5 Best Postmark Alternatives for Transactional Emails

Postmark has built a reputation as a reliable email service provider. With its fast API, user-friendly interface, and responsive templates, users can efficiently send and manage transactional emails.

However, recent pricing changes have led developers and marketers to consider other options. Some are also looking for email solutions that offer more flexibility and features for their needs without breaking the bank.

In this review, we’ll cover the top five Postmark alternatives offering similar or even better value. Whether you want a budget-friendly solution, advanced features, or both, you’re in the right place.

Top Alternatives to Postmark

 

Platform	Free Options	Best For	Stands Out For	Starting Price
UniOne	Free Trial	Developers, small to medium-sized businesses, and large enterprises	Instant event notifications via webhooks, high deliverability,  AI-powered editor, click & unsubscribe tracking, up to 185 days of log retention, up to 400 days of analytics data storage	$6 / month for 10,000 emails
Mailgun	Free Trial	Developers, businesses, and SaaS companies	RESTful API, inbox placement testing, flexible email tagging, detailed logs, and advanced email analytics.	$15 / month for 10,000 emails
Brevo	Free Plan	Small to medium-sized businesses, SaaS companies	Email automation, multi-channel messaging, customizable CRM capabilities	$9 / month for 5,000 emails
SendGrid	Free Plan & Trial	Developers, Marketers, Startups, High-Volume Senders and E-Commerce Platforms	Deliverability insights, email analytics, dynamic templates, and email validation API	$19.95 / month for 50,000 emails
Amazon SES	Free Trial	Developers, businesses, large enterprises, and startups	Integration with other AWS services, scalability, robust API, and pay-per-use pricing	$0.10 / 1000 emails, pay-as-you-go

What is Postmark?

Postmark is a well-known email service provider that started with a focus on transactional emails. The entire business is designed around helping customers deliver messages quickly and reliably. It offers easy integration via email API and SMTP, supported by developer-friendly documentation. It also features tracking and analytics, with 45 days of data retention by default.

Why Are People Switching From Postmark?

Reason #1: Cost Concerns

Postmark gets pricier for businesses with high email volumes. Previously affordable plans have become significantly more expensive. User opinions on Reddit show that what used to be $15 can skyrocket to over $120. For this reason, companies are looking for Postmark alternatives that offer similar performance at a better value.

Reason #2: Restricted Servers and Domains

The postmark pricing changes introduced limits on the number of servers and domains included in their plans. Previously, there were no such restrictions, but now businesses with more than six servers and ten domains need to upgrade to higher-priced tiers.

Reason #3: Customer Support Issues

Customer support is a critical factor when choosing an email service provider. Postmark promotes its fast and knowledgeable support team. However, some users have reported slower response times and reduced satisfaction following its acquisition by ActiveCampaign. These concerns have led customers to search for more responsive alternatives to Postmark.

UniOne – Affordable Postmark Alternative with Powerful Features

UniOne is the best Postmark alternative for businesses of all sizes that want a scalable solution for transactional emails. It's built to scale with your business while keeping the setup simple and pricing budget-friendly. Businesses on a budget can leverage the free trial plan which allows you to send up to 6000 emails per month for four months.

UniOne offers detailed analytics and robust security to ensure your emails reach the recipient’s inbox. It also boasts a strong 99.88% deliverability rate while providing advanced features to users. Developers can easily integrate it into existing systems via web APIs and SMTP support. 

The infrastructure allows you to deliver time-sensitive messages in seconds. You only set up once and let the software do the rest. All users, regardless of their plan, have access to rich, transactional email templates. These templates are customizable and make it super simple to get started. You can get instant notifications on deliveries, opens, clicks, etc. through the webhooks. There are also visual dashboards and a CSV data export option for deeper analysis.

Best of all, the team offers 24/7 support via live chat and email. The customer support service is excellent, within 30 minutes to address any request. 

Try UniOne Free →

Pros

Competitive pricing – get everything you need for transactional and bulk emails at lower costs compared to competitors.

Scalable email infrastructure – robust infrastructure to handle increasing sending volumes.

High deliverability rate – 99.88% deliverability to ensure your messages reach the intended recipients.

Detailed analytics – gain valuable insights into the performance of your campaigns.

Pre-designed templates – choose one that suits your needs, customize with the AI-powered editor, and launch campaigns in minutes.

Email validation API – protect your sender reputation by checking the validity of email addresses before sending messages to them.

Security and compliance – adherence to data protection rules, including GDPR and CAN-SPAM.

Cons

Limited integration libraries – the service offers a limited choice of ready-made integrations with popular CRMs.

No SMS integration – unlike some other providers that also offer SMS delivery, UniOne focuses solely on email delivery.

Pricing

Free Plan

Duration: 4 months

Email allowance: 6,000 emails per month.

Paid Plan

Paid plans are based on the number of emails sent per month:

$6/month: for up to 10,000 emails.

$11/month: for up to 20,000 emails.

$25/month: for up to 50,000 emails.

Mailgun – Best Alternative for Scalable Delivery

Mailgun is another great choice for people looking for a Postmark alternative. This developer-first platform is designed to provide seamless transactional email services. Its flexible API and comprehensive documentation make it easy for developers to integrate.

Whether it's hundreds or thousands of emails, Mailgun boasts a solid infrastructure that can handle large volumes with ease. It also provides webhooks that allow users to push email data to other platforms for cross-team insights. Overall, Mailgun is committed to providing a reliable and scalable email solution. However, it can be intimidating for users without a strong technical background. It comes with a steeper learning curve compared to other Postmark alternatives on the list.

Pros

Developer-first – suitable for developers who want a flexible solution they can tweak or customize.

Bounce management software – validate email addresses to reduce your bounce rate and improve your sender reputation. 

Highly scalable – optimized to handle large volumes of emails with minimal latency.

Send time optimization – users can schedule messages to deliver when recipients are most likely to engage.

Cons

Limited log retention – logs are stored for up to 30 days, less than some alternatives.

Customer support issues – some customers complain of slow response times.

Complexity – can be overwhelming for non-technical users. Some also report that the interface is difficult to navigate.

Pricing

Free plan – send up to 100 emails per day.

30-day free trial – gain access to high-tiered plans.

Paid Plans

$15/month: for up to 10,000 emails.

$35/month: for up to 50,000 emails.

$90/month: for up to 100,000 emails.

Brevo – Best All-In-One Email Solution

Brevo is your one-stop shop for transactional emails and all things marketing. It’s a great choice for email marketing, SMS, WhatsApp campaigns, sales, customer management, and more. Users get all the functionality and flexibility they need for marketing and sales tasks  in one platform.

As an email marketing service, Brevo provides features such as automation, detailed metrics, and ready-to-use templates. Users can leverage the drag-and-drop builder to craft emails from scratch. Brevo includes developer guides, SDKs, and API libraries for easy setup. Its A/B testing feature helps users see what works and improve future campaigns.

Pros

Multichannel marketing – send messages via email, SMS, WhatsApp, live chat, and push notifications.

Advanced segmentation – deliver personalized emails by creating different recipient groups using attributes and filters.

Easy to use – designed with simplicity in mind, making it ideal for a less tech-savvy audience.

Generous free plan  – users can send up to 300 emails daily for free.

Cons

Limited templates – email templates are basic with limited customization options.

Less advanced features – while Brevo is an all-in-one marketing hub, it lacks the scalability and features suitable for large enterprises.

Restrictions on the free plan – daily sending limits, emails have Brevo’s logo, and no detailed reports and analytics.

Pricing

Free Plan

The free forever plan allows up to 300 emails per day.

Paid Plans

Starter – $9/month for 5,000 emails.

Business – $18/month for 5,000+ emails.

Enterprise – custom price for tailored solutions.

SendGrid – Best Developer-friendly API

SendGrid provides email HTTP API and SMTP service for developers and businesses. After its acquisition by Twilio, it became a go-to choice for email marketing and automation. Customers now have access to a wider range of outreach tools, including SMS and WhatsApp. 

With over 148 billion emails sent every month, SendGrid is known to handle large email volumes easily. This Postmark alternative provides features such as advanced analytics, dynamic templates, and real-time email validation. While this platform is ideal for enterprise campaigns, small and medium businesses can also benefit from its features.

Pros 

All-in-one service – SendGrid provides tools for transactional emails, marketing automation, and customer engagement.

Industry veteran – as one of the oldest and largest email service providers, SendGrid has a proven track record.

Scalable – accommodates increasing email volumes, making it suitable for startups, enterprises, and high-traffic websites.

Cons 

Expensive – the paid plans are quite pricey, particularly for smaller companies.

Slow customer support – multiple customers report slow response times and difficulty reaching the support team.

Complex interface – new users often find the interface difficult to navigate, which can increase the time required to set up.

Pricing

Free Trial

A 60-day free trial is available for users to send up to 100 emails a day. 

Paid Plans

Essentials plan: starting at $19.95/month (50,000–100,000 emails).

Pro plan: starting at $89.95/month (100,000–2,500,000 emails).

Premier plan: custom pricing based on business needs.

Amazon SES – Best Budget-Friendly Alternative for AWS Users

Amazon SES is one of the cheapest alternatives to Postmark for transactional and bulk email marketing, but only if you already use a paid AWS plan. It’s a cloud-based email service that operates on a pay-as-you-go model. It also delivers impressive scaling capabilities, powering platforms like Netflix and Duolingo.

While SES offers a significantly cheaper service, there are a few things to note. When it comes to functionality, it’s not equipped with features like tracking message events, list segmentation, or automated workflows. If you need functionality like advanced monitoring, you have to link your data to other services like AWS CloudWatch.

Pros

Cost-effective – for current AWS users, SES is the cheapest option on the list. 

High deliverability rate – SES uses Amazon’s sophisticated infrastructure, so messages are delivered promptly and reliably.

Flexibility – SES connects smoothly with other AWS services, such as CloudWatch for monitoring, Amazon S3 for storage, and AWS Lambda for automated workflows.

Pay-as-you-go – this pricing model ensures users only pay for what they use with no upfront costs.

Cons 

Learning curve for beginners – because it doesn’t come with out-of-the-box features, adding functionalities like monitoring and troubleshooting inbox placement issues requires technical expertise.

Costly support – basic plans do not include Amazon support, meaning you’ll need to handle troubleshooting yourself. While AWS support plans are available, they come at an extra cost.

Limited features – SES is designed to be simple, which means it requires other AWS services or tools for advanced features.

Pricing

Free Plan

With Amazon EC2-hosted applications, users receive 3,000 free messages per month.

Paid Plans

With pay-as-you-go pricing, non-EC2 applications usually cost $0.10 per 1,000 emails and $0.12 per GB of email attachments.

Choosing the Best Postmark Alternative for You

While Postmark offers a reliable service, several alternatives deliver comparable value at a competitive price. Choosing the best transactional email provider depends on your business priorities and needs. All the Postmark alternatives discussed here provide distinct advantages in pricing and performance. 

If you’re looking for reliable email delivery combined with excellent support, UniOne is a compelling option. The free four-month trial allows you to send up to 6,000 emails per month. You can easily test its full feature set and see firsthand how it meets your email requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What should you consider when choosing a Postmark alternative?

When choosing a Postmark alternative, focus on deliverability, pricing, and features that match your business needs. Ease of integration and quality of customer support are also important factors.

How can businesses migrate from Postmark smoothly? 

To migrate smoothly, start by choosing a new email service provider and creating an account. Configure sending domains with updated SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records on the new platform. Most Postmark alternatives, including UniOne, provide extra support to make this transition smooth.

Which Postmark alternative is best for startups and small businesses? 

For startups and small businesses, cost-effective platforms with strong deliverability are ideal. UniOne stands out as a reliable choice with its advanced features, seamless setup, and competitive pricing.