In-Depth Comparison
Mailgun vs Amazon SES
In-depth comparison of Mailgun and Amazon SES for B2B SaaS. We analyze pricing, features, deliverability, and total cost of ownership.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
Mailgun
www.mailgun.comThe email service for developers.
Ideal for: Developer teams needing flexible email with SMTP, inbound, and validation
Amazon SES
aws.amazon.com/ses/High-scale cloud email service.
Ideal for: AWS-native teams wanting lowest cost at massive scale
TL;DR: Mailgun vs Amazon SES
Mailgun wins on email validation, inbound routing, easier setup, and managed features. SES wins on raw cost, scale, and AWS-native integration. Mailgun is the better choice for teams wanting a managed developer platform with validation and inbound. SES is better for cost-focused AWS teams with engineering resources. Sequenzy is best for SaaS teams needing lifecycle email with billing integration.
The developer email platform with validation, inbound, and SMTP
The cheapest email infrastructure with AWS-scale capacity
Purpose-built SaaS email with native billing integration
Editor's Note
Both Mailgun and SES are email infrastructure tools. If your SaaS needs lifecycle email (trial conversion, dunning, churn prevention), consider Sequenzy (sequenzy.com) with native Stripe/Paddle integration.
Mailgun vs Amazon SES vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Developers needing validation, inbound, SMTP | AWS teams wanting lowest cost | B2B SaaS lifecycle email | Sequenzy |
| Cost at 100K emails/mo | ~$90/mo | ~$10/mo | $49/mo | Amazon SES |
| Setup Time | 30-60 minutes | 1-3 days | Under 10 minutes | Sequenzy |
| Email Validation | Mailgun Optimize (built-in) | Not available | Not available | Mailgun |
| Inbound Email | Flexible routing and parsing | SES receiving to S3/Lambda | Not supported | Mailgun |
| SMTP Support | Full SMTP with routing rules | Full SMTP interface | API-only | Mailgun |
| Deliverability | Variable shared IP quality | Variable, DIY management | SaaS-only pools | Sequenzy |
| Bounce Handling | Automatic suppression | Must build with SNS | Automatic with payment context | Mailgun |
| Payment Integration | None | None | Native Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, LemonSqueezy | Sequenzy |
| AWS Integration | External service | Native IAM, Lambda, CloudWatch | External service | Amazon SES |
| Log Retention | 5-30 days by plan | CloudWatch (configure yourself) | 30+ days | Sequenzy |
Score Breakdown
Each category scored out of 10. Totals: Mailgun 66/100, Amazon SES 51/100, Sequenzy 66/100.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Detailed feature analysis across every category that matters for B2B SaaS email.
๐จ Email Sending
| Feature | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send speed | 7/10 Decent speed | 7/10 Variable by region | 7/10 Reliable |
| Templates | 5/10 Handlebars via API | 4/10 Basic SES templates | 8/10 Liquid with SaaS blocks |
| Bounce handling | 7/10 Automatic suppression | 4/10 Must build with SNS | 8/10 Auto with payment context |
| SMTP routing | 9/10 Flexible routing rules | 7/10 Standard SMTP | 3/10 API-only |
| Scale | 8/10 Handles high volume | 10/10 Unlimited AWS capacity | 7/10 SaaS-scale |
๐ง Unique Features
| Feature | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email validation | 9/10 Mailgun Optimize: real-time + bulk | 0/10 Not available | 0/10 Not available |
| Inbound processing | 8/10 Flexible routing with rules | 7/10 SES receiving to S3/Lambda/SNS | 0/10 Not supported |
| AWS integration | 3/10 External service | 10/10 Native IAM, Lambda, CloudWatch, SNS | 3/10 External service |
| IP management | 6/10 Shared and dedicated options | 5/10 Shared or dedicated at $24.95/mo | 8/10 SaaS-only managed pools |
| Analytics dashboard | 7/10 Charts and analytics | 4/10 Basic SES console | 8/10 SaaS-focused with MRR |
๐ป API & DX
| Feature | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| API design | 6/10 Functional but dated | 4/10 Verbose AWS SDK | 8/10 Clean REST |
| Documentation | 6/10 Adequate | 6/10 Dense AWS docs | 8/10 SaaS-focused |
| SDKs | 6/10 7 languages | 6/10 AWS SDK (generic) | 7/10 Node.js and Python |
| Event handling | 7/10 Webhook events | 5/10 SNS (complex) | 8/10 Webhooks + billing events |
| Setup | 6/10 30-60 minutes | 3/10 1-3 days | 9/10 Under 10 minutes |
๐ฏ SaaS Features
| Feature | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billing integration | 0/10 Not available | 0/10 Not available | 10/10 Native Stripe, Paddle, LemonSqueezy, Chargebee |
| Lifecycle sequences | 0/10 No automation | 0/10 No automation | 9/10 Pre-built onboarding, dunning, churn prevention |
| Dunning | 0/10 Not available | 0/10 Not available | 10/10 Auto-triggered |
| Trial conversion | 0/10 Not available | 0/10 Not available | 10/10 Pre-built |
| Revenue attribution | 0/10 Not available | 0/10 Not available | 9/10 MRR impact tracking |
Mailgun vs Amazon SES vs Sequenzy: Pricing
Mailgun has tiered plans with feature gating. SES charges $0.10/1,000 with no monthly fee. Sequenzy charges by volume, all features included.
Free trial, then $35/mo
3,000 free from EC2
14-day trial, then $19/mo
| Tier | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $35/mo 50,000 emails, 5 days log retention | ~$5/mo $0.10/1,000, no monthly fee | $19/mo 15,000 emails, all SaaS features | 50K emails |
| Growth | $90/mo 100,000 emails, dedicated IP, 15 days logs | ~$25/mo $0.10/1,000 + dedicated IP $24.95/mo | $49/mo 50,000 emails, dedicated IP | 100K-200K emails |
| Scale | $350+/mo 500K+, 30 days logs, SLA | ~$100/mo $0.10/1,000, volume discounts | $149/mo 200,000 emails, SLA, SSO | 500K-1M emails |
Mailgun: Watch Out For
- !Email validation is paid add-on
- !5 days log retention on starter
- !Dedicated IP extra
- !IP pool fees
Amazon SES: Watch Out For
- !Dedicated IPs $24.95/mo
- !CloudWatch/SNS/Lambda costs
- !Engineering time for infrastructure
- !Account suspension risk
Sequenzy: Watch Out For
- !Smaller SDKs
- !No SMTP
- !No email validation
Pricing Verdict: SES is cheapest per email. Mailgun offers more managed features (validation, routing). Sequenzy is best value for SaaS teams at $19/mo with lifecycle automation included.
Cost Comparison Note
SES is cheapest per email, but engineering time for infrastructure costs far more. Sequenzy at $19/mo includes lifecycle automation that takes months to build on either platform.
B2B SaaS Use Cases
How each platform handles the email workflows that matter most for B2B SaaS companies.
๐ฏ User Onboarding
Automated onboarding.
Mailgun
Send via API. No automation.
Amazon SES
Build everything from scratch.
Sequenzy
Pre-built templates connected to billing.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins. Neither has automation.
Real-World Example
Sequenzy has ready templates.
Example subject line: Welcome to [App].
๐ Transactional Notifications
System emails.
Mailgun
Via API or SMTP. Routing rules for complex flows.
Amazon SES
Via SES. Lowest cost. DIY management.
Sequenzy
Via API with SaaS templates.
Verdict: Mailgun has a slight edge with managed features. SES is cheapest. Both handle transactional.
Real-World Example
Both work for transactional. Mailgun is easier to manage.
Example subject line: Password reset
๐ฐ Trial Conversion
Trial conversion emails.
Mailgun
Send via API. No trial awareness.
Amazon SES
Build from scratch.
Sequenzy
Connected to Stripe/Paddle. Pre-built templates.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins. Neither has trial features.
Real-World Example
Sequenzy automates from billing.
Example subject line: Trial ends in 3 days.
๐ณ Dunning
Payment recovery.
Mailgun
Send via API from webhooks.
Amazon SES
Build with Lambda.
Sequenzy
Automatic from billing failures.
Verdict: Sequenzy dominates.
Real-World Example
Sequenzy handles dunning automatically.
Example subject line: Payment failed
๐งน Email Validation
Verifying emails.
Mailgun
Mailgun Optimize: real-time + bulk validation.
Amazon SES
Not available. Use third-party.
Sequenzy
Not available.
Verdict: Mailgun is the only option with built-in validation.
Real-World Example
Mailgun validates emails at signup.
Example subject line: N/A
๐ฅ Inbound Processing
Receiving emails.
Mailgun
Flexible routing with rules.
Amazon SES
SES receiving to S3/Lambda/SNS.
Sequenzy
Not supported.
Verdict: Both handle inbound. Mailgun has more flexible routing. SES routes to AWS services.
Real-World Example
Both process incoming emails.
Example subject line: Re: ticket #1234
๐ฌ Massive Scale
10M+ emails/month.
Mailgun
Handles high volume well.
Amazon SES
Built for this. Unlimited. $0.10/1,000.
Sequenzy
Not optimized for extreme volume.
Verdict: SES wins on raw volume and cost.
Real-World Example
SES is cheapest at extreme scale.
Example subject line: Notification
๐ Churn Prevention
Re-engagement.
Mailgun
Send via API. No behavior tracking.
Amazon SES
Build everything.
Sequenzy
Combines usage with billing. Pre-built sequences.
Verdict: Sequenzy wins with billing-aware churn prevention.
Real-World Example
Sequenzy combines behavior and billing.
Example subject line: We miss you.
The Bigger Picture
Neither offers SaaS lifecycle features. Sequenzy fills this gap with native billing integrations and pre-built sequences.
Automation Capabilities
Email automation is critical for B2B SaaS. Here is how Mailgun, Amazon SES, and Sequenzy compare.
| Capability | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual workflow builder | No Not available | No Not available | Yes Visual builder with SaaS templates |
| Event triggers | No Your app calls API | No Via Lambda | Yes Product + billing events |
| Drip sequences | No Not available | No Build with Step Functions | Yes Pre-built SaaS sequences |
| Conditional branching | No Build in code | No Build with Step Functions | Yes Branch by plan, MRR, trial |
| Email routing | Yes Flexible inbound routing rules | Yes SES receiving rules to S3/Lambda/SNS | No Not available |
| Goal tracking | No Not available | No Not available | Yes Auto-remove on billing events |
| Dynamic content | Yes Recipient variables | Yes SES template variables | Yes Dynamic with billing data |
API & Developer Experience
For B2B SaaS teams, the API quality directly impacts how fast you can integrate and iterate on email.
Mailgun API
- SDKs: Python, Ruby, Java, C#, Go, PHP, Node.js
- Docs: 6/10
- Webhooks: Event webhooks with retry
- Rate Limit: Varies by plan
- Batch: Recipient variables batch
Amazon SES API
- SDKs: JavaScript, Python, Go, Ruby, PHP, Java, .NET, C++, Rust
- Docs: 6/10
- Webhooks: SNS notifications (complex)
- Rate Limit: 14/sec default
- Batch: Up to 50 destinations
Sequenzy API
- SDKs: Node.js, Python, REST API
- Docs: 8/10
- Webhooks: Email + billing events with retry
- Rate Limit: 50 req/s
- Batch: Batch with personalization
Mailgun Code Example
const Mailgun = require("mailgun.js");
const formData = require("form-data");
const mg = new Mailgun(formData);
const client = mg.client({ username: "api", key: "key" });
await client.messages.create("acme.com", {
from: "hello@acme.com",
to: ["user@company.com"],
subject: "Welcome",
template: "welcome",
"h:X-Mailgun-Variables": JSON.stringify({ firstName: "Sarah" }),
}); Amazon SES Code Example
import { SESv2Client, SendEmailCommand } from "@aws-sdk/client-sesv2";
const client = new SESv2Client({ region: "us-east-1" });
await client.send(new SendEmailCommand({
FromEmailAddress: "hello@acme.com",
Destination: { ToAddresses: ["user@company.com"] },
Content: { Simple: {
Subject: { Data: "Welcome" },
Body: { Html: { Data: "<h1>Hi Sarah!</h1>" } },
}},
})); Sequenzy Code Example
import { Sequenzy } from "sequenzy";
const sq = new Sequenzy("sq_your_api_key");
await sq.subscribers.add({
email: "user@company.com",
firstName: "Sarah",
stripeCustomerId: "cus_abc123",
});
await sq.sequences.trigger({
email: "user@company.com",
sequence: "trial_onboarding",
}); Email Deliverability Comparison
Your emails are useless if they do not reach the inbox. Here is how all three platforms handle deliverability.
| Factor | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Sinch-backed with global nodes | AWS, shared or dedicated IPs | Managed SaaS-only pools |
| Inbox Placement | ~92-96% (variable shared IPs) | ~90-95% on shared (variable) | ~96-98% (SaaS-only) |
| Email Validation | Mailgun Optimize (proactive) | Not available | Not available |
| Dedicated IP | On Scale ($90/mo) | $24.95/mo per IP | On Growth ($49/mo) |
| Bounce Handling | Automatic suppression | Must build with SNS | Automatic with payment context |
| Suspension Risk | Low (managed) | High if thresholds exceeded | Low (managed) |
Both have variable shared IP quality. Mailgun Optimize validation can proactively improve deliverability. SES requires DIY management with suspension risk. Sequenzy SaaS-only pools have better reputation.
Integration Ecosystem
Mailgun has ~50 integrations, Amazon SES has ~200, and Sequenzy has ~25. Here is how they compare across key B2B SaaS categories.
Payment
| Service | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (API Only) | Yes (API Only) | Yes (Native) |
AWS
| Service | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lambda | No (API Only) | Yes (Native) | No (API Only) |
| CloudWatch | No (None) | Yes (Native) | No (None) |
Automation
| Service | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapier | Yes (Official) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) |
| Make | Yes (Official) | Yes (3rd Party) | Yes (Official) |
| n8n | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) | Yes (3rd Party) |
CRM
| Service | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Yes (3rd Party) | No (API Only) | Yes (Official) |
Development
| Service | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rails | Yes (Official) | Yes (API Only) | Yes (API Only) |
| Django | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) | Yes (Official) |
Analytics & Reporting
What data you can track and how each platform helps you measure email performance.
| Metric | Mailgun | Amazon SES | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open rate | Per-email tracking | Via CloudWatch | Per-campaign and per-sequence |
| Click tracking | URL rewriting | Via configuration sets | With conversion attribution |
| Bounce tracking | Standard handling | Via SNS | With payment context |
| Revenue attribution | Not available | Not available | MRR impact per sequence |
| Dashboard | Charts and analytics | Basic SES console | SaaS-focused |
| Log retention | 5-30 days by plan | CloudWatch (configure) | 30+ days |
Mailgun: Unique Features
- + Email validation analytics
- + Inbound routing analytics
- + Tag-based categorization
- + Inbox placement testing
Amazon SES: Unique Features
- + Account reputation dashboard
- + CloudWatch integration
- + S3 event archiving
- + Virtual deliverability manager
Sequenzy: Unique Features
- + MRR impact per sequence
- + Trial conversion tracking
- + Dunning recovery dashboard
- + Churn metrics
- + Lifecycle overview
Pros & Cons
Mailgun
Pros
- + Built-in email validation (Mailgun Optimize)
- + Flexible inbound routing
- + SMTP with routing rules
- + Action Mailer support
- + Managed bounce handling
- + Analytics dashboard
- + Easier setup than SES
- + Tag-based analytics
Cons
- - Variable shared IP quality
- - No marketing automation
- - Short log retention on lower plans
- - Documentation navigation issues
- - SDKs feel dated
- - Multiple ownership changes
- - No SaaS lifecycle features
- - Higher per-email cost than SES
Amazon SES
Pros
- + Lowest cost per email
- + Unlimited scale
- + Native AWS integration
- + SMTP + API
- + Cheap dedicated IPs
- + Global infrastructure
- + AWS SLA
- + Inbound receiving
Cons
- - Complex setup
- - DIY bounce handling
- - SNS harder than webhooks
- - Sandbox restrictions
- - Account suspension risk
- - No dashboard
- - No email validation
- - No lifecycle features
Who Should Use What?
Specific recommendations based on your company type and needs.
SaaS needing email validation
Validating signups.
Mailgun Optimize is the best built-in validation. SES has none.
AWS-native cost-sensitive
On AWS, sending millions.
SES is 5-10x cheaper with native AWS integration.
Early-stage SaaS
Need email fast.
Sequenzy at $19/mo includes lifecycle features.
Product-led growth
Billing-aware lifecycle email.
Sequenzy connects to Stripe/Paddle natively.
Rails app needing SMTP
Action Mailer setup.
Mailgun has excellent Rails integration.
Bootstrapped SaaS
Need transactional and lifecycle cheap.
Sequenzy at $19-49/mo combines both. Mailgun plus a marketing tool costs $120+.
Migration Guide
Migrating from Mailgun to Amazon SES
Steps
- 1. Set up SES
- 2. Exit sandbox
- 3. Verify domain
- 4. Set up IAM
- 5. Build bounce handling
- 6. Build suppression
- 7. Convert templates
- 8. Update code
- 9. Set up inbound receiving
- 10. Find validation replacement
- 11. Warm up IPs
- 12. Test everything
Watch Out For
- ! Must build all infrastructure
- ! Inbound routing rules need complete rebuild
- ! Email validation needs third-party replacement
- ! SNS is harder than Mailgun webhooks
- ! Account suspension risk
Migrating from Amazon SES to Mailgun
Steps
- 1. Set up Mailgun and verify domain
- 2. Convert templates
- 3. Update code from AWS SDK to Mailgun SDK
- 4. Replace SNS with Mailgun webhooks
- 5. Set up inbound routing
- 6. Test flows
- 7. Switch traffic
Watch Out For
- ! Per-email cost increase
- ! Lambda/SNS architecture needs replacement
- ! AWS-native integrations lose connectivity
- ! Log retention may be shorter on lower plans
The Bottom Line
Choose Mailgun if...
- ✓ You need built-in email validation
- ✓ You need flexible inbound routing
- ✓ You want managed bounce handling
- ✓ SMTP with routing rules matters
- ✓ You use Rails with Action Mailer
- ✓ You want a dashboard out of the box
Choose Amazon SES if...
- ✓ Lowest per-email cost is the priority
- ✓ You send millions monthly
- ✓ You are on AWS and want native integration
- ✓ You have engineering resources
- ✓ You need unlimited scale
- ✓ Cheap dedicated IPs matter
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cheaper is SES than Mailgun?
At 100K emails/month: SES ~$10, Mailgun ~$90. SES is roughly 9x cheaper per email. But Mailgun includes validation, managed features, and easier setup.
Does Mailgun have better deliverability than SES?
Slightly. Both have variable shared IP quality, but Mailgun includes managed bounce handling and optional email validation. SES requires DIY management and has account suspension risk.
Can Mailgun validate emails?
Yes. Mailgun Optimize provides real-time and bulk validation. SES has no validation. This is one of Mailgun strongest unique features.
Which should I choose for a new SaaS?
For most new SaaS projects, a managed platform (Mailgun, Resend, or Sequenzy) is better than raw SES. Sequenzy at $19/mo is especially good because it includes lifecycle email that would take months to build on either platform.