The useSend Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about useSend in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
useSend
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source email sender built on Amazon SES
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among email sending services, read from useSend’s own pages.
Made by useSend · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from useSend’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on useSend’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 4 of the 26 other email sending services we grade
useSend is an open-source email platform for transactional and marketing email, with an API, SDKs, an SMTP relay, a campaign editor and contact lists. It sends through Amazon SES, either on the company's hosted cloud or on a self-hosted copy that uses your own AWS account. The cloud plan is $10 a month with usage billed on top, and contacts are not charged for.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about useSend, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The free edition is self-hosted with Docker or Railway, and Amazon SES setup applies to both editions.
- 1
Best for open-source sending on top of Amazon SES
It depends on SES, so SES account setup and limits apply even to a self-hosted copy, and the free route needs your own server.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month, then pay as you go.
- 3
There is a free plan
Self-host edition: free to run on your own server and your own AWS account; you pay AWS directly, about $0.10 per 1,000 emails.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
API and SDKs
Typed SDKs are shown for TypeScript, Python, Go and PHP, over a plain HTTP API.
- 6
SMTP relay
A drop-in SMTP relay works with any app or framework; the site mentions Supabase as a use.
- 7
Analytics
A searchable log tracks deliveries, opens, clicks, bounces and unsubscribes, filterable by domain, status and API key, and exportable.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 4 of 26
That is against the other email sending services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace useSend you would be making mail servers with a good name among inbox providers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
useSend at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $10 per month, then pay as you go
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- useSend
- Category
- Email Sending Services
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for open-source sending on top of Amazon SES
useSend is an open-source email sender built on Amazon SES, free to self-host and $10 a month on its cloud, which includes 25,000 transactional emails. It depends on SES, so SES account setup and limits apply even to a self-hosted copy, and the free route needs your own server.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | The cloud plan is $10 a month with 25,000 transactional emails, at the cheaper end of the category. Self-hosting costs nothing for the software but needs a server and about $0.10 per 1,000 emails paid to AWS, so it is not counted as free here. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free to self-host, but you run the server and pay AWS yourself; the cloud edition has no free tier. |
| Features | C | An API and SDKs, SMTP relay, analytics, a marketing editor and a suppression list, with Amazon SES account setup and limits underneath. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. The free edition is self-hosted with Docker or Railway, and Amazon SES setup applies to both editions. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | A web dashboard and an API; the listing names Amazon SES, Supabase, Railway and Docker. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who useSend is for
- Fits if you want open-source software you can host on your own AWS account
- Works for developers who already use Amazon SES
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't want to set up Amazon SES, as sending runs on it
- Tight if you send marketing mail on the cloud plan, since the $10 covers 25,000 transactional or 10,000 marketing emails, not both
- Watch out: self-hosting means you run the server and pay AWS directly
- Watch out: past the allowance the cloud charges $0.40 per 1,000 transactional and $1 per 1,000 marketing emails
- Watch out: prices are on the home page, as the site has no separate pricing page
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who want to self-host and keep sending costs at SES rates
- Apps with large contact lists, since contacts are not billed
- Teams that want open-source code behind their email
Worth knowing
- Sending runs on Amazon SES, so SES account setup and limits apply, including on a self-hosted copy.
- The cloud plan includes either 25,000 transactional or 10,000 marketing emails, not both.
- The pricing is on the homepage; the site has no separate pricing page.
- The company says it is bootstrapped and funded by the cloud offering and sponsors.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start. There is a free plan too
useSend has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per month, then pay as you go.
Free to self-host, but you run the server and pay AWS yourself; the cloud edition has no free tier.
Self-host
$0
Open source and free forever; you host it yourself with Docker or Railway and pay AWS about $0.10 per 1,000 emails. Unlimited domains, contact books and team members.
Cloud
$10
per month, then pay as you go
Includes 25,000 transactional or 10,000 marketing emails a month, then $0.40 per 1,000 transactional and $1 per 1,000 marketing. Unlimited domains and contact books.
The free plan
Self-host edition: free to run on your own server and your own AWS account; you pay AWS directly, about $0.10 per 1,000 emails.
Read from usesend.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source email sender built on Amazon SES. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, email campaigns, transactional email.
An API and SDKs, SMTP relay, analytics, a marketing editor and a suppression list, with Amazon SES account setup and limits underneath.
- API and SDKs
- Typed SDKs are shown for TypeScript, Python, Go and PHP, over a plain HTTP API.
- SMTP relay
- A drop-in SMTP relay works with any app or framework; the site mentions Supabase as a use.
- Analytics
- A searchable log tracks deliveries, opens, clicks, bounces and unsubscribes, filterable by domain, status and API key, and exportable.
- Marketing editor and contacts
- A visual editor with templates and variables, plus contact lists with per-list subscription status that update from bounces and complaints.
- Suppression list
- Filled automatically from bounces and complaints and managed by import, export or API, for both transactional and marketing email.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Amazon SES
- Supabase
- Railway
- Docker
useSend is made by useSend.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/26
Other email sending services it is graded above
useSend's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 4 of the 26 other email sending services we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 11 of 26) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $13.73 for the category: 6 of the 25 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 5 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 27 email sending services we grade, cut by the letter each got. useSend’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 11 of 26
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 26
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 26
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 26
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 26
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 26 email sending services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. useSend is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace useSend you would be making mail servers with a good name among inbox providers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 17 of the 26 other email sending services grade higher. It costs $120 a year. useSend is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Mail servers with a good name among inbox providers.
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon SES, Supabase and Railway among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. useSend’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Amazon SES, Resend, Postmark, MailPace and SendLayer
The 5 tools useSend is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Amazon SES
Free trial
AWS email sending and receiving, paid per 1,000 emails.
- useSend has a free plan. Amazon SES does not, though it has a free trial.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- useSend also covers email campaigns.
- 2.6GPA
Resend
Free plan · from $20/mo
Developer email API with React Email templates and a free tier.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Postmark
Free plan · from $15/mo
Transactional email API and SMTP, with broadcasts on a separate stream.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- useSend also covers email campaigns.
- Postmark also covers dMARC.
- 2.2GPA
MailPace
Free trial · from $10/mo
EU-hosted transactional email API and SMTP, without open tracking.
- useSend has a free plan. MailPace does not, though it has a free trial.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- useSend also covers email campaigns.
- 2.4GPA
SendLayer
Free trial · from $5/mo
Transactional email over SMTP or API, aimed at WordPress sites.
- useSend has a free plan. SendLayer does not, though it has a free trial.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- useSend also covers email campaigns.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is useSend free?
useSend has a free plan. Self-host edition: free to run on your own server and your own AWS account; you pay AWS directly, about $0.10 per 1,000 emails.
How much does useSend cost?
useSend lists 2 plans. Self-host: $0.
What platforms does useSend work on?
useSend is available on Web.
Does useSend have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. useSend is listed for Web.
Does useSend have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. useSend is listed for Web.
Is useSend open source?
Yes. useSend is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.
Does useSend have an API?
Yes. useSend offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does useSend integrate with?
useSend's listing names Amazon SES, Supabase, Railway and Docker. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes useSend?
useSend is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to useSend?
The closest alternatives to useSend in our directory are Amazon SES, Resend, Postmark, MailPace and SendLayer.
How does useSend compare with other email sending services?
useSend's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 4 of the 26 other email sending services we grade, and level with 5.
Is useSend good value for money?
ToolGPA grades useSend B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $13.73 for the category: 6 of the 25 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of useSend?
To replace useSend you would be making mail servers with a good name among inbox providers.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from useSend’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from useSend's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by useSend. Prices change, so check usesend.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- useSend, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/usesend
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "useSend: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/usesend
Know someone choosing between email sending services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/usesend/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded email sending services after useSend, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Email Sending Services Insider's GuideEvery one of the 27 email sending services we grade, compared
- Amazon SES Insider's GuideAWS email sending and receiving, paid per 1,000 emails2.8 GPA
- Forward Email Insider's GuideOpen-source email forwarding and hosting for custom domains2.8 GPA
- MailChannels Insider's GuideEmail API and SMTP relay for platforms with many downstream senders2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what useSend’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. useSend is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by useSend. Prices and plans change: check usesend.com before you buy.