AFFILIATE MARKETING
7 Best Mailgun Alternatives to Boost Your Email Marketing Success in 2023
Are you an entrepreneur looking for a reliable email delivery solution? Tired of dealing with the hassles and limitations of Mailgun? We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the seven best Mailgun alternatives to revolutionize your email marketing efforts.
From robust analytics to automation capabilities, these solutions offer powerful features that can take your business communication to the next level. So read on and find the perfect fit for you!
7 Great Mailgun Alternatives for Your Business
1. Sendinblue
Sendinblue is our top pick among Mailgun alternatives and is a perfect marketing solution for any SMB or enterprise-level business. You can send transactional emails and SMS to the desired recipient and track their effectiveness. The Detailed Analytics reports will help you fix any potential problems in email delivery or click performance.
You can use this all-in-one tool to create:
- Email marketing campaigns – design emails with the drag-and-drop editor or ready-made templates to send user-friendly emails
- Marketing automation – send responsive emails that are triggered once a condition in the workflow is fulfilled
- SMS marketing – communicate with customers on a more personal level
- Push notifications – send reminders for abandoned carts
Pricing
Sendinblue provides users with four plans to kickstart their business. The platform charges based on emails sent rather than on the size of your contact list.
Additionally, with the free plan, you can send 300 emails/day, along with the added features of SMS and Whatsapp campaigns.
The business plan is the most popular amongst entrepreneurs. You can send 20,000 emails/day for $40 a month. You will also gain access to a number of bonus features, making it a perfect choice for marketing managers and professionals.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Forever-free plan
- Access services in more than 6 languages
Cons
- Lower free email sending limit compared to some of the other alternatives
2. Amazon SES
Amazon SES (Simple Email Service) is one of the cloud-based Mailgun alternatives used to send bulk marketing and transactional emails to customers. Small to large-scale businesses can use the platform to send emails through different methods. These include Amazon SES API, SMTP relay, and Amazon SES Console.
Amazon SES also provides support for owned, shared, or dedicated IP addresses to provide security and fast deliverability.
You can use the platform to send automated emails based on triggers and gain insights into their performance. Amazon SES is also known for its:
- Mailbox Stimulator – test how different scenarios will affect your application
- Email receiving – complete control over which emails to accept based on IP address and domain of the sender
- Reputation Dashboard – track issues of email performance such as bounce rate and feedback loops
Pricing
Amazon SES offers a pay-as-you-go scheme for sending emails. However, users hosting their applications on Amazon EC2 can send 62,000 emails a month for free.
You can also use the platform to receive up to 1000 emails for free and use pay-as-you-go to receive any additional emails.
Pros
- Increased sender security through multi-factor authentication
- Affordable rates for sending and receiving emails
- Generous forever free plan
Cons
- You’ll have to buy separate plans for inbound emails and outbound emails
3. MailerSend
MailerSend is another alternative to Mailgun that provides a transactional email service along with a transactional SMS service.
You can use the platform to send and receive emails with SMTP relay and get hold of the following features:
- Multiple domains – manage multiple products and domains with just one MailerSend account
- Email verification – advanced verification process to ensure messages are received in the intended inbox and avoid landing in spam
- Dynamic email templates – send bulk emails that are tailored to suit different customers
- IP allowlist – make your account more secure by adding IP addresses to a whitelist
Pricing
MailerSend offers a forever free plan with 12000 emails/month. It is best suited for startups or SMBs to benefit from bulk emailing, a drag-and-drop builder, and analytics tools.
The paid plan includes a Premium plan and an Enterprise plan. The Enterprise plan is specifically designed for large enterprises and offers unlimited domains and templates along with 30-day data retention.
Pros
- Bulk email sending
- Effortlessly integrate sending transactional emails with your technology
- Efficient sender reputation management using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC security protocols
- Provides resources to get you started
Cons
- No SMS marketing service available in the free plan
4. Postmark
Postmark is an email delivery service platform that differentiates itself from other Mailgun alternatives with its email deliverability.
It uses a separate but similar infrastructure to send promotional and transactional emails. The latter is delivered through a secure and faster network.
Other features of Postmark include:
- Analytics tools – 45 days of data retention that ensures you don’t miss any detail
- Email templates – choose layouts for common transactional emails
- Webhooks – get notifications on important events such as bounces, clicks, or any spam complaints
Postmark offers a forever-free plan that includes 100 emails per month. However, more is needed for growing organizations.
The paid plans start with 10,000 emails at $15/month. Any additional emails sent in the month are charged with pay-as-you-go. You can also add dedicated IPs at $50 a month to any package.
Pros
- Complete email marketing software to send transactional and broadcasted messages
- Free expert advice
- Fast and reliable email delivery
- Email and application security
Cons
- No SMS support
- Marketing automation and segmentation features are not available
- Pricey for the number of emails allowed
5. SendGrid
SendGrid is a marketing and transactional email service provider that uses web API and SMTP relay to send emails. It is trusted by startups, enterprises, developers, and high-volume senders to increase customer engagement and experience.
Other than sending transactional emails, you’ll also get access to:
- Email marketing campaigns – send crafted automated messages to build meaningful relationships with customers
- Email testing – spam test and create flawless emails that look perfect in every inbox
- Deliverability insights – scalable email delivery measured using primary metrics and trends to improve the health of your email programs
- Email templates
Pricing
SendGrid allows users to choose between Email API plans and Marketing Campaign Plans. Both categories offer forever free plans, with the email API plan starting at 100 emails/day.
Additionally, The Marketing Campaign Plans offers a free plan where you can send up to 6000 emails/day along with segmentation, email automation, and design & code editors.
However, you need to upgrade to the Advanced Plan to get access to a dedicated IP address. It will provide you with faster site speed and a secure sender reputation.
Pros
- Forever free plan
- Free resources to initiate the correct email program
- The platform supports different programming languages
Cons
- You can not receive Email API plans and Marketing Campaigns Plans under one package
6. SocketLabs
SocketLabs is an email delivery solution for IT pros, developers, and high-volume senders. It offers SMTP relay service and transactional email APIs. It’s one of the best Mailgun alternatives on the market because it offers many of the same features.
Users can trust the platform to deliver bulk emails that are fully verified and passed through strict anti-spam processes. With a tedious job cut out, the marketing teams can focus on using SocketLabs to create tailored solutions for priority accounts.
If you like SocketLabs for its ability to forward a high volume of emails, check out these best email forwarding services for even more options.
Pricing
SocketLabs offers a 30-day free trial for the Core plan. Then you can send 40,000 emails/month for $39.95.
The more expensive plans include the Pro Plan and the Concierge Plan. You can send 100,000 emails per month starting from $79.95.
You’ll also get access to “Insight History” and “Performance History” reports with all plans.
Pros
- Useful resources and code libraries to easily set up sending emails
- Integrate with any application
- Useful analytics tool to improve email performance
Cons
- No SMS marketing service
- No forever free plan
- Ongoing training and email performance review are not available for low-tier plans
7. SparkPost
SparkPost is a reliable platform for brands to send and deliver emails. You can use advice from high-level industry experts to create email programs that engage and retain customers.
SparkPost is not just like any other Mailgun alternative. It goes beyond the basic deliverability of emails to provide an all-in-one marketing tool that increases customer engagement through:
- SparkPost signals – track email health and recipient behavior to improve email performance and reduce the risk of hitting spam traps
- Taxi for email – use segmentation and personalization to create powerful email campaigns
- Recipient validation – verify email addresses before you send them
- Inbox tracker – receive a higher return on email ROI by reaching more subscribers
Pricing
SparkPost has a free test account that limits the sending volume of emails but gives unrestricted access to API or SMTP relay.
Also, as a new sender, you can choose the Starter plan that offers 50,000 emails at $30 a month. This includes alerts to increase engagement and email health.
With a Premier plan, you can send 100,000 emails at $75/month and also get access to advanced templates and snippets, AB testing, prioritized support, and a dedicated IP address.
Pros
- Easily track how consumers are responding to competitors’ email campaigns
- Affordable plans for sending transactional emails
- Integrates with different apps and websites to fit user’s needs
Cons
- Limited volume for sending emails with free test accounts
Bottom Line: What’s The Best Mailgun Alternative For Your Business?
All in all, there are a host of excellent Mailgun substitutes that can completely transform your email delivery process.
Selecting the right alternative depends on your organization’s specific needs and requirements. So be sure to do some research before making a final decision. But in general, we believe that Sendinblue is a very excellent choice for most cases.
Hope this guide helps make it easier for you to find the best Mailgun alternatives for your entrepreneurial needs!
AFFILIATE MARKETING
Samsung: 6-Day Workweek For Execs, Company in Emergency Mode
Four-day workweeks might have all the buzz, but one major tech company is going in the opposite direction.
Samsung is implementing a six-day workweek for all executives after some of the firm’s core businesses delivered lower-than-expected financial results last year.
A Samsung Group executive told a Korean news outlet that “considering that performance of our major units, including Samsung Electronics Co., fell short of expectations in 2023, we are introducing the six-day work week for executives to inject a sense of crisis and make all-out efforts to overcome this crisis.”
Lower performance combined with other economic uncertainties like high borrowing costs have pushed the South Korean company to enter “emergency mode,” per The Korea Economic Daily.
Related: Apple Is No Longer the Top Phonemaker in the World as AI Pressure and Competition Intensifies
Executives at all Samsung Group divisions will be affected, including those in sales and manufacturing, according to the report.
Samsung had its worst financial year in over a decade in 2023, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that net profit fell 73% in Q4. It also lost its top spot on the global smartphone market to Apple in the same quarter, though it reclaimed it this year.
Though employees below the executive level aren’t yet mandated to clock in on weekends, some might follow the unwritten example of their bosses. After all, The Korea Economic Daily reports that executives across some Samsung divisions have been voluntarily working six days a week since January, before the company decided to implement the six-day workweek policy.
Entrepreneur has reached out to Samsung’s U.S. newsroom to ask if this news includes executives situated globally, including in the U.S., or if it only affects employees in Korea. Samsung did not immediately respond.
Research on the relationship between hours worked and output shows that working more does not necessarily increase productivity.
A Stanford project, for example, found that overwork leads to decreased total output. Average productivity decreases due to stress, sleep deprivation, and other factors “to the extent that the additional hours [worked] provide no benefit (and, in fact, are detrimental),” the study said.
Related: Samsung’s Newest Galaxy Gadget Aims ‘To See How Productive You Can Be’
Longer hours can also mean long-term health effects. The World Health Organization found that working more than 55 hours a week decreases life expectancy and increases the risk of stroke by 35%.
The same 55-hour workweek leads to a 17% higher risk of heart disease, per the same study.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
John Deere Hiring CTO ‘Chief Tractor Officer,’ TikTok Creator
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
Agriculture equipment company John Deere is on the hunt for a different kind of CTO.
The brand on Tuesday announced a two-week search to find a “Chief Tractor Officer” who would create social media content to reach younger consumers.
One winning applicant will receive up to $192,300 to traverse the country over the next several months showcasing the way John Deere products are used by workers, from Yellowstone National Park to Chicago’s Wrigley Field and beyond.
“No matter what you do — whether it’s your coffee, getting dressed in the morning, driving to work, the building you go into — it’s all been touched by a construction worker, a farmer, or a lawn care maintenance group,” Jen Hartmann, John Deere’s global director of strategic public relations, told AdAge.
To kick off the search, John Deere tapped NFL quarterback Brock Purdy (who will presumably be a bit busy this Fall to take the job himself) to star in a clip in which he attempts to set out on a road trip in an industrial tractor.
Suited up in the obligatory vest, work boots, and John Deere hat, Purdy’s progress is interrupted by teammate Colton McKivitz hopping into the cab while a string of messages floods in from other athletes and influencers expressing interest in the job.
The clip also represents the first time that the 187-year-old company has used celebrities to promote itself, Hartmann told AdAge.
According to the contest rules, entrants have until April 29 at midnight to submit a single 60-second video making their pitch for why they should be the face and voice of the company.
In addition, entrants must live in the 48 contiguous states or DC — sorry Hawaii and Alaska residents. Interestingly, any AI-generated submissions are prohibited, too.
Videos will be judged against four categories — originally, creativity, quality, and brand knowledge — after which five finalists will be chosen and notified after May 17.
AFFILIATE MARKETING
How to Capitalize On This Thriving Talent Pool to Drive Your Company’s Growth
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As business operations shift, executives and entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to an on-demand workforce that is simultaneously empowered by technology and drawn to purpose-driven projects.
Consider Upwork, whose 2020 Future of Workforce Pulse Report revealed that nearly 80% of hiring managers engaging freelancers feel confident about doing so. These hires provide coveted expertise — on a project-to-project basis — that entrepreneurs need to scale their operations without incurring long-term overhead costs.
This new market paradigm also promotes dynamism, with 79% of businesses agreeing that freelance talent enables greater innovativeness. Perhaps most telling, 84% of hiring managers utilizing it feel more assured about adapting to future disruption, compared to just 69% of those relying solely on full-time staff.
By capitalizing on freelance marketplaces, entrepreneurs can amplify employer branding, augment capabilities and future-proof organizations, even amid turbulence. As nearly 60% of hiring managers plan to increase engagement with freelancers over the next two years, the time is now for executives to realize their inherent potential.
Related: Navigating the Great Reshuffle: Why Your Employer Brand is Key in Recruiting Talent
The job market continues to shift
After a season of massive hiring, we’re back to seeing layoffs and downsizing. Companies are feeling the bloat—from unused office spaces with rising rent to oversized employee structures — and are shifting focus to hiring only the most essential positions. This leaves a critical talent gap needed for complex projects and specialized tasks. Highly skilled and specialized independents can fill this void.
A few key benefits to engaging them:
• Access to niche experts: Platforms like Toptal and Guru provide access to elite professionals from leading Fortune 500 companies and innovative startups. Whether the need is for a machine learning specialist, growth strategist or financial modeler, entrepreneurs can now curate on-demand teams that boast specialized skillsets, enabling them to focus investment on projects with the highest strategic value.
• Enhanced agility: Leading corporations increasingly “rent” skills by tapping freelance experts for initiatives involving new technologies or while entering unfamiliar markets. With niche contributors available to plug knowledge gaps, owners can explore ideas that once seemed unrealistic due to internal constraints—unlocking inventiveness and first-mover advantage.
• Stronger employment brand: Blending full-time employees with project-based freelancers signals a commitment to modernization and work-life balance. Offering both engaging work and flexibility will help draw exceptional candidates and help you compete with corporate giants for top-tier talent.
Related: Can Retirees Thrive in the Gig Economy? Navigating a Changed Workforce
Tips for capitalizing on gig talent
Having explored the forces reshaping work, executives may wonder how to effectively leverage freelance platforms. After all, how can you know you’re getting your money’s worth if a hire isn’t physically present full-time?
• Define projects clearly: Contract hires thrive when expectations and deadlines are established upfront. So, clearly, detail needs around deliverables, success metrics, required skills and projected time investments. Staying ahead when it comes to communication and expectations will help avoid headaches, including delays.
• Build loyalty with talent: The best independent professionals have options regarding the projects they accept. Study their profiles to discern passions and incentives. Offer interesting work, flexibility and strong communication to motivate interest and improve results.
• Manage collaboration: Provide steady context, feedback and guidance at each project stage, but also foster autonomy, even while directing efforts toward strategic goals. A dynamic balance of these qualities drives optimal outcomes.
• Continue expanding your talent pool: Add proven freelancers to an internal database for repeat engagements, and notify talent about new initiatives for which their expertise would provide an edge. Uncovering additional ways, freelancers can enhance the business deepens the relationship.
Related: Fill Your Talent Gap by Sourcing Candidates From the Veteran Community
Top platforms for connecting with talent
Now comes the hard part: finding contractors who bring fractional expertise sets. There are a growing number of platforms, of course, but I’ve found that the following stand out as leaders:
Fiverr: Ideal for execs seeking design, digital marketing, writing, video and admin support. Known for affordability and ease of posting jobs. It taps a global talent pool, too.
Upwork: A flexible platform that spans more than 150 skills. Used by everyone from small businesses to global enterprises. Strong at IT, development, design, finance and consulting.
Toptal: Focuses exclusively on the top 3% of talent. Best for expert software developers, designers, project managers and finance experts. All contributors are extensively vetted.
Contra: A growing independent platform that vets and connects both job candidates and hiring companies. Best of all, it doesn’t take a commission from projects.
Related: 3 Strategies to Optimize Your Hiring Process and Find the Best Employees
The numbers speak for themselves: businesses engaging freelance professionals report greater confidence and competitiveness, as well as the ability to withstand turbulence, yet legacy beliefs can still cause hesitancy among those keen to hire. Supported by such specialized collaborators, companies can explore new horizons unencumbered by a one-time narrow view of staffing models.
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