Last Updated on July 20, 2026 by ian
Choosing the right email API can have a major impact on your email deliverability, costs, scalability, and overall customer communication experience. Businesses rely on transactional email platforms to send important messages such as password resets, account notifications, invoices, and order confirmations quickly and reliably.
Amazon SES and Mailgun are two popular email delivery solutions that help developers and businesses manage transactional email at scale. Amazon SES offers powerful AWS infrastructure, competitive pricing, and high scalability, while Mailgun provides a user-friendly platform with advanced analytics, email validation, and developer-focused tools.
This Amazon SES vs Mailgun comparison explores pricing, features, deliverability, performance, security, and use cases to help you determine which email service is the best fit for your business.
If you’re weighing other providers too, our MailerLite vs Mailchimp comparison covers a different corner of the market worth knowing about.
Before we dive in: ConvertNow email API is a third option that might save you the decision entirely.
If you’re evaluating Amazon SES and Mailgun, you’re likely looking for a reliable email API that handles transactional delivery well, gives you visibility into what’s happening, and doesn’t require an engineering team just to keep it running.
ConvertNow is a developer-first email API and marketing platform built on our own dedicated email infrastructure. The same core capability as both SES and Mailgun, without the tradeoffs that make each of them frustrating in practice.
- vs Amazon SES: Same HTTP API and SMTP support, but without the ops overhead. No building your own bounce handling, no CloudWatch setup, no dedicated IP fees on top of your sending costs. Everything is included at $99/year flat for 1 million emails per month.
- vs Mailgun: Same developer-friendly API and built-in analytics, but with email marketing tools included. Campaigns, automations, segmentation. No second platform needed as your product grows. And unlike Mailgun’s tiered plans that gate features behind higher tiers, ConvertNow includes every feature at one flat price.
It takes under 5 minutes to send your first email.
Amazon SES vs Mailgun: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Amazon SES | Mailgun |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | High-volume email sending and AWS users | SaaS companies and developers needing simplicity |
| Main Strength | Low cost and scalability | Developer-friendly tools and analytics |
| Email Type | Transactional and marketing emails | Mainly transactional emails |
| Pricing Model | Pay-as-you-go | Subscription plans with usage limits |
| API Experience | Requires more technical setup | Simple APIs and documentation |
| Deliverability Tools | Strong infrastructure, more user management required | Built-in monitoring and optimization tools |
| Analytics | Basic reporting with AWS integrations | Detailed email tracking dashboards |
| Scalability | Enterprise-level | High scalability with easier management |
| Best Users | Enterprises, developers, AWS teams | Startups, SaaS businesses, product teams |
What Is Amazon SES?
Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is a cloud-based email sending service from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that helps businesses send transactional, marketing, and bulk emails without managing their own servers.
SES is built for scalability, allowing companies to send thousands to billions of emails while integrating easily with AWS services like Lambda, EC2, SNS, and CloudWatch.
Common use cases include:
- Account verification emails
- Password resets
- Purchase receipts
- Shipping updates
- Application alerts
- Marketing emails
Key Features of Amazon SES
Scalable Email Infrastructure Amazon SES uses AWS infrastructure to handle high email volumes, making it suitable for startups, SaaS platforms, e-commerce businesses, and enterprises.
Flexible Sending Options SES supports multiple sending methods, including SMTP, REST API, AWS SDKs, and command-line tools, giving developers flexibility in integration. If you’re setting one up for the first time, see our guide on how to set your email sending server up.
AWS Integration Businesses can connect SES with other AWS services to automate email workflows, monitor performance, and manage access permissions.
Security and Authentication SES supports SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication, along with AWS security features such as IAM controls and encryption. You can check your own setup with our free DMARC record generator.
What Is Mailgun?
Mailgun is an email delivery platform focused on helping developers and businesses send and manage transactional emails without complex infrastructure.
Unlike Amazon SES, which is part of the AWS ecosystem, Mailgun is built specifically around email communication. It provides tools for sending emails, tracking performance, validating addresses, and managing email reputation.
Common use cases include:
- Transactional emails
- SaaS notifications
- User onboarding emails
- Password resets
- Automated customer communication
Key Features of Mailgun
Developer-Friendly APIs Mailgun offers simple REST APIs, SMTP relay, webhooks, and SDK support, making email integration quick and easy.
Email Analytics and Tracking Businesses can monitor delivery rates, opens, clicks, bounces, and spam complaints through Mailgun’s dashboard. Curious how your own open rates stack up? Try our free email open rate calculator.
Email Validation Mailgun helps improve deliverability by identifying invalid, risky, or disposable email addresses before sending.
Email Management Tools Features like templates, suppression lists, event tracking, and logs make it easier to manage transactional email operations. You can also give your outgoing messages a polished finish with our email signature generator.
1. Ease of Use
Ease of use is an important factor when choosing an email service, especially for teams that want to set up and manage transactional emails quickly.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun provide reliable email delivery, but their user experiences are different.
Amazon SES Ease of Use
Amazon SES offers powerful features and flexibility but requires more technical knowledge to configure. Its setup involves:
- Domain verification and DNS configuration
- Managing AWS permissions
- Setting up sending limits and reputation monitoring
- Integrating through APIs or SMTP
While SES provides excellent documentation, beginners may find the AWS ecosystem complex compared to dedicated email platforms.
Mailgun Ease of Use
Mailgun is designed to make transactional email setup simpler. Its advantages include:
- Faster account and domain setup
- Developer-friendly API integration
- Clear dashboards and email logs
- Built-in tools for monitoring and troubleshooting
This makes Mailgun easier for startups, developers, and teams that want to start sending emails with minimal configuration.
Ease of Use Winner: Mailgun
Choose Amazon SES for more control and flexibility if you have technical expertise. Choose Mailgun for simpler setup, easier management, and a smoother user experience.
2. Pricing
Pricing is one of the biggest differences between Amazon SES and Mailgun. Amazon SES uses a low-cost pay-as-you-go model, while Mailgun offers tiered subscription plans with email analytics, validation, and management tools included.
Amazon SES Pricing
Amazon SES charges $0.10 per 1,000 emails sent.
| Monthly Emails | Amazon SES Cost |
|---|---|
| 10,000 | ~$1 |
| 100,000 | ~$10 |
| 1 Million | ~$100 |
Additional charges may apply for attachments, dedicated IPs, global endpoints, and inbound email processing.
Mailgun Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Included Emails | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 emails/day | Testing and small projects |
| Basic | Starting at $15/mo | 10,000/month | Small applications |
| Foundation | $35/mo (1-month free trial) | 50,000/month | Growing SaaS businesses |
| Scale | $90/mo (1-month free trial) | 100,000/month | High-volume senders |
Pricing winner: Amazon SES
Amazon SES is significantly cheaper for businesses sending large email volumes. Mailgun costs more, but part of that cost includes easier management, analytics, and validation tools.
Not sure how the numbers shake out for your own sending volume? Run them through our email marketing savings calculator, or see our full pricing page for more options.
3. Deliverability
Deliverability is a key factor when choosing a transactional email service. A platform should consistently deliver emails to inboxes while helping you maintain a strong sender reputation.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun offer excellent deliverability, but they take different approaches.
Amazon SES Deliverability
Amazon SES uses AWS’s global infrastructure to deliver emails at scale. Its strengths include:
- Support for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
- Dedicated IP options
- Reputation monitoring tools
- Highly scalable infrastructure
However, SES requires users to manage authentication, sender reputation, and email performance themselves.
Mailgun Deliverability
Mailgun simplifies deliverability management with built-in tools, including:
- Deliverability monitoring
- Email validation
- Reputation tracking
- Advanced event logs
These features make it easier to maintain good inbox placement with less manual effort. If messages are landing in the wrong folder, our guide on email rejected due to security policies (error 554) walks through common fixes, and our free spam checker can flag issues before you hit send.
Deliverability winner: Mailgun for ease, SES for control
Both platforms can achieve excellent deliverability. Mailgun provides more built-in tools, while SES offers more control for experienced teams.
4. Features
Amazon SES and Mailgun both provide the core features needed for reliable transactional email delivery, but they differ in terms of ease of use, built-in tools, and overall functionality.
| Feature | Amazon SES | Mailgun |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional Email | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| SMTP Relay | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Email API | ✅ REST API | ✅ REST API |
| Inbound Email Routing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Email Validation | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Templates | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Analytics & Event Tracking | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| Webhooks | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Dedicated IPs | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Deliverability Monitoring | Basic reputation metrics | ✅ Built-in tools |
| Marketing Email | ❌ No | Limited capabilities |
| AWS Integration | ✅ Native | ❌ No |
| Multi-user Team Management | Basic | ✅ More advanced |
Features winner: Mailgun
Mailgun provides a more complete transactional email platform out of the box, especially for analytics, validation, and email management.
5. Developer Experience
Developer experience plays an important role when choosing an email service, especially for teams that need quick setup, reliable APIs, and easy integration.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun provide powerful tools for developers, but their approaches are different.
Amazon SES Developer Experience
Amazon SES offers a flexible and scalable platform with strong developer control. Its advantages include:
- Well-documented APIs and SDKs
- SMTP and REST API support
- Native AWS integration
- High customization and scalability
However, SES has a steeper learning curve. Developers often need to configure authentication, permissions, monitoring, and reputation management manually.
Mailgun Developer Experience
Mailgun focuses on simplicity and developer-friendly workflows. Its strengths include:
- Easy API integration
- Clear documentation
- Built-in email testing tools
- Detailed logs and debugging features
This makes it easier for developers to set up transactional emails quickly and troubleshoot delivery issues.
Developer experience winner: Mailgun
Mailgun is easier for startups and smaller engineering teams. SES is better for teams comfortable with AWS infrastructure.
6. Analytics and Reporting
Analytics and reporting help businesses understand email performance, track delivery issues, and improve engagement over time.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun provide email tracking features, but their reporting capabilities differ.
Amazon SES Analytics and Reporting
Amazon SES provides essential monitoring tools through AWS services. Its features include:
- Delivery, bounce, and complaint tracking
- Reputation monitoring
- CloudWatch integration for metrics
- Custom reporting through AWS tools
However, SES analytics often require additional AWS configuration and technical knowledge to create detailed reports.
Mailgun Analytics and Reporting
Mailgun offers more user-friendly analytics designed specifically for email performance tracking. Its features include:
- Real-time delivery tracking
- Detailed email event logs
- Bounce and complaint analysis
- Campaign and engagement insights
- Deliverability reports
These tools make it easier for teams to identify issues and optimize email performance. See our roundup of email marketing statistics for useful engagement benchmarks.
Analytics winner: Mailgun
Mailgun offers a more user-friendly and detailed analytics experience without requiring additional AWS configuration.
7. Security
Security is an important factor when choosing an email service provider, especially for businesses handling sensitive customer communications.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun provide strong security features, but their approaches are different.
Amazon SES Security
Amazon SES benefits from AWS’s enterprise-grade security infrastructure. Its key security features include:
- Encryption for data in transit and at rest
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication support
- AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) controls
- Compliance with major security standards
- Private integrations through AWS services
However, managing SES security settings often requires AWS expertise, including configuring permissions and access policies.
Mailgun Security
Mailgun provides security features focused on email communication and API protection. Its advantages include:
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC support
- TLS encryption
- API key management
- Two-factor authentication
- Secure email tracking and event data protection
Mailgun also provides tools that help teams monitor email activity and detect potential delivery or account issues.
Security winner: Amazon SES for AWS users
Both platforms are secure, but Amazon SES offers deeper enterprise-grade security controls through AWS IAM and infrastructure.
8. Customer Support
Customer support can make a major difference when dealing with email delivery issues, account configuration, or technical challenges.
Both Amazon SES and Mailgun provide support options, but the level of assistance differs.
Amazon SES Customer Support
Amazon SES support is primarily managed through AWS support channels. Its options include:
- Extensive AWS documentation and guides
- Community forums and knowledge bases
- Technical support through paid AWS Support plans
- Access to AWS experts for enterprise customers
However, direct support is limited on lower-tier plans, and troubleshooting often requires more technical knowledge.
Mailgun Customer Support
Mailgun provides more email-focused support designed around developer and business needs. Its features include:
- Dedicated email support options
- Detailed documentation and guides
- Troubleshooting resources
- Deliverability-focused assistance
Mailgun’s support experience is generally easier for teams that need help resolving email delivery and configuration issues. For general communication best practices beyond support tickets, see our email etiquette guide.
Customer Support Winner: Mailgun
Choose Amazon SES if you already have AWS expertise and can rely on technical resources.
Choose Mailgun if you want more accessible support and email-specific guidance.
Use Case
Amazon SES and Mailgun are designed for different types of users. The right choice depends on your email volume, technical requirements, and the level of management you need.
Choose Amazon SES if you:
- Send millions of emails monthly
- Already use AWS services
- Need the lowest possible email costs
- Have engineering resources to manage configuration and monitoring
- Want maximum control over your email infrastructure
Choose Mailgun if you:
- Need quick and simple integration
- Want built-in analytics and deliverability tools
- Need email validation features
- Prefer easier setup and management
- Want more visibility into email performance
Overall: Amazon SES is ideal for businesses that prioritize scalability, cost, and control, while Mailgun is better suited for teams that value simplicity, built-in tools, and faster implementation.
If neither transactional platform is the right fit and you’re sending newsletters instead, see the benefits of email marketing and our breakdown of email marketing software options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amazon SES cheaper than Mailgun?
Yes. Amazon SES is generally much cheaper, especially for businesses sending large volumes of emails. Its pay-as-you-go pricing makes it a strong choice for enterprises and high-volume senders.
Is Mailgun better than Amazon SES?
It depends on your needs. Mailgun is better for teams that want easier setup, built-in deliverability tools, and advanced email management features. Amazon SES is better for businesses that prioritize low costs, scalability, and infrastructure control.
Which is better for SaaS applications?
Mailgun is often a better choice for SaaS startups that need fast integration, reliable APIs, and simple email management. Amazon SES is better suited for larger SaaS companies that need affordable email delivery at scale.
Can I migrate from Mailgun to Amazon SES?
Yes. Migrating from Mailgun to Amazon SES involves updating API configurations, verifying domains, adjusting DNS records, recreating templates, and testing deliverability before switching fully.
Conclusion
Amazon SES and Mailgun are both powerful transactional email platforms, but they are built for different needs. Amazon SES stands out for its low pricing, scalability, and deep AWS integration, making it ideal for businesses that need reliable email infrastructure at high volumes.
Mailgun focuses more on simplicity, analytics, and developer-friendly tools. It is a strong choice for startups, SaaS teams, and businesses that want easier setup and built-in deliverability features.
For organizations sending millions of emails and looking for maximum cost efficiency, Amazon SES is usually the better long-term option. For teams that prioritize convenience, monitoring, and a smoother developer experience, Mailgun is often worth the additional cost.