Overview
Keila and Sendy serve different needs in the email space. Keila is a open-source email newsletter tool with EU hosting. Sendy is a ultra-affordable self-hosted newsletter using Amazon SES.
The choice depends on what you need: open source (agplv3) (Keila) or $69 one-time (Sendy). For SaaS businesses specifically, Sequenzy offers purpose-built features that neither tool provides.
Pricing Comparison
- Keila: $8-32/month for cloud hosting, with self-hosting free under AGPLv3 and an EU cloud option.
- Sendy: $69 one-time - $69 one-time + SES costs (~$0.10/1k). Self-hosted PHP.
- Sequenzy: $99/month for 120,000 emails and unlimited subscribers, a step above Keila's $8-32 cloud range. See pricing.
Where Keila Wins
Open source (AGPLv3)
Keila's AGPLv3 license means you can read and modify the code, so there is no vendor lock-in for teams that need that freedom.
EU cloud hosting
Keila's EU cloud hosting keeps subscriber data inside the EU, which helps with GDPR compliance.
Visual editor + MJML
Keila pairs its visual editor with MJML, so teams that prefer markup can build responsive templates alongside drag-and-drop design.
Privacy-first
Keila's privacy-first design and self-hosting option give you full control over subscriber data, which suits privacy-conscious organizations.
Where Sendy Wins
$69 one-time
Sendy offers $69 one-time, which matters for teams that prioritize this.
Amazon SES (cheapest sending)
Sendy offers amazon ses (cheapest sending), which matters for teams that prioritize this.
Simple and lightweight
Sendy offers simple and lightweight, which matters for teams that prioritize this.
Battle-tested
Sendy offers battle-tested, which matters for teams that prioritize this.
Open-Source vs Commercial Trade-off
Sendy skips open-source licensing entirely, betting instead on a one-time fee: $69 plus your own Amazon SES costs, roughly $0.10 per 1,000 emails, with no subscription at all. Keila's AGPLv3 code is the opposite trade, giving you a look inside the software and free self-hosting, or a cloud plan from $8-32 a month if you'd rather not run your own server. Pick Sendy for the cheapest possible long-term math, and Keila if inspecting or owning the code matters more than saving the last dollar.
EU Data Sovereignty
Keila can run entirely on EU cloud infrastructure or on servers you control yourself, which suits teams that need subscriber data to stay within a specific jurisdiction for GDPR reasons. Sendy is self-hosted PHP, so your data sits wherever you install it and however you configure your Amazon SES sending, but Sendy itself doesn't offer a managed EU cloud option the way Keila does. If a hosted EU option matters, Keila's cloud tier at $8-32 a month covers that; Sendy leaves hosting entirely up to you.
The Self-Hosting Reality
Both tools ask you to run your own server if you want full control, but the ongoing effort differs. Keila's cloud plan ($8-32/month) removes that burden if you don't want it, while self-hosting stays free. Sendy has no cloud option at all: the $69 one-time price only makes sense if you're comfortable maintaining a PHP install and wiring up Amazon SES yourself. Teams without a DevOps person may find Keila's cloud tier easier to live with day to day.
Use-case matchups
| Situation | Best first look | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Team wants open-source control and EU hosting | Keila | Keila is stronger for data control and code access. |
| Team wants low-cost self-hosted newsletters with Amazon SES | Sendy | Sendy is built around a one-time license plus cheap SES sending. |
| Organization has GDPR or sovereignty requirements | Keila | Self-hosting and EU cloud are the main advantage. |
| Budget-focused sender is comfortable with PHP and SES | Sendy | The long-term software cost is low if the stack fits. |
| SaaS team needs Stripe lifecycle and transactional email | Sequenzy | Sequenzy is managed and billing-aware rather than newsletter-only. |
Pricing reality
Keila's $8-32/month cloud price or self-hosted option should be weighed against hosting, SMTP, DNS, backups, updates, and deliverability ownership.
Sendy's $69 one-time license is inexpensive, but the real cost includes PHP hosting, Amazon SES setup, bounce/complaint configuration, updates, backups, and technical maintenance.
Sequenzy's $49/month price is relevant when a SaaS team needs managed transactional plus marketing email and Stripe triggers rather than a self-hosted newsletter tool.
Review signals
| Platform | What reviews in this page suggest | What to validate |
|---|---|---|
| Keila | Review themes favor open source, EU hosting, self-hosting, GDPR control, and newsletter sending. | Confirm operations ownership, integrations, automation depth, and SMTP setup. |
| Sendy | Review themes favor low long-term cost, SES economics, simplicity, and battle-tested newsletter sending. | Confirm PHP maintenance, SES dependency, dated UI tolerance, and bounce/complaint handling. |
Best Fit by Open-Source Control and SES Cost
Best open-source newsletter tool for EU hosting and data control
Keila is the better fit when the organization wants code access, self-hosting, EU cloud options, and a clearer sovereignty story. It is most relevant when GDPR posture, data ownership, and infrastructure control matter more than Sendy's SES-specific cost model.
Best low-cost self-hosted newsletter tool for Amazon SES
Sendy is the better fit when the team wants a one-time license, simple newsletter sending, and very low Amazon SES delivery costs. It suits technical teams comfortable with PHP hosting, MySQL, SES setup, bounces, complaints, updates, and backups.
Best managed lifecycle email platform without self-hosting
Sequenzy fits SaaS teams that do not want to run newsletter infrastructure at all. It is relevant when campaigns, transactional email, Stripe events, and lifecycle automation matter more than open-source control or the lowest possible sending bill.
Migration checklist
| Workstream | Moving toward Keila | Moving toward Sendy | Moving toward Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Configure cloud/self-hosting, SMTP, DNS, backups, updates, and monitoring. | Configure PHP hosting, MySQL, Amazon SES, SNS bounces/complaints, DNS, and backups. | Configure domains, Stripe, app events, transactional routes, and subscriber sync. |
| Subscribers | Import subscribers, lists, fields, consent, and suppressions. | Import lists, subscribers, custom fields, suppression data, and SES status. | Import subscribers, attributes, tags, suppressions, and billing identifiers. |
| Automations | Rebuild simple newsletter flows or externalize automation. | Rebuild autoresponders, campaigns, RSS if used, and SES sending settings. | Rebuild onboarding, billing, transactional, lifecycle, and campaign flows. |
| Templates | Recreate newsletter templates and forms. | Recreate campaign templates, autoresponders, and signup forms. | Recreate lifecycle and transactional templates. |
| Reporting | Track campaigns, bounces, unsubscribes, and delivery health. | Track campaigns, SES bounces/complaints, opens, clicks, and list growth. | Track lifecycle, billing, transactional, and campaign reporting. |
Decision checklist
- Is open-source control or lowest long-term newsletter cost more important?
- Can the team maintain PHP hosting and Amazon SES correctly?
- Do GDPR/data-residency needs point toward Keila?
- Is the dated Sendy workflow acceptable for daily campaign work?
- Is the real requirement SaaS lifecycle email instead of self-hosted newsletters?
