MandrillvsMailtrap

Mandrill vs Mailtrap

Mailchimp transactional add-on vs email testing and delivery platform

TL;DR

Mandrill is a transactional email add-on requiring Mailchimp. Mailtrap combines email testing (sandbox) and production sending in one platform — built for developer workflows. Mailtrap wins on developer experience, testing tools, and independence. Mandrill wins on Mailchimp integration.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Email Testing
Mailtrap wins

Mailtrap's sandbox catches test emails during development — no accidental sends to real users. Analyze HTML rendering, check spam scores, validate content. Mandrill has no testing environment. This alone makes Mailtrap valuable for development teams.

Developer Workflow
Mailtrap wins

Mailtrap integrates testing and production sending into one workflow. Develop with the sandbox, switch to sending for production. Mandrill is production-only with no development workflow.

Price at Volume
Mandrill wins

Mandrill (~$40/month) is cheaper than Mailtrap ($60/month) for 50k emails. If you only need production sending without testing, Mandrill costs less.

Independence
Mailtrap wins

Mailtrap works standalone. Mandrill requires Mailchimp. For teams not using Mailchimp, Mailtrap eliminates the unnecessary dependency.

Pricing Comparison

At 50,000 emails/month

Mandrill
$30+/month

2 blocks (50k emails) + Mailchimp Standard ($20+/mo). Total ~$40+/mo.

Visit Mandrill
Mailtrap
$60/month

Business plan. 50k emails/month, email testing, analytics.

Visit Mailtrap
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

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

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Mandrill
Mailtrap
Sequenzy
Email Delivery
Transactional API
REST + SMTP
REST + SMTP
REST + SMTP
Email Testing (Sandbox)
Yes (core feature)
HTML/CSS Analysis
Built-in checker
Spam Score Analysis
Built-in
Developer Workflow
Staging Environment
Sandbox (catches test emails)
Standalone
No (requires Mailchimp)
API Documentation
Aging docs
Modern, clear docs
Modern docs
Marketing Email
Via Mailchimp
Built-in
Value
Price at 50k emails
~$40+/mo
$60/mo
$49/mo
Free Tier
500 emails one-time
1,000 emails/month + testing
100 subscribers
Email Testing Free
100 test emails/month
Dedicated IPs
$29.95/mo
Enterprise
Enterprise

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Mandrill if you...
  • Mailchimp users wanting transactional email
  • Teams wanting cheaper production sending at volume
Choose Mailtrap if you...
  • Development teams wanting email testing + sending
  • Companies wanting to prevent accidental test emails
  • Developers wanting spam score analysis before sending
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing Stripe-integrated email
  • Teams wanting transactional + marketing combined

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

SaaS-Specific

Neither Mandrill nor Mailtrap is built for SaaS. Sequenzy combines transactional email with marketing campaigns and Stripe integration for subscription businesses.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Mandrill and Mailtrap serve different developer needs. Mandrill is a Mailchimp add-on for production transactional email. Mailtrap uniquely combines email testing (sandbox) with production sending. For our take on each, see our Mandrill comparison.

Mailtrap's Testing Advantage

Mailtrap's email sandbox catches emails during development — no accidental sends to real customers. Analyze HTML rendering, check spam scores, validate content, and debug email issues before they reach production. Mandrill has no testing environment. For development teams, this alone justifies switching.

The Combined Workflow

Mailtrap lets you use one platform for both testing and production. Develop with the sandbox, analyze with testing tools, then switch to production sending. Mandrill requires a separate solution for email testing during development.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders wanting transactional email and marketing campaigns with Stripe integration, Sequenzy offers SaaS-specific features 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