How to Integrate GetResponse with ClickFunnels (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

If you’re running funnels in ClickFunnels and building your mailing list at the same time, you’ve probably asked yourself whether you really need to pay for ClickFunnels’ built-in email features. The answer Alston gives in this tutorial is no, and the fix is connecting GetResponse to your ClickFunnels account. The integration takes less than five minutes, requires no code, and can lower your overall tool costs by letting GetResponse handle your back-end email marketing and autoresponder sequences.

This tutorial walks through the exact steps Alston demonstrates in the video above, one at a time. Whether you’re setting this up for the first time or troubleshooting a connection that stopped working, everything you need is below.

What You’ll Walk Out With

A clear understanding of why pairing GetResponse with ClickFunnels saves money
A GetResponse API key generated and ready to use
GetResponse added as an active integration inside your ClickFunnels account settings
Your opt-in funnel page connected directly to a GetResponse mailing list
Confidence that the connection is live and not just configured
A simple mental model for when to add more GetResponse lists to future funnels
The right next question to ask once subscribers start flowing in (hint: finder.platformproof.com can help you figure out what to sell them)

Why Combine GetResponse and ClickFunnels?

ClickFunnels is one of the most capable funnel-building platforms available. You can build landing pages, full websites, membership sites, and entire automated email sequences without leaving the platform. So why would you attach a second tool to it?

The honest answer is cost. ClickFunnels can get expensive, especially at the plan levels that unlock its full email automation features. GetResponse, on the other hand, is built specifically for email marketing, and its free 30-day trial requires no credit card. If you’re already paying for ClickFunnels to build your funnels, letting GetResponse handle the back-end email work keeps your monthly costs lower while giving you a dedicated email platform built for exactly that job.

The integration is also additive rather than redundant. GetResponse handles your mailing list storage, autoresponder sequences, and marketing automation workflows. ClickFunnels handles page building and the opt-in experience. Each tool does what it was designed to do, and they share data through a single API key connection.

What GetResponse Brings to the Table

GetResponse is built for email-first marketing. Inside the platform, you can send broadcast emails to your list, build out autoresponder sequences that deliver on a set schedule, and create marketing automation rules that trigger based on subscriber behavior. It also has its own landing page builder and an auto funnel feature for users who want to run entire campaigns inside GetResponse without relying on an external page builder.

For the purpose of this tutorial, you’re going to use GetResponse as your list storage and autoresponder engine. Subscribers who opt in through your ClickFunnels pages land in your GetResponse list, and from there your email sequences take over. The two platforms stay in sync through the API connection you set up below.

What ClickFunnels Brings to the Table

ClickFunnels is a page builder and funnel platform. You can create landing pages, opt-in pages, sales pages, order forms, membership sites, and full websites. It also has built-in email automation features, but using those features at scale can push your plan cost up significantly. The page building and funnel flow is where ClickFunnels earns its reputation, and that is what you’re keeping it for in this setup.

The integration between the two tools means subscribers enter your funnel through a ClickFunnels page, but their contact information is stored and managed inside GetResponse. That separation gives you more flexibility as your list grows and makes it easier to migrate to different tools later without losing your subscriber data.

Step 1: Create Your GetResponse Account

Before you can generate an API key, you need a GetResponse account. The free 30-day trial does not require a credit card. You sign up, verify your email address and account details, and land on a basic dashboard. That dashboard is your starting point for Step 2.

If you already have a GetResponse account, skip ahead to Step 2. If you’re signing up fresh, take a few minutes after account creation to set up at least one mailing list inside GetResponse before you connect it to ClickFunnels. You’ll need an existing list to assign subscribers to when you complete Step 4. Setting it up now saves you from having to pause mid-tutorial.

The list name doesn’t matter much at this stage. You can always rename it later. What matters is that a list exists inside GetResponse so ClickFunnels has something to point to when you finalize the page-level connection.

Step 2: Generate Your GetResponse API Key

Inside your GetResponse dashboard, click the Menu button in the top-left corner. From the menu, select Integrations & API, then click API. This takes you to the API key management page.

On this page, click the button to generate a new API key. GetResponse will ask you to give the key a name. The name is just for your reference so you remember where this key is being used. In the video, Alston names his key “click fun test” to indicate it’s connected to ClickFunnels. You can use any name that makes sense to you, such as “ClickFunnels Main” or “CF Integration.”

Once you click Generate, your new API key appears on screen. Copy this key before you go anywhere else. You will paste it into ClickFunnels in Step 3. If you close or leave this page without copying the key, you’ll need to generate a new one, since GetResponse does not display the full key again after you leave the generation page.

It’s a good habit to keep the GetResponse tab open in your browser while you complete Steps 3 and 4. That way, if you need to reference or re-copy the key, it’s right there without needing to find it again.

Step 3: Add GetResponse as an Integration in ClickFunnels

With your API key copied, open your ClickFunnels account in a separate tab. In ClickFunnels, hover over your account name in the top-right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear. Click Account Settings from that dropdown.

Inside Account Settings, look for the Integrations option in the left-hand side navigation panel. Click it. You’ll see a list of any integrations you’ve already set up. If this is your first integration, the list will be empty. To add GetResponse, click the Add New Integration button.

An “Available Integrations” search field will appear. Type the word get into the search box. ClickFunnels will filter the list and show GetResponse as a matching option. Click GetResponse to select it and open the setup form.

The setup form asks for two things: an integration name and your API key. Give this integration a name that will help you identify it later in dropdown menus. Paste in the API key you copied from GetResponse. Then click Add Integration. If the connection is successful, you’ll see a green success indicator, and the GetResponse integration will appear in your ClickFunnels integrations list with the name you assigned it.

At this point, GetResponse is connected to your ClickFunnels account at the account level. This means the integration is available to use, but it has not yet been assigned to any specific funnel page. Step 4 handles that final connection.

Not sure what to do once your list starts growing?

Finding the right offer to send your subscribers is where most list builders get stuck. Get that answer at finder.platformproof.com.

Step 4: Connect GetResponse to Your Opt-In Funnel Page

Go to your funnels inside ClickFunnels. Open the funnel you want to connect, or create a new one. In the video, Alston creates a new “collect emails” funnel as a demonstration and then selects an opt-in page template. Open your opt-in page to access its settings.

With the opt-in page open in ClickFunnels, click the Settings tab for that page, then click Integrations. A dropdown list will appear showing all the integrations you’ve added at the account level. Find and select GetResponse from that list. You’ll see the name you gave it during Step 3.

After selecting GetResponse as the integration source, a second dropdown appears asking you to choose a campaign or mailing list. Select the GetResponse list you want subscribers to be added to when they opt in through this page. Click the confirm button to save the selection. Once saved, the integration status on that page will show as Connected.

That “Connected” label is your confirmation that the link is live. When someone enters their email address on your opt-in page and submits the form, their contact information will be sent directly to the GetResponse list you assigned.

Step 5: Verify the Connection Is Working

After completing Step 4, hover back over the Integrations area on your opt-in page. The status should display as connected. That visual confirmation is what tells you the handshake between ClickFunnels and GetResponse is active for that specific page.

To go one step further, submit a test opt-in using your own email address. After submitting, open your GetResponse account and look at the mailing list you connected. Your test subscriber should appear within a minute or two. If it shows up in GetResponse, the integration is fully functional and ready for real traffic.

If your test subscriber does not appear in GetResponse within a few minutes, double-check that you selected a specific mailing list in Step 4 and not just the integration name. Both the integration selection and the list selection are required before the status shows as connected.

The Full Process in Order

Here is the complete sequence from start to finish for quick reference:

Sign up for GetResponse using the free 30-day trial (no credit card required) and create at least one mailing list inside the account
In GetResponse: click Menu in the top-left corner, go to Integrations & API, click API, click Generate new key, give the key a name, and copy the key
In ClickFunnels: hover over your account name, click Account Settings, click Integrations on the left, click Add New Integration, type “get” in the search box, select GetResponse, give the integration a name, paste in the API key, and click Add Integration until you see the green success confirmation
Open your opt-in funnel page in ClickFunnels, go to Settings, click Integrations, select your GetResponse integration from the dropdown, choose your mailing list, save, and confirm the Connected status appears
Submit a test opt-in using your own email address and verify that the contact appears in your GetResponse mailing list within a few minutes

Honest Drawbacks to Know Before You Start

This integration is straightforward and reliable for most users, but there are a few things worth understanding before you send real traffic through it.

You’re managing two platforms. Every new opt-in page you create in ClickFunnels needs to be connected to GetResponse individually through that page’s settings. The account-level integration you set up in Step 3 makes GetResponse available as an option, but it does not automatically apply to every funnel page you build. Each page requires its own connection step.

API keys can break silently. If you delete or regenerate the API key in GetResponse, your ClickFunnels integration will stop working without any visible error on the front end. Subscribers will continue to see and fill out your opt-in form, but their data will not flow to GetResponse. Build a habit of testing your opt-in pages after any account changes in GetResponse to catch broken connections early.

List setup in GetResponse must come first. If you have not created a GetResponse mailing list before completing Step 4, you will not have anything to assign subscribers to. The list selection dropdown in ClickFunnels will be empty, and you will not be able to finalize the page-level connection. Setting up your list in GetResponse before starting this process saves you from having to stop and come back.

The integration is page-specific, not funnel-wide. If your funnel has multiple pages, for example an opt-in page followed by a thank-you page, only the opt-in page needs to be connected to GetResponse. Subscribers get added to your list when they submit the opt-in form, not when they visit other pages in the sequence.

Find Your X

Getting the technical integration working is the first step. The harder question most list builders face is what to do with the list once subscribers start coming in. What offer matches your audience? What do they actually need to buy? What skill or experience do you have that they’d pay for?

If you’re at that point, finder.platformproof.com is built to help you find the right offer based on the skills and audience you already have. The tool works best once you have a clear picture of who your subscribers are, which is exactly the kind of clarity you start building the moment your first opt-ins arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a paid GetResponse account to use the API integration?

GetResponse’s free 30-day trial includes access to the API key feature, and no credit card is required to start the trial. That means you can complete this entire integration setup before spending anything on GetResponse. After the trial ends, you’ll need a paid GetResponse plan to keep the API connection active and continue receiving subscriber data.

Does the account-level GetResponse integration automatically apply to all my funnels?

No. Adding GetResponse under Account Settings in ClickFunnels makes it available as a selectable option, but you still need to go into each individual funnel page and connect it to a specific GetResponse list through that page’s Settings and Integrations section. The account-level step just unlocks the option. The page-level step is what makes it actually work.

What happens if I regenerate the API key in GetResponse?

Your existing ClickFunnels integration will stop working because it’s linked to the old key. You’ll need to return to ClickFunnels Account Settings, find the GetResponse integration, edit it, and paste in the new key. After saving, confirm that any funnel pages using that integration still show as connected. If a page stops showing “Connected,” open its settings and re-select the integration to refresh the link.

Can I connect one GetResponse account to multiple ClickFunnels funnels?

Yes. Once you’ve added GetResponse at the account level, you can select it on as many individual funnel pages as you want. Each page can point to the same GetResponse list or to different lists within the same GetResponse account, depending on how you want to segment your subscribers. For example, a lead magnet funnel might feed one list while a webinar opt-in feeds a separate list.

Why use GetResponse instead of ClickFunnels’ built-in email features?

The primary reason mentioned in the video is cost. ClickFunnels is a powerful platform, but accessing its full email automation features requires higher-tier plans. GetResponse is designed specifically for email marketing, and using it for back-end list management and autoresponder sequences while keeping ClickFunnels for page building can reduce your total monthly tool spend. It also separates your subscriber data into a dedicated email platform, which gives you more options if you ever want to switch funnel builders later.

How long does the full integration setup take?

If you already have both accounts set up and a GetResponse list created, the process from API key generation to a confirmed “Connected” status on your funnel page typically takes under five minutes. The steps that take the most time for first-timers are locating the correct menus in each platform. Once you’ve done it once, connecting GetResponse to a new funnel page takes about one minute.

Will subscribers added through ClickFunnels receive my GetResponse autoresponder emails?

Yes, provided you’ve set up autoresponder sequences inside GetResponse and assigned them to the mailing list you connected to your ClickFunnels opt-in page. When a subscriber opts in through ClickFunnels and lands in that GetResponse list, GetResponse’s automation handles the email follow-up from that point forward. The subscriber enters your sequence just as they would if they’d opted in directly through a GetResponse form.

What if the “Connected” status doesn’t appear after finishing Step 4?

Start by checking that the API key stored in your ClickFunnels integration matches the currently active key in your GetResponse account. If you’ve generated multiple keys in GetResponse, confirm which one is active. Also make sure you completed both parts of Step 4: selecting the GetResponse integration from the dropdown and then selecting a specific mailing list. Both selections are required. If both look correct and the status still doesn’t show as connected, try removing the integration from the page-level settings and reapplying it from scratch.

Sources

Alston Godbolt, “How to Integrate GetResponse with ClickFunnels (Step-by-Step Tutorial!)” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/09HzY3Q_I9Y
GetResponse official site: getresponse.com
ClickFunnels official site: clickfunnels.com