The Mailgun alternative with campaigns and automations built in
Mailgun is a solid transactional API. But when you need campaigns, automations, or contact management, you end up adding Mailchimp, Customer.io, or another tool. Sendkit gives you everything in one platform.
Why teams switch from Mailgun
Transactional only
Mailgun handles transactional email well, but if you need campaigns, automations, or contact management, you need a second tool. Sendkit does it all in one API.
No real free tier
Mailgun gives you 100 emails/day for the first month only. After that, you need a paid plan. Sendkit has a permanent free tier with 3,000 emails/month.
Pricing transparency
Mailgun makes it hard to find exact pricing on their site. Sendkit pricing is public, simple, and based on email volume.
No AI agent support
Sendkit has a full MCP server with 40+ tools for AI agents. Manage your entire email platform from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client.
Sendkit vs Mailgun
| Feature | Sendkit | Mailgun |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional API | Yes | Yes |
| SMTP Relay | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing Campaigns | Yes | No |
| Automations | Yes | No |
| Contact Management | Unlimited contacts | No |
| Email Validation | Built-in | Paid add-on |
| MCP Server | 40+ tools | Not available |
| Official SDKs | 10 languages | 6 languages |
| Free Tier | 3,000 emails/mo (permanent) | 100/day (first month only) |
| Inbound Email Parsing | No | Yes |
Pricing comparison
Mailgun is cheaper for pure transactional sending. But the moment you need campaigns or automations, you're paying for a second tool.
| Volume | Sendkit | Mailgun |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 emails/mo | $15/mo (Transactional) | ~$35/mo (Foundation) |
| 50,000 emails/mo | $45/mo (Transactional) or $80/mo (Marketing) | ~$35/mo (Foundation) |
| 100,000 emails/mo | $75/mo (Transactional) or $130/mo (Marketing) | ~$90/mo (Scale) |
Sendkit is a good fit if you
- Need campaigns and automations alongside transactional
- Want contact management built in
- Want a permanent free tier
- Use AI agents and need MCP integration
- Need more SDK coverage (10 vs 6)
Mailgun might be better if you
- Only need transactional email, nothing else
- Need inbound email parsing/routing
- Already have a separate marketing tool you like
- Need bulk email validation as a standalone service
Start sending in minutes.
3,000 emails/month on the free tier. No credit card, no commitment.