Last updated: November 11, 2026 | 9 min read
Mailgun is one of the best-known email APIs for developers. Owned by Sinch since 2021, it sends transactional email (password resets, receipts, notifications) through a REST API or SMTP relay, and adds inbound routing, email validation and detailed logs on higher plans.
In this review we look at what Mailgun does well, where it falls short, and what it really costs in 2026, using the prices on its pricing page at 10,000 to 2.5 million emails a month.
Short verdict: Mailgun is a capable, developer-friendly email API with strong inbound routing, validation and up to 30 days of logs. The catch is that the useful features sit on Foundation and Scale: Basic keeps logs for just one day, and overage on small plans is expensive.
Quick Answer: Mailgun is worth it if you need inbound routing, email validation and detailed logs. The free plan sends 100 emails a day. Basic costs $15/month for 10,000 emails, Foundation $35 for 50,000 or $75 for 100,000, and Scale $90 for 100,000 (up to $1,250 for 2.5 million). Logs last 1 day on Basic, 5 on Foundation and 30 on Scale.
Table of Contents
Mailgun at a Glance
| Mailgun | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Developers who need inbound email and logs |
| Owner | Sinch (since 2021) |
| Free plan | 100 emails/day, 1 domain, 1-day logs |
| Basic | $15/month (10,000 emails) |
| Foundation | $35 (50,000) or $75 (100,000) |
| Scale | From $90 (100,000) to $1,250 (2.5M) |
| Log retention | 1 / 1 / 5 / 30 days |
| Dedicated IP | Included with Foundation 100K; extra IPs $59/month |
| Our verdict | Powerful API; best features need Foundation or Scale |
Mailgun Pricing in 2026
Mailgun has four self-serve plans: Free, Basic, Foundation and Scale. Prices depend on how many emails you send each month:
| Monthly emails | Basic | Foundation | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | $15 | — | — |
| 50,000 | — | $35 | — |
| 100,000 | — | $75 | $90 |
| 2.5 million | — | — | $1,250 |
What each plan includes:
- Free: 100 emails a day, 1 sending domain, 1 inbound route, 1-day logs and 1 user.
- Basic: 10,000 emails for $15, with overage from $1.80 per 1,000. Logs last 1 day.
- Foundation: 50,000 or 100,000 emails, 1,000 domains, a template builder, 5-day logs and email validations included. A one-month free trial is available.
- Scale: from 100,000 to 2.5 million emails, 30-day logs, SSO, IP pools, and phone and chat support. A one-month free trial is available.
Overage gets cheaper on bigger plans (from about $1 per 1,000 on Scale). One dedicated IP is included with Foundation at 100,000 emails, and extra IPs cost $59/month.
Sidenote: Mailgun’s Basic plan keeps logs for only one day. If you need to investigate a delivery problem from last week, you’ll want Foundation (5 days) or Scale (30 days).
What Mailgun Does Well
Powerful API and inbound routing
Mailgun’s REST API and SMTP relay are well documented, and its inbound routes let you parse incoming email and forward it to your app, which is useful for support desks and reply handling. If you use SMTP, our guide to choosing the right SMTP port helps you set it up.
Email validation built in
Foundation and Scale include email validations, so you can check addresses at signup before they bounce.
Long logs on Scale
Scale keeps 30 days of logs, which makes debugging delivery issues much easier than on tools with a few days of history.
A permanent free plan
The free plan sends 100 emails a day with no time limit, which is enough to build and test an integration.
Where Mailgun Falls Short
Short logs on cheaper plans
Basic and Free keep logs for just one day, and Foundation for five.
Expensive overage on small plans
Going over on Basic costs from $1.80 per 1,000 emails, which adds up quickly for growing apps.
Pricier than some rivals at 50,000
Foundation costs $35 for 50,000 emails, while several alternatives charge $10–$20 at that volume.
Marketing email is separate
Mailgun is API-first. Campaign tools come through Mailjet, its sister product, rather than the same account.
Deliverability
Mailgun supports SPF, DKIM and DMARC, offers dedicated IPs and IP pools on higher plans, and includes validation to keep bounce rates down. Mailgun’s results still depend on your list and your domain setup. Gmail and Yahoo now require bulk senders to authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, keep spam complaints low and offer one-click unsubscribe. See Google’s sender guidelines, Yahoo’s best practices and RFC 8058 on one-click unsubscribe. Set up DMARC for your domain (dmarc.org) and track your reputation in Google Postmaster Tools.
Mailgun Pros and Cons
✅Mailgun Pros:
- Strong REST API, SMTP relay and inbound routing
- Email validation on Foundation and Scale
- 30-day logs on Scale
- Permanent free plan (100/day)
- Dedicated IP included with Foundation 100K
❌Mailgun Cons:
- 1-day logs on Free and Basic
- Overage from $1.80 per 1,000 on Basic
- $35 for 50,000 emails is above some rivals
- Marketing tools sit in a separate product (Mailjet)
💰Pricing: Free (100/day); Basic $15/month (10K); Foundation $35 (50K) or $75 (100K); Scale from $90 (100K).
Who Mailgun Is Best For
- Developers who need inbound email parsing and routing.
- Apps that want email validation alongside sending.
- Teams that need 30 days of logs (on Scale).
It’s a weaker fit for small senders who need long logs on a budget, and for teams that want marketing email in the same account.
How Mailgun Compares
- SendGrid vs Mailgun: Mailgun wins on logs and validation; SendGrid on price at 50,000.
- Postmark alternatives: other transactional specialists.
- Postmark review: a transactional specialist known for speed.
- Amazon SES vs SendGrid: the cheapest option at scale.
- SMTP relay services: more relay providers compared.
See our full list of Mailgun alternatives and the best transactional email services.
Every campaign, on any tool, needs an unsubscribe link and a physical address under the CAN-SPAM Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mailgun worth it in 2026?
Mailgun is worth it if you need inbound routing, validation and longer logs. For simple sending at 50,000 emails, cheaper options exist.
How much does Mailgun cost?
Basic costs $15/month for 10,000 emails, Foundation $35 for 50,000 or $75 for 100,000, and Scale from $90 for 100,000.
Does Mailgun have a free plan?
Yes. Mailgun’s free plan sends 100 emails a day with 1 domain and 1-day logs.
How long does Mailgun keep logs?
1 day on Free and Basic, 5 days on Foundation and 30 days on Scale.
Who owns Mailgun?
Mailgun is owned by Sinch, which also owns Mailjet.
What are the best Mailgun alternatives?
SendGrid, Postmark and Amazon SES are common alternatives. See our Mailgun alternatives guide.
Final Verdict
Mailgun is a strong developer platform with excellent inbound routing, validation and 30-day logs on Scale. The trade-offs are short logs on cheaper plans, expensive overage on Basic and higher prices than some rivals at 50,000 emails. Choose it if inbound email and debugging history matter to you.
Looking for a Simpler Alternative?
If you mainly need low-cost sending, the Mailercloud Email API costs $10/month for 50,000 emails, $100 for 500,000 and $450 for 2.5 million, with SMTP and REST, a 14-day free trial, and email marketing in the same account. Mailgun Foundation costs $35 at 50,000.
Send 50,000 emails for $10 — try the Mailercloud Email API
★★★★★ 4.5 on G2 · 4.7 on Capterra · 4.4 on Trustpilot · Trusted by 35,000+ businesses
14-day free trial · SMTP & REST API · $10/month for 50,000 emails
As a Marketing Director, I develop and implement marketing strategies, conduct market research, and manage a team of marketing professionals. With a successful track record of launching campaigns that drive revenue growth, I bring my marketing expertise to blog writing, creating engaging content that promotes the brand and its products/services.
