Amazon SES vs SendGrid: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Amazon SES and SendGrid side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Amazon SES leads on higher user rating; SendGrid leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Amazon SES
Transactional email service from AWS
Best for you if:
- • You want cheapest email sending
SendGrid
Deliver transactional and marketing emails with powerful APIs
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Amazon SES | SendGrid |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $15/mo flat, billed monthly Dedicated IP (Managed) plan | Free plan, paid from $19.95/mo, billed monthly Essentials plan |
Category | Email API Tools | Email Developer Tools |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.3 · Capterra 4.7 326 reviews | 4.1/5 Capterra 4.2 · G2 4.0 1,121 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Attachments at $0.12/GB add up. | Overage fees on Essentials and Pro are charged per-email and add up fast. Exceeding your plan limit by 20% can increase your bill by 30-40%. |
Choose Amazon SES or SendGrid?
Choose Amazon SES if
- You want cheapest email sending
- You want high deliverability
Choose SendGrid if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want industry standard
- You want reliable deliverability
In-Depth Analysis
Amazon SES
Transactional email service from AWS
Amazon SES offers a highly competitive and generally fair pricing model, especially for its pay-as-you-go outbound and inbound email services at $0.10/1000 emails.
Watch out
Attachments at $0.12/GB add up.
Strengths
- Pro: Cheapest email sending
- Pro: High deliverability
- Pro: Pay per email
- Pro: Integrates with AWS
- Pro: No monthly minimum
Weaknesses
- Con: Basic features only
- Con: Not for marketing emails
- Con: Setup can be complex
- Con: UI minimal
- Con: Reputation management manual
Key features
SendGrid
Deliver transactional and marketing emails with powerful APIs
SendGrid is the default choice for transactional email at scale, but it has become expensive relative to newer competitors.
Watch out
Overage fees on Essentials and Pro are charged per-email and add up fast. Exceeding your plan limit by 20% can increase your bill by 30-40%.
Strengths
- Pro: Industry standard
- Pro: Reliable deliverability
- Pro: Powerful features
Weaknesses
- Con: Can be complex
- Con: Support varies by tier
Key features
Plans and prices: Amazon SES vs SendGrid
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon SES |
| aws.amazon.com/ses/pricing read Oct 20, 2026 |
| SendGrid |
| sendgrid.com/pricing read Oct 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Amazon SES pricing and SendGrid pricing.
Key Takeaways
Amazon SES
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 4.1/5
SendGrid
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Amazon SES leads on higher user rating; SendGrid leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Amazon SES has the higher user rating (4.5/5 from 326 reviews for Amazon SES, 4.1/5 from 1,121 reviews for SendGrid).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Amazon SES $15/mo flat, billed monthly; SendGrid $19.95/mo, billed monthly.
- Only SendGrid has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Amazon SES and SendGrid compare in 2026?
On the data below, Amazon SES leads on higher user rating; SendGrid leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Amazon SES has the higher user rating (4.5/5 from 326 reviews for Amazon SES, 4.1/5 from 1,121 reviews for SendGrid). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Amazon SES $15/mo flat, billed monthly; SendGrid $19.95/mo, billed monthly. Only SendGrid has a free plan.
What are Amazon SES and SendGrid used for?
Amazon SES: Transactional email service from AWS. SendGrid: Deliver transactional and marketing emails with powerful APIs.
What does Amazon SES cost vs SendGrid?
Amazon SES's cheapest paid plan is Dedicated IP (Managed) at $15/mo flat, billed monthly. SendGrid's cheapest paid plan is Essentials at $19.95/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 20, 2026.
What's the main difference between Amazon SES and SendGrid?
Amazon SES's main strength: cheapest email sending. SendGrid's main strength: industry standard.