Quick answer
Emitlo - Emitlo wins for most builders because its free tier is larger, more operationally flexible, and its paid path stays simple and usage-based instead of jumping to a flat monthly plan.
How the free tiers compare
EmailLabs and Emitlo both cover the basics for sending transactional and marketing email: SMTP and REST API access, templates or delivery tooling, analytics, and webhooks on paid plans. The difference is in how quickly the free tier starts to constrain real usage. EmailLabs is a capped startup-style free plan with 9,000 emails per month, 300 per day, short 1-day logs, and a shared IP, which is fine for a small, steady sender. Emitlo gives more headroom on volume, plus hourly throttling, more domains and credentials, 14 days of logs, delivery authentication, and webhooks on the free tier. That makes it better for builders who want to test real sending workflows without immediately outgrowing the plan. After free, EmailLabs switches to flat monthly plans, while Emitlo stays pay-as-you-go at $0.15 per 1,000 emails, which is cheaper at low and moderate volume and scales more gradually.
EmailLabs vs Emitlo free tier, side by side
| EmailLabsFTV 65 | EmitloFTV 51 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free emails per monthEmitlo's free quota is larger, but it is described as for early signups. | Up to 9,000 | 12,000 for early signups |
| Daily sending limit | 300 emails/day | 400 emails/day |
| Hourly sending limitEmitlo adds an extra throttle layer on the free plan. | Not listed | 50 emails/hour |
| Sending domains | Not listed | 3 |
| API/SMTP credentials | Not listed | 3 |
| Log retention | 1 day | 14 days |
| Attachment size | Not listed | 10 MB max |
| WebhooksEmitlo includes webhooks on free; EmailLabs reserves them for higher plans. | Higher plans only | Included on free tier |
After you outgrow the free tier
EmailLabs moves from free into flat monthly plans: Essential 30 at 23 EUR/month, then PRO 100 at 69 EUR/month, with Enterprise by sales. Emitlo uses usage-based pricing at $0.15 per 1,000 emails with no tiers or commitments. That means EmailLabs is cheaper only once you know you want a fixed bundle and enough volume to justify it, while Emitlo is usually cheaper for low-to-mid volume because you pay only for what you send. For typical small-team usage, Emitlo's paid path is simpler and usually less expensive.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | EmailLabs | Emitlo |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 emails/moEmitlo's paid cost is calculated from $0.15 per 1,000 emails. | Free (within free tier, up to 9,000 emails/mo would require paid usage beyond free) | ~$1.50/mo |
| 50,000 emails/moEmailLabs' Essential 30 includes up to 100,000 emails/month. | $23/mo | ~$7.50/mo |
| 100,000 emails/moEmailLabs' first paid tier caps at 100,000 emails/month. | $23/mo | ~$15.00/mo |
| 500,000 emails/moEmailLabs' Enterprise is dedicated pricing, so no public monthly price was provided. | Contact sales / varies by usage | ~$75.00/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick EmailLabs when…
- You want a simple capped free tier for a small app or newsletter and do not need many domains or credentials.
- You care more about a known monthly envelope than about granular usage pricing.
- You are fine with 1 day of log retention and shared IP on the free tier.
- You want to step up into a fixed-price plan once you outgrow the free quota.
Pick Emitlo when…
- You want the larger free monthly quota and daily/hourly throttles that are easier to manage for bursty sends.
- You need multiple sending domains or multiple API/SMTP credentials on the free plan.
- You want webhooks, real-time events, DKIM/SPF/DMARC, and 14 days of logs before paying.
- You prefer usage-based billing instead of jumping straight to a flat monthly subscription.
- You expect to stay at relatively modest volume after free and want costs to track usage closely.
Bottom line
For most builders, Emitlo is the easier free-tier choice: more room to test, more operational features up front, and a paid model that scales with use instead of forcing an immediate flat subscription. EmailLabs makes sense if you prefer a simple monthly package and are comfortable with tighter free limits and shorter logs. If you expect to stay small or bursty, Emitlo is the more forgiving default.
Read the full listings: EmailLabs and Emitlo. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.