MailCheap vs Sender (2026)
Open-source newsletters priced per email sent, not per subscriber — against — Budget email & SMS with a generous free plan. Same table, same scoring system, clear verdict.
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Head-to-head
Pricing and terms last verified 31 October 2026 — vendors change them often.
| MailCheap | Sender 🏆 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes: up to 2,500 subscribers |
| Paid from | From $19/mo for 20,000 emails and 10,000 active subscribers | Paid typically from around $15/mo (scales by list size) |
| Free trial | None | None |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Landing pages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paid subscriptions | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ecommerce features | ✗ | ✗ |
| Our score | 4/5 | 4.2/5 |
Choose MailCheap if…
- You're primarily newsletters with large, partly inactive lists
- Pay for emails sent, so dormant subscribers cost nothing
- You can live with: no free plan or trial; cloud starts at $19/mo
Choose Sender if…
- You're primarily startups on a tight budget
- Very generous free plan
- You can live with: smaller ecosystem and community
MailCheap vs Sender: FAQ
MailCheap or Sender — which is better in 2026?
For most people matching Sender's strengths (startups on a tight budget), Sender is the stronger choice — it scores 4.2/5 on our four-factor score. But "better" depends on you: choose MailCheap for newsletters with large, partly inactive lists, and Sender for startups on a tight budget.
Is MailCheap cheaper than Sender?
MailCheap has no permanent free plan (From $19/mo for 20,000 emails and 10,000 active subscribers), while Sender has a free plan (Paid typically from around $15/mo (scales by list size)). Vendors reprice several times a year — check both pricing pages before deciding.
Can I switch from MailCheap to Sender (or back)?
Yes. Subscribers export as CSV/JSON from either platform and import into the other. Automation sequences usually need rebuilding — map your tags and forms before migrating.