MandrillvsResend

Mandrill vs Resend

Mailchimp transactional add-on vs modern developer email API

TL;DR

Mandrill requires Mailchimp and works as a transactional add-on. Resend is a modern, developer-first email API with React Email support and a generous free tier. Resend wins on developer experience, independence, and modern tooling. Mandrill wins on Mailchimp integration and track record.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Developer Experience
Resend wins

Resend is built for modern developers. React Email support, beautiful documentation, clean API design, modern SDKs. Mandrill's API works but feels dated. For new projects, Resend's DX is significantly better.

Independence
Resend wins

Resend is fully independent with a generous free tier. Mandrill requires Mailchimp ($20+/month). For developers not using Mailchimp, Resend is the obvious choice.

Track Record
Mandrill wins

Mandrill has 10+ years of proven reliability. Resend is newer (launched 2023). For mission-critical systems where track record matters, Mandrill's longevity is an advantage.

React Email
Resend wins

Resend's integration with React Email lets developers build email templates as React components. This is genuinely innovative and beloved by React developers. Mandrill has no equivalent.

Pricing Comparison

At 50,000 emails/month

Mandrill
$30+/month

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

Visit Mandrill
Resend
$30/month

Pro plan. 50k emails/month, custom domains, dedicated IPs available.

Visit Resend
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

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

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
Mandrill
Resend
Sequenzy
Developer Experience
API Design
REST + SMTP
Modern REST API
REST + SMTP
React Email
Native support
SDK Quality
Multiple languages
Modern SDKs (Node, Python, etc.)
REST API
Documentation
Good
Beautiful, modern
Good
Platform
Standalone
No (requires Mailchimp)
Free Tier
500 emails one-time
3,000 emails/month + 100/day
100 subscribers
Marketing Email
Via Mailchimp
Broadcast (beta)
Built-in
Inbound Email
Reliability
Track Record
10+ years
Newer (2023+)
Newer
Deliverability
Good (Mailchimp infra)
Good (AWS SES based)
Good
Dedicated IPs
$29.95/mo
Available on higher plans
Enterprise
Webhooks
Comprehensive
Modern webhooks
Delivery events

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose Mandrill if you...
  • Mailchimp users wanting transactional email
  • Teams valuing proven track record over modern DX
  • Companies needing inbound email processing
Choose Resend if you...
  • Modern developers wanting best-in-class DX
  • React/Next.js teams using React Email
  • New projects wanting a free starting point
  • Developers who value clean API design
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing transactional + marketing combined
  • Teams wanting Stripe-integrated email
  • Startups wanting AI-generated marketing sequences

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Transactional + Marketing Combined

Resend focuses on transactional email. Mandrill needs Mailchimp for marketing. Sequenzy combines both with Stripe integration in one platform.

SaaS-Specific

Neither platform has SaaS-specific features. Sequenzy syncs with Stripe for subscription-aware automation alongside transactional email.

Try Sequenzy Free

Overview

Mandrill and Resend represent two generations of email infrastructure. Mandrill is the established Mailchimp add-on. Resend is the modern developer-first alternative. For our take on each, see our Mandrill comparison and Resend comparison.

Modern vs Legacy

Resend was built for today's developers. React Email components, beautiful documentation, clean API design, modern SDKs. Mandrill works, but feels like a product from a different era. For new projects, the developer experience gap is significant.

The Mailchimp Lock-in Question

Mandrill requires Mailchimp. Resend is independent. If you're starting fresh, paying for Mailchimp just to access transactional email makes no sense when Resend offers a better experience for free.

When Track Record Matters

Mandrill has 10+ years of proven reliability. Resend is newer. For mission-critical systems where longevity and proven track record outweigh developer experience, Mandrill's history matters.

The Sequenzy Alternative

For SaaS founders wanting transactional email and marketing campaigns in one platform with Stripe integration, Sequenzy combines both 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