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SendGrid vs Mailgun (2024 Comparison)

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Author

Anastasia Belyh

Last Update

Nov 07, 2024

We earn a commission from partner links on Keevee. Commissions do not affect our editor's opinions or evaluations.

Excellent Value For Price
4.3

0

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SendGrid

SendGrid offers a user-friendly platform with comprehensive email tracking and a wide range of integrations. It's ideal for businesses looking to optimize their email strategy and engage their audience effectively.

  • Comprehensive email tracking features.
  • User-friendly interface for beginners.
  • Wide range of integrations available.
  • Limited customization for advanced users.
  • Occasional delays in email delivery.

Free plan?

Yes

Starting price

$15 per month
Good Value For Price
4.1

0

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Mailgun

Mailgun provides advanced email automation and robust API integration, making it a preferred choice for developers. Its excellent email validation tools ensure accurate and efficient email delivery.

  • Advanced email automation capabilities.
  • Robust API for seamless integration.
  • Excellent email validation tools.
  • Steeper learning curve for non-developers.
  • Limited customer support options.

Free plan?

Yes

Starting price

$15 per month

What is SendGrid?

SendGrid is a cloud-based email delivery service that helps businesses send transactional and marketing emails. It offers a robust API, allowing seamless integration with your applications. With features like email tracking, analytics, and templates, SendGrid ensures your emails reach the inbox and engage your audience effectively. Whether you're a startup or a large enterprise, SendGrid's scalable infrastructure supports your email needs, ensuring reliable delivery and insightful analytics to optimize your email strategy.

What is Mailgun?

Mailgun is a powerful email automation service designed for developers. It provides a reliable platform for sending, receiving, and tracking emails effortlessly. With its robust API, Mailgun allows you to integrate email capabilities into your applications seamlessly. It offers features like email validation, analytics, and detailed logs, ensuring your emails are delivered accurately and efficiently. Whether you're managing newsletters or transactional emails, Mailgun's flexible infrastructure supports your email operations, making it a preferred choice for developers and businesses alike.

Pros and Cons of SendGrid vs Mailgun

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Pros & Cons of SendGrid

Comprehensive email tracking features
  • SendGrid offers detailed email tracking capabilities, allowing you to monitor open rates, click-through rates, and more. This feature is invaluable for optimizing your email campaigns and understanding your audience's behavior.
User-friendly interface for beginners
  • SendGrid's intuitive design makes it easy for users to navigate and manage their email campaigns. Its user-friendly interface is ideal for beginners and experienced users alike.
Wide range of integrations available
  • SendGrid offers a wide range of integrations with popular platforms, making it easy to connect with your existing tools. Its extensive integration library is ideal for businesses looking to streamline their workflows.
Limited customization for advanced users
  • While SendGrid offers a range of features, some advanced users may find its customization options limited. This can be a drawback for businesses looking for highly tailored email solutions.
Occasional delays in email delivery
  • Some users have reported occasional delays in email delivery with SendGrid. This can be a concern for businesses relying on timely email communications.
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Pros & Cons of Mailgun

Advanced email automation capabilities
  • Mailgun offers robust email automation tools, allowing developers to create complex email workflows. This feature is ideal for businesses looking to streamline their email operations.
Robust API for seamless integration
  • Mailgun's API is powerful and well-documented, making it easy for developers to integrate email functionalities into their applications. Its robust API is ideal for tech-savvy users.
Excellent email validation tools
  • Mailgun excels in email validation, offering tools to verify email addresses and reduce bounce rates. This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to maintain a clean email list.
Steeper learning curve for non-developers
  • Mailgun's developer-centric approach may require a steeper learning curve for non-technical users. This can be a drawback for businesses without dedicated technical resources.
Limited customer support options
  • Mailgun offers limited customer support options, which can be a concern for businesses needing assistance with their email operations. This can be a drawback for users seeking comprehensive support.

SendGrid vs Mailgun: At A Glance

Decision FactorSendGridMailgun
Value to Price
Good4.2
Good4.0
Ease of Use
Excellent4.3
Good4.1
Functionality
Excellent4.4
Good4.2
Scalability
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.3
Integrations
Excellent4.3
Good4.1
Customer Support
Good4.2
Good4.0
Security
Excellent4.4
Good4.2
Overall Rating
Excellent4.3
Good4.1

Value to Price

SendGrid offers a comprehensive suite of features at a competitive price, making it a great value for businesses of all sizes. Its robust API and analytics tools provide excellent value for money. Mailgun, while slightly more affordable, offers a more developer-centric approach, which might be more suitable for tech-savvy users. If you're looking for a balance between cost and features, SendGrid might be the better choice.

Ease of Use

SendGrid is known for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and manage their email campaigns. Its intuitive design is ideal for beginners and experienced users alike. Mailgun, on the other hand, is more developer-focused, which might require a steeper learning curve for non-technical users. If ease of use is a priority, SendGrid is likely the better option.

Functionality

SendGrid excels in functionality, offering a wide range of features such as email tracking, analytics, and templates. Its comprehensive toolset is ideal for businesses looking to optimize their email strategy. Mailgun also offers robust functionality, particularly for developers who need advanced email automation capabilities. If you're seeking a feature-rich platform, SendGrid might be the better fit.

Scalability

SendGrid's scalable infrastructure supports businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. Its ability to handle high volumes of emails makes it a reliable choice for growing businesses. Mailgun also offers scalability, particularly for developers managing large-scale email operations. If scalability is a key consideration, SendGrid might be the more suitable option.

Integrations

SendGrid offers a wide range of integrations with popular platforms, making it easy to connect with your existing tools. Its extensive integration library is ideal for businesses looking to streamline their workflows. Mailgun also provides integrations, but its focus is more on developer-centric tools. If you're looking for a platform with extensive integrations, SendGrid might be the better choice.

Customer Support

SendGrid provides excellent customer support, with a range of resources and support options available to users. Its responsive support team is ideal for businesses needing assistance with their email operations. Mailgun also offers customer support, but its focus is more on developer-centric resources. If customer support is a priority, SendGrid might be the better option.

Security

SendGrid prioritizes security, offering features such as two-factor authentication and encryption to protect your email data. Its robust security measures are ideal for businesses handling sensitive information. Mailgun also provides security features, but its focus is more on developer-centric security tools. If security is a key consideration, SendGrid might be the more suitable choice.

Overall Rating

SendGrid receives a higher overall rating due to its comprehensive features, ease of use, and excellent customer support. It's a versatile platform suitable for businesses of all sizes. Mailgun, while slightly lower in overall rating, is a strong choice for developers seeking advanced email automation capabilities. If you're looking for a well-rounded email platform, SendGrid might be the better option.

SendGrid vs Mailgun: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features

FeaturesSendGridMailgun
Email Tracking
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.3
API Integration
Excellent4.4
Excellent4.5
Email Templates
Excellent4.3
Good4.1
Analytics
Excellent4.4
Good4.2
Email Validation
Good4.2
Excellent4.4
Deliverability
Excellent4.5
Excellent4.3

Email Tracking

SendGrid offers robust email tracking capabilities, allowing you to monitor open rates, click-through rates, and more. This feature is invaluable for optimizing your email campaigns and understanding your audience's behavior. Mailgun also provides email tracking, but its focus is more on developer-centric metrics. If you're looking for comprehensive email tracking, SendGrid might be the better choice.

API Integration

Both SendGrid and Mailgun offer powerful API integration capabilities, allowing you to seamlessly integrate email functionalities into your applications. SendGrid's API is user-friendly and well-documented, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels. Mailgun's API is also robust, with a focus on advanced email automation. If you're a developer seeking advanced API integration, Mailgun might be the better fit.

Email Templates

SendGrid provides a wide range of customizable email templates, making it easy to create professional-looking emails without the need for design skills. Its intuitive template editor is ideal for businesses looking to streamline their email design process. Mailgun also offers email templates, but its focus is more on developer-centric customization. If you're looking for user-friendly email templates, SendGrid might be the better choice.

Analytics

SendGrid offers comprehensive analytics tools, allowing you to gain insights into your email performance and optimize your campaigns. Its detailed reports are ideal for businesses looking to make data-driven decisions. Mailgun also provides analytics, but its focus is more on developer-centric metrics. If you're looking for in-depth analytics, SendGrid might be the better option.

Email Validation

Mailgun excels in email validation, offering tools to verify email addresses and reduce bounce rates. This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to maintain a clean email list. SendGrid also offers email validation, but its focus is more on overall email deliverability. If email validation is a priority, Mailgun might be the better choice.

Deliverability

SendGrid is known for its high deliverability rates, ensuring your emails reach the inbox and engage your audience effectively. Its deliverability tools are ideal for businesses looking to optimize their email strategy. Mailgun also offers strong deliverability, particularly for developers managing large-scale email operations. If deliverability is a key consideration, SendGrid might be the more suitable option.

Pricing Comparison of SendGrid and Mailgun

To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of SendGrid and Mailgun. This comparison will highlight the best option for managing your email communications.

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SendGrid Pricing Plans

Free
For Individuals
$0

per month

Get Startedright_arrow
Free includes:
  • No access to dedicated IPs, suitable for small-scale needs.
  • Basic subuser management for limited team collaboration.
  • Single sign-on (SSO) not included, ideal for individual use.
  • 1 additional teammate and 1 event webhook for basic integration.
Essentials
For Small Businesses
$19.95

per month

Try For Freeright_arrow
Includes Free, plus:
  • Enhanced subuser management for better team collaboration.
  • Single sign-on (SSO) for secure access management.
  • 2 event webhooks for advanced integration capabilities.
  • Email validation services to ensure email list accuracy.
Pro
For Large Enterprises
$89.95

per month

Try For Freeright_arrow
Includes Essentials, plus:
  • 5 event webhooks for comprehensive integration options.
  • 2,500 email validations included for maintaining list hygiene.
  • Dynamic templates with editor and testing for personalized emails.
  • 1,000 additional teammates for extensive team collaboration.
Premier
For High-Volume Senders
Contact sales
Request Pricingright_arrow
Includes Pro, plus:
  • 5,000 email validations included for extensive list management.
  • Guaranteed response times on ticket, chat, and phone support.
  • Access to expert services for personalized email program management.
  • Comprehensive subuser management for large teams.
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Mailgun Pricing Plans

Free
For Testing and Trials
$0

per month

Get Startedright_arrow
Free plan includes:
  • Access to RESTful email APIs and SMTP relay.
  • Includes 1 custom sending domain for branding.
  • Provides tracking, analytics, and webhooks.
  • 1 day log retention for email activities.
Basic
For Small Businesses
$15

per month

Try For Freeright_arrow
Includes Free, plus:
  • Monthly email overage options for flexibility.
  • 5 inbound routes for better email management.
  • 1 day log retention for tracking email activities.
  • Email analytics and reporting for insights.
Foundation
For Growing Businesses
$35

per month

Try For Freeright_arrow
Includes Basic, plus:
  • 1,000 custom sending domains for extensive branding.
  • Email template builder and API for customization.
  • 5 days log retention for detailed tracking.
  • Full access to inbound routing for email management.
Scale
For Large Enterprises
$90

per month

Try For Freeright_arrow
Includes Foundation, plus:
  • SAML SSO for enhanced security and access control.
  • Dedicated IP pools for improved deliverability.
  • 30 days log retention for comprehensive tracking.
  • Live phone and chat support for immediate assistance.

Our Rating Methodology

We rigorously evaluate each email service provider, focusing on key factors like functionality, scalability, and customer support. By analyzing user reviews and testing features, we ensure our recommendations fit your needs. Each factor is weighted to deliver a reliable final rating, helping you make informed decisions.

Decision FactorScoring Weight
Value to Price
20%
20%
Ease of Use
20%
15%
Functionality
20%
25%
Scalability
20%
15%
Integrations
20%
10%
Customer Support
20%
10%
Security
20%
5%

SendGrid or Mailgun: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?

Choose SendGrid If You Need ...

  • User-friendly email platform

    If you are a beginner or small business owner looking for an easy-to-use email platform, SendGrid's intuitive interface and comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for managing your email communications.

  • Comprehensive email tracking

    If you need detailed insights into your email performance, SendGrid's robust email tracking capabilities provide valuable data to optimize your campaigns and engage your audience effectively.

Choose Mailgun If You Need ...

  • Advanced email automation

    If you are a developer seeking advanced email automation capabilities, Mailgun's powerful API and automation tools make it a preferred choice for creating complex email workflows.

  • Excellent email validation

    If you need to maintain a clean email list, Mailgun's excellent email validation tools help verify email addresses and reduce bounce rates, ensuring accurate and efficient email delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Author

Anastasia Belyh

Anastasia Belyh is a senior tech writer with over 15 years of experience in marketing, sales, and business software. Having worked in investment banking, management consulting, and founded multiple companies, her in-depth knowledge and hands-on expertise make her software reviews authoritative, trustworthy, and highly practical for business decision-makers.