ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse for Small Agencies (2026)

Quick Verdict

ActiveCampaign is the better fit for agencies selling sophisticated automation and lead-nurture systems. GetResponse is the better fit for leaner agencies that want email, forms, landing pages and funnels in one platform.

If you are comparing these platforms for your own business rather than for client work, read our broader ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse comparison. This guide focuses specifically on the trade-offs that matter to small agencies.

ActiveCampaign vs GetResponse for Agencies at a Glance

The Agency Question Is Different

A small business usually asks, “Which tool is easier for us to use?” An agency has another problem: which platform lets us deliver repeatable client work without destroying our margins?

That changes the comparison. You need to think about how quickly your team can build campaigns, how much custom automation clients expect, how accounts are managed, whether you can resell the platform, and how many extra tools are required around it.

Example scenario: A five-person lead-generation agency manages eight clients. Some only need forms, landing pages and follow-up emails. Others need lead scoring, behaviour-based nurturing and a sales handoff. The “best” platform depends on which of those services drives the agency’s revenue.

Illustrative scenario, not a claimed client result.

1. Client Automation: ActiveCampaign Wins

If your agency sells automation as part of the service, ActiveCampaign has the stronger ceiling. Its current plans centre heavily on multi-step automation, segmentation, site and link tracking, AI-assisted automation building and customer journeys. Enhanced CRM add-ons can extend that into pipelines, lead scoring and sales engagement.

This matters when a client’s follow-up cannot be reduced to a simple welcome sequence. Think different nurture paths by service interest, lead source, engagement, lifecycle stage or sales status.

GetResponse is not weak here. Its Marketer plan includes unlimited automation workflows and advanced segmentation, while higher packages unlock more functionality. But if your agency’s offer is built around sophisticated automation, ActiveCampaign gives you more room to make that expertise valuable.

2. Fast Campaign Deployment: GetResponse Wins

For a lean agency, every extra subscription and integration adds setup time. GetResponse packages email marketing with landing pages, signup forms, popups and, on Marketer, sales funnels and deeper automation.

That can make it easier to take a straightforward client campaign from traffic to lead capture to follow-up without immediately reaching for a separate landing-page or funnel product.

If your retainers are built around quickly launching lead magnets, newsletters, promotions or simple nurture campaigns, that consolidation can matter more than having the deepest automation builder.

3. Managing Multiple Clients: Both Have Agency Routes

Both companies actively support agencies, but their commercial models are different.

ActiveCampaign has a dedicated Agency Program. Its published agency pricing documentation says agencies can purchase multiple accounts at a discount and resell them alongside their services. The documented discount tiers increase as the number of active paid resold accounts grows.

GetResponse offers both referral and resale routes. Its agency partner page promotes an affiliate option for referring clients and a MAX partnership route for reselling sub-accounts.

That means the right choice is not just about software features. If you intend to bundle the platform into your service, compare the current partner terms before committing your client base to either ecosystem.

4. Team Workflow: Check the Plan Before You Buy

Agencies often assume “team access” is standard. It is not. User allowances and collaboration features vary by plan, so the cheapest tier can become a false economy if several people need access.

GetResponse currently lists three users on Starter and up to five on Marketer and Creator. ActiveCampaign’s user limits vary by plan, with its current pricing comparison showing higher allowances on higher tiers.

Before choosing, count who actually needs access: media buyer, copywriter, account manager, automation specialist and client. Then price the plan that supports that workflow rather than comparing only the headline entry price.

5. Lead Generation Stack: GetResponse Is More Convenient

GetResponse has a clear advantage when the agency wants more campaign components bundled together. Landing pages, signup forms and popups are included in its core plans, while Marketer adds sales funnels and ecommerce tools.

ActiveCampaign also offers landing pages and integrations, but its strongest reason to exist is still what happens after the lead enters the system: segmentation, automation and lifecycle orchestration.

Campaign convenience: GetResponse  ·  Automation depth: ActiveCampaign

6. Pricing: Compare the Workflow, Not Just the Starting Price

GetResponse currently starts at $19 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers on monthly billing, with annual pricing discounted. Its Marketer tier is where unlimited automation workflows, advanced segmentation and sales funnels become part of the package.

ActiveCampaign pricing varies by contacts and plan, and its feature mix has changed over time. Some sales-oriented capabilities, including pipelines and lead scoring, are now tied to Enhanced CRM add-ons rather than something you should assume is included in every plan.

For an agency, the cheapest sticker price is rarely the useful comparison. Price the setup you would actually deploy for a client, including users, contact volume, automation requirements and any extra tools or add-ons.

Which Agency Should Choose ActiveCampaign?

• You sell automation strategy or lifecycle marketing as a core service.
• Your clients need detailed behaviour-based nurture journeys.
• You expect marketing workflows to connect closely with sales.
• You want room to build more sophisticated systems as client accounts mature.
• You are interested in a dedicated agency resale model.

Which Agency Should Choose GetResponse?

• You run a lean team and value fewer moving parts.
• You frequently build landing pages, forms and email campaigns for clients.
• You want built-in funnel tools without adding another platform.
• Your client automations are useful but usually not highly complex.
• You want the option to refer clients or explore a resale partnership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ActiveCampaign Good for Marketing Agencies?

Yes, particularly for agencies that build automation-heavy client systems. ActiveCampaign also operates a dedicated agency program for reselling accounts and adding services around the platform.

Is GetResponse Good for Agencies?

Yes. It is particularly attractive to smaller agencies that want email, landing pages, forms, funnels and automation in a more consolidated stack. GetResponse also offers agency referral and resale routes.

Which Is Better for a Lead Generation Agency?

It depends on the service. For complex lead nurturing and sales-connected automation, ActiveCampaign is stronger. For quickly building lead-capture pages, forms, funnels and follow-up campaigns in one platform, GetResponse is more convenient.