We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
It's a split decision.
Choose SES if your priority is usage-based pricing: its listed rates start at $0.10 per 1,000 outbound emails, with no base subscription fee. Choose Mailgun if you want a documented email API and SMTP service with validation, previews, inbound routing and a free tier. Mailgun publishes monthly plan limits and overage rates. AWS's homepage does not explain SES's API contract or integrations, so verify those details before choosing it for a production integration.
01Side by side
| Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) | Mailgun | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $0 base; charges per email and attachment data | Monthly tiers, with charges for extra usage |
| Free tier | No free plan listed; usage-based charges | 100 emails per day; one sending domain |
| API and SDKs | SES-specific API and SDK details need verification | Email API and SMTP; SDKs documented |
| CLI and docs | SES documentation details need verification | Documentation and SDK links; no CLI stated |
| Integrations | SES integrations are not specified | CRM data connections; Cursor plugin |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Limits and scaling | Per-email rates; throughput limits need verification | 100/day free; paid tiers from 10,000/month |
| Deployment model | AWS service; SES deployment details need verification | Email delivery API and SMTP service |
Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) Choose Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) if
- Choose Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) if usage-based billing fits your volume.
- Choose Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) if outbound email costs are a priority.
- Choose Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) if you can verify its integration requirements.
Mailgun Choose Mailgun if
- Choose Mailgun if you need an email API and SMTP service.
- Choose Mailgun if you want validation, previews and inbound routing tools.
- Choose Mailgun if published monthly sending tiers help you plan costs.
02Pricing at real usage
SES has no base subscription fee. The listed rates are $0.10 per 1,000 outbound emails, $0.12 per GB of attachment data, $0.10 per 1,000 inbound emails, and $0.09 per 1,000 incoming 256 KB chunks for messages over 256 KB. The pricing is usage-based, so the bill grows with sending, receiving and attachment volume.
Mailgun lists a free tier with 100 emails per day, then Basic at $15 per month for 10,000 emails, Foundation at $35 for 50,000 and Scale at $90 for 100,000. Extra email rates start at $1.80, $1.30 and $1.10 per 1,000 for those paid tiers, respectively. Mailgun also lists a 30-day free trial. Its pricing page says plans and usage charges are billed monthly. Compare expected volume and inbound use, not just the starting price.
03API, SDKs and integration
Mailgun describes an email API and SMTP services for sending, receiving and tracking messages. Its feature set includes real-time API and bulk-list email validation, email previews and testing, and incoming email parsing. The homepage links to API documentation and SDKs, but does not name SDK languages. It also describes CRM data connections and a Cursor plugin; check the docs for supported workflows before designing around either integration.
AWS's published homepage does not document SES's API contract, SDKs, CLI or integrations. It describes AWS broadly, rather than SES specifically. We can't compare request formats, language support, authentication steps or delivery events from that page. Before choosing SES, confirm those details in the service documentation and verify that its integration model fits your application. For Mailgun, check the documentation for the exact API and SMTP behavior your code needs.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source licence or self-hosting option for these products on the pages described here. Mailgun is presented as an email delivery API and SMTP service; SES is an AWS product, but its hosting and deployment details are not explained on AWS's homepage. Ask both vendors about licence terms, data location and deployment options if those affect your requirements.
Neither vendor's homepage specifies data export or a migration path. Treat both as external service dependencies until you confirm how to retrieve message logs, suppressions, templates and account configuration. Mailgun lists log and message retention by plan, so check whether those windows meet your audit needs. Before committing to either service, establish what data you can export, in what format, and what happens to it when an account closes.
Questions people ask
Is SES cheaper than Mailgun?
SES lists no base subscription fee and charges $0.10 per 1,000 outbound emails, plus rates for attachments and inbound mail. Mailgun starts with a free tier, then lists paid plans from $15 per month. Which costs less depends on your total volume, inbound usage, attachments and Mailgun plan.
Does Mailgun have a free tier?
Yes. Mailgun lists a free plan with 100 emails per day, one custom sending domain, two API keys, one day of log retention and one inbound route. The pricing page also lists a 30-day free trial.
Can I self-host SES or Mailgun?
The vendors' product pages do not specify self-hosting options or open-source licences. Mailgun is described as an email delivery API and SMTP service, while AWS's homepage does not explain SES deployment. Ask the vendors directly about self-hosting, licence terms and data location if these are requirements.
What should I check before migrating between them?
Check the destination service's API and SMTP behavior, SDK support, sending limits, inbound routing, retention and export options. Mailgun publishes plan-specific sending and retention details. For SES, verify its integration and operational limits in the service documentation. Test message templates, event handling and suppression-list transfer before switching production traffic.