Returning to league action after lifting the Supercopa and twice progressing in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona wasted little time in taking the lead at Estadio Coliseum.
A delicate threaded pass from Pedri found Jules Kounde, who received the ball in a tight area and saw his initial effort smothered by David Soria, eventually forcing the ball over the line on the follow-up for his second goal this week.
A rather stop-start affair ensued, but after an underwhelming half-hour, Raphinha could have doubled Barcelona’s advantage, heading Koundé’s back-post cross into the side netting.
Getafe had rarely threatened, yet that Barca miss was soon punished when La Masia graduate Carles Alena dug out a cross which Coba da Costa cushioned towards goal.
Inaki Pena was able to get behind the shot, but he could do nothing to stop Mauro Arambarri from following in and levelling the game against the run of play.
Having surrendered their lead, the visitors should have gone into the break ahead, only to waste a golden chance when Robert Lewandowski’s back-post header bounced across the face of goal beyond Kounde and Ronald Araujo.
Barcelona began the second period on the front foot, looking to restore their lead through Lamine Yamal, who skipped past several challenges before unleashing a deflected shot wide.
As the second period progressed, there was a growing sense that Getafe could snatch something against an increasingly out-of-sorts Barca, and with the visitors coming up short, they were almost caught cold when Djene snatched at a first-time strike from a promising position in the box.
In the closing stages, Frenkie de Jong saw a fierce strike palmed away and Raphinha again found the side netting at the back post as Barcelona ultimately failed to find an elusive winner.
The result leaves them five points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, with second-placed Real Madrid set to end the weekend top should they defeat Las Palmas on Sunday.
Meanwhile, relegation-threatened Getafe will likely be delighted with a point that lifts them to 16th in the league and edges them away from the drop zone.