Does Campaign Monitor have a free plan?

No. It offers a 30-day trial limited to 500 contacts, then paid plans. Lite is $13/month billed monthly, or $11.70/month billed annually, for the entry band.

Does GetResponse have a free plan?

No, only a 14-day trial that needs no card. After the trial, Starter is $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually, for the entry band.

Which is cheaper at 500 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?

Campaign Monitor, by a few dollars a month. Campaign Monitor Lite is $13/month billed monthly. GetResponse Starter is $19/month billed monthly. On annual billing, Lite is $11.70/month billed annually and Starter is $15.58/month billed annually.

Which is cheaper at 5,000 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?

GetResponse. On monthly billing, GetResponse Starter is $54/month billed monthly and Campaign Monitor Lite is $75/month billed monthly. On annual billing it's $44.28/month billed annually against $67.50/month billed annually.

Which is better for a team of three sharing one list?

GetResponse on price. Starter includes 3 seats at $15.58/month billed annually, against $42.30/month billed annually for Campaign Monitor's Lite. Campaign Monitor has unlimited seats on every plan, so it suits a team that will keep growing.

Does GetResponse's cheapest plan include automation?

Only one workflow. Starter allows a single automation, and Marketer and Creator have unlimited automations. Campaign Monitor includes automations from Lite.

Can I price a list above 100,000 contacts on GetResponse?

Not from its published tables. GetResponse publishes monthly and annual prices up to 100,000 contacts and doesn't publish a price above that. Campaign Monitor publishes monthly and annual prices up to 50,000 contacts.

Campaign Monitor vs GetResponse: the cheaper plan at a tiny list, or once it grows?

Email marketing and CRM platforms · Verified 1 Oct 2026 · By Joonas Rotko

Campaign Monitor

Desk research

From Lite, billed annually

$11.70/mo

$13/mo billed monthly

GetResponse

Desk research

From Starter, billed annually

$15.58/mo

$19/mo billed monthly

Quick answer

I'd pick Campaign Monitor for a list of around 500 contacts and GetResponse once the list grows. At 500 contacts Lite is $11.70/month billed annually against $15.58/month billed annually for GetResponse Starter. At 5,000 contacts the order flips: Starter is $44.28/month billed annually and Lite is $67.50/month billed annually. Campaign Monitor is the one to pick if you need unlimited seats or more than one automation on the entry paid plan. Neither has a free plan. Prices as of 1 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
Campaign Monitor
My pick
$11.70/mo billed annually
At 500 contacts, Campaign Monitor Lite is cheaper on both billing bases: $13/month billed monthly for Lite against $19/month billed monthly for GetResponse Starter, and $11.70/month billed annually for Lite against $15.58/month billed annually for Starter. GetResponse's entry band is 1,000 contacts, so a list of 500 pays for that band. The gap is a few dollars a month. Lite also includes unlimited seats and automations.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you expect the list to pass 500 contacts soon. Lite's price jumps above that band, and GetResponse's Starter is the cheaper plan from there.
See Campaign Monitor plans
Growing list, sending regularly
GetResponse
My pick
$44.28/mo billed annually
At 5,000 contacts, GetResponse Starter is cheaper on both billing bases: $54/month billed monthly for GetResponse Starter against $75/month billed monthly for Campaign Monitor Lite, and $44.28/month billed annually against $67.50/month billed annually.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if you need more than one automation workflow or more than 3 logins on the entry plan. Starter allows only a single workflow, while Campaign Monitor's Lite includes automations and unlimited seats.
See GetResponse plans
Small team managing one list together
GetResponse
My pick
$15.58/mo billed annually
A team of three sharing a 1,000-contact list fits inside GetResponse's Starter plan, which includes 3 seats. It costs $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually. Campaign Monitor's Lite, which has unlimited seats, is $47/month billed monthly, or $42.30/month billed annually.
Why this pick, and when to skip it
Skip it if the team may grow past 3 people or needs several automations. Moving up to GetResponse's Marketer plan adds seats and unlimited automations, and Campaign Monitor gives you both from its first paid plan.
See GetResponse plans

Neither fits? See the alternatives, or take the 2-minute recommendation.

How are Campaign Monitor and GetResponse really different?

Free plan and trials
Campaign Monitor
No free plan. A 30-day trial, limited to 500 contacts.
GetResponse
No free plan. A 14-day trial, no card required, then a paid plan.
Every list pays on both tools once the trial ends. Campaign Monitor's trial is the longer one, but it is capped at a small list.
Price once the list grows
Campaign Monitor
Lite is $11.70/month billed annually at the entry size and climbs fast as the contact count rises.
GetResponse
Starter is $15.58/month billed annually at its entry size and climbs more slowly.
Campaign Monitor is a few dollars cheaper at the very smallest list. From 1,000 contacts up, GetResponse is the cheaper option on both billing bases.
Seats
Campaign Monitor
Unlimited seats on every plan.
GetResponse
3 seats on Starter, 5 on Marketer and Creator, unlimited on Enterprise.
A team of three fits GetResponse's cheapest plan. A bigger team pays for a higher plan there but not on Campaign Monitor.
Automation on the entry paid plan
Campaign Monitor
Automations are included on Lite and every plan above it.
GetResponse
Starter allows one workflow. Marketer and Creator have unlimited automations.
If you want several automated sequences, GetResponse's price advantage shrinks because you move up to Marketer.
How far the published prices go
Campaign Monitor
Monthly and annual prices are published up to 50,000 contacts. Above that, Campaign Monitor shows Contact Sales, and Enterprise is quote-only.
GetResponse
Monthly and annual prices are published up to 100,000 contacts. Above that, GetResponse doesn't publish a price, and Enterprise is quote-only.
A list of 30,000 contacts can be priced from Campaign Monitor's table but not from GetResponse's, where you have to ask for a quote.

What will Campaign Monitor 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

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

My pick

$13

$11.70

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

GetResponse

$19

$15.58

Starter

Above 100,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See Campaign Monitor plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 500 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $156 a year.
On annual billing: $140.40 a year.

GetResponse

Uses 500 of 100,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $228 a year.
On annual billing: $186.96 a year.

Growing list, sending regularly

5,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 1 user

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

$75

$67.50

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

GetResponse

My pick

$54

$44.28

Starter

Above 100,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See GetResponse plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 5,000 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $900 a year.
On annual billing: $810 a year.

GetResponse

Uses 5,000 of 100,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $648 a year.
On annual billing: $531.36 a year.

Small team managing one list together

1,000 subscribers · mailed 3 times a month (for tools priced by emails sent) · 3 users

MonthlyYearly, per month

Campaign Monitor

$47

$42.30

Lite

Above 50,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

GetResponse

My pick

$19

$15.58

Starter

Above 100,000 subscribers: nothing published fits.

See GetResponse plans

Usage, limits and billing

Campaign Monitor

Uses 1,000 of 50,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $564 a year.
On annual billing: $507.60 a year.

GetResponse

Uses 1,000 of 100,000 subscribers.
On monthly billing: $228 a year.
On annual billing: $186.96 a year.

How I calculated this

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.

Campaign Monitor 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).

Campaign Monitor and GetResponse compared on the main buying criteria
Criterion	Campaign Monitor	GetResponse
Free plan	None.	None.
Free trial	30 days, limited to 500 contacts.	14 days, no card required.
Entry paid price, billed monthly	Lite: $13/month billed monthly, for contact sizes up to 500.	Starter: $19/month billed monthly, for the entry band of 1,000 contacts.
Entry paid price, billed annually	Lite: $11.70/month billed annually, for contact sizes up to 500.	Starter: $15.58/month billed annually, for the entry band of 1,000 contacts.
Team seats	Unlimited on every plan.	3 on Starter, 5 on Marketer and Creator, unlimited on Enterprise.

All details, including automation and AI workflows

All compared details for Campaign Monitor and GetResponse
Criterion	Campaign Monitor	GetResponse
Automation by plan	Included on Lite, Essentials and Premier.	A single workflow on Starter, unlimited on Marketer and Creator.
Published price ceiling	Monthly and annual prices up to 50,000 contacts.	Monthly and annual prices up to 100,000 contacts.
Top plan	Enterprise, quote-only.	Enterprise, quote-only, with custom list sizes and unlimited seats.
Full plan list	Lite, Essentials, Premier and Enterprise. Paid plans are priced by contact count.	Starter, Marketer, Creator and Enterprise. Paid plans are priced by contact count.
Entry-band price on each paid plan, monthly billing	Lite $13/month billed monthly, Essentials $31/month billed monthly, Premier $171/month billed monthly.	Starter $19/month billed monthly. Marketer $59/mo, Creator $69/mo.
Entry-band price on each paid plan, annual billing	Lite $11.70/month billed annually, Essentials $27.90/month billed annually, Premier $153.90/month billed annually.	Starter $15.58/month billed annually, Marketer $48.38/month billed annually, Creator $56.58/month billed annually.
Contact ceiling on standard plans	Paid plans are priced up to 50,000 contacts, and Enterprise covers larger lists.	Starter, Marketer and Creator each top out at 100,000 contacts. Enterprise has custom limits.

Who should pick Campaign Monitor, and who should pick GetResponse?

Campaign Monitor

Desk research

Best for solo marketers and small businesses

Campaign Monitor is a contact-tiered email platform with no permanent free plan: you get a 30-day trial capped at 500 contacts, then paid plans from $13/month billed monthly for the same 500 contacts. Its strongest move is unlimited team members on every plan, with drip automations from Lite upward. Prices climb steeply with list size, and Premier gets expensive fast past 10,000 contacts.

Best for: Small teams and agencies who want unlimited seats and automations from the first paid plan, and a simple drag-and-drop email builder.

Strengths

A 30-day trial capped at 500 contacts lets you test the builder before paying. It is a trial only, not a free tier.
Unlimited team members on every plan, even Lite ($13/month billed monthly). Most competitors hide this behind a top plan.
Automations (drip campaigns, pre-built journeys) are included from Lite upward.

Limits

There is no permanent free plan. The free offer is a time-limited trial, so a list you want to keep sending to needs a paid plan from day one.
Pricing is contact-tiered and the steps are steep, especially on Premier. The entry rate of $13/month billed monthly on Lite covers only the first 500 contacts. Self-serve prices stop at 50,000 contacts; past that the plans switch to Contact Sales with no published price.
No paid subscriptions on the platform itself (unlike beehiiv or Ghost). Campaign Monitor is email-only; it doesn't process reader payments.

Skip it if you need a permanent free plan, or you need a deep multi-branch visual automation builder; Campaign Monitor's strength is drip sequences and pre-built journeys, not complex branching.

Campaign Monitor review Campaign Monitor pricing Campaign Monitor alternatives

GetResponse

Desk research

Best for growing lists sending regularly
Best for small teams sharing one account

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. It suits anyone willing to pay for scale, but skip it if you need a free plan first.

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, so you can try it before committing.
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

No free plan; every tier is paid. The 14-day trial is the only free access.
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 true free plan to test before paying, or you prefer flat-rate pricing over subscriber-count scaling.

GetResponse review GetResponse pricing GetResponse alternatives

My pick: GetResponse in 2 of 3 scenarios.

See GetResponse plans See Campaign Monitor plans

Neither Campaign Monitor nor GetResponse? Try these

MailerLite
From $10.80/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want a permanent free plan and low entry prices, and don't need Campaign Monitor's unlimited seats.
MailerLite review MailerLite alternatives
Brevo
From $8.08/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want SMS and transactional email in the same account as your marketing email.
Brevo review Brevo alternatives
ActiveCampaign
From $15/mo billed annually
Pick it if you want deeper CRM and sales automation than either of these two offers on its entry plan.
ActiveCampaign review ActiveCampaign alternatives

Switching between Campaign Monitor and GetResponse

Expect to export your contacts as a file, import them into the new account and rebuild your automations by hand. Campaign Monitor's 30-day trial is limited to 500 contacts, so test a rebuild with a sample of your list. GetResponse's 14-day trial needs no card, but it ends in a paid plan.

What would change my pick?

GetResponse publishing prices above its current ceiling would let large lists be compared from its own table instead of through a quote.
A price change on either side. The scenario picks recalculate when a vendor changes a price.
If you need unlimited seats and several automations from day one, Campaign Monitor becomes the better fit even where it costs more.

Campaign Monitor vs GetResponse: questions people ask

Does Campaign Monitor have a free plan?: No. It offers a 30-day trial limited to 500 contacts, then paid plans. Lite is $13/month billed monthly, or $11.70/month billed annually, for the entry band.
Does GetResponse have a free plan?: No, only a 14-day trial that needs no card. After the trial, Starter is $19/month billed monthly, or $15.58/month billed annually, for the entry band.
Which is cheaper at 500 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?: Campaign Monitor, by a few dollars a month. Campaign Monitor Lite is $13/month billed monthly. GetResponse Starter is $19/month billed monthly. On annual billing, Lite is $11.70/month billed annually and Starter is $15.58/month billed annually.
Which is cheaper at 5,000 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?: GetResponse. On monthly billing, GetResponse Starter is $54/month billed monthly and Campaign Monitor Lite is $75/month billed monthly. On annual billing it's $44.28/month billed annually against $67.50/month billed annually.
Which is better for a team of three sharing one list?: GetResponse on price. Starter includes 3 seats at $15.58/month billed annually, against $42.30/month billed annually for Campaign Monitor's Lite. Campaign Monitor has unlimited seats on every plan, so it suits a team that will keep growing.
Does GetResponse's cheapest plan include automation?: Only one workflow. Starter allows a single automation, and Marketer and Creator have unlimited automations. Campaign Monitor includes automations from Lite.
Can I price a list above 100,000 contacts on GetResponse?: Not from its published tables. GetResponse publishes monthly and annual prices up to 100,000 contacts and doesn't publish a price above that. Campaign Monitor publishes monthly and annual prices up to 50,000 contacts.

How I verified this

Every price and limit here comes from the vendors' own pages, last checked 1 Oct 2026. Campaign Monitor: desk research. GetResponse: desk research.

Sources and changelog

25 facts from 5 source pages, oldest checked 30 Sep 2026.

Campaign Monitor plans and pricing (checked 1 Oct 2026)
GetResponse plans and pricing (checked 30 Sep 2026)

1 Oct 2026: GetResponse prices re-read in US dollars (an earlier pass had used the euro figures) and its published ladder now runs to 100,000 contacts. Campaign Monitor's lead at 500 contacts widens by a few dollars; the picks do not change.
1 Oct 2026: New page. Campaign Monitor is the pick at 500 contacts, by a few dollars a month. GetResponse is the pick at 5,000 contacts and for a three-person team at 1,000 contacts, so it takes the overall verdict.

Spot something out of date?Vendors and readers, send me the correct fact.

Software sites change almost every week, and I want every claim on this page to be factually correct. If you are a vendor or a reader, send me the correct fact and a link to the official page. I will check it and update the page. The opinions and rankings stay mine.

Campaign Monitor vs GetResponse: the cheaper plan at a tiny list, or once it grows?

Quick answer

Which one fits you?

How are Campaign Monitor and GetResponse really different?

Free plan and trials

Price once the list grows

Seats

Automation on the entry paid plan

How far the published prices go

What will Campaign Monitor or GetResponse cost for your setup?

Solo marketer or small business, a list just past the free tier

Growing list, sending regularly

Small team managing one list together

Campaign Monitor vs GetResponse side by side

Who should pick Campaign Monitor, and who should pick GetResponse?

Campaign Monitor

GetResponse

Neither Campaign Monitor nor GetResponse? Try these

Switching between Campaign Monitor and GetResponse

What would change my pick?

Campaign Monitor vs GetResponse: questions people ask

Does Campaign Monitor have a free plan?

Does GetResponse have a free plan?

Which is cheaper at 500 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?

Which is cheaper at 5,000 contacts, Campaign Monitor or GetResponse?

Which is better for a team of three sharing one list?

Does GetResponse's cheapest plan include automation?

Can I price a list above 100,000 contacts on GetResponse?

How I verified this

Compare Campaign Monitor or GetResponse with another tool

Campaign Monitor vs …

GetResponse vs …

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