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5 Best Amazon SES Alternatives and Competitors in 2025

Amazon SES is cheap. It scales. And if you’re a developer with time, patience, and a support team, it works.

But here’s the truth no one tells you:

Most people using SES aren’t using it because it’s great. They’re using it because it’s cheap.

And then they hit a wall.

  • Setup is brutal. DNS records, SPF, DKIM, DMARC — welcome to email deliverability hell.

  • No UI. No guidance. No templates. No visibility into why your emails aren’t landing.

  • Cold outreach? Don’t even try it without warm-up tools and risk mitigation strategies.

If you’re:

  • A startup founder who just wants things to work

  • A cold email agency running volume at scale

  • A growth team trying to hit quota, not debug email configs...

Then this post is for you.

I’m breaking down five tools that actually fix what SES makes hard, so you can send emails that land, get replies, and grow your business without hiring a deliverability engineer.

But before that, let’s get the basics. 

What Is Amazon SES?

Amazon SES Homepage
This image shows the Amazon SES Homepage

Amazon Simple Email Service — SES — is a cloud-based email-sending engine from AWS.

It’s built for one thing: sending a lot of emails, cheaply and quickly.

If you’re a developer or a technical team, SES can handle:

  • Password resets

  • Order confirmations

  • App-triggered alerts

  • Even basic marketing flows (with extra tools)

You connect to it via SMTP or API, and it integrates well with other AWS services like Lambda and S3.

So far, sounds great, right?

But here’s the catch…

Why People Start Looking Beyond Amazon SES?

SES isn’t bad — it’s just not built for everyone.

Here’s what most users run into:

  • Complicated setup. SPF, DKIM, DMARC, DNS records, rate limits, sandbox mode, and more. You’ll spend hours configuring just to hit “send.”

  • No UI. There’s no dashboard, no drag-and-drop editor, no templates — just endpoints.

  • Cold outreach? Forget it. SES flags you fast if you’re doing outbound at scale without warming up.

  • Support is slow. If something breaks, don’t expect real-time help.

Bottom line: SES is great if you’re an engineer sending app-based emails.

But if you’re a founder, marketer, SDR, or agency, you probably need something easier, safer, and more tailored to your use case.

What Makes a Good Amazon SES Alternative?

Let’s be honest — you’re not looking for another email tool.

You’re looking for one that gets the job done without killing your time, deliverability, or domain reputation.

Here’s what actually matters:

1. Ease of Setup

If it takes hours of tutorials and DNS tweaks just to send your first email, that’s a problem.

Great tools should get you sending — fast.

2. Use Case Fit

Different tools solve different problems:

  • Need cold email deliverability?

  • Sending alerts from your product?

  • Running drip campaigns?

Choose the one that fits your use case, not just the one with the best pricing page.

3. Built-In Deliverability Protection

SPF, DKIM, inbox warm-up, IP rotation — these are not optional anymore.

If your tool doesn’t help you protect your domain and inbox rate, you’ll land in spam. Simple as that.

4. Pricing That Scales With You

Cheap upfront costs are great — until you hit a usage wall.

The best alternatives are both cost-effective and scalable, with no hidden limits or surprises.

So, before diving into the top 5 Amazon SES Alternatives, here’s what to look for:

  • Ease of setup — Do you need dev skills or can you start in minutes?

  • Use case fit — Transactional vs cold outreach vs marketing

  • Deliverability controls — DNS, IP management, inbox rotation

  • Pricing & scalability — Does it stay affordable as you grow?

Top 5 Amazon SES Alternatives to Consider

  • Mailforge 
  • SendGrid 
  • Postmark
  • Mailgun
  • Brevo

Mailforge: #1 Amazon SES Alternative — Cold Email Infrastructure SES Can’t Touch

Mailforge Homepage
This image shows the Mailforge Homepage

Let’s not sugarcoat it:

Amazon SES was never built for cold email. Mailforge is.

SES gives you a pipe. Mailforge gives you the whole system — domains, inboxes, DNS, warm-up, masking — done in minutes. 

Bulk DNS update in Mailforge 
This image shows the Bulk DNS update in Mailforge 

No engineers. 

No guesswork. 

No getting flagged.

If you're doing cold outreach and still messing with SES, you're wasting time.

What Mailforge Actually Does?

Mailforge isn’t an email sender.

It’s the infrastructure behind the scenes that makes your cold outreach actually work.

  • Buys and sets up domains for you
Domain Set up in Mailforge
  • Creates inboxes — at scale

  • Auto-configures SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and custom tracking

  • Handles inbox rotation, domain masking, and warm-up
Domain Masking in Mailforge
This image shows the Domain Masking in Mailforge
  • Works with any sender — Salesforge, Instantly, Lemlist, whatever you’re using
Works with any Sender
This image shows the Works with any Sender

This is what you think you’re getting with SES — but don’t.

Why It’s an SES Alternative (Even If It’s Not an API)

Here’s the deal:

You don’t need another way to send emails.

You need a way to send cold emails that actually land.

SES will let you send. But it won’t:

  • Warm up your domains

  • Rotate inboxes

  • Protect your sending reputation

  • Or save you when Gmail flags your IP

Mailforge does all of that. Automatically.

If SES is a Ferrari engine with no wheels or body, Mailforge is the full car — gassed up, ready to drive.

Real Pricing with Example

Mailforge Pricing
This image shows the Mailforge Pricing

Let’s say you’re running a basic sequence to 1,000 leads/month.

  • 5 .com domains: $70/year

  • 5 mailboxes (1 per domain): $13/year

  • Total: $83/year if billed annually

  • That’s $6.91/month for cold email infrastructure — fully set up

Compare that to Gmail or Outlook? Not even close.

Compare that to SES + warm-up tools + DNS headaches? Again, not even close.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use This

Who Should Use This Who This Isn’t For
Cold outreach agencies scaling volume If you're sending product-triggered transactional emails, use SES, Postmark, or Mailgun
Founders running outbound solo If you want drag-and-drop marketing emails, use Brevo or SendGrid
SDR teams burning hours managing inboxes manually Anyone tired of getting blocked, flagged, or ignored

Quick Recap

Question Mailforge’s Answer
SMTP or API? ❌ Nope — infra only
Built for cold email? ✅ 100%
DNS + warm-up handled? ✅ Fully automated
Inbox rotation + masking? ✅ Included
Works with any sender? ✅ Plug & play
Scale with your team? ✅ Easy to multiply domains

If cold email is how you get customers, Mailforge is the infrastructure you wish SES had.

SendGrid: #2 Amazon SES Alternative— Like SES, But With a Dashboard You Can Use

SendGrid Homepage
This image shows the SendGrid Homepage

SendGrid is made for teams who want to send emails from their app or website, but also want tracking, templates, and support when things go wrong.

No black screen. 

No mystery errors. 

Just a solid platform that works.

What is SendGrid good at?

Sender authentication in SendGrid
This image shows the Sender authentication in SendGrid
  • You can send all kinds of emails — marketing, transactional, or both
Mails send in SendGrid
This image shows the Mails send in SendGrid
  • You get a simple dashboard to track opens, clicks, bounces, etc.

  • There’s a drag-and-drop editor to build emails (no coding needed)

  • It connects easily with your CRM or website

What You Should Know about SendGrid

  • Cold outreach? Don’t use SendGrid. You’ll get flagged or shut down

  • Their support can be slow — if something breaks, expect to wait
SendGrid G2 reviews
This image shows the SendGrid G2 reviews
  • Setup is still a bit technical — not the easiest for beginners

  • If you want dedicated IPs or auto warm-up, you’ll have to upgrade to the Pro plan
SendGrid G2 reviews
This image shows the SendGrid G2 reviews

SendGrid Pricing (API Plans)

SendGrid Pricing 
This image shows the SendGrid Pricing 
Plan Emails/Month Starting Price
Free 100 emails/day $0
Essentials 50K–100K $19.95/month
Pro 100K–2.5M $89.95/month
Premier Custom Talk to sales

Note: Want warm-up, better inboxing, and IP control? You’ll need to pay more.

Best For You If…

  • You run a SaaS or app and need to send sign-up emails, receipts, or updates

  • You want to see what’s happening with your emails (opens, clicks, bounces)

  • You don’t want to build everything from scratch, like with SES

  • You need a drag-and-drop email builder or API for devs

Not for You If…

  • You’re sending cold emails or lead gen at volume

  • You need fast help when something goes wrong

  • You’re not comfortable tweaking DNS or settings yourself

Quick Recap

Feature SendGrid
API & SMTP support ✅ Yes
Easy to use UI ✅ Yes
Cold outreach ready? ❌ No
Auto warm-up or inbox rotation ❌ Not built-in
Great for SaaS or product email ✅ Absolutely
Free plan available? ✅ Yes (100/day)

If you want something more powerful than SES, but don’t want to hire an engineer to manage it, SendGrid is your next step.

Just don’t expect it to save your cold email campaign.

Postmark #3 Amazon SES Alternative — For Transactional Emails That Actually Land

Postmark Homepage
This image shows the Postmark Homepage

Amazon SES is cheap. But cheap can get you in trouble when your important emails… don’t show up.

And that’s where Postmark wins.

It’s built to send fast, clean, transactional emails — password resets, order confirmations, alerts — and make sure they hit the inbox.

Server activity stream in Postmark
This image shows the Server activity stream in Postmark

If every second counts, Postmark delivers.

What Makes Postmark Great?

  • Fastest delivery speed in the game — 4x faster than most

  • Inbox-first sending — not dumped in “Promotions” or “Spam”

  • Easy setup with clear docs and real support

  • Email history & analytics built-in (45 days by default)

  • Great for developers and non-tech founders

This is the tool teams use when they’re tired of email issues and just want things to work.

What to Know Before You Switch?

  • Postmark doesn’t do cold email or bulk marketing — only transactional

  • Pricing is higher than SES, but you’re paying for inbox placement
Postmark G2 reviews
This image shows the Postmark G2 reviews
  • No free tier for high volume — just 100 emails/month on the dev plan

  • Dedicated IPs cost extra and only unlock after 300K/month volume

Postmark Pricing

Plan Emails/Month Starting Price Extra Emails
Basic 10,000 $15/mo $1.80 per 1,000
Pro 50,000 $60.50/mo $1.30 per 1,000
Platform 125,000 $138/mo $1.20 per 1,000
Need more? Postmark has custom plans, too.
Dedicated IPs start at $50/mo (Pro plan or higher).

Best For You If…

  • You send transactional emails that must reach inboxes

  • You’re a SaaS, product, or e-commerce company

  • You’ve had issues with SES, SendGrid, or Mailgun

  • You care more about deliverability than saving a few dollars

Not for You If…

  • You want to send cold outreach or bulk marketing

  • You need drag-and-drop templates for non-technical users

  • You’re looking for the lowest-cost option (SES is cheaper)

Quick Recap

Feature Postmark
Built for transactional? ✅ Yes
Cold email safe? ❌ Nope
Shared & dedicated IPs? ✅ Yes (dedicated = $50/mo)
Fast delivery? ✅ Fastest in the market
Analytics & logs? ✅ 45-day history included
Free plan? ✅ Dev tier (100 emails/month)
If your emails matter, and you’re tired of seeing them land in spam, Postmark is the fix.
It’s not cheap. It might just be worth it.

Mailgun #4 Amazon SES Alternative — Great Power, But Handle With Care

Mailgun Homepage
This image shows th Mailgun Homepage

If you’ve got a dev team and want total control over your email sending, Mailgun gives it to you.

You get:

  • APIs that scale

  • Logs for days

  • And smart delivery features

But here’s the deal: it’s not beginner-friendly. And the support? Eh… hit or miss.

What Makes Mailgun Great

Mailgun Reporting
This image shows the Mailgun Reporting
  • Dev-friendly API with deep docs and logs

  • Great for sending large volumes of transactional or system emails

  • Built-in validations, analytics, webhooks, SSO, and email templates

  • Can send from US or EU servers — choose where your data lives

  • Starts cheap, grows with you

If you’re a startup with a tech team (or a big sending use case), Mailgun can work really well.

Where Mailgun Slips

Mailgun G2 reviews
This image shows the Mailgun G2 reviews
  • UI isn’t beginner-friendly — you’ll likely need developer help

  • Support issues are common, especially on lower plans

  • Account suspensions happen often if you trip spam filters
Mailgun G2 reviews
This image shows the Mailgun G2 reviews
  • Costs can stack fast with validations, extra IPs, etc.

Mailgun Pricing

Mailgun Pricing
This image shows the Mailgun Pricing
Plan Emails/Month Starting Price Extra Emails Log Retention
Free 3,000/mo $0 N/A 1 Day
Basic 10,000 $15/mo $1.80/1K 1 Day
Foundation 50,000 $35/mo $1.30/1K 5 Days
Scale 100,000 $90/mo $1.10/1K 30 Days
Dedicated IPs unlock at higher tiers or cost $59/month each.
Email validations are extra, too.

Best For You If…

  • You’re a developer, or you’ve got devs on your team

  • You need fine-grain control over how email gets sent

  • You want to scale fast and handle millions of emails

  • You care about analytics, logs, and routing flexibility

Not for You If…

  • You need fast, friendly support (especially in the EU timezone)

  • You want a plug-and-play UI — this isn’t Mailchimp

  • You hate debugging setup issues

  • You're a non-technical founder trying to move fast

Quick Recap

Feature Mailgun
API-first infrastructure ✅ Yes
UI-friendly ❌ Not really
Great for cold email? ⚠️ Risky
Deliverability tools ✅ Advanced
Customer support ❌ Mixed reviews
Free plan ✅ 3K emails/month
Mailgun gives you control. But it also expects you to know what you’re doing.

It’s a smart SES alternative if you’ve got the right team behind it.

Brevo #5 Amazon SES Alternative — Email + CRM That Just Works

Brevo Homepage 
This image shows the Brevo Homepage 

Brevo is not just for sending emails.

It’s your whole email + CRM + automation stack — in one place.

You don’t need tech skills.

You don’t need a team.

You just log in, build a campaign, and send.

What Makes Brevo Great

  • Pay for emails, not contacts (huge win for scaling)

  • 300 free emails/day forever — perfect for small senders

  • Simple drag-and-drop builder

  • Automation flows that actually feel doable

  • CRM + email + SMS + WhatsApp under one login

  • Great support — even on lower plans

Brevo removes 90% of the friction most small businesses face when doing email.

Where Brevo Falls Short

  • Some templates and automation tools can feel a bit basic
Brevo G2 reviews
This image shows the Brevo G2 reviews
  • Limited design freedom unless you know HTML

  • Not ideal for hardcore dev use or massive email infrastructure

  • Reporting tools could be deeper
Brevo G2 reviews
This image shows the Brevo G2 reviews

But if you want clean UX, no deliverability headaches, and less thinking per send, Brevo delivers.

Brevo Pricing

Brevo Pricing 
This image shows the Brevo Pricing 

You only pay for what you send, not how many contacts you have.

 Best For You If…

  • You want something that “just works”

  • You’re a small business, solopreneur, or early-stage startup

  • You don’t want to mess with DNS and deliverability setups

  • You need CRM + email in one stack

Not for You If…

  • You’re running a dev-heavy SaaS and want total control

  • You need advanced workflows or deep data analytics

  • You send millions of emails/month

Quick Recap

Feature Brevo
Easy to use? ✅ Extremely
Cold email support? ✅ (if done carefully)
CRM included? ✅ Built-in
Automation? ✅ Great for SMBs
Free tier? ✅ 300/day
Technical setup? ✅ Beginner-friendly

Brevo is the easiest on-ramp if you’re tired of juggling multiple tools.

It’s not just an SES alternative — it’s your whole email engine, simplified.

Which Amazon SES Alternative Should You Go For?

It really comes down to your use case:

If You Are... Use This Why
Just getting started Brevo Free plan, easy to use, no coding needed. Great for solo founders or simple setups.
Sending only transactional emails Postmark Fast, clean, super reliable. Higher cost per email, but inbox rates are unbeatable.
Testing cold email or scaling outreach Mailforge Domain, inbox, warmup, routing — all-in-one. No need to stitch 5 tools together.
Developer-heavy, want total control Mailgun API-first, flexible, powerful. But support can be slow — know what you’re doing.
High volume, mid-sized brand SendGrid Big toolset, decent deliverability. Expect some occasional account reviews or delays.

TL;DR: Choose Based on This

Use Case Best Tool
Easiest to start with Brevo
Best inbox placement (1:1 emails) Postmark
Cold email + outreach Mailforge
API-only, dev control Mailgun
Big volume + feature-rich SendGrid

Finally…

This article wasn’t about features. It was about fit.

It doesn’t matter how fancy the dashboard is if your emails go to spam.

And you won’t care how cheap a tool is if you lose $10K chasing DNS errors.

You care about one thing: Does it land, and does it scale?

Here’s the brutal truth:

Amazon SES is not built for growth. It's built for engineers.

That’s why founders switch.

That’s why cold email teams switch.

And that’s why you’re reading this.

So here’s the real recap:

  • Brevo is your easy on-ramp. Great for SMBs and non-technical teams.

  • SendGrid is like SES with training wheels. Powerful, but clunky.

  • Postmark is surgical — fast, clean, and dead-on for transactional.

  • Mailgun is your power tool. But don’t touch it without gloves.

  • Mailforge? Mailforge is built for cold outreach. Period.

Domains. Inboxes. DNS. Warmup. Rotation.

All done for you. In minutes.

No stress. No setup hell. Just results.

👉 If your business lives or dies on cold email, you need Mailforge.

Don’t duct-tape tools. Don’t gamble on SES.

Start with Mailforge today. Get infrastructure that actually works.

This is how the pros do it.

Now you can, too.