📈 seo & marketing

SendGrid costs $49/mo.
These cost $0.

12 free alternatives to SendGrid, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

⚡ Quick Verdict · 2027 Guide

The top-rated free, open-source replacement for SendGrid is Listmonk (AGPL-3.0 Open Source). Across this category, 11 self-hostable tools are available (including Listmonk and Billion Mail). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $2,940/year compared to SendGrid's $49/mo subscription.

The catch: listmonk is fast and explicit about subscriber states, but it lacks Brevo's managed deliverability, broad automation suite, CRM-style contact tools, and polished visual workflow builder.

See the 12 picks ↓

SendGrid vs Free Alternatives

Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $49/mo

Alternative	Type	License	Where It Runs	Stars	Head-to-Head
Listmonk	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 24.2k	SendGrid vs Listmonk →
Billion Mail	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 16.2k	SendGrid vs Billion Mail →
Postal	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 16.9k	SendGrid vs Postal →
Mautic	open source	GPL-3.0+	Self-host	★ 10.9k	SendGrid vs Mautic →
Plunk	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 5.6k	SendGrid vs Plunk →
useSend	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 4.8k	SendGrid vs useSend →
Notifuse	open source	AGPL-3.0	Self-host	★ 2.3k	SendGrid vs Notifuse →
Sendportal	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 2.2k	SendGrid vs Sendportal →
Keila	open source	AGPL-3.0+	Self-host	★ 2.3k	SendGrid vs Keila →
Sessy	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 945	SendGrid vs Sessy →
Hyvor Relay	open source	Open Source	Self-host	★ 922	SendGrid vs Hyvor Relay →
Wraps	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 66	SendGrid vs Wraps →

The picks

12 open source · ranked by fit

01
Listmonk
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
24.2knov 2026
Send email campaigns and transactional messages to millions of subscribers with a single high-performance binary backed by Postgres.
The catch vs SendGrid
listmonk is fast and explicit about subscriber states, but it lacks Brevo's managed deliverability, broad automation suite, CRM-style contact tools, and polished visual workflow builder.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Docker Compose or a single release binary plus PostgreSQL
setup
You still need a PostgreSQL database and a trustworthy SMTP/API sender with authenticated DNS.
your data
Subscribers, campaigns, templates, and analytics live in a PostgreSQL database on your server.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit listmonk.app ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 14 other apps →
02
Billion Mail
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
16.2knov 2026
Self-hosted email marketing platform with unlimited sending, AI-powered email creation, real-time analytics, and no monthly fees. Complete SMTP solution.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/aapanel/billionmail or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit billionmail.com ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 6 other apps →
03
Postal
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
16.9knov 2026
Run your own mail delivery infrastructure with a web interface, webhooks, IP pools, and spam filtering integrations for inbound and outbound email.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/postalserver/postal or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit docs.postalserver.io ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 5 other apps →
04
Mautic
open sourceGPL-3.0+Self-host
10.9knov 2026
Mautic is a free and open source marketing automation platform that helps businesses manage leads, create campaigns, and analyze results.
The catch vs SendGrid
Mautic can match deep automation, but the user must operate the application, database, cron, upgrades, backups, mail transport, and deliverability stack.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedself-host, real ops
install
Download the production package or install with Composer, then configure PHP, a database, cron, and a mail transport
setup
The first wall is not the installer but production operation: PHP and database tuning, several cron jobs, HTTPS, backups, upgrades, SMTP/API sending, and DNS authentication.
your data
Contacts, segments, campaigns, events, and reports live in the configured MySQL or MariaDB database; assets, configuration, logs, and queue files live on the server filesystem.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit mautic.org ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 12 other apps →
05
Plunk
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
5.6knov 2026
Plunk unifies marketing, transactional, and broadcast emails into a single, complete solution for businesses of all sizes.
The catch vs SendGrid
Plunk is developer-first and much thinner in visual audience management, CRM depth, segmentation tooling, and marketer-oriented reporting.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Hosted signup, or the official Docker Compose stack
setup
Hosted use still needs domain authentication; self-hosting adds PostgreSQL, Redis, MinIO, Nginx or another proxy, exposed web and SMTP services, DNS, and ongoing deliverability work.
your data
The self-hosted stack stores core data in PostgreSQL, jobs and cache in Redis, and objects in MinIO; hosted data is kept in Plunk's EU infrastructure.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit useplunk.com ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 16 other apps →
06
useSend
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
4.8knov 2026
Open source email platform for transactional and marketing emails. Self-host or use cloud service with transparent pricing - pay only for emails sent.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/usesend/usesend or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit usesend.com ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 6 other apps →
07
Notifuse
open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-host
2.3knov 2026
Free open-source email platform for newsletters and transactional emails. Self-hosted alternative to Mailchimp with visual MJML editor, A/B testing, and analytics.
The catch vs SendGrid
Notifuse is newer and narrower, without ActiveCampaign's mature CRM, predictive features, and thousand-plus integration ecosystem.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Hosted signup, or one application container plus PostgreSQL for self-hosting
setup
Self-hosting still needs Docker, PostgreSQL, a public HTTPS endpoint, an SMTP or API sending provider, and correctly authenticated sending domains.
your data
Self-hosted contacts, campaigns, automations, and events live in PostgreSQL; files can use S3-compatible storage, and the configured email provider receives message payloads. Hosted data lives in Notifuse's cloud.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit notifuse.com ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 19 other apps →
08
Sendportal
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
2.2knov 2026
Open-source email marketing platform offering unlimited subscribers, campaigns, and workspaces. Self-hosted solution with powerful API and beautiful interface.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/mettle/sendportal or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit sendportal.io ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 5 other apps →
09
Keila
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Self-host
2.3knov 2026
Self-hosted newsletter platform with powerful features, data protection, and full control over your mailing lists and campaigns.
The catch vs SendGrid
Keila gives you a friendly campaign editor and tracking, but delivery reputation, SMTP configuration, backups, and upgrades become your responsibility rather than Campaign Monitor's.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Keila Cloud signup or Docker image plus PostgreSQL
setup
Self-hosting requires Docker, PostgreSQL, a public HTTPS domain, and credentials for SMTP, SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, or Postmark.
your data
Self-hosted subscribers, campaigns, and job state live in PostgreSQL; uploaded campaign assets live on persistent server storage.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit keila.io ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 12 other apps →
10
Sessy
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
945nov 2026
Track SES deliveries, bounces, opens and clicks in a self-hosted dashboard with real-time search, analytics and reputation monitoring.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/marckohlbrugge/sessy or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit sessy.do ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 5 other apps →
11
Hyvor Relay
open sourceOpen SourceSelf-host
922nov 2026
Self-hosted email API alternative to AWS SES & Mailgun. Open-source AGPL-3.0 with enterprise features, automated deliverability, and cloud version coming 2026.
The catch vs SendGrid
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed SendGrid.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hosteddocker to self-host
install
Clone https://github.com/hyvor/relay or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
your data
All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit relay.hyvor.com ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 6 other apps →
12
Wraps
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
66nov 2026
Build email templates as React components and automations in TypeScript. Deploy to your AWS account with SES integration. Marketing teams edit content without code.
The catch vs SendGrid
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/wraps-team/wraps or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit wraps.dev ↗Source Compare vs SendGrid →also replaces 6 other apps →

SendGrid Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)

Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns · 12 free alternatives

SendGrid vs ListmonkAGPL-3.0 · Self-host →

SendGrid vs Billion MailOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs PostalOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs MauticGPL-3.0+ · Self-host →

SendGrid vs PlunkAGPL-3.0 · Self-host →

SendGrid vs useSendOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs NotifuseAGPL-3.0 · Self-host →

SendGrid vs SendportalOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs KeilaAGPL-3.0+ · Self-host →

SendGrid vs SessyOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs Hyvor RelayOpen Source · Self-host →

SendGrid vs WrapsOpen Source · Local →

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers · SendGrid open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to SendGrid?+

The top free alternative to SendGrid is Listmonk (open source, AGPL-3.0). Send email campaigns and transactional messages to millions of subscribers with a single high-performance binary backed by Postgres. Other popular SendGrid replacements include Billion Mail, Postal, Mautic.

Can I self-host a free replacement for SendGrid?+

Yes. Of the 12 free alternatives to SendGrid, 11 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Listmonk (AGPL-3.0), Billion Mail (Open Source), Postal (Open Source), Mautic (GPL-3.0+), Plunk (AGPL-3.0), useSend (Open Source), Notifuse (AGPL-3.0), Sendportal (Open Source), Keila (AGPL-3.0+), Sessy (Open Source), Hyvor Relay (Open Source).

How much does switching from SendGrid to a free alternative save?+

SendGrid starts at $49/month per seat ($588/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Listmonk saves $2,940 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own SendGrid clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for SendGrid is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for SendGrid or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 12 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Listmonk.

What is the catch when switching from SendGrid to Listmonk?+

listmonk is fast and explicit about subscriber states, but it lacks Brevo's managed deliverability, broad automation suite, CRM-style contact tools, and polished visual workflow builder.