Overview
Mailcoach and Sendy serve different needs in the email space. Mailcoach is a self-hosted Laravel email marketing platform. Sendy is a ultra-affordable self-hosted newsletter using Amazon SES.
The choice depends on what you need: self-hosted option (Mailcoach) or $69 one-time (Sendy). For SaaS businesses specifically, Sequenzy offers purpose-built features that neither tool provides.
Pricing Comparison
- Mailcoach: ~€25/month (cloud) - Self-hosted free (Laravel). Cloud from €9.99/mo. BYOSP.
- Sendy: $69 one-time - $69 one-time + SES costs (~$0.10/1k). Self-hosted PHP.
- Sequenzy: $99/month for 120,000 emails, unlimited subscribers, fully managed. See pricing.
Where Mailcoach Wins
Self-hosted option
Mailcoach offers self-hosted option, which is a genuine advantage for teams that need it.
BYOSP flexibility
Mailcoach offers byosp flexibility, which is a genuine advantage for teams that need it.
Laravel ecosystem (Spatie)
Mailcoach offers laravel ecosystem (spatie), which is a genuine advantage for teams that need it.
Automation workflows
Mailcoach offers automation workflows, which is a genuine advantage for teams that need it.
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.
Why Sequenzy for SaaS
If you are building a SaaS product, Sequenzy offers what neither Mailcoach nor Sendy provides: native Stripe integration for billing-based automation, AI sequences that generate onboarding and retention emails, and unified transactional + marketing email in one platform. Check our pricing page for details.
Self-Hosted Architecture Comparison
Sendy is a traditional PHP application that installs on any web server with PHP and MySQL. The installation process is straightforward - upload files, run the installer, configure SES credentials. It has been reliable for years but the codebase reflects older PHP practices.
Mailcoach is built on Laravel, a modern PHP framework with robust architecture patterns. Installation requires Composer and more configuration but results in a more maintainable and extensible system. For development teams already using Laravel, Mailcoach integrates naturally into existing projects.
Email Provider Lock-In
Sendy is designed exclusively for Amazon SES. This keeps costs extremely low - SES charges roughly $0.10 per 1,000 emails - but means you cannot switch providers without switching platforms. If SES suspends your account or you need features SES lacks, your options are limited.
Mailcoach supports multiple email service providers through its BYOSP approach. Use SES, Postmark, Mailgun, SendGrid, or others. This flexibility protects against provider lock-in and lets you choose the provider best suited to your deliverability and feature needs.
Total Cost of Ownership
Sendy's one-time $69 fee is unbeatable for initial cost. Add SES sending costs and basic hosting, and you can run email marketing for under $20/month total to tens of thousands of subscribers. Over several years, the savings compared to any SaaS platform are significant.
Mailcoach self-hosted is also free for the software but requires a server capable of running Laravel applications, which typically costs more than the basic hosting Sendy needs. The Cloud version adds monthly costs. However, the better architecture and BYOSP flexibility may justify the difference for teams that value modern tooling. Compare total costs on our pricing page.
Development and Future-Proofing
Sendy's development pace has slowed considerably. Updates are infrequent and the feature set has remained largely unchanged. For teams that need only basic newsletter sending, this stability is fine. For teams expecting continued feature development, the plateau is concerning.
Mailcoach is actively developed by Spatie, a well-regarded Laravel package company. Regular updates, new features, and community contributions keep the platform evolving. For teams that want a self-hosted solution with a future, Mailcoach's active development provides more confidence. Review our email deliverability guide for best practices applicable to either platform.
Use-case matchups
| Use case | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest self-hosted newsletter setup | Sendy | Sendy has a one-time license and uses Amazon SES for low sending costs. |
| Laravel-native email marketing | Mailcoach | Mailcoach is the better fit for teams already comfortable with Laravel and modern PHP tooling. |
| Multiple sending providers | Mailcoach | Mailcoach's BYOSP model is more flexible than Sendy's SES-only approach. |
| Simple newsletter sending with minimal changes | Sendy | Sendy is focused and lightweight if the team only needs basic campaigns. |
| SaaS product email without self-hosting | Sequenzy | Sequenzy avoids self-hosting while adding lifecycle and transactional email. |
Pricing reality
Sendy is the lowest upfront software cost in this comparison, but it assumes you are comfortable with hosting, SES setup, and ongoing maintenance. Mailcoach can also keep platform costs low, but the Cloud plan and Laravel infrastructure change the total cost picture. Compare the full operating cost, not just the license or monthly fee.
Review signals
The review data on this page reflects two different buying reasons. Sendy is usually valued for low cost and simplicity. Mailcoach is usually valued for modern self-hosted architecture and provider flexibility. Current reviews should be filtered for installation, support, update cadence, and deliverability management.
Best Fit by PHP Stack and Provider Flexibility
Best self-hosted email marketing tool for Laravel teams
Mailcoach is the better fit when the team already works in Laravel and wants an actively developed self-hosted marketing system. Provider flexibility, queues, modern PHP tooling, and Spatie's ecosystem matter more than the absolute lowest newsletter cost.
Best low-cost newsletter tool for Amazon SES senders
Sendy is the better fit when the job is simple newsletters, basic autoresponders, and cheap SES-backed sending. It works for teams that can tolerate a slower development pace because they value stability, low software cost, and a focused feature set.
Best hosted SaaS email platform without infrastructure work
Sequenzy fits teams that want lifecycle campaigns, transactional email, and subscription-aware events without maintaining PHP or Laravel email infrastructure. It is relevant when operational simplicity matters more than owning the application layer.
Migration checklist
| Step | Moving to Mailcoach | Moving to Sendy | Moving to Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Prepare Laravel hosting, queues, database, and sender credentials. | Prepare PHP hosting, MySQL, SES verification, and cron. | Verify domains, sender identity, and product/customer fields. |
| Contact export | Export subscribers, tags, segments, and suppression records. | Export lists, custom fields, suppression records, and campaign history if needed. | Export contacts, lifecycle fields, and unsubscribe state. |
| Campaign rebuild | Recreate automations, templates, and provider webhooks. | Rebuild newsletters, autoresponders, and SES bounce handling. | Rebuild lifecycle, campaign, and transactional journeys. |
| Launch QA | Test queues, bounces, complaints, unsubscribe links, and tracking. | Test SES sending limits, bounces, complaints, and unsubscribe links. | Test transactional and marketing flows before switching forms or app events. |
Decision checklist
- Choose Sendy if the priority is the lowest-cost self-hosted newsletter stack and SES lock-in is acceptable.
- Choose Mailcoach if you want a more modern self-hosted system with provider flexibility.
- Choose Sequenzy if you want SaaS-focused lifecycle email without owning email infrastructure.