Overview

Mandrill and Postmark both handle transactional email, but with different philosophies. Postmark is laser-focused on delivery speed and reliability. Mandrill is a transactional add-on for Mailchimp users. For our take on each, see our Mandrill comparison and Postmark comparison.

Postmark's Delivery Obsession

Postmark built their entire brand around fast, reliable transactional email delivery. They publish delivery stats publicly, offer delivery time SLAs, and separate transactional from marketing to protect deliverability. For critical emails like password resets and receipts, this focus matters.

Mandrill's Mailchimp Lock-in

Mandrill is a solid transactional service, but it requires Mailchimp. If you're already on Mailchimp, the integration is seamless. If not, paying $20/month for Mailchimp just to access transactional email makes little sense.

The Speed Factor

For applications where delivery speed is critical — password resets, two-factor codes, real-time notifications — Postmark's speed advantage is measurable and meaningful. Most Postmark emails deliver in seconds.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders wanting transactional email and marketing campaigns in one platform with Stripe integration, Sequenzy offers combined functionality at $49/month.