Best Email Service for n8n Automation (SendGrid vs Mailgun vs AWS SES)

Quick answer: SendGrid for beginners (free tier + easy setup). Mailgun for developers (better APIs). AWS SES for scale (cheapest at high volume).

Email Service Comparison

Feature	SendGrid	Mailgun	AWS SES
Free tier	100/day	5,000/month	62,000/month (if on AWS)
Paid from	$19.95/mo	$35/mo	Pay-per-email
Setup difficulty	Easy	Moderate	Complex
n8n integration	Native node	Native node	HTTP Request
Deliverability	Excellent	Excellent	Good
Templates	✅ Dynamic	✅ Basic	❌ Manual
Analytics	✅ Extensive	✅ Good	⚠️ Basic
Support	✅ Email	✅ Email	AWS forums
Best for	Small-medium	Developers	High volume

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Cost Comparison

10,000 emails/month

SendGrid Free:

$0 (if spread across 100 days)
or $19.95/month (Essentials)

Mailgun:

First 5,000: Free
Next 5,000: $1/1,000 = $5
Total: $5/month (pay as you go)

AWS SES:

10,000 × $0.10/1,000 = $1/month

Winner: AWS SES ($1) or Mailgun ($5)

###50,000 emails/month

SendGrid:

Essentials: $19.95/month (up to 50K)

Mailgun:

Pay as you go:
5,000 free + 45,000 × $1/1,000 = $45/month
or Foundation: $35/month (50K included)

AWS SES:

50,000 × $0.10/1,000 = $5/month

Winner: AWS SES ($5)

100,000 emails/month

SendGrid:

Pro: $89.95/month (100K included)

Mailgun:

Foundation: $35/month (50K) + 50K × $1/1,000 = $85/month

AWS SES:

100,000 × $0.10/1,000 = $10/month

Winner: AWS SES ($10)

At scale, AWS SES is 9x cheaper than SendGrid.

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SendGrid Setup (Easiest)

Time: 10 minutes

Step 1: Sign up at sendgrid.com Step 2: Verify sender email Step 3: Create API key Step 4: In n8n:

• Add SendGrid node
• Enter API key
• Select template or compose email Step 5: Test

Pros:

• Easiest setup
• Great templates
• Excellent analytics dashboard
• Free tier generous (100/day)

Cons:

• Expensive at scale
• Can be strict with verification

Best for: Beginners, small businesses

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Mailgun Setup (Developer-Friendly)

Time: 15 minutes

Step 1: Sign up at mailgun.com Step 2: Add and verify domain Step 3: Get API key Step 4: In n8n:

• Add Mailgun node
• Enter API key and domain
• Configure email Step 5: Test

Pros:

• Good pricing
• Flexible APIs
• Solid deliverability
• Email validation API included

Cons:

• Domain verification required
• Less polish than SendGrid

Best for: Developers, growing businesses

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AWS SES Setup (Most Complex)

Time: 30 minutes

Step 1: AWS account (if you don’t have) Step 2: SES console → Verify domain Step 3: Request production access (starts in sandbox) Step 4: Create IAM credentials Step 5: In n8n:

• Use HTTP Request node
• Configure AWS Signature v4 auth
• Set endpoint and parameters Step 6: Test

Pros:

• Cheapest at scale
• Part of AWS ecosystem
• Good deliverability

Cons:

• Complex setup
• Sandbox mode initially (100 emails/day until approved)
• Basic analytics
• No native n8n node

Best for: Technical teams, high volume

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n8n Integration Examples

SendGrid (Native Node)

SendGrid node
Credentials: API Key
From Email: [email protected]
To Email: \{\{$json.customer_email\}\}
Template ID: d-abc123...
Dynamic Template Data:
  name: \{\{$json.name\}\}
  order_id: \{\{$json.order_id\}\}

Easiest to use.

Mailgun (Native Node)

Mailgun node
Credentials: API Key + Domain
From Email: [email protected]
To Email: \{\{$json.customer_email\}\}
Subject: Order Confirmation
Message: Hi \{\{$json.name\}\}...

AWS SES (HTTP Request)

HTTP Request node
Method: POST
URL: https://email.us-east-1.amazonaws.com
Authentication: AWS Signature v4
  - Access Key
  - Secret Key
  - Region: us-east-1
  - Service: ses
Body (JSON):
{
  "Destination": {
    "ToAddresses": ["\{\{$json.email\}\}"]
  },
  "Message": {
    "Subject": {"Data": "\{\{$json.subject\}\}"},
    "Body": {"Text": {"Data": "\{\{$json.message\}\}"}}`
  },
  "Source": "[email protected]"
}

Most complex but most flexible.

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Deliverability Comparison

SendGrid: 98% inbox rate (industry-leading) Mailgun: 97% inbox rate (excellent) AWS SES: 94-96% inbox rate (good, depends on sender reputation)

Tips to improve deliverability:

1. Verify sending domain (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
2. Warm up new domains gradually
3. Monitor bounce rates (less than 5%)
4. Keep complaint rates low (less than 0.1%)
5. Clean email list regularly

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When to Choose Each

Choose SendGrid if:

✅ You’re getting started ✅ You send less than 100 emails/day ✅ You want beautiful templates ✅ You need good analytics ✅ Easy setup is priority

Choose Mailgun if:

✅ You’re technical ✅ You need flexible APIs ✅ You send 5K-100K/month ✅ You want good balance of cost/features ✅ Email validation is important

Choose AWS SES if:

✅ You’re already on AWS ✅ You send >100K/month ✅ You want lowest cost at scale ✅ You have technical team ✅ Basic analytics are sufficient

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My Recommendation

For most n8n users: Start with SendGrid

Why:

• Free tier is generous (100/day = 3,000/month)
• Easiest setup
• Great for learning
• Can upgrade later if needed

When you outgrow SendGrid:

• Move to Mailgun (if staying under 100K/month)
• Move to AWS SES (if over 100K/month)

My setup: SendGrid for transactional emails (less than 50K/month), AWS SES for bulk newsletters.

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Migration Between Services

Easy migration:

• n8n workflows are platform-agnostic
• Change email node, update credentials
• Test with small batch
• Gradually switch traffic
• Time: 1-2 hours

No lock-in - switch anytime.

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FAQ

Q: Can I use Gmail/Outlook for automation?

Not recommended. Daily limits (500/day for Gmail) and risk of account suspension.

Q: What about Resend or Postmark?

Good alternatives! Resend is newer (dev-focused). Postmark has excellent deliverability.

Q: Do I need a custom domain?

Not required but recommended. Improves deliverability and looks professional.

Q: Can I use multiple services?

Yes! Use SendGrid for transactional, AWS SES for bulk. Route in n8n based on email type.

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Related:

• Top 10 n8n Nodes
• Build Lead Magnet System

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About: I’m Mike Holownych. I help businesses automate email with n8n. Learn more →