CouriervsSendGrid

Courier vs SendGrid

Multi-channel notification orchestration vs direct email API

TL;DR

Courier orchestrates notifications across channels (email, push, SMS) through providers like SendGrid. SendGrid sends emails directly. SendGrid wins for email-only needs. Courier wins when you need multi-channel notification routing with provider abstraction.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Direct vs Orchestrated
SendGrid wins

SendGrid sends emails directly. Courier routes notifications through providers like SendGrid. If you only need email, SendGrid is simpler and cheaper. Courier adds value when you need multiple channels.

Multi-channel
Courier wins

Courier handles email, push, SMS, Slack, Discord, and in-app notifications from one API. SendGrid handles email only. For multi-channel apps, Courier is the only choice here.

Total Cost
SendGrid wins

SendGrid is all-inclusive for email. Courier requires both Courier fees and a separate email provider (possibly SendGrid itself). For email-only, SendGrid costs less total.

Provider Abstraction
Courier wins

Courier lets you switch email providers without changing code. Useful for avoiding vendor lock-in. SendGrid locks you in, but simplifies architecture.

Pricing Comparison

At 50,000 emails/month

Courier
$0-99+/month

Free up to 10k notifications/month. Business from $99/mo. Plus email provider costs.

Visit Courier
SendGrid
$19.95/month

Essentials plan. 50k emails/month, APIs, deliverability tools.

Visit SendGrid
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

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

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Courier
SendGrid
Sequenzy
Email
Email Delivery
Via providers (SendGrid, SES, etc.)
Direct
Direct
Marketing Email
Email Editor
Template designer
Drag-and-drop builder
Drag-and-drop builder
Deliverability Tools
Depends on provider
Built-in (dedicated IPs, authentication)
Managed
Multi-channel
Push Notifications
Yes (FCM, APNs)
SMS
Yes (via Twilio, etc.)
No (separate Twilio product)
In-app Notifications
Yes (notification feed)
Channel Routing
Intelligent fallback routing
Email only
Email only
Value
Free Tier
10k notifications/month
100 emails/day
100 subscribers
Total Cost (email only)
Courier + email provider
SendGrid only
Sequenzy only
Setup Complexity
Configure Courier + provider
Direct integration
Direct integration
Provider Flexibility
Switch providers without code changes
Locked to SendGrid
Locked to Sequenzy

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Courier if you...
  • Apps needing multi-channel notifications (email + push + SMS)
  • Teams wanting to abstract email provider choice
  • Products with in-app notification feeds
Choose SendGrid if you...
  • Teams wanting direct, simple email delivery
  • Companies needing marketing + transactional email
  • High-volume email senders wanting deliverability tools
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing Stripe-integrated email
  • Teams wanting transactional + marketing with automation

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

SaaS-Specific

Neither Courier nor SendGrid is built for SaaS. Sequenzy combines transactional + marketing email with Stripe integration for subscription businesses.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Courier and SendGrid serve fundamentally different purposes. SendGrid sends emails directly. Courier orchestrates notifications across channels, often using SendGrid as one of its delivery providers. For our take on each, see our Courier comparison and SendGrid comparison.

Different Layers of the Stack

Courier sits above email providers as an orchestration layer. It routes notifications to the right channel (email, push, SMS) through the right provider. SendGrid is an email provider — it actually delivers the emails. You might use both: Courier for routing, SendGrid for email delivery.

When You Just Need Email

If email is your only channel, SendGrid is simpler and cheaper. One integration, direct delivery, marketing features included. Adding Courier for email-only adds complexity and cost without clear benefit.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders wanting transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration, Sequenzy offers a unified SaaS email platform at $49/month.

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