I've been looking to integrate some basic newsletter and marketing emails into my app, which is a B2C platform similar to Letterboxd. One thing I've noticed is that many successful services send out weekly newsletters or emails about what's trending to engage users. I checked out Resend, and while it has a decent interface, I find the editor clunky and am limited in what I can customize. My app already manages subscriptions in its backend, which makes using their system unnecessarily complicated for just a boolean "isSubscribed" state. Initially, I thought I'd only be paying $20 a month, but it turns out, since I'm sending marketing emails instead of transactional ones, the price jumps to $40 for up to 5,000 users. With my current 6,000 users, I'd actually need to pay $80 for 10,000 contacts. This feels outrageous when my entire hosting costs only $50 a month. If I send four emails to those users monthly, I'd hit 40,000 emails, which would cost just $4 on AWS SES. So I'm puzzled—what justifies these massive markups? I understand services provide features like analytics and templates, but it still feels excessive. Why isn't there a more user-friendly option that adds only a moderate markup?
5 Answers
It all comes down to deliverability. Many businesses risk getting flagged as spammers if not handled properly, which could damage their reputation. Email providers invest heavily to keep your messages out of spam folders, and that isn’t easy or cheap.
Running a reliable email service requires a lot of work! Most businesses are okay with the costs because they want their emails sent without hassle. The real expense comes from ensuring deliverability and managing compliance.
Exactly! It’s not just about sending emails; it’s about guaranteeing they're received. If sending was cheap, it could lead to tons of issues with spammers affecting deliverability.
If you think those services are too pricey, maybe consider setting up your own email server. But be ready for the challenges of making sure your emails don’t end up in the spam folder. Trust me, it can get complicated.
That's a valid point, but with services like AWS SES, it's way cheaper without the headache. Plus, you don’t have to worry about blacklisting like you would with your own server.
The core service of sending emails isn't actually expensive—it's everything extra that jacks up the price. You're paying for features like templates, analytics, and compliance measures. The markup seems steep, but those are often essential features for businesses that want reliable email delivery.
Sure, but a lot of those features seem overhyped. Complying with regulations is just a link, and deliverability should be something basic that services offer without huge fees. It feels like they're not providing enough value.
If you want a more economical solution, SES is perfect. You can manage your contacts and email submissions cost-effectively. Many of the pricy services exist for those who prefer not to manage these details themselves, so it isn't about the raw cost of sending emails—it's too easy for people to take a shortcut and end up paying more.
Absolutely! For someone who’s comfortable handling their own templates and user management, SES will save a ton.
It’s true that email screening is tight nowadays. Google and others really don’t want legitimate emails cluttering the spam folder, which unfortunately leads to higher costs for businesses.