's Lite at 1,000 and 5,000 contacts, so the pick moves from AWeber to GetResponse. AWeber stays the cheaper of the two at 500 subscribers.
: Built with scenario picks for the crm-email-platforms category: AWeber for a 500-subscriber list, GetResponse for a 1,000-contact team account. The 5,000-contact scenario had no pick at that point.
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AWeber
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