Open-source alternative
for SendGrid
Pay-as-you-go instead of fixed subscriptions. No complex setup, no feature gating, no enterprise sales pitches. Built for developers, not procurement teams.
The Pricing Model That Makes Sense
Pay for what you use, not for what you might use
Pay per email sent
Pay-as-you-go pricing. Only pay for emails you actually send, no monthly minimums.
Monthly subscription tiers
Fixed monthly fees based on email volume tiers with feature restrictions.
Why Choose Plunk Over SendGrid
Built for modern developers, not enterprise sales teams
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Pay-as-you-go per email. No hidden fees, no complex tiers, no enterprise sales calls. Start free, scale as you grow.
5-Minute Setup
Start sending emails in minutes, not hours. Modern API, clear documentation, no complex configuration. Copy-paste and go.
Marketing Included
Campaigns, workflows, and segmentation at no extra cost. SendGrid requires their separate Marketing Campaigns product with additional fees.
Open Source & Transparent
AGPL-3.0 licensed. Inspect the code, contribute features, self-host if needed. No black boxes, no vendor lock-in.
Self-Hostable
Run on your infrastructure with Docker. Full data control, compliance-ready, cost-optimized. SendGrid is cloud-only.
No Feature Gating
All features available on all plans. No artificial limits, no forced upgrades to "enterprise" for basic automation.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
See exactly what you get with each platform
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Plunk and SendGrid pricing?
Plunk uses a pay-as-you-go model where you only pay for emails sent, with no monthly minimums. SendGrid uses monthly subscription tiers with fixed costs regardless of actual usage. Plunk's approach means you're not locked into a monthly fee if your email volume varies.
Why is SendGrid so complicated to set up?
SendGrid is built for large enterprises with complex needs. It requires configuring IP addresses, sender authentication, subuser accounts, and understanding their legacy API structure. Plunk is built for developers who want to start sending emails in minutes with a simple, modern API.
Does Plunk have the same deliverability as SendGrid?
Yes. Plunk is built on top of AWS SES, which has excellent deliverability comparable to SendGrid. Both platforms support custom domains, DKIM authentication, and dedicated IPs (for high-volume senders). The key difference is Plunk makes these features accessible without the complexity.
Can I migrate from SendGrid to Plunk?
Yes, migration is straightforward. Export your contacts from SendGrid, import them to Plunk via CSV, and update your application to use Plunk's easy API. Most migrations take less than a day.
What SendGrid features does Plunk not have?
Plunk focuses on modern email workflows rather than enterprise-specific features. For 95% of use cases, Plunk provides everything you need.
Make the switch today
Join hundreds of developers who've ditched SendGrid's complexity for Plunk's simplicity.