Different Philosophies
Plunk and Sequenzy represent different approaches:
- Plunk: Open-source, minimal, cheap. Basic transactional + marketing emails at $0.001/email. Self-host if you want.
- Sequenzy: Full SaaS with visual automation, Stripe integration, and subscriber management. More features, higher price.
The question: do you need features beyond basic email sending?
When should you choose Sequenzy?
1. You Need Visual Automation
Sequenzy has a drag-and-drop automation builder for complex sequences, branching logic, and behavioral triggers. Plunk has basic automation but not visual flows.
2. You Need Stripe Integration
Sequenzy syncs subscription data, MRR, and churn signals from Stripe. You can trigger emails based on trial expiry, failed payments, or plan changes. Plunk doesn't have Stripe integration.
3. You Need Subscriber Management
Sequenzy has full subscriber profiles with custom attributes, segments, tags, and behavioral tracking. Plunk is more basic—focused on sending rather than CRM-like subscriber management.
4. You Don't Want to Manage Infrastructure
Sequenzy is fully managed SaaS. Plunk's self-hosting option means you manage servers, updates, and deliverability. If you prefer SaaS convenience, Sequenzy handles everything.
When should you choose Plunk?
1. You Want the Cheapest Option
Plunk at $0.001/email can be significantly cheaper for pure email sending. If you send 30k emails/month, that's $30 vs our $49. At higher volumes, savings grow.
2. You Want Open Source
We're not open-source. Plunk is AGPL-licensed. You can inspect the code, modify it, and self-host. If open-source matters to you, Plunk offers this.
3. You Want to Self-Host
We don't offer self-hosting. Plunk can run on your own infrastructure via Docker. Full data control and no vendor lock-in.
4. You Need EU Data Hosting
Plunk's SaaS hosts data in the EU. Or self-host anywhere you want. Our infrastructure is US-based (though we're working on EU options).
5. You Just Need Basic Email Sending
If you don't need visual automation, Stripe integration, or advanced subscriber management, Plunk's simplicity might be a feature, not a limitation.
Honest Limitations of Sequenzy
- More expensive: $49/mo vs Plunk's pay-per-email model.
- Not open-source: You can't self-host or modify the code.
- US infrastructure: Not ideal for strict EU data requirements.
- Potentially overkill: If you just need basic sending, you're paying for unused features.
Honest Limitations of Plunk
- Basic automation: No visual flow builder.
- No Stripe integration: No SaaS subscription sync.
- Basic subscriber management: Limited profiles and segmentation.
- Self-hosting overhead: You manage infrastructure if self-hosting.
- Community support: Less direct support than commercial SaaS.
- Newer/smaller: Less mature than established platforms.