MailWizz vs Sendy: 2026 Self-Hosted Email Marketing Platform Comparison

MailWizz and Sendy occupy similar product space: self-hosted PHP email marketing applications with one-time license fees, no per-subscriber pricing, and unlimited subscribers limited only by hosting capacity. Both platforms run on standard LAMP stack and deliver email through external SMTP services rather than including built-in MTA infrastructure. The critical difference is SMTP architecture: MailWizz follows BYOSP (Bring Your Own Service Provider) supporting Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, SparkPost, and generic SMTP through configurable delivery servers; Sendy is specifically designed for Amazon SES with deep SES-native integration. The feature depth also differs substantially: MailWizz provides drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing, multi-tenant architecture, comprehensive Web API, and broader automation; Sendy provides leaner focused feature set with autoresponders, RSS campaigns, and Amazon SES bounce handling.

This comparison covers the practical decision between MailWizz and Sendy in 2026: both platforms' shared self-hosted PHP architecture, MailWizz's broader scope and SMTP flexibility, Sendy's focused Amazon SES integration and leaner feature set, the critical SMTP flexibility difference with implications for operational architecture, feature comparison covering editor capabilities, automation depth, multi-tenant support, and API access, cost economics showing minimal license difference but meaningful total cost of ownership variation by SMTP choice, operational requirements both platforms share, use case fit by operator profile, and the decision framework for operators choosing between two viable self-hosted options.

Two self-hosted approaches

Both platforms ship the same way. The walls inside the house differ.

MailWizz and Sendy share the fundamental self-hosted approach: operators purchase a one-time license, install the PHP application on their hosting infrastructure, configure database and SMTP integration, and run the platform themselves. The shared characteristics include PHP plus MySQL technology stack, unlimited subscribers without per-contact pricing, one-time license amortising over years of usage, full operator control over data and infrastructure, BYOSP-style external SMTP delegation, and ongoing operator responsibility for maintenance and updates.

The shared model produces shared advantages over SaaS alternatives:

Cost predictability. No subscription escalation as audience grows; total cost remains relatively stable across volume increases. Both platforms produce material cost savings versus subscription SaaS competitors at scale.

Data ownership. Subscriber lists, campaign data, statistics all live on operator's infrastructure. No third-party access to customer data; compliance simpler in some regulated contexts.

Customisation potential. PHP source code available with license; operators can modify application code or build custom plugins. Customisation depth impossible on SaaS platforms.

Vendor independence. One-time license relationship; not subject to SaaS vendor changes, price increases, feature removals, account suspensions. Reduces ongoing vendor risk.

SMTP provider flexibility (varying by platform). Both support external SMTP integration; MailWizz with full BYOSP flexibility, Sendy primarily through AWS SES.

The differences between the platforms are not about the model itself but about implementation choices within the self-hosted PHP approach:

SMTP architecture. MailWizz designed for delivery flexibility across providers; Sendy designed specifically around Amazon SES integration.

Feature scope. MailWizz provides broader marketing platform features including drag-and-drop, multi-tenant, A/B testing; Sendy provides focused feature set centred on bulk sending.

Architectural sophistication. MailWizz built on Yii framework with extensive plugin architecture; Sendy uses simpler architecture without plugin system.

Multi-tenant support. MailWizz has native multi-customer architecture; Sendy supports multi-list and multi-brand but not customer-account-level isolation.

Visual editor. MailWizz includes drag-and-drop editor as default; Sendy historically used HTML/WYSIWYG editor primarily, added drag-and-drop in newer versions.

MailWizz overview

MailWizz has specific characteristics defining its approach within the self-hosted PHP category.

Yii framework foundation. Built on Yii 2.x framework providing solid MVC architecture, modular components, and security features. The framework enables sophisticated application logic and clean separation of concerns.

BYOSP delivery architecture. Bring Your Own Service Provider model handles delivery through external SMTP services. Officially documented integrations: Amazon SES (SMTP and Web API), SendGrid (SMTP and Web API), Mailgun (SMTP and Web API), SparkPost, Postmark, Sendinblue/Brevo, generic SMTP servers. Multiple delivery servers configurable with rotation logic; the rotation enables distributing load or implementing failover.

Multi-tenant native architecture. Customer accounts built-in for agencies and resellers. Each customer has isolated lists, campaigns, statistics, and limits. Platform operator administers overall installation; customers self-serve through their account interface. Extended License at $275 enables SaaS commercial offering with full white-label.

Drag-and-drop email editor. Visual builder for campaign creation; HTML editor available; plain text editor for simple campaigns; template library included.

Advanced segmentation. Rule-based segments using custom field conditions; subscriber activity-based segments; geographic and device-based segments; dynamic segment recalculation.

A/B testing. Subject line A/B testing native; content variation testing; send time testing; automatic winner selection based on configured criteria.

Comprehensive Web API. Full REST API for programmatic operations; webhook system for event notifications; PHP and JavaScript hooks for customisation; SDK examples documented.

Plugin architecture. Marketplace of third-party plugins extending functionality; operators can develop custom plugins; theme system for visual customisation.

Automation capabilities. Autoresponder sequences; time-based campaigns; segment-based targeting; event-based triggers (subscription form submission, custom events); rule engine for chained actions.

Subscription forms and landing pages. Built-in subscription forms with custom fields; basic landing page creation; double opt-in support; subscription confirmation workflows.

Typical MailWizz deployment stack:

• Linux VPS or dedicated server: $10-200/month
• LAMP stack: free, OS-included
• MailWizz license: $86 one-time (Standard) or $275 (Extended for SaaS)
• SMTP service: $0-50+/month depending on choice (SES at $0.10/1K, SendGrid Essentials $14.95, others vary)
• Domain registration: $10-20/year
• SSL certificate: free via Let's Encrypt
• Total monthly cost: $20-300+ depending on infrastructure scale

Sendy overview

Sendy has different characteristics within the self-hosted PHP category.

Custom PHP architecture. Sendy uses its own simpler PHP architecture without framework dependency. Smaller codebase; faster execution; less architectural overhead.

Amazon SES-native integration. Sendy is specifically designed to send through Amazon SES. Deep SES integration includes: SES SMTP submission; SES Web API integration for higher throughput; SES bounce notifications through SNS topics; SES complaint feedback through SNS topics; SES sending statistics integration; SES verified identity management.

Bulk sending focus. Sendy's design centres on bulk email sending economics. The Amazon SES integration achieves approximately $0.10 per 1,000 emails through SES pricing; combined with Sendy's $69 one-time license, the per-email cost is among the lowest available in any platform.

Multi-brand support. Sendy supports multiple brands (separate sending identities) within single installation. Each brand has separate lists, campaigns, reports, and configurations. Different from MailWizz's multi-tenant customer accounts but useful for agencies managing multiple sender brands.

Autoresponder sequences. Drip campaigns triggered by list subscription; time-based delays between messages; recipient activity tracking through sequences. Linear automation without branching logic.

RSS-to-email automation. Sendy can automatically send email campaigns when RSS feed updates; useful for bloggers and content publishers wanting automatic newsletter generation. The feature is one of Sendy's standout capabilities not commonly found in competitors.

Rules engine. Rule-based actions triggered by events (campaign completion, subscription, unsubscription, autoresponder completion). Operators can configure webhooks, list operations, segment updates based on rules.

Segmentation. Custom field-based segments; basic conditional logic; segment combinations across multiple criteria.

Analytics. Open rates, click rates, bounce categories, geographic data, device tracking, link click tracking. Reports are functional but interface is functional rather than polished.

AI Assistant (2025 addition). Sendy added AI-powered email template generation and content suggestion in 2025 update. The feature helps create email templates faster but is basic compared to dedicated AI marketing tools.

API and Zapier integration. Sendy provides API for programmatic operations; Zapier integration for connecting to other tools; webhooks for event notifications. Integration depth is adequate but less comprehensive than MailWizz.

Typical Sendy deployment stack:

• Linux web hosting with PHP/MySQL: $5-50/month (shared hosting works for smaller lists; VPS recommended for substantial volume)
• Sendy license: $69 one-time (with optional $29/year for ongoing updates)
• Amazon SES: $0.10 per 1,000 emails sent
• Domain registration: $10-20/year
• SSL certificate: free via Let's Encrypt
• Total monthly cost: $10-150+ depending on volume and hosting scale

SMTP flexibility comparison

The most significant architectural difference between MailWizz and Sendy is SMTP delivery flexibility.

MailWizz BYOSP architecture:

• Multiple delivery servers. Configure unlimited delivery servers in MailWizz admin panel; each server has its own credentials, sending capacity, hourly/daily limits, and assignment rules.
• Provider variety. Supports SMTP authentication with any provider plus native Web API integration for: Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, SparkPost, Sendinblue/Brevo. Generic SMTP works with any provider supporting standard SMTP authentication.
• Rotation and assignment. Configure which lists/campaigns use which delivery servers; automatic rotation across multiple servers for load distribution or failover; specific server assignment for specific stream types.
• Bounce server independence. Configure bounce processing servers separately from delivery servers; bounce handling adapts to chosen SMTP provider's bounce model.
• Operational implications. Operators can use different SMTP providers for different streams (Amazon SES for high-volume marketing, SendGrid for transactional, Mailgun for specific brand); can switch providers without changing application; can implement multi-provider redundancy.

Sendy SES-specific architecture:

• Amazon SES primary integration. Designed around SES; deep integration with SES features.
• Alternative SMTP supported but limited. Sendy can configure alternative SMTP servers for sending, but loses SES-specific features (bounce notifications via SNS, complaint feedback via SNS, sending statistics integration). The alternative SMTP works as basic relay client.
• Single delivery configuration typical. Most Sendy installations use single SMTP configuration (either SES or alternative); multi-provider rotation requires manual coordination.
• SES dependency advantages. Tight SES integration produces excellent SES-specific operations (efficient API usage, proper SNS handling, integrated statistics). Operators committed to SES get optimal SES experience.
• SES dependency disadvantages. Operations wanting non-SES providers lose Sendy's integration advantages; multi-provider operations more difficult; vendor lock-in to AWS for primary integration.

The SMTP flexibility difference has substantive operational implications:

For operators committed to AWS infrastructure: Sendy plus Amazon SES produces tight integration and optimal SES operations. The lack of multi-provider flexibility is not problematic for AWS-centric operators.

For operators wanting multi-provider flexibility: MailWizz's BYOSP architecture handles multi-provider patterns naturally. Stream separation (marketing through SES, transactional through SendGrid), provider redundancy (rotate across multiple providers), or provider migration (move from SES to alternative) all work cleanly with MailWizz.

For operators uncertain about future SMTP choices: MailWizz preserves flexibility; Sendy creates dependency on continuing SES choice. Future migration to non-SES provider would require Sendy-to-alternative-platform migration rather than just SMTP reconfiguration.

Feature comparison

Feature comparison between MailWizz and Sendy:

Feature category	MailWizz	Sendy
License cost	$86 one-time (Standard); $275 (Extended SaaS)	$69 one-time + $29/year updates optional
Architecture	Yii framework PHP application	Custom PHP architecture
SMTP providers	Multiple (SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, SparkPost, generic)	Amazon SES native; alternative SMTP limited
Multi-tenant	Native customer accounts with isolation	Multi-brand support (different from customer accounts)
Email editor	Drag-and-drop, HTML, plain text	Drag-and-drop, HTML, WYSIWYG
Templates	Templates included plus custom HTML	Templates included plus custom HTML
A/B testing	Subject line, content, send time native	Limited; not native A/B framework
Automation depth	Autoresponders, time-based, segment-based, rule engine	Autoresponders, RSS-to-email, rule engine
Segmentation	Rule-based custom field segments; advanced conditions	Custom field segments; basic conditional
RSS-to-email	Not native (plugin available)	Native RSS-to-email feature
Subscription forms	Built-in form builder	Built-in subscription forms
Landing pages	Basic landing page support	Not native
Web API	Comprehensive REST API	API available; less comprehensive
Webhooks	Full webhook support	Webhook support
Plugin architecture	Native plugin system; marketplace	Limited plugin support
Multi-user accounts	Native customer and team accounts	Single account model
White-label	Yes with Extended License	Yes; can customise branding
AI features	AI Assistant in newer versions	AI Assistant added 2025
Reporting depth	Comprehensive analytics	Basic analytics
Support	Email support; community forum	Limited; single-developer support
Update frequency	Regular major releases	Periodic updates

Feature pattern summary:

MailWizz strengths. Broader feature scope across email marketing functions; multi-tenant architecture for agency operations; SMTP flexibility through BYOSP; A/B testing as native framework; comprehensive Web API; plugin marketplace.

Sendy strengths. RSS-to-email native (unique feature among self-hosted alternatives); Amazon SES integration depth (bounce handling, complaint feedback, statistics); simpler architecture with less operational complexity; focused tool philosophy without feature bloat.

The feature gap is meaningful for operators needing the additional MailWizz capabilities. For operators whose needs are simpler (basic newsletters, RSS feeds, single SMTP provider), Sendy's leaner approach may produce better outcomes through reduced complexity.

Cost economics at scale

Cost comparison between MailWizz and Sendy at typical volume tiers (total cost of ownership including hosting and SMTP):

Volume tier	MailWizz monthly cost	Sendy monthly cost	Cost difference
10K emails/month, 1K subscribers	~$20 (Hetzner CX22 + free SES tier)	~$15 (shared hosting + minimal SES)	Sendy slightly cheaper
50K emails/month, 5K subs	~$30 ($15 VPS + $5 SES + $10 amortised license)	~$25 ($10 hosting + $5 SES + $10 amortised)	Sendy slightly cheaper
200K emails/month, 20K subs	~$50 ($25 VPS + $20 SES + amortised license)	~$45 ($25 hosting + $20 SES)	Roughly tied
500K emails/month, 50K subs	~$120 ($60 VPS + $50 SES + amortised)	~$110 ($60 hosting + $50 SES)	Roughly tied
1M emails/month, 100K subs	~$200 ($100 VPS + $100 SES)	~$200 ($100 hosting + $100 SES)	Tied
5M emails/month, 500K subs	~$700 ($200 VPS + $500 SES)	~$700 ($200 hosting + $500 SES)	Tied
10M emails/month, 1M subs	~$1,250 ($250 hosting + $1,000 SES)	~$1,250 (similar)	Tied

The cost comparison reveals:

Costs are essentially equivalent at scale. Both platforms have similar hosting requirements; both can use Amazon SES as low-cost SMTP backend; the $17 license difference amortises to negligible at any meaningful scale.

Cost driven by SMTP choice rather than platform. Amazon SES at $0.10/1,000 emails is the dominant SMTP cost. Operators using SES with either platform get similar costs; operators using more expensive SMTP providers (SendGrid Pro, dedicated IPs) increase costs regardless of platform.

License difference operationally irrelevant. $17 license difference (or $86 vs $69 + $29 annual updates) is operationally trivial. Platform choice should be driven by features and architecture rather than license cost.

Operational time investment similar. Both platforms require similar self-hosted operational time (10-20 hours monthly typical) for server maintenance, application updates, SMTP configuration, monitoring. The total cost of ownership including operational time is roughly equivalent.

Operational requirements

Both MailWizz and Sendy have similar operational requirements reflecting their shared self-hosted PHP architecture.

Shared operational requirements:

• LAMP stack hosting. Linux server with Apache or Nginx, MySQL or MariaDB, PHP 7.4+. Standard web hosting environments support both platforms.
• Server administration capability. Both require basic Linux server administration: package installation, file permissions, log review, security updates.
• Database administration. MySQL operation: backup scheduling, occasional optimisation, capacity monitoring.
• SSL certificate management. Both should run over HTTPS; Let's Encrypt automated certificates standard.
• DNS configuration. Both require SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records configured for sending domains. DMARC monitoring through reports.
• SMTP service configuration. Both delegate sending to external SMTP; account setup, authentication, monitoring of SMTP service required.
• Backup procedures. Database and file backups for disaster recovery; both platforms vulnerable to data loss without proper backup.
• Security patching. Operating system updates, PHP updates, application updates as released.
• Monitoring. Server health, database performance, application errors, sending statistics, deliverability metrics.

Differences in operational requirements:

MailWizz Plus framework complexity. Yii framework adds some additional considerations for performance tuning and troubleshooting but provides better long-term maintainability.

Sendy SES-specific operations. SNS topic configuration for bounce and complaint notifications; SES sending quota management; SES verified identity maintenance; AWS billing monitoring. The SES-specific operations are additional to base self-hosted operations.

MailWizz BYOSP operations. Multiple SMTP provider account management if using multi-provider setup; rotation logic monitoring; per-provider quota tracking.

Update cadence. Both platforms receive periodic updates; MailWizz's lifetime updates included with license; Sendy's optional $29/year supports continued updates.

Typical monthly operational time for either platform: 10-20 hours for production deployment covering routine maintenance, deliverability monitoring, backup verification, security updates, incident response. The operational time is meaningful and should be factored into total cost of ownership.

Use case fit by operator profile

MailWizz and Sendy fit different operator profiles within the self-hosted email marketing category.

MailWizz best fits these profiles:

• Agencies serving multiple clients. Native multi-tenant architecture with customer accounts; each client gets isolated lists, campaigns, statistics; agency operator manages overall installation. Extended License enables SaaS commercial offering.
• Operations needing SMTP flexibility. Programmes wanting to use multiple SMTP providers, switch providers, or implement multi-provider redundancy benefit from BYOSP architecture.
• Operations needing comprehensive features. A/B testing, advanced segmentation, comprehensive API, plugin marketplace all valuable for sophisticated marketing programmes.
• Platform operators building on top of MailWizz. Extended License plus extensive API and plugin architecture supports SaaS commercial offerings.
• Long-term scaling operations. Modern Yii framework architecture supports continued development; broader feature scope handles growing complexity.

Sendy best fits these profiles:

• AWS-centric operators. Programmes already running on AWS benefit from Sendy's deep SES integration including SNS-based bounce and complaint handling.
• Bloggers and content publishers. RSS-to-email native feature suits content-driven operations wanting automatic newsletter generation from blog updates.
• Cost-sensitive bulk senders. Sendy's design centres on bulk sending economics; the SES integration achieves rock-bottom per-email cost.
• Operators preferring simplicity. Smaller codebase, fewer configuration options, focused feature set reduce learning curve and operational complexity.
• Single-brand operations. Sendy works well for operations with single primary sender brand or moderate brand portfolio without complex multi-tenant requirements.

Decision framework

The decision framework for MailWizz vs Sendy in 2026:

Use MailWizz when: operating as agency serving multiple clients (native multi-tenant); needing SMTP flexibility across multiple providers; requiring comprehensive features (A/B testing, advanced segmentation, plugin marketplace); planning long-term scaling with sophisticated requirements; building SaaS commercial offering on top of platform (Extended License); the small license premium ($17) is offset by feature value.

Use Sendy when: operating with single primary sender brand or simple brand portfolio; committed to Amazon SES as primary SMTP infrastructure; content publishing operations benefiting from RSS-to-email; preferring simpler tool with focused feature set; bulk sending economics primary concern; AWS-centric infrastructure favours SES native integration.

Consider alternatives to both when: non-technical team incapable of self-hosted operations suggests SaaS like MailerLite or Mailchimp; very high volume (10M+ monthly) suggests dedicated commercial MTA like PowerMTA or KumoMTA; behavioural automation needs suggest ActiveCampaign or HubSpot; e-commerce focus suggests Klaviyo; B2B sales suggests integrated CRM-marketing like HubSpot.

Stay on chosen platform when: current platform produces acceptable outcomes; operational discipline established; migration cost would exceed remaining cost differential; feature requirements adequately served.

Migrate between platforms when: operational profile changed (single-brand operator becoming agency); SMTP provider strategy changed (committed SES becoming multi-provider); feature requirements grew beyond current platform capabilities; operational discipline matured to handle more sophisticated platform.

The 2026 default progression for typical operators:

1. Evaluate operator profile (single-brand vs agency, single-SMTP vs multi-SMTP, simple vs complex requirements)
2. Consider MailWizz first for agency operations or operations expecting growth in complexity
3. Consider Sendy first for single-brand operations committed to AWS infrastructure
4. Either platform produces acceptable outcomes for many operators; the choice is rarely irreversible
5. Plan migration capability if uncertain; both platforms allow data export for future migration