Quick answer
Emitlo - Emitlo wins for most builders who just need transactional email on a free tier, because it gives more free sending, no card requirement, and a simpler path to scale on usage-based pricing.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers serve different builders. Emitlo is a focused email delivery tool: the free plan gives 12,000 emails per month for early signups, plus API and SMTP access, authentication, analytics, webhooks, and relatively generous sending limits for a starter setup. Mailtrap is broader, mixing sending with a separate sandbox for testing in dev and QA, but its free sending tier is tighter at 4,000 emails per month and 150 per day, with shorter log retention and fewer domains. The tradeoff is simple: Emitlo is better if your main problem is sending real email cheaply and you want a free plan that stretches further. Mailtrap is better if you want both sending and a testing sandbox in one product, or if team access and later flat-tier pricing matter more than free-tier volume.
Emitlo vs Mailtrap free tier, side by side
| EmitloFTV 51 | MailtrapFTV 37 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free emails per monthEmitlo also notes the free plan is for early signups. | 12,000 emails/month for early signups | 4,000 emails/month |
| Free emails per day | 400 emails/day | 150 emails/day |
| Free emails per hourMailtrap input does not provide an hourly cap. | 50 emails/hour | Not stated |
| Sending domains on free plan | 3 | 1 |
| API/SMTP credentials on free plan | 3 | Not stated |
| Email log retention on free plan | 14 days | 3 days |
| Attachment size limit | 10 MB maximum | Not stated |
| Credit card required for free tierOnly state this because the field is explicitly provided. | No | Yes |
After you outgrow the free tier
Emitlo moves from free to a usage-based model at $0.15 per 1,000 emails, so spend rises with volume and stays close to usage. Mailtrap moves from free to flat monthly tiers, starting at $15/month for 10,000 emails, then stepping up through Business and Enterprise. For small teams, Emitlo is cheaper if usage is modest or uneven. Mailtrap becomes the clearer choice when you want predictable monthly billing and need the sandbox or team features bundled in paid tiers.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Emitlo | Mailtrap |
|---|---|---|
| 4,000 emails/moMailtrap’s free sending cap is 4,000/month, so this is the first paid step if you exceed free on sending. | ~$0.60/mo est. | $15/mo |
| 10,000 emails/moMailtrap’s Basic plan includes 10,000 emails/month. | ~$1.50/mo est. | $15/mo |
| 12,000 emails/moEmitlo’s free tier is 12,000/month for early signups, so this is free there if you fit the signup condition. | ~$1.80/mo est. | $15/mo |
| 100,000 emails/moMailtrap’s Business tier at $85/month includes 100,000 emails/month. | ~$15/mo est. | $85/mo |
| 500,000 emails/moMailtrap lists a $300/month Business tier for 500,000 emails/month. | ~$75/mo est. | $300/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Emitlo when…
- You need the most free sending volume without paying yet, especially for a small app or early product emails.
- You want API and SMTP delivery plus DKIM, SPF, DMARC, analytics, webhooks, and event tracking in one sending-focused tool.
- You are okay with usage-based pricing after free and want to pay roughly in line with email volume.
- You only need a few sending domains and credentials to get started.
- You do not need a built-in sandbox for staging and QA inside the same product.
Pick Mailtrap when…
- You want one vendor for both sending and a test sandbox for staging, dev, or QA email inspection.
- You care about a flat-price path after free rather than per-email billing.
- You need multi-user access on paid plans, or expect a larger team later.
- You want higher paid-tier log retention on the top plan, including 30 days at Enterprise.
- You are okay with a smaller free sending cap in exchange for the broader product shape.
Bottom line
For most builders picking a free email tier, Emitlo is the better value because it gives more free sending, no card requirement, and a cheaper transition to paid use if volume grows gradually. Mailtrap is the better pick only if you specifically want the sandbox/testing side of the product or prefer flat monthly tiers with team features. If your main goal is to send transactional mail from a small app, Emitlo is the simpler and cheaper starting point.
Read the full listings: Emitlo and Mailtrap. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.