Self-Hosted SMTP vs SendGrid

Developers should consider self-hosted SMTP when they need complete control over email infrastructure, such as for high-volume sending, custom routing, or compliance with strict data residency requirements (e meets developers should use sendgrid when building applications that require automated email sending, such as user registration confirmations, password resets, newsletters, or marketing campaigns. Here's our take.

Self-Hosted SMTP

Nice Pick

Developers should consider self-hosted SMTP when they need complete control over email infrastructure, such as for high-volume sending, custom routing, or compliance with strict data residency requirements (e

Pros

• g
• Related to: postfix, exim

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

SendGrid

Developers should use SendGrid when building applications that require automated email sending, such as user registration confirmations, password resets, newsletters, or marketing campaigns

Pros

• It is particularly valuable for handling high-volume email traffic, improving deliverability through dedicated IPs and reputation management, and simplifying compliance with regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM
• Related to: email-api, transactional-email

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Self-Hosted SMTP is a tool while SendGrid is a platform. We picked Self-Hosted SMTP based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Self-Hosted SMTP wins

Based on overall popularity. Self-Hosted SMTP is more widely used, but SendGrid excels in its own space.