MailjetvsMailtrap

Mailjet vs Mailtrap

Production-ready unified platform vs testing-first email service

TL;DR

Mailjet offers unified transactional and marketing email for production use starting at $15/month, with real-time collaboration features. Mailtrap is a testing-first platform starting at $10/month for 10,000 emails, designed for email development workflow before expanding into production sending. Mailjet for production email, Mailtrap for development-first workflows.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Testing Workflow
Mailtrap wins

Mailtrap was built for email testing. The sandbox captures test emails without sending to real inboxes, with HTML/CSS analysis and spam checking. Mailjet has basic preview but no dedicated testing sandbox. For development workflow, Mailtrap is purpose-built.

Production Maturity
Mailjet wins

Mailjet has been sending production email since 2010 with proven deliverability. Mailtrap's production sending is newer, having started as a testing tool. For production confidence, Mailjet has the track record.

Marketing Features
Mailjet wins

Mailjet includes marketing campaigns, visual builder with collaboration, and automation workflows. Mailtrap is transactional-only with no marketing features. For businesses needing both, Mailjet is the only choice here.

Developer Experience
Mailtrap wins

Mailtrap is designed for developers with testing-first workflow. The sandbox, HTML analysis, and API are developer-centric. Mailjet serves both developers and marketers. For pure developer workflow, Mailtrap wins.

Pricing Comparison

At 10,000 emails/month

Mailjet
~$35-50/month

Premium plan with automation. Essential $15/mo for lower volumes.

Visit Mailjet
Mailtrap
$10/month

Business plan for 10k emails. Testing sandbox free. Sending separate.

Visit Mailtrap
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

10k contacts, unlimited sends, marketing + transactional unified.

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Mailjet
Mailtrap
Sequenzy
Core Purpose
Primary Focus
Production email platform
Email testing + sending
SaaS email platform
Email Testing
Basic preview
Core strength (sandbox)
Basic preview
Marketing Campaigns
Included
Core feature
Marketing Automation
Premium plan
AI-powered
Contact Management
Built-in
Basic
Built-in CRM
Email Testing Features
Email Sandbox
Yes (core feature)
HTML/CSS Analysis
Basic
Detailed
Basic
Spam Testing
Limited
Built-in
Limited
Preview Rendering
Good
Multiple clients
Good
QA Workflow
Basic
Purpose-built
Basic
Production Sending
Transactional API
Core feature
Added feature
Core feature
SMTP Relay
Deliverability Track Record
Good, since 2010
Newer to production
Good
Dedicated IPs
Premium plan
Available
Available
Volume Capacity
High
Growing
High
Collaboration & UX
Visual Email Builder
Passport (collab)
Visual builder
Real-time Collaboration
Team Features
Built-in
Available
Built-in
Developer Focus
Good
Primary focus
Developer-focused

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Mailjet if you...
  • Teams needing production-ready unified email
  • Organizations wanting marketing + transactional
  • Companies needing real-time collaboration
  • Businesses prioritizing proven deliverability
Choose Mailtrap if you...
  • Development teams needing email testing
  • QA workflows requiring email capture
  • Startups wanting testing-first approach
  • Developers prioritizing sandbox workflow
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing marketing + transactional
  • Stripe-integrated businesses wanting payment triggers
  • Teams wanting SaaS-focused automation
  • Companies wanting unlimited sends per contact

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

SaaS-Focused Features

Mailjet is general-purpose. Mailtrap is testing-focused. Sequenzy is built specifically for SaaS with trial-to-paid sequences, MRR segmentation, and behavior-based automation.

Native Stripe Integration

Trigger emails based on Stripe payments, subscriptions, and billing events. Neither Mailjet nor Mailtrap offers native Stripe OAuth integration.

Marketing Automation

Mailtrap has no marketing features. Mailjet has basic automation. Sequenzy offers AI-powered sequences and behavioral automation for SaaS lifecycle emails.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Mailjet and Mailtrap serve different roles in the email ecosystem. Mailjet (owned by Sinch) is a production-ready platform combining transactional email and marketing campaigns. Mailtrap started as an email testing tool and expanded into production sending. See our Mailtrap alternatives for more options.

Testing-First vs Production-Ready

The core difference is origin and focus. Mailtrap was built for developers who need to test emails safely without sending to real inboxes. Mailjet was built for production email sending from day one. This shapes their feature sets and strengths.

Email Testing Sandbox

Mailtrap's sandbox is its core strength. Capture test emails, analyze HTML/CSS, check spam scores, preview across email clients. Essential for development workflow to avoid accidentally emailing real users during testing. Mailjet has basic preview but no equivalent sandbox.

Marketing Capabilities

Mailjet includes marketing campaigns, visual builder with real-time collaboration (Passport), automation workflows, and contact management. Mailtrap is transactional-only with no marketing features. If you need marketing email alongside transactional, Mailjet is the only choice here.

Production Track Record

Mailjet has been sending production email since 2010 with proven deliverability. Mailtrap's production sending is a newer addition to a testing-first platform. For production confidence, Mailjet has the longer track record.

Development Workflow

Mailtrap is designed around developer needs. Testing sandbox, HTML analysis, API documentation, and developer-centric features. Mailjet serves both developers and marketers. If your priority is developer workflow, Mailtrap is more focused.

Using Both

Many teams use Mailtrap for development testing and a separate service for production. Mailtrap sandbox during development, then Mailjet (or Sequenzy) for live email. This gives you testing safety plus production maturity.

The SaaS Alternative

Neither platform is built specifically for SaaS. Sequenzy offers unified marketing and transactional with native Stripe integration and behavioral automation, bridging the gap between testing-focused and production-focused platforms.

Making the Choice

Choose Mailjet for production-ready unified email with marketing and collaboration. Choose Mailtrap for development-first workflow with email testing sandbox. For SaaS with marketing automation and transactional emails with Stripe integration, consider Sequenzy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Depends on your workflow. Mailtrap for development teams needing email testing sandbox. Mailjet for production email with marketing features. Many teams use Mailtrap for testing and a different service for production.

Mailtrap's sandbox captures test emails without sending to real inboxes. It analyzes HTML/CSS, checks spam score, and previews across email clients. Essential for development workflow to avoid sending test emails to real users.

Yes, Mailtrap expanded beyond testing to include production email sending. However, their production sending is newer than established platforms like Mailjet. Testing remains their core strength.

Mailtrap is cheaper at entry level, starting at $10/month for 10k emails. Mailjet starts at $15/month for lower volumes but includes marketing features. For testing-only, Mailtrap is more cost-effective. For production + marketing, Mailjet offers more value.

Basic preview and inbox testing, but no dedicated sandbox like Mailtrap. For thorough email testing workflow, you would need Mailtrap or similar tool even if using Mailjet for production.

Yes, many teams do. Mailtrap for development and testing workflow, then a production service like Mailjet or Sequenzy for live sending. The testing sandbox prevents accidental sends to real users during development.

Mailjet has longer production track record since 2010. Mailtrap's production sending is newer. For critical production email, Mailjet's track record inspires more confidence. Mailtrap is improving but still establishing reputation.

No. Mailtrap is transactional and testing only. No marketing campaigns, no visual builder, no automation. For marketing email, you need a different service like Mailjet or Sequenzy.

Set up Mailjet and verify domain. Update API or SMTP credentials in your application. Import any contacts. You will gain marketing features and collaboration tools. Keep Mailtrap for testing if desired.

Set up Mailtrap Sending and verify domain. Update credentials. Note: you will lose marketing campaigns and automation. You may want to keep Mailjet for marketing and use Mailtrap for transactional only.

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) - 2k 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 (0-100 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

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