MailUpvsSendGrid

MailUp vs SendGrid

Marketing email platform vs developer email infrastructure

TL;DR

Different tools for different purposes. SendGrid is email infrastructure for developers (APIs, SMTP). MailUp is email marketing for business users (campaigns, BEE editor). SendGrid wins for developers. MailUp wins for marketers.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Purpose

SendGrid is email infrastructure for developers. MailUp is email marketing for business users. They serve fundamentally different needs. Most businesses that need both end up using two tools.

Marketing UX
MailUp wins

MailUp's BEE editor, templates, and marketing features are far more developed than SendGrid's marketing add-on. For marketing teams, MailUp is the better experience.

Developer Tools
SendGrid wins

SendGrid has comprehensive APIs, SMTP relay, webhooks, email validation, and IP management. MailUp's developer tools are basic. For engineers, SendGrid is the professional choice.

Contact Model
MailUp wins

MailUp's unlimited contacts model is unique. SendGrid charges by email volume. For businesses with large lists sending moderate volume, MailUp can be more cost-effective.

Pricing Comparison

Comparable usage

MailUp
~$47/month

Starter plan. Unlimited contacts and emails. Marketing-focused.

Visit MailUp
SendGrid
$19.95/month

Essentials plan. 50K emails/month. API + marketing.

Visit SendGrid
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

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

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
MailUp
SendGrid
Sequenzy
Email Sending
Transactional Email
Basic SMTP
Core product (API + SMTP)
Built-in
Marketing Campaigns
Full-featured with BEE editor
Basic marketing (add-on feel)
Full-featured
Email API
REST API
Full REST API and SMTP
REST API
Deliverability Tools
Basic
Advanced (IP warming, authentication)
Standard
Marketing
Email Builder
BEE drag-and-drop editor
Basic drag-and-drop
Visual builder
SMS
Built-in (pay-per-message)
Via Twilio (separate product)
Automation
Visual automation builder
Basic automation
Trigger-based sequences
Email Previews
Up to 76 email clients
Basic
Developer
SMTP Relay
Basic
Full SMTP relay
Webhooks
Basic
Comprehensive event webhooks
Webhooks
IP Management
Shared
Dedicated IPs available
Shared
Email Validation
Built-in validation API

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose MailUp if you...
  • Marketing teams wanting professional email campaigns
  • Businesses wanting unlimited contacts with SMS
  • Non-technical teams wanting a visual email platform
Choose SendGrid if you...
  • Developers needing transactional email APIs
  • Teams wanting email infrastructure with deliverability tools
  • Companies sending high-volume transactional email
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing transactional + marketing combined
  • Teams wanting Stripe-integrated email

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Both in One

SendGrid does transactional well but marketing poorly. MailUp does marketing but basic transactional. Sequenzy combines both with Stripe integration at $49/month.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

MailUp and SendGrid serve different purposes entirely. MailUp is email marketing. SendGrid is email infrastructure. For our take on each, see our MailUp comparison and SendGrid comparison.

Different Tools, Different Jobs

MailUp sends marketing campaigns with the BEE editor, SMS, and unlimited contacts. SendGrid sends transactional emails through APIs and SMTP. They're complementary, not competitive. Many businesses use both.

Where They Overlap

Both can technically send marketing emails, but their strengths differ. MailUp's marketing tools are far more capable. SendGrid's developer tools are far more powerful. Choose based on your primary need.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders who want marketing and transactional in one tool, Sequenzy combines transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration 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