Alternatives
If you’ve ever struggled with deliverability issues, API complexity, or support delays, you’re not alone. The good news? There are powerful, developer-friendly SendGrid alternatives that deliver high performance without the friction.
This guide provides an unbiased, hands-on comparison of the best alternatives to SendGrid, including detailed pricing, pros and cons, and real user feedback. Each platform was tested by a real reviewer using developer accounts, APIs, and live test sends – so what you see here reflects real-world experience.
To determine the best alternatives to SendGrid, we evaluated each platform using a structured review process. Our reviewers created accounts, integrated APIs, and performed real-world deliverability tests with sample campaigns.
Evaluation criteria included:
Our goal was to simulate the real experience of a developer migrating from SendGrid to another platform.
Below, you’ll find our curated list of the top SendGrid alternatives based on real testing, user feedback, and API-level evaluation. Each platform includes pricing info, standout features, pros and cons, and who it’s best for.
G2: 4.2 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.3 ⭐
Mailgun is a developer-first email delivery platform designed for teams that prioritize reliability, scalability, and data-rich analytics. It’s known for high inbox placement and flexible APIs, making it an excellent fit for software teams managing transactional or product-triggered email at scale.
Pricing overview:
| Plan | Monthly cost | Email limit | Key features |
| Free | $0 | 100 emails/day | SMTP & API access, basic logs |
| Foundation | $35 | 50,000 emails | Full API suite, analytics, 5-day logs |
| Scale | $90 | 100,000 emails | Dedicated IPs, 30-day logs, premium support |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | SLA-backed deliverability, monitoring |
Standout features:
Primary use cases:
Pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Robust deliverability controls | More technical setup required |
| Deep analytics and API coverage | Limited marketing features |
| Great developer documentation | Dedicated IPs on higher tiers |
User feedback:
“Mailgun is a powerhouse that has never failed us. It packs all the great features and has been very helpful.” – G2 (4.2 ⭐, 450+ reviews)
“If your team is comfortable with APIs and you need granular control over routing, suppression, and analytics, Mailgun delivers.” – Capterra
Best for:
Developers and tech-savvy teams that want full control of email infrastructure without the complexity of managing their own SMTP servers.
G2: 4.6 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.8 ⭐
Postmark is beloved by developers for its speed, simplicity, and transparency. It focuses exclusively on transactional email – no marketing tools or upsells, just straightforward delivery.
Pricing overview:
| Plan | Monthly cost | Emails | Key features |
| Basic | $15 | 10,000 | API & SMTP, 45-day logs |
| Pro | $60 | 50,000 | 10 signature domains, tracking APIs |
| Platform | $138 | 125,000 | Unlimited streams, webhooks, priority support |
Standout features:
Use cases:
Pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent deliverability | No template builder |
| Fast setup and API integration | Limited analytics dashboards |
| Transparent pricing | Smaller free tier Limited user seating Inbound routing locked behind pro tier |
User feedback:
“One of the best in the Industry for transactional email.” – G2
Best for:
Developers and product teams focused on reliable transactional email without marketing bloat.
G2: 4.3 ⭐ | Capterra: 4.7 ⭐
Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is a highly scalable, low-cost option ideal for developers who want total flexibility and AWS-level reliability – though setup can be complex.
Pricing overview:
| Feature | Cost |
| Email sending | $0.10 per 1,000 emails |
| Attachments | $0.12/GB |
| Dedicated IP | $24.95/month |
| Free Tier | 3,000/month (first year) |
Standout features:
Use cases:
Pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| Ultra-low cost at scale | Complex AWS setup |
| Reliable infrastructure | Limited native analytics |
| Developer flexibility | Ticket-based support only |
User feedback:
“Amazon SES is an excellent choice for businesses that need reliable, scalable, and affordable email sending, but it’s best suited for developers or teams comfortable with AWS configurations.” – Capterra
Best for:
Engineering teams who want to control every layer of their email infrastructure with minimal costs.
Switching from SendGrid to a new provider might feel daunting – but with the right process, you can migrate safely without disrupting deliverability or losing valuable data.
This section outlines a step-by-step migration checklist tested by developers who’ve made the switch.
Before you move, document everything that affects your email flow.
Use SendGrid’s Email Activity Feed to identify your top-sending IPs and most active endpoints.
When choosing your new platform, consider:
If you’re a developer managing transactional email, Mailgun is often the simplest drop-in replacement – you can replicate most SendGrid API calls with minimal code changes.
Proper authentication ensures high deliverability and a trusted sender reputation.
Set up:
Most ESPs, including Mailgun, provide guided DNS setup with copy-paste instructions and validation checks.
Dedicated IPs need time to earn trust. Start with low volumes and gradually ramp based on performance; deliverability relies on consistency and quality rather than speed.
Conservative 30-day ramp (per IP):
Rule of thumb: Never more than 2× your last clean volume.
IPs don’t retain warmth indefinitely. Sender reputation depends on recent behavior. Start with your most essential traffic or highest-engagement recipients. Scale faster only if signals stay clean (low deferrals, bounces, complaints). Scaling email isn’t like scaling API calls – mailbox providers gate acceptance by reputation, not throughput.
Before flipping the switch, test everything in a staging environment:
Once live, monitor for:
After confirming that all mail flows are stable and deliverability is consistent, you can safely:
Many teams choose a staged migration, where both SendGrid and the new ESP run in parallel for 1–2 weeks. This minimizes downtime and allows A/B testing of inbox performance across providers.
Many teams choose a staged migration, where both SendGrid and the new ESP run in parallel for 1–2 weeks. This minimizes downtime and allows A/B testing of inbox performance across providers.
The best SendGrid alternative depends on your use case. For developers and technical teams, Mailgun offers the best combination of powerful APIs, deliverability tools, and transparent pricing. For simpler transactional sending, Postmark and Amazon SES are also excellent choices.
Users often seek alternatives to SendGrid because of deliverability issues, inconsistent billing, or limited support for complex technical setups. Some also prefer platforms with more transparent pricing, easier API onboarding, or faster human support for developers.
Several ESPs offer free SendGrid alternatives with limited monthly sending:
These free tiers are great for testing and smaller transactional workloads.
Mailgun and Postmark consistently achieve high inbox placement rates in independent testing. Mailgun provides enterprise-grade monitoring tools for long-term deliverability optimization, while Postmark excels at transactional-only sending.
For developers, yes – Mailgun is often preferred over SendGrid because it offers cleaner APIs, advanced deliverability tracking, and flexible pricing. Mailgun’s interface is more developer-oriented, while SendGrid leans toward marketing features.
Migrating from SendGrid involves seven main steps:
(See the detailed migration guide above for best practices.)
Yes. If you need an EU-based SendGrid alternative, consider:
For developers who prefer open-source, Postal, MailHog, and Mailtrain are leading options. They require more setup and hosting but give full control over data and sending behavior.
When choosing a SendGrid replacement, evaluate:
Mailgun typically ranks best for developers, while Postmark is ideal for reliability, and Brevo or Mailchimp fit marketing teams.
Finding the right SendGrid alternative isn’t about replacing features one-for-one – it’s about finding an email platform that fits your technical workflow, growth needs, and support expectations.
If your team values deliverability transparency, developer-first APIs, and scalable pricing, Mailgun remains the best overall choice. It’s built for technical users who want reliability and control – without needing to build or maintain their own email infrastructure.
Whatever your priority – performance, compliance, price, or simplicity – there’s a SendGrid alternative that fits your stack.
Ready to send smarter?
Join the thousands of developers who trust Mailgun by Sinch for their transactional and product email infrastructure.
