We Tried 7 Sendgrid Alternatives For 30 Days: Here's our analysis
Here’s what happened.
We were sending transactional emails, nothing shady, nothing spammy. Our sender score? 99%.
And yet, our emails kept bouncing.
Spamhaus had blacklisted our IP. Why?
Because we were stuck on a shared pool… with a bunch of bad actors. And we couldn’t get out—unless we paid for a dedicated IP.
So I reached out to support.
Crickets.
Twelve tickets. Four days. No human.
Then came the kicker — they wanted $5,000 just to “help us onboard” to a service we were already paying for.
At that point, I realized something: SendGrid wasn’t built for businesses like ours anymore.
So I pulled the plug.
And for the next 30 days, I tested 7 alternatives to see which one could actually deliver to the inbox and on support.
What I found might save you a month of headaches (and a lot of wasted emails).
⚡ TL;DR (Too Long, Don’t Let Deliverability Sink Revenue)
- We tested 7 SendGrid alternatives over 30 days:
Infraforge, Mailgun, Postmark, Amazon SES, SparkPost, Mailjet, MailerLite. - SendGrid struggled with inboxing, required paid add-ons for core features, and had the worst support experience of the lot.
What stood out?
- Infraforge – Solid deliverability, fast setup, and clear control over infrastructure.
No warm-up hacks, no hidden fees — just worked out of the box. - Postmark – Excellent for transactional. Fast and reliable.
Not meant for cold outreach or campaigns. - Amazon SES – Super cheap, but brutally technical.
Worth it only if you’ve got a dev team on standby. - Mailgun – Clean API, but support is hit or miss.
Good for developers, less so for sales teams. - SparkPost – Nice analytics layer.
Reliability and IP issues made it tough to trust at scale. - Mailjet – Easy to use. Ideal for small lists and early-stage teams.
Limited depth once you try to grow. - MailerLite – Budget-friendly and intuitive, but not built for B2B infrastructure.
Now let’s dig into the details 👇
Why More Teams Are Searching for SendGrid Alternatives in 2025
Here’s what’s pushing people to switch:
1. Shared IPs = Shared Spam Problems
SendGrid puts you in a shared IP pool.
So when one bad sender gets flagged, you get punished.
Blacklists like Spamhaus don’t care if your sender score is 99% — you're still going to spam.
2. Support That Goes Silent When You Need It Most
We opened 12 tickets. Got no human response for 4 days.
Multiple reviews mention that unless you pay $5,000 for “onboarding,” you're on your own.
This isn’t support — it's upsell-driven silence.
3. Sudden Account Suspensions
Mid-campaign. Sometimes before your first send.
Zero explanation. No escalation path. Just “account closed.”
This isn’t a bug — it’s a pattern showing up in dozens of SendGrid reviews.
4. No Insight Into Why Emails Are Failing
One of the biggest SendGrid API problems:
Bounces, blocks, spam flags — and no real insight why.
You’re left flying blind, refreshing a dashboard that tells you nothing useful.
5. Price Jumps With Zero Transparency
- Pro plan? Starts at $89.95/mo.
- Want a dedicated IP? Add $80/mo.
- Hit your limit? Prepare for surprise overages.
- Want help fixing issues? $5K.
You’re not scaling — you’re being squeezed.
If any of this sounds familiar, that’s why “SendGrid alternatives” is trending in every founder's Slack, Reddit thread, and SaaS team you talk to.
Let’s talk about what you should be looking for instead 👇
✅ What We Looked for in the Best SendGrid Alternative?
I wasn’t looking for fancy dashboards. I was looking for results.
Because if your emails don’t land, nothing else matters.
After using SendGrid long enough to see its cracks, here’s what became non-negotiable for us when evaluating the best SendGrid alternative:
That was the bar.
And honestly? Most platforms didn’t clear it.
Up next: Here’s how the 7 tools we tested actually stacked up.
The 7 SendGrid Alternatives We Actually Used
- Infraforge
- Mailgun
- Postmark
- Amazon SES
- SparkPost
- Mailjet
- MailerLite
1. Infraforge vs SendGrid: A Real Alternative Built for Cold Email
SendGrid isn’t made for cold email. If you're sending transactional messages, fine. But the moment you try scaling outreach, things break.
Here’s what I ran into:
- Emails are going to spam, even with a clean domain
- Shared IPs causing deliverability issues
- $80/month just for a dedicated IP
- Support? Only if you pay extra
- DNS setup? Fully manual unless you spend thousands on onboarding
I needed something better. So I switched to Infraforge.
Why Infraforge is a better Sendgrid Alternative?
Unlike SendGrid, Infraforge is a cold email infrastructure, not a general-purpose email API.
Everything about it is designed to help your emails land in the inbox.
- ✅ Dedicated IPs included (no hidden charges)
- ✅ Automated DNS setup for SPF, DKIM, DMARC
- ✅ Smart warm-up and sender rotation built-in
- ✅ Unlimited domains and mailboxes
- ✅ 5-minute setup with no technical work
- ✅ Real-time deliverability monitoring
With SendGrid, you’re constantly reacting. With Infraforge, you're in control before problems even happen.
Pricing: What You Really Pay
Let’s compare cost at scale — say you’re running 200 mailboxes.
SendGrid’s pricing may look lower at first. But once you add the extras — dedicated IPs, warm-up tools, tech setup — it quickly adds up.
And you're still stuck with shared pool problems unless you go fully custom.
In short,
Infraforge isn’t just cheaper — it’s purpose-built.
If you're sending cold emails, want control over deliverability, and don’t want to spend hours on setup or support tickets, this is the real alternative.
It’s not just an email tool. It’s your cold email infrastructure.
2. Mailgun vs SendGrid: Developer-Friendly, but Poor Customer Support
Mailgun is built for developers, not marketers.
If you want clean APIs, logs, and a system that “just works” when it’s working, Mailgun feels great.
But the second something breaks?
You’re on your own.
The docs are solid. The support? Not so much.
Here’s what happened to us (and many others, based on G2 reviews):
- Shared IP suddenly got blacklisted — 40% bounce rate overnight
- Opened a ticket… waited 36 hours for a reply
- Response? “Maybe upgrade your plan.”
- Lost email logs because they only store them for 5–30 days
- One review even lost 60% of their transactional emails due to a broken redirect link on Mailgun’s end
The theme? When it works, it’s great. When it doesn’t, good luck.
What Mailgun Does Well?
✅ Clean developer experience
✅ Simple SMTP and RESTful API integration
✅ Decent analytics and webhook support
✅ Free plan to test with 100 emails/day
For technical teams that want to build their own email system on top of an API, Mailgun checks many boxes.
But Here's Where It Falls Short
❌ Support is slow unless you pay $350/month
❌ Shared IP issues can tank your deliverability
❌ Dedicated IPs not included unless you’re on higher plans
❌ Logs and bounce data disappear after 1–5 days unless you upgrade
❌ Too many users report being ignored, blocked, or billed incorrectly
Pricing Breakdown: Mailgun vs SendGrid
At first glance, Mailgun looks cheaper than most alternatives.
But if you want actual support or control over deliverability, you're forced into higher plans — and even then, responses can be delayed or vague.
Final Take
Mailgun works well for coders. But it's not for you if you’re not technical or need support that responds fast.
It’s like renting a car with a manual transmission: great if you know how to drive it, painful if you don’t.
If your team has engineers and time to tinker, Mailgun can work.
3. Postmark vs SendGrid: Fast for Transactional, Not Cold Outreach
If you’re only sending transactional emails, Postmark is one of the cleanest tools out there.
It’s built for speed, deliverability, and simplicity. And it shows — up to 4x faster delivery than SendGrid in some tests.
But here’s the thing…
That focus on transactional email is both its strength and its limit.
What Postmark Does Well?
✅ Industry-leading inbox speed
✅ Clean API + developer-friendly setup
✅ Great for password resets, receipts, and notifications
✅ Good default deliverability without needing a dedicated IP
✅ Detailed message logs and transparent status reporting
So if you're verifying accounts, sending invoices, or running critical app alerts, Postmark is rock solid.
But here’s where it falls short
❌ Only supports transactional email — no cold email, no marketing
❌ Shared IPs only (unless you're sending 300 K+ emails/month)
❌ Basic plans have limited analytics
❌ UI feels clunky for some users
❌ Not built for scale if you're doing outreach, campaigns, or growth loops
Even their own customers say:
It’s a focused product. And that’s fine — just don’t expect it to do more than it promises.
Pricing Breakdown: Postmark vs SendGrid
You’re paying a premium for Postmark’s speed and reliability, not for flexibility or volume. And that’s okay, if that’s all you need.
Final Take
Postmark is not a cold email tool. Not even close.
But if your app or service depends on lightning-fast, must-deliver transactional email, this is your guy.
Set it up, forget it, and know your password resets or invoice emails are getting through.
Just know the tradeoff:
- No cold outreach
- No multi-IP scaling
- No flexibility on campaign types
4. Amazon SES vs SendGrid: Cheap, Powerful, Requires Dev Hours
Amazon SES is the cheapest email service on this list.
You can send 1,000 emails for $0.10 — and that’s not a typo.
It’s designed for developers who want full control, no fluff, and are already deep in the AWS ecosystem.
But here’s the tradeoff:
You’re getting raw infrastructure, not a polished email product.
What Amazon SES Does Well
✅ Unbeatable pricing — seriously, it’s pennies
✅ Deep integration with AWS stack (EC2, S3, IAM, CloudWatch, etc.)
✅ High deliverability if you configure everything right
✅ Scalable for millions of emails/month
✅ Supports custom IPs, DKIM, and full domain control
If you’re technical and comfortable with code, SES gives you all the power, without the platform tax.
But here’s where it falls short
❌ Zero hand-holding — setup, warm-up, monitoring? That’s all on you
❌ Support is minimal unless you pay AWS Enterprise rates
❌ Shared IP pool can be risky if you don’t bring your own
❌ Deliverability can tank if you mess up DNS or get flagged
❌ UI is non-existent. It’s all CLI, API, or third-party dashboards
Pricing Breakdown: Amazon SES vs SendGrid
Want add-ons like Virtual Deliverability Manager or Dedicated IP Pools? You’ll need to manage those yourself, or pay extra.
So yes, SES is insanely cheap.
But it assumes you’ll bring the technical muscle to make it work.
Final Take
Amazon SES is a blank canvas. If you’ve got devs who know DNS, email warm-up, IP management, and AWS workflows — it’s gold.
If not? It’s a trap.
It’s not a SendGrid replacement for marketers or growth teams.
But for high-volume apps, engineering-led startups, or cost-conscious operations?
It’s the most affordable email API — if you can handle it.
5. SparkPost vs SendGrid: Better Analytics, Same Support Struggles
SparkPost has a reputation problem.
On paper, it looks great — solid deliverability tools, live metrics, and enterprise integrations.
But in real life? Too many users get banned, ghosted, or left in the dark.
It’s like dating someone who looks great on LinkedIn but doesn’t text back.
What SparkPost Does Well?
✅ Live deliverability metrics every 5 minutes
✅ Strong sender reputation controls
✅ Separation between transactional and bulk email
✅ Templates, APIs, and reporting all in one place
✅ Enterprise-ready (if you survive onboarding)
It’s got some real tech under the hood.
And when it works, it really works.
But…
Here’s Where It Falls Apart
❌ Account suspensions with no warning or explanation
❌ Horrible support — even paid users report being ignored
❌ Zero grace period for accidental violations
❌ “Marked delivered” but never shows up (especially Outlook/Hotmail)
❌ UI is okay, but mobile editing is painful
Even if the platform is solid, trust and transparency are everything when you run mission-critical email.
Pricing Breakdown: SparkPost vs SendGrid
SparkPost is priced to compete, but reliability costs more than a cheap plan.
You might get great deliverability and data, but only if your account survives setup.
Final Take
SparkPost is a technical marketer’s tool, with a trust issue.
If you want data-rich insights, subaccount management, and fast delivery tracking, it checks the boxes.
But one slip-up, one flagged link, one suspicious spike — and you might wake up locked out.
So unless you're sending at enterprise volume with a clean slate and a compliance team…
You’re better off elsewhere.
6. Mailjet vs SendGrid: Easy UI, Not Built for Scale
On paper, Mailjet looks like a great deal.
Low pricing. GDPR-ready. Fancy AI email generator.
But behind the scenes?
It’s a customer support horror story with delayed refunds, account bans, and emails that go nowhere.
What Mailjet Claims to Offer?
✅ GDPR-compliant email infrastructure
✅ Drag-and-drop email builder
✅ Free tier for 6,000 emails/month
✅ Affordable entry pricing
✅ AI content tools + multi-user access
Not bad, right?
The interface is clean. The features are there.
It should be a solid pick for small teams.
But… reality hits different.
Where Mailjet Falls Flat?
❌ Bans users without warning
❌ Refuses refunds even after service issues
❌ Support takes days, or never responds
❌ Emails silently fail to deliver
❌ “Unlimited contacts” doesn’t mean much if your account’s blocked
That’s not just one person.
It’s dozens of users across years of reviews.
Mailjet might save you a few bucks — until it nukes your campaigns and ghosts you.
Pricing Comparison: Mailjet vs SendGrid
Final Word
Mailjet is for bargain hunters who don’t mind gambling with their inbox.
Sure, it’s one of the cheapest tools on this list.
But the cost of lost emails, blocked accounts, and zero support?
That’s a price you won’t see on the pricing page.
If you care about deliverability and control, this isn’t the hill to die on.
Use it for hobby projects or test runs. But for serious cold outreach or transactional email? Look elsewhere.
7. MailerLite vs SendGrid: Great for Simplicity, Not for Power
MailerLite positions itself as the underdog.
Simple. Affordable. Great for growing businesses.
But behind that friendly UI?
A messy tangle of account bans, support black holes, and undelivered campaigns.
What MailerLite Promises?
✅ Clean email builder
✅ Automation + landing pages
✅ AI writing tools
✅ GDPR-compliant
✅ Up to 12,000 emails/month on the free plan
✅ Starting at $9/month for paid plans
Looks like a steal — until you try to send something that matters.
Where MailerLite Fails You?
❌ Frequent account suspensions without warning
❌ No refunds, even if the tool fails
❌ Deliverability issues across major inbox providers
❌ Open rates drop off a cliff after migration
❌ Slow email sends, buggy automation, inconsistent UX
MailerLite feels like that cheap treadmill you regret the moment it starts squeaking.
Pricing Comparison: MailerLite vs SendGrid
MailerLite is like trying to build a house with IKEA tools.
It’s affordable and looks sleek, but it falls apart under pressure.
If you’re a blogger testing the waters? It might do.
But if you’re running revenue-generating campaigns, beware:
- Deliverability is unreliable
- The refund policy is practically non-existent
- Support gives vague, delayed responses
And worst of all, you won’t know your emails are failing until it’s too late.
Which SendGrid Alternative Should You Choose?
Choosing the right email platform comes down to one thing: what type of emails you’re sending and how much control you need.
Here’s a practical breakdown to help you decide.
✅ If You Send Cold Emails Regularly
→ Use InfraForge
Why:
- Handles dedicated IPs, DNS setup (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Built-in deliverability monitoring, warmup, and inbox rotation
- Designed specifically for cold outreach at scale
Best for:
Sales teams, agencies, ops managing 10+ domains/inboxes
🧠 If You’re a Developer or Want Full Control
→ Use Amazon SES or Mailgun
Amazon SES:
- Cheapest at scale
- Requires manual DNS, warmup, AWS integration
Mailgun:
- Easier UI + API
- More user-friendly than SES, but limited support on basic plans
Best for:
Tech-savvy teams building email into products
📩 If You’re Only Sending Transactional Emails
→ Use Postmark
Why:
- Fast, reliable delivery for passwords, receipts, alerts
- Great deliverability — but no bulk or cold email allowed
Best for:
Product teams needing dependable transactional delivery
📊 If You Want Detailed Deliverability Metrics
→ Use SparkPost
Why:
- Advanced insights + reputation tools
- Great for teams who know what they’re doing
- ⚠️ Reports of sudden suspensions + inconsistent support
Best for:
Experienced email ops teams needing granular data
💡 If You Want Something Simple & Affordable
→ Use MailerLite or Mailjet
MailerLite:
- Clean design, beginner-friendly
- May struggle at high volume
Mailjet:
- More features, but mixed support history
Best for:
Freelancers, founders, small marketing teams testing email
When SendGrid might still be fine
To be fair, SendGrid is still a decent choice if you:
- Only send transactional or app-generated emails
- Don’t need dedicated support or high deliverability guarantees
- Are already integrated into their ecosystem
But if you’ve run into:
- Spam folder issues
- Slow or paid-only support
- DNS setup complexity
— Then it may be time to explore alternatives.
Pick Based on Your Use Case
Final Verdict: It’s Not Just About Sending Emails
Every tool on this list “works” — until you need it to really work.
The truth is:
Email infrastructure isn’t about features. It’s about control.
If you're sending newsletters or transactional messages, any decent ESP will get the job done.
But if you're running cold email at scale, your reputation, your pipeline, and your revenue depend on whether or not you land in the inbox.
Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:
- Shared IPs = shared problems
- Bad support = delayed revenue
- Fancy dashboards = worthless if you can’t get replies
- Cheap tools = expensive mistakes
The stack you choose decides whether your emails get opened or ignored.
That’s why we built Infraforge.
It’s not just another email tool. It’s infrastructure you can trust when it counts.
✅ Dedicated IPs
✅ Built-in warm-up
✅ Automated DNS
✅ Deliverability guardrails baked in
No more duct taping tools or guessing why your open rates dropped.
👉 If you’re serious about cold email and tired of playing delivery roulette, Infraforge is worth a look.
Set it up once. Scale with confidence.