phpList vs Sendy (2026): which should you pick?

Pick phpList if

• Fits if you would rather run the newsletter software on your own server than rent it
• Works for low-volume senders who want to pay per message, not per list size

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you are staying free: the hosted account stops at 300 messages a month
• Pricey if you send a lot, as pay-per-message reaches $240 a month at 150,000 messages
• Watch out: image storage, extra user accounts and exclude lists are part of the Plus option, which costs more
• Watch out: the features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5
• Skip it if you want integrations, as the listing names only Google Analytics

Pick Sendy if

• Fits if you publish to a list of tens of thousands and want to stop paying per subscriber
• Works for agencies that run a PHP host and want to give each client a branded account with its own limits

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if the words PHP, MySQL and Amazon SES make you nervous, as you set them up
• Not for you if you want to try it first, as there's no trial, only a refund
• Tight if you run several sites, since each license covers one domain
• Watch out: major version upgrades aren't included, and the AI add-on is $39 and installation $79
• Too light for anyone wanting a phone app or a hosted service, as it runs only on your own server

phpList

• The free account stops at 300 messages a month.
• Pay-per-message prices climb with volume, to $240 a month at 150,000 messages.
• A Plus option raises the price and adds items such as image storage, multiple user accounts and exclude lists.
• The features page says basic accounts start at US$1 a month, but the pricing slider's lowest paid step is $5.

Sendy

• You host it yourself on a PHP and MySQL server and need your own Amazon SES account.
• Each license covers one domain, and major version upgrades are not included.
• The AI Assistant is a $39 one-time add-on (shown cut from $49), and installation by Sendy costs $79.
• There is no free trial; Sendy offers a refund if it does not work out.

phpList

Lists, attributes and segments

Subscribers are organized into lists with attributes such as name, country and language, and exclude lists refine who receives a campaign.

Personalized campaigns

Plain text, HTML and templates with placeholders, plus scheduling and repeat sending.

Analytics

Opens, clicks and forwards by campaign, link and subscriber, and Google Analytics integration.

Deliverability handling

Bounce processing, abuse-complaint handling, DKIM and SPF setup, and sender-score and blacklist monitoring on the hosted service.

Double opt-in and unsubscribe handling

Confirmed sign-up, self-service preference updates and a do-not-send list for unsubscribers.

Open source and hosting choice

Run your own copy of the software or use the hosted service; the vendor says there is no vendor lock-in.

Sendy

Sending through Amazon SES

Campaigns go out through your own Amazon SES account at Amazon's rate; SendGrid, Mailjet and Elastic Email also work natively over SMTP.

Three email editors

Switch between drag-and-drop, WYSIWYG and HTML editors when building templates.

Autoresponders, rules and webhooks

Drip sequences sent at set intervals or on dates, plus rules that send notifications, fire webhooks or move subscribers when something happens.

Segments and custom fields

Build segments from any conditions, store custom fields for personalization, and include or exclude lists and segments per campaign.

White-labeled client brands

Group lists into brands and give clients their own access, permissions, sending limits and pricing.

Live reports and list cleaning

Real-time opens, clicks, bounces, complaints and locations, with bounces and complaints removed automatically.

phpList

• Free account$0

  per month for up to 300 messages

  Send 300 messages a month at no charge.

• Pay-per-message$5

  per month for up to 2,000 messages, billed monthly

  Price rises with volume: $60 a month at 30,000 messages. Billing for 6 months saves 5% and annual billing saves 10%.

• Pay-per-subscriber$8

  per month for up to 500 subscribers, billed monthly

  Covers up to 1 million messages a month. $45 a month at 10,000 subscribers; 5% off for 6 months, 10% off annually.

• Pro marketer accountCustom

  Quote on request, for higher volumes and dedicated networks.

• Open source edition$0

  Software you host yourself, from phpList.org; community support through forums.

Sendy

• Sendy software$69

  one-time purchase, for one domain

  The self-hosted app for one domain, with free updates until the next major version. Sending through Amazon SES costs $1.6 per 10,000 emails, paid to Amazon.

phpList

• Annual discount

  10% off annual billing, 5% off 6 months

  The pricing slider offers a discount of 5% when paying for 6 months and 10% when paying annually.

Sendy

No public discounts listed.