Postmark Alternatives After Massive Price Hike

If you’re reading this, chances are Postmark just hit you with a nasty price hike. One that stings.

For years, Postmark was the go-to SMTP provider for agencies, WordPress users, and developers who needed fast, reliable transactional emails. 

It wasn’t the cheapest, but it worked beautifully—until now.

They didn’t just raise their prices; they skyrocketed them. What used to be $10/month is now closer to $120/month, even for existing customers. 

No grandfathering, no warnings—just an instant jump in cost.

It’s not just a price increase. That’s a complete shift in business strategy, and it has left a lot of users scrambling for alternatives.

Check out this Reddit thread where people are discussing it. It makes for painful reading!

We use email extensively in marketing so we can appreciate what a hammer blow this is.

You do have options though.

When evaluating SMTP providers, three names consistently stand out:

• Amazon SES – The most affordable option with high deliverability, ideal for scaling.
• SendGrid – Developer-friendly, powerful API, and comes with built-in analytics.
• SMTP2GO: Reliable, easy to use, and built for agencies handling multiple clients.

Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of each service.

Amazon SES – The Cheapest Option for High-Volume Email

Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is often the cheapest SMTP provider available, but cheap doesn’t always mean easy.

Why Choose Amazon SES?

• Insanely cheap – You only pay $0.10 per 1,000 emails, which is almost 10x cheaper than most.
• High deliverability – AWS infrastructure means emails are less likely to land in spam.
• Scales infinitely – If you send millions of emails per month, SES is hands down the best option.

The Downsides of Amazon SES

• Zero support – AWS support is notoriously bad. If you get stuck, you’re mostly on your own.
• Learning curve – Learning how IAM, CloudWatch, and SES work is a steep curve.

Who Is Amazon SES Best For?

• Businesses sending high-volume transactional emails.
• Developers comfortable with AWS.
• Anyone looking for the absolute lowest cost.

SendGrid – The Best API-Driven SMTP With Advanced Analytics

SendGrid is the most developer-friendly SMTP provider, with built-in email analytics, automation, and detailed logs.

Why Choose SendGrid?

• Easy integration – SendGrid has one of the best developer-friendly APIs.
• Analytics – SendGrid provides open rates, click tracking, and spam complaint reports.
• Free plan – Send 100 emails/day for free, with paid plans starting at $19.95/month.

The Downsides of SendGrid

• Deliverability concerns – Some users report that SendGrid IPs are shared with spammers, meaning emails might land in spam unless you pay for a dedicated IP.

Who Is SendGrid Best For?

• Developers looking for automation and tracking.
• Companies that need detailed email analytics.
• Businesses running email marketing and transactional email in one platform.

SMTP2GO – Hassle-Free, Reliable SMTP for Agencies & Businesses

If you’re looking for a smooth transition from Postmark, SMTP2GO is arguably the closest experience you’ll get. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it SMTP provider with great support and an easy onboarding process.

Why Choose SMTP2GO?

• Pricing – You get 1,000 emails per month free, and paid plans start at $15/month for 10,000 emails. That’s significantly lower than Postmark’s $100/month for 10,000 emails.
• Subaccounts – If you’re an agency managing multiple WordPress sites, you can create subaccounts and assign separate API keys to different clients.

The Downsides of SMTP2GO

• Not the cheapest – While cheaper than Postmark, if you’re sending lots of emails, it still costs more than Amazon SES.

Who Is SMTP2GO Best For?

• Agencies managing multiple websites.
• SMBs looking for a reliable SMTP service.
• Developers who don’t want to deal with the complexities of Amazon SES.

As SMTP2GO is the easiest to migrate to from Postmark, let’s dig into it a little deeper.

If you choose Amazon SES or SendGrid instead, the steps will be largely the same.

How To Migrate From Postmark to SMTP2GO

If you’re using Postmark with WordPress, switching to SMTP2GO is easier than you might think.

Step 1: Sign Up for SMTP2GO

• Head over to SMTP2GO’s website
• Create a free account
• Choose a plan (Free plan offers 1,000 emails/month, paid starts at $15 for 10,000 emails/month)

Once signed up, you’ll get access to your SMTP settings and API keys.

Step 2: Verify Your Sending Domain

Before you can send emails, SMTP2GO requires domain verification. This ensures better deliverability and prevents spoofing.

• Go to your SMTP2GO dashboard
• Navigate to Sender Domains
• Add your domain (e.g., yourwebsite.com)
• You’ll get three CNAME records to add to your DNS settings (via your domain registrar or hosting provider)

Here’s what that setup looks like:

Once you’ve added these records, SMTP2GO will verify your domain. It should only take a few minutes.

Step 3: Install and Configure SureMail in WordPress

SureMail is a free, lightweight, and powerful SMTP plugin that connects your WordPress site to email service providers like SMTP2GO, Amazon SES, Brevo, and SendGrid.

• Install SureMail from the WordPress plugin repository
• Go to SureMail > Connections
• Select SMTP2GO from the available providers

Step 4: Enter Your SMTP2GO API Key and Settings

Now, head over to the SMTP2GO dashboard to grab your API key:

• Go to Settings > API Keys
• Click Create API Key
• Copy the key and paste it into SureMail under the SMTP2GO settings

Here’s how the settings should look:

Step 5: Test & Send Emails

Once everything is set up:

• Go to SureMail > Test Email
• Send a test email to yourself

If the test email arrives in your inbox, congratulations! 🎉 You’ve successfully switched from Postmark to SMTP2GO.

What Is SureMail? Why Use It?

SureMail is a 100% free SMTP plugin that helps integrate your WordPress website with all major SMTP service providers.

But unlike other SMTP plugins, SureMail does way more than just integration.

Here’s why SureMail stands out:

• Auto-retry for failed emails: Emails fail. It happens. Most SMTP plugins leave you hanging, forcing you to manually resend them. SureMail automatically retries failed emails in the background, ensuring your emails go through without you lifting a finger.
• Reputation shield: Did you know that a few bad emails from your account can get your SMTP provider to suspend your account? SureMail filters out potentially spam emails before they’re sent, protecting your domain reputation and keeping your emails out of spam.
• Multiple SMTP connections with the same “from” email: Most plugins require you to change your sender email if you want a backup SMTP connection. That’s annoying. SureMail lets you set up multiple SMTP providers without changing your sender email—so if your primary SMTP fails, your emails still work seamlessly.
• Complete email logs and debugging: You don’t have to wonder if an email was sent. SureMail keeps a full log of every email, letting you track failures, view detailed logs, and even retry emails if needed. No guesswork.
• Analytics and reporting: Don’t just send emails—track them. SureMail provides detailed reports on email success rates, failures, and overall delivery performance.

SureMail is built to make email sending effortless, reliable, and stress-free. And the best part? It’s 100% free.

Final Thoughts and Extra Tips

Switching SMTP providers can seem like a hassle, but Postmark’s pricing change leaves you with no choice.

Use SureMail and migration is effortless.

If you’ve been affected by Postmark’s pricing, try this setup and let us know your experience. And if you need help, our team is here to assist!