15 Best Sendgrid Alternatives for Transactional Email 2024

Best Sendgrid Alternatives

SendGrid has long been a go-to platform for email communication, popular for its dependable email delivery services and easy-to-use interface.

Many businesses have relied on it for their marketing emails, transactional messages, and ongoing customer engagement efforts. However, it may not be the perfect fit for everyone.

Whether you’re looking for more specific features, a different pricing model, or simply curious about other options, there are several alternatives that might better meet your unique needs.

In this guide we'll explore some of the best SendGrid alternatives, each with standout features to elevate your email marketing and communication strategies.

Let's take a closer look at these alternatives so you can find the right solution for your goals.

What is Sendgrid?

SendGrid is a popular email service provider known for helping businesses connect with their customers through email. It offers a simple way to send marketing emails, transactional messages, and automated notifications, all in one place.

Businesses often choose SendGrid for its reliable delivery rates and tools that make managing email campaigns straightforward. Users can send newsletters, promotions, or essential updates to large audiences without worrying about their emails getting lost in the inbox.

With easy-to-use analytics, SendGrid also lets users track how their emails perform. You can see who opens, clicks, or interacts with your messages, which helps in understanding what works best for your audience.

While it’s a powerful tool, some users may find that other platforms better fit their unique needs, leading many to explore SendGrid alternatives that offer different features or pricing options.

Why Should You Look for a SendGrid Alternative?

While SendGrid has been a trusted email delivery service provider for many, it might not suit everyone’s needs. Let’s go over some common reasons why businesses consider other options.

1. Limited Email History

With SendGrid, you only get a brief history of your emails. For transactional messages, only three days of records are available, while a 30-day email activity history comes as a paid add-on. Some businesses need longer-term data access for tracking patterns or analyzing user engagement over time.

2. Extra Costs for Email Marketing Features

If you want to run both transactional and marketing emails, SendGrid requires an additional email marketing plan. This can be an unexpected expense, especially for small businesses or those just starting out. On top of that, the costs increase based on the size of your contact list, which can make scaling your email efforts pricier.

3. Lack of Built-In Marketing Tools

SendGrid focuses on email delivery, so you may need extra tools for other marketing channels like chat, SMS, or push notifications. These are available through Twilio add-ons but require separate accounts and fees, which might not be ideal for businesses wanting an all-in-one platform.

4. No Built-In CRM

For businesses looking to keep track of customer interactions, SendGrid doesn’t include customer relationship management (CRM) features. This means you may need to integrate it with a separate CRM tool, which adds complexity and potential extra costs if you’re aiming to manage all customer interactions from one place.

5. Basic Drag-and-Drop Editor

If you prefer a drag-and-drop email editor for designing your marketing emails, SendGrid’s basic package won’t include it. To access this editor, you’ll need to upgrade to a separate email marketing plan, which may not be ideal for those who want a simpler setup for customizing email templates without coding.

Best Sendgrid Alternatives

Choosing the right transactional email service provider can make a big difference in your email strategy. Here are the best SendGrid alternatives to consider for enhanced features and flexibility.

1. Venturz

Venturz is an all-in-one marketing platform tailored to help businesses maximize their reach through comprehensive marketing and transactional emails. Designed as a top SendGrid alternative, Venturz stands out with its unique combination of email validation, SMS campaigns, social media marketing, and deep customer insights. It supports both bulk emails and high-level marketing automation, making it an adaptable choice for growing businesses.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Integrated email validation to ensure lists stay clean and improve deliverability

  • SMS and social media campaign capabilities for a complete outreach approach

  • Advanced marketing automation to streamline personalized campaigns

  • Contact management and segmentation for targeted messaging

  • Built-in landing pages and a drag-and-drop email editor for customized designs

  • In-depth analytics that provide deep customer insights on engagement

  • Scalable options for marketing and transactional emails in one unified platform

Pricing:

  • Free Plan: Available all the tools.

  • Custom Pricing: Tailored for businesses exceeding standard credit limits

2. Mailgun

Mailgun is a transactional email provider known for its reliable email delivery service and developer-friendly API, making it a great choice for companies needing precision in email sending. Focused on deliverability and flexibility, Mailgun suits users who want detailed email analytics, customized sending domains, and scalable options for bulk sending.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • RESTful email API for easy integration

  • Email validation to reduce invalid email addresses

  • SMTP relay and detailed analytics for tracking

  • Dedicated IP addresses for consistent sender reputation

  • 24/7 ticket support and chat (phone support on higher plans)

Pricing:

  • Free: 100 emails/day

  • Basic: Starts at $15/month (10,000 emails/month)

  • Foundation: $35/month after a free trial (50,000 emails/month)

  • Scale: $90/month after a free trial (100,000 emails/month)

3. Sendinblue (Brevo)

Sendinblue, now branded as Brevo, combines email marketing and transactional email services in one platform, making it an efficient tool for marketing campaigns and automation. Its simplicity and robust drag-and-drop editor make it ideal for small and growing businesses looking for marketing automation without complexity.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Marketing automation with advanced A/B testing

  • Predictive sending for optimal inbox timing

  • Support for SMS and WhatsApp campaigns

  • Multi-user access and detailed analytics

  • Real-time phone support on higher plans

Pricing:

  • Free: 300 emails/day

  • Starter: Starts at $8.08/month (5,000 emails/month)

  • Business: Starts at $16.17/month

  • Enterprise: Custom pricing with tailored support and unlimited contacts

4. Constant Contact

Constant Contact is a well-known email marketing service provider that simplifies the creation and tracking of email campaigns. It’s an ideal solution for small businesses, combining a straightforward drag-and-drop email editor with social media marketing tools and eCommerce features.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor with customizable email templates

  • Social media and SMS marketing tools for multichannel campaigns

  • Marketing automation, including resend options for unopened emails

  • Advanced contact management and segmentation tools

  • Dedicated support with resources for small business growth

Pricing:

  • Lite: Starting at $12/month

  • Standard: Starting at $35/month

  • Premium: Starting at $80/month

5. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is a versatile platform offering robust marketing automation paired with CRM capabilities. It’s a strong competitor to SendGrid, especially for businesses that need advanced segmentation and multichannel automation across email, SMS, and more.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Dynamic marketing automation with advanced segmentation and predictive sending

  • Integrates CRM and sales automation tools for end-to-end customer management

  • A/B testing for emails and automations to optimize engagement

  • 900+ automation recipes, suitable for beginners and advanced users alike

  • Dedicated support and extensive integrations with eCommerce platforms

Pricing

  • Starter: Starting at $15/month

  • Plus: Starting at $49/month

  • Pro: Starting at $79/month

  • Enterprise: Starting at $145/month

6. Mailchimp Transactional Email (Mandrill)

Mailchimp's transactional email platform, known as Mandrill, is tailored for developers who need efficient email delivery for transactional purposes. With flexible API options, it’s ideal for customizing emails that need to reach inboxes reliably and on time, making it a robust choice for eCommerce businesses and automated notifications.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Easy API integration with in-depth analytics and real-time reports

  • Flexible, scalable pricing for varying email volumes

  • Dedicated IP available for improved deliverability

  • Strong infrastructure with SPAM loop registration and optimized IP warming

Pricing:

  • $20/block (25,000 emails/block), with lower rates per block for higher volumes

7. Postmark

Postmark is a transactional email service provider that prioritizes speed and deliverability, ensuring that emails arrive within seconds. Known for its focus on reliability, Postmark is favored by teams who need a quick, reliable email delivery solution without the added frills of email marketing automation.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Faster inbox placement for immediate transactional emails

  • Pay-as-you-go pricing model, optimized for growing businesses

  • Real-time analytics to monitor deliverability and engagement

  • Developer-friendly with comprehensive API documentation and SMTP relay

Pricing:

  • $1.50 per 1,000 emails for up to 200,000 emails, with discounts available for higher volumes

8. Amazon SES

Amazon SES (Simple Email Service) is a scalable, pay-as-you-go email delivery platform designed for businesses of all sizes. With robust deliverability tools, SES is ideal for sending both marketing email campaigns and transactional messages, making it a dependable choice for businesses looking to manage high-volume email needs.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Flexible pay-as-you-go model without minimum fees

  • Detailed deliverability insights and tools, including Virtual Deliverability Manager

  • Option for dedicated IPs to improve sender reputation

  • Seamless integration with AWS services for an all-in-one marketing setup

  • Comprehensive support for email API and SMTP relay for reliable email delivery

Pricing:

  • Outbound and inbound emails: $0.10 per 1,000 emails

  • Dedicated IPs: $24.95/month per IP

9. SparkPost

SparkPost offers a powerful email delivery platform with advanced analytics and real-time insights, making it popular among developers and marketing teams alike. With flexible pricing and reliable email deliverability, SparkPost is a robust option for managing both marketing emails and transactional messages.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Real-time analytics and deliverability tools to optimize performance

  • Flexible API and SMTP server for easy integration

  • Option for both dedicated and shared IPs to manage sender reputation

  • Developer-focused resources, including extensive documentation and support

  • Free account available for testing, making it easy to get started

Pricing:

  • Free: 500 emails/month

  • Basic: $20/month for 50,000 emails

  • Advanced: $30/month for 100,000 emails

10. Moosend

Moosend is an accessible email marketing and automation platform suitable for teams looking to engage customers through personalized email marketing campaigns. It offers robust automation and segmentation options, making it ideal for delivering targeted marketing messages with ease.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Intuitive email marketing automation and segmentation tools

  • Drag-and-drop editor for creating dynamic email campaigns without coding

  • Built-in landing page and SMTP server options

  • In-depth analytics for tracking email deliverability and engagement

  • 24/7 customer support for timely assistance

Pricing

  • Free: 30-day trial

  • Paid Plans: Starting at $9/month

11. Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail is a secure email service provider that combines email hosting with productivity tools, making it a practical choice for small and medium-sized teams. With a focus on email deliverability and user privacy, Zoho Mail integrates seamlessly with Zoho's suite, offering efficient solutions for email management.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Custom email hosting with options for multiple domains

  • IMAP/POP and SMTP server support for all major email clients

  • Email deliverability tools for smooth email sending and spam management

  • Integration with Zoho's productivity apps for comprehensive workflow management

  • Reliable customer support and spam filtering for enhanced security

Pricing:

  • Mail Lite: $1/user/month

  • Mail Premium: $4/user/month

12. Mailjet

Mailjet provides a robust platform for managing both email marketing campaigns and transactional emails. Known for its user-friendly interface, it’s perfect for teams who need a collaborative tool that’s easy to set up and run. The platform supports reliable email delivery through its API and SMTP relay, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Intuitive email editor with real-time collaboration

  • Automation options for marketing and transactional messages

  • Advanced segmentation tools and analytics for campaign optimization

  • Customizable templates for different email types

  • Reliable email verification to ensure deliverability

Pricing:

  • Free: Up to 6,000 emails/month (200 emails/day)

  • Essential: Starts at $17/month (15,000 emails)

  • Premium: Starts at $27/month (15,000 emails)

13. SMTP.com

SMTP.com is a dedicated transactional email service provider offering stable email delivery for businesses that rely on consistent and secure messaging. With an emphasis on email deliverability and customer support, smtp service caters to companies needing dependable email APIs for transactional messages.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • SMTP relay and API for quick integration with major platforms

  • Email verification services to enhance sender reputation and prevent bounces

  • Strong focus on email deliverability to ensure messages reach recipients’ inboxes

  • Customizable transactional email options for tailored delivery setups

  • Analytics for monitoring delivery, open rates, and overall campaign success

Pricing:

  • Essential: Starting at $25/month

  • Enterprise: Custom pricing available

14. Elastic Email

Elastic Email is a versatile email delivery service designed to support both email marketing campaigns and transactional emails. Known for its robust email API and affordability, Elastic Email offers reliable email delivery and tools tailored to meet the needs of marketing teams, eCommerce platforms, and developers alike.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Comprehensive email marketing services with a drag-and-drop editor for easy campaign design

  • Strong transactional email API supporting Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for seamless integration

  • Built-in spam test and IP address management to improve deliverability

  • Bulk email sending capabilities for high-volume outreach

  • Detailed analytics for tracking engagement and spam complaints

Pricing:

  • Email API: Starting from $0.10/1,000 emails

  • Marketing: Starting from $15/month

15. Mailtrap

Mailtrap is a dedicated email testing and delivery platform designed to help developers send, test, and verify transactional emails in a secure environment. Primarily used for staging and testing, Mailtrap is a go-to solution for teams seeking reliable email delivery and sandboxing for troubleshooting.

What makes it a great SendGrid alternative?

  • Sandbox environment for safely testing email campaigns before going live

  • Detailed email analytics, including spam tests and inbox previews

  • Support for both email API and SMTP, ensuring compatibility with various platforms

  • Monitoring tools to track deliverability, open rates, and spam issues

  • Customizable for marketing and transactional email testing needs

Pricing:

  • Basic: Starting at $9.99/month

  • Business: Starting at $24.99/month

Wrapping Up: What's the Best SendGrid Alternative

When it comes to finding the best SendGrid alternatives, your choice depends on the unique needs of your marketing team and email strategy. Many of these platforms offer a blend of email marketing services and transactional email solutions, providing flexibility tailored to your goals.

From advanced automation and customer segmentation to in-depth analytics, each provider brings unique strengths to help your business connect more effectively with its audience.

Focus on what matters most for your business—whether it’s reliable deliverability, bulk email capabilities, or tools that simplify campaign management.

With a wide array of strong options available, you’re certain to find a solution that meets your needs, enhances outreach efforts, and elevates your email strategy to new levels of success.

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