SendGrid has established itself as a major player in the transactional email space, but it's not the only option available. Whether you're seeking better pricing, more features, or a unified platform that handles all email types, there are compelling alternatives worth exploring.
Transactional emails serve a unique purpose compared to marketing campaigns. These automated messages - like password resets, order confirmations, and account notifications - require reliable delivery, personalization capabilities, and robust infrastructure. When evaluating email service providers, factors like deliverability rates, API quality, and pricing transparency become crucial.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll examine SendGrid's capabilities and explore the top alternatives that might better serve your business needs.
Looking for alternatives to other email platforms? Check out our comprehensive guides on best Mailchimp alternatives, top Klaviyo alternatives, and best Omnisend alternatives.
Transparency Note: This comparison includes SelfMailKit, our own email platform. We've conducted thorough research to provide objective insights that help you make the best decision for your specific requirements. All recommendations are based on actual testing and analysis.
Table of Contents
- What SendGrid offers
- SendGrid pricing
- The best SendGrid alternatives compared
- 4 Best SendGrid alternatives
- SendGrid alternatives: FAQs
- Choosing a SendGrid alternative
What SendGrid offers
SendGrid operates as an enterprise-focused email infrastructure provider, serving major companies including Uber and Airbnb. While it offers various email marketing features, its primary strength lies in transactional email delivery through REST API and SMTP integration.
The platform targets developers and technical teams, typically requiring integration into existing applications rather than functioning as a standalone marketing tool.
SendGrid's Strengths
- Robust template system with conditional logic support
- Comprehensive testing suite (inbox preview, link checking, spam analysis)
- Built-in email validation to prevent bounces
- Strong deliverability performance
- Advanced sender reputation monitoring tools
- Multi-tier support system (chat, tickets, phone for premium plans)
- Enterprise-grade scalability
SendGrid's Limitations
- Manual ISP feedback loop management (competitors often automate this process)
- Limited email history retention (3 days standard, extended history requires paid add-ons)
- Dependency on additional Twilio services for SMS, chat, and push notifications
- Separate pricing structure for marketing campaigns based on contact list size
- Drag-and-drop editor only available with marketing plan upgrades
- No integrated CRM functionality
SendGrid pricing
SendGrid provides a permanent free tier limited to 100 transactional emails daily. Their paid transactional plans begin at $19.95 monthly. For users requiring dedicated IP addresses, the Pro plan starts at $89.95/month. Marketing campaigns operate under separate pricing: a free tier (2,000 contacts, 6,000 monthly emails) with paid plans starting at $15/month.
The best SendGrid alternatives compared
Below is a detailed analysis of pricing and core features across leading transactional email platforms.
| SendGrid/Alternative | Free | Plans start at | Email editor | Transactional sending options | Email marketing campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SendGrid | Up to 100 emails/day forever | $19.95/50,000 emails/mo | HTML or Drag and drop builder on email marketing plan | API / SMTP | Separate pricing |
| SelfMailKit | Up to 5,000 emails/month forever | $16/10,000 emails/mo | Notion-like editor, HTML/CSS, Drag and drop | API / SMTP / Native inbox | All email types included for same price |
| Brevo | Up to 300 emails/day forever | $9/5,000 emails/mo | Drag and drop, HTML, templates available | API / SMTP / Plugins / marketing automation | Marketing + transactional emails for $9/mo |
| Mailchimp Transactional Email (formerly Mandrill) | 500 emails one time | $20/25,000 emails/mo | HTML or import Mailchimp templates | API / SMTP | Separate plan on Mailchimp |
| Mailgun | 5,000 emails for 1 month | $15/10,000 emails/mo | HTML or use Mailjet's drag and drop editor | API / SMTP | Separate plan on Mailjet |
| Postmark | Up to 100 emails/day forever | $15/10,000 emails/mo | Code, premade email templates | API / SMTP | No |
The information in this section was last updated on June 14, 2025.
4 Best SendGrid alternatives
1. SelfMailKit - The unified email solution
SelfMailKit emerges as the most comprehensive SendGrid alternative, combining transactional email capabilities with advanced marketing features under a single, transparent pricing model. With a generous free tier of 5,000 monthly emails, it offers exceptional value for businesses of all sizes.
What makes SelfMailKit unique:
- Complete email ecosystem: Handle transactional messages, marketing campaigns, newsletters, and automated sequences from one platform
- Revolutionary inbox integration: Built-in email inbox for managing replies and conversations directly within the platform
- Seamless ecommerce connectivity: Pre-built integrations for major platforms
- Comprehensive logging: Unlimited email history and detailed analytics
- No-code email creation: Intuitive design tools and professional templates
- Advanced personalization: Dynamic content capabilities for targeted messaging
- Inclusive support: Customer assistance included at no additional charge
SelfMailKit represents the ideal solution for businesses seeking a unified email platform that eliminates the complexity of managing separate tools for different email types.
Discover more about what makes SelfMailKit unique in our detailed analysis: Why SelfMailKit.com is different. For specific pricing comparisons, see our SelfMailKit Cloud pricing analysis.
Technical integration capabilities
SelfMailKit provides robust API and SMTP services for seamless integration with existing applications. The platform supports comprehensive webhook configurations and automated triggers for event-based email delivery. Major ecommerce platforms can connect effortlessly through pre-built integrations.
Performance monitoring is built into the core platform, offering detailed analytics across all email metrics. Unlike many competitors, SelfMailKit maintains complete email history without additional charges, providing full visibility into every message sent.
Infrastructure and deliverability
Built on AWS SES foundation, SelfMailKit ensures enterprise-level email deliverability. The platform includes automated domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and intelligent sender reputation management to maximize inbox placement rates.
Automated bounce and complaint handling maintains optimal sending reputation without manual intervention.
Unified platform approach
Beyond transactional email delivery, SelfMailKit functions as a comprehensive email marketing suite. The platform's flexible pricing allows users to start with essential features and scale up as needed, ensuring cost-effectiveness at every growth stage.
Whether sending individual transactional messages or bulk marketing campaigns, everything operates through the same interface and pricing structure.
Unique inbox integration
SelfMailKit's standout feature is its integrated email inbox, allowing users to send, receive, and respond to emails within the same dashboard. This eliminates the need for external email clients and creates a streamlined communication workflow.
Accessibility for all skill levels
The platform bridges the gap between technical complexity and user-friendliness. Non-technical users can leverage the Notion-style editor and drag-and-drop builder to create professional emails without coding knowledge.
Dynamic content insertion and personalization become straightforward through intuitive interface elements. Marketing automation workflows can be constructed visually, removing technical barriers to sophisticated email strategies.
Transparent pricing model
SelfMailKit's free tier includes full API and SMTP access with 5,000 monthly emails. Paid plans start at $16/month for 10,000 emails, including all platform features: automation tools, template library, analytics dashboard, native inbox, and unlimited daily sending.
The unified pricing structure covers all email types, providing exceptional value compared to platforms requiring separate plans for different email categories.
2. Mailgun - Developer-focused email infrastructure
Mailgun positions itself as a technical SendGrid competitor, emphasizing API-first architecture for developers and B2B applications. The platform frequently serves as white-label infrastructure for other email services, offering advanced deliverability tools, inbox placement optimization, email verification services, and transactional SMS capabilities.
For non-technical users, Mailgun can present challenges due to its developer-centric approach. Email sending typically requires programming integration rather than direct platform access. However, through its acquisition of Mailjet, users can access drag-and-drop email creation tools for both transactional and marketing messages.
Key considerations: Email log retention varies significantly by plan - Basic plan retains logs for 1 day, Foundation plan for 5 days, and Scale plan for 30 days.
Mailgun pricing structure
Mailgun provides a one-month trial with 100 daily emails. The Basic plan costs $15/month for 10,000 emails. Dedicated IP addresses require the Foundation plan ($35/month minimum). Email validation services cost $1.20 per 100 validations as an add-on feature.
3. Postmark - Transactional email specialist
Postmark focuses exclusively on transactional email delivery, making it an ideal SendGrid alternative for applications, SaaS platforms, and technical teams. The platform emphasizes reliability and superior customer support, offering detailed reporting capabilities and 45-day log retention as standard features.
However, Postmark's specialization comes with limitations. The platform lacks comprehensive marketing campaign tools, contact management features, and user-friendly design interfaces. Email creation relies on pre-built transactional templates or their open-source MailMaison CSS toolkit.
Postmark pricing model
Postmark charges $15 monthly for 10,000 emails, with additional blocks of 1,000 emails available at $1.80 each. Dedicated IP addresses cost $50/month. Custom log retention periods can be added to any paid plan, with pricing dependent on the base email plan selected.
4. Brevo - Multi-channel marketing platform
Brevo operates as a comprehensive communication platform, extending beyond transactional email to include marketing campaigns, SMS messaging, WhatsApp integration, and CRM functionality. This multi-channel approach makes it attractive for businesses seeking consolidated communication tools.
The platform combines email marketing capabilities with transactional delivery, offering marketing automation workflows, contact segmentation, landing page creation, and GDPR compliance features. Their drag-and-drop email builder and template library cater to non-technical users.
Brevo's strength lies in its integrated approach - users can manage transactional emails, marketing campaigns, and customer relationships within a single platform, eliminating the need for multiple service providers.
Brevo pricing approach
Brevo provides a substantial free tier with 300 daily emails. Paid plans begin at $9/month for 5,000 emails, covering both transactional and marketing email needs. SMS messaging operates on a prepaid credit system at $0.0109 per credit.
SendGrid alternatives: FAQs
Which companies compete directly with SendGrid?
The email service landscape includes various competitors targeting different market segments. Direct competitors include specialized email delivery providers like Amazon SES, Postmark, and Mailgun, alongside comprehensive marketing platforms such as SelfMailKit, Brevo, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and HubSpot.
What restrictions does SendGrid impose?
While SendGrid provides reliable email delivery, users encounter several constraints. The platform enforces email size and attachment limitations, and the free tier restricts users to 100 daily emails. Additional limitations include separate pricing for marketing features and limited email history retention.
What advantages does SendGrid offer over basic SMTP?
SendGrid builds upon SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) foundations by providing enhanced infrastructure for superior deliverability rates. The platform handles high-volume email processing without performance degradation and includes advanced features like template management, comprehensive tracking, detailed analytics, and marketing automation capabilities that basic SMTP lacks.
Is cold email outreach permitted through SendGrid?
While technically possible, cold email campaigns violate SendGrid's terms of service. The platform requires explicit recipient consent for all email communications. Organizations focused on cold outreach should consider specialized platforms designed specifically for prospecting activities rather than transactional email services.
Choosing a SendGrid alternative
Each SendGrid alternative provides core transactional email capabilities, but the optimal choice depends on your specific requirements and growth plans. Consider factors like pricing transparency, feature integration, technical complexity, and long-term scalability when evaluating options.
For businesses seeking the best value and comprehensive functionality, testing multiple platforms through their free tiers offers valuable insights into usability and feature alignment with your needs.
Ready to get started with email marketing? Learn how to send your first broadcast email with our comprehensive step-by-step guide. And don't forget to follow our email delivery best practices to ensure your messages reach the inbox every time.