CouriervsNovu

Courier vs Novu

Closed-source notification platform vs open-source alternative

TL;DR

Both Courier and Novu are notification infrastructure platforms. Novu is open-source with a self-hosted option. Courier is closed-source with a larger provider ecosystem. Novu wins on openness and self-hosting. Courier wins on maturity and provider coverage.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Open Source
Novu wins

Novu is MIT-licensed open source with 20k+ GitHub stars. Self-host for free, contribute to development, customize everything. Courier is closed-source SaaS only. For teams wanting control and transparency, Novu wins.

Provider Ecosystem
Courier wins

Courier has 50+ provider integrations vs Novu's 20+. More providers means more flexibility. Courier's larger ecosystem reflects its longer time in market.

Self-hosting
Novu wins

Novu can be self-hosted for complete data control and zero hosting costs. Courier requires their cloud. For data-sensitive organizations, self-hosting is a significant advantage.

Enterprise Maturity
Courier wins

Courier has been in market longer with enterprise features and compliance certifications. Novu is rapidly catching up but Courier has more enterprise deployments.

Pricing Comparison

Starting price

Courier
$0-99+/month

Free up to 10k notifications/month. Business from $99/mo.

Visit Courier
Novu
$0+/month

Open-source (self-host free). Cloud free tier available.

Visit Novu
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k subscribers, unlimited emails, transactional + marketing, Stripe integration.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Courier
Novu
Sequenzy
Platform
Open Source
Yes (MIT license)
Self-hosted
Provider Integrations
50+ providers
20+ providers
Built-in delivery
Maturity
More mature
Rapidly growing
Growing
Notification Features
In-app Notifications
Feed component
Notification center component
Channel Routing
Intelligent routing
Workflow-based routing
Email only
User Preferences
Preference center
Subscriber preferences
Email preferences
Digest/Batching
Basic
Digest engine
Developer Experience
Community
Closed ecosystem
Open-source community (20k+ GitHub stars)
Growing community
Customization
Configuration-based
Full source code access
API-based
Data Control
Courier-hosted
Self-host for full control
Sequenzy-hosted
Marketing Email
Built-in

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Courier if you...
  • Teams wanting managed notification infrastructure
  • Companies needing broad provider coverage
  • Enterprise teams wanting proven maturity
Choose Novu if you...
  • Teams wanting open-source notification infrastructure
  • Companies needing self-hosted data control
  • Developers wanting to customize and contribute
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing email (not notification infrastructure)
  • Teams wanting transactional + marketing combined

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Email-focused

Neither Courier nor Novu is designed for email marketing. If you need email with SaaS features (Stripe integration, campaigns, sequences), Sequenzy is simpler and purpose-built.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Courier and Novu both build notification infrastructure, but with different philosophies. Courier is closed-source SaaS. Novu is open-source with self-hosting options. For our take on each, see our Courier comparison.

The Open Source Advantage

Novu's MIT license means you can self-host, customize, and contribute. 20k+ GitHub stars reflect genuine community adoption. For teams wanting transparency, data control, and zero vendor lock-in, open source matters.

Courier's Enterprise Edge

Courier has been in market longer with more provider integrations (50+ vs 20+), enterprise compliance, and proven scale. For teams wanting a mature, managed notification service, Courier's track record provides confidence.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders who need email (not notification infrastructure), Sequenzy combines transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration at $49/month — a different tool for a different problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 3k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com