Platform Comparison

Mailgun vs SendGrid

Mailgun vs SendGrid: comparing pricing, features, deliverability, and developer experience. Which email API is better for your application?

Mailgun and SendGrid are both developer-focused email platforms owned by larger companies (Sinch and Twilio respectively). Both offer transactional email APIs, but their approaches to pricing, features, and developer experience differ. Here's a detailed comparison.

Quick Comparison

FeatureMailgunSendGrid
Pricing Modelvolume-basedvolume-based
Starting Price$35/mo$19.95/mo
Free Tier5,000100
Transactional Email
Marketing Email
Automated Warmup

Pricing

SendGrid wins

Mailgun pricing:

  • ●Flex (pay-as-you-go): $0.80/1,000 emails
  • ●Foundation: $35/month for 50K emails
  • ●Scale: $90/month for 100K emails
  • ●No free tier (only 3-month trial)

SendGrid pricing:

  • ●Free: 100 emails/day forever
  • ●Essentials: $19.95/month for 50K emails
  • ●Pro: $89.95/month for 100K emails
  • ●Marketing features cost extra

Winner: SendGrid

SendGrid's free tier is more useful for getting started. At scale, pricing is similar, but SendGrid's entry point is lower.

Developer Experience

Mailgun wins

Mailgun DX:

  • ●Clean, well-documented API
  • ●Good client libraries
  • ●Flexible routing rules
  • ●Powerful email parsing
  • ●Simpler dashboard

SendGrid DX:

  • ●Comprehensive API
  • ●More extensive documentation
  • ●Larger community
  • ●More tutorials/examples
  • ●Dashboard can be overwhelming

Winner: Mailgun

Mailgun's API feels cleaner and their documentation is more focused. SendGrid has more resources but can feel cluttered.

Deliverability

Tie

Mailgun deliverability:

  • ●Shared IPs by default
  • ●Dedicated IPs available
  • ●Good reputation management tools
  • ●Email validation included on higher tiers
  • ●Some account suspension reports

SendGrid deliverability:

  • ●Large shared IP pools
  • ●Dedicated IPs at Pro tier ($89+)
  • ●More account suspension complaints
  • ●Deliverability can vary widely
  • ●No automatic bounce handling improvements

Winner: Tie (both lacking)

Both platforms use shared infrastructure that can be affected by other senders. Neither offers the reputation isolation or automatic pause-on-high-bounce that modern platforms provide.

Features

SendGrid wins

Mailgun features:

  • ●Transactional email (primary focus)
  • ●Email validation
  • ●Inbound email routing
  • ●Logs and analytics
  • ●A/B testing
  • ●No marketing campaigns

SendGrid features:

  • ●Transactional and marketing email
  • ●Visual email builder
  • ●Marketing automation
  • ●Contact management
  • ●More comprehensive analytics
  • ●Email validation

Winner: SendGrid

SendGrid offers both transactional and marketing in one platform. Mailgun is transactional-only, requiring a separate tool for campaigns.

Reliability & Support

SendGrid wins

Mailgun (owned by Sinch):

  • ●Generally reliable uptime
  • ●Support quality has declined post-acquisition
  • ●Community forums
  • ●Paid support on higher tiers

SendGrid (owned by Twilio):

  • ●Large-scale infrastructure
  • ●24/7 support on Pro plans
  • ●More enterprise-ready
  • ●Better SLA options

Winner: SendGrid

Twilio's backing gives SendGrid an edge in enterprise reliability and support options.

The Verdict

Choose Mailgun if you want a cleaner API focused purely on transactional email, with powerful inbound routing capabilities. Good for developers who appreciate simplicity.

Choose SendGrid if you need both transactional and marketing email, want a free tier to start, or need enterprise-grade support and SLAs.

Consider alternatives if you're frustrated with shared IP deliverability issues, want automated warmup, or need reputation isolation that neither platform offers.

Consider Transmit

Both Mailgun and SendGrid use shared infrastructure where one bad sender can affect your deliverability. Transmit offers reputation isolation so your sending is protected, plus automated warmup and auto-pause on high bounce rates. Modern deliverability without the legacy baggage.

Compare with Transmit

Transmit vs Mailgun Transmit vs SendGrid

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do Mailgun and SendGrid compare on Pricing?
**Mailgun** pricing: - Flex (pay-as-you-go): $0.80/1,000 emails - Foundation: $35/month for 50K emails - Scale: $90/month for 100K emails - No free tier (only 3-month trial) **SendGrid** pricing: - Free: 100 emails/day forever - Essentials: $19.95/month for 50K emails - Pro: $89.95/month for 100K emails - Marketing features cost extra **Winner: SendGrid** SendGrid's free tier is more useful for getting started. At scale, pricing is similar, but SendGrid's entry point is lower.
How do Mailgun and SendGrid compare on Developer Experience?
**Mailgun** DX: - Clean, well-documented API - Good client libraries - Flexible routing rules - Powerful email parsing - Simpler dashboard **SendGrid** DX: - Comprehensive API - More extensive documentation - Larger community - More tutorials/examples - Dashboard can be overwhelming **Winner: Mailgun** Mailgun's API feels cleaner and their documentation is more focused. SendGrid has more resources but can feel cluttered.
How do Mailgun and SendGrid compare on Deliverability?
**Mailgun** deliverability: - Shared IPs by default - Dedicated IPs available - Good reputation management tools - Email validation included on higher tiers - Some account suspension reports **SendGrid** deliverability: - Large shared IP pools - Dedicated IPs at Pro tier ($89+) - More account suspension complaints - Deliverability can vary widely - No automatic bounce handling improvements **Winner: Tie (both lacking)** Both platforms use shared infrastructure that can be affected by other senders. Neither offers the reputation isolation or automatic pause-on-high-bounce that modern platforms provide.
How do Mailgun and SendGrid compare on Features?
**Mailgun** features: - Transactional email (primary focus) - Email validation - Inbound email routing - Logs and analytics - A/B testing - No marketing campaigns **SendGrid** features: - Transactional and marketing email - Visual email builder - Marketing automation - Contact management - More comprehensive analytics - Email validation **Winner: SendGrid** SendGrid offers both transactional and marketing in one platform. Mailgun is transactional-only, requiring a separate tool for campaigns.
How do Mailgun and SendGrid compare on Reliability & Support?
**Mailgun** (owned by Sinch): - Generally reliable uptime - Support quality has declined post-acquisition - Community forums - Paid support on higher tiers **SendGrid** (owned by Twilio): - Large-scale infrastructure - 24/7 support on Pro plans - More enterprise-ready - Better SLA options **Winner: SendGrid** Twilio's backing gives SendGrid an edge in enterprise reliability and support options.
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