Open-source alternative
for Resend
Resend is excellent for transactional emails. Plunk adds marketing campaigns, workflow automation, and is open-source. Choose based on what you need.
The Pricing Model That Makes Sense
Pay for what you use, not fixed subscriptions
Pay per email sent
Pay-as-you-go pricing. Only pay for emails you actually send.
Fixed subscription tiers
Monthly subscription with fixed email limits per tier.
Feature-by-Feature
What Plunk Adds
Beyond transactional emails
Marketing Campaigns
Send one-time broadcasts to all contacts or specific segments. Schedule sends, track performance. Resend doesn't offer this.
Workflow Automation
Build multi-step email sequences with triggers, delays, and conditions. Perfect for onboarding, drip campaigns, cart abandonment.
Dynamic Segmentation
Create audience segments that update automatically based on contact data and behavior. Target campaigns precisely.
Open Source
AGPL-3.0 licensed. Inspect the code, contribute features, no vendor lock-in. Resend is proprietary.
Self-Hostable
Run on your infrastructure with Docker. Full data control, compliance-ready. Pay only AWS SES fees when self-hosting.
All-in-One Platform
One platform for transactional, marketing, and automation. No need for multiple tools or integrations.
Frequently asked questions
When should I choose Resend over Plunk?
Choose Resend if you only need transactional emails and prefer a service focused exclusively on that use case. Resend has a larger free tier and excellent developer experience for transactional emails. Choose Plunk if you need marketing campaigns, automation workflows, or want the flexibility to self-host (though Plunk also offers fully-managed hosting).
What is the pricing difference between Plunk and Resend?
Plunk uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model, while Resend uses a fixed subscription model. Both optimize for different use cases - Resend focuses exclusively on transactional emails. Plunk includes marketing campaigns and workflow automation at no additional cost. If you need both transactional and marketing emails, Plunk may be more cost-effective overall since you won't need a separate marketing platform.
Is migration from Resend to Plunk complex?
Migration requires updating your API integration since Plunk and Resend use different API structures. You'll need to update your code to use Plunk's endpoints and parameter format. However, both platforms support similar features (templates, webhooks, custom domains), so the concepts translate directly. Plan for a few hours of development work to migrate your integration.
What does Plunk offer that Resend doesn't?
Plunk adds marketing campaigns (one-time broadcasts to segments), workflow automation (multi-step email sequences with triggers and conditions), and dynamic audience segmentation. These features mean you can handle both transactional and marketing emails in one platform. Plunk is also open-source (AGPL-3.0) and self-hostable, giving you full control over your email infrastructure.
Try Plunk free
1,000 emails/month free. No credit card required. Add marketing and automation when you need it.