Quick answer
Maileroo - Maileroo wins for most builders because its free tier is larger, card-free, and closer to a usable starter setup, while MailerSend is better only if you need a low-cost paid entry and are okay with tighter free limits.
How the free tiers compare
The main difference is not just quota size, but how far the free plan gets you before you must pay. Maileroo gives you 3,000 outbound emails, inbound routing, SMTP, REST API access, tracking, webhooks, and support without requiring a credit card. That makes it feel like a small but real production plan for transactional or light marketing mail. MailerSend is much tighter at 500 emails and 10 verification credits, and its free plan requires card details, so it behaves more like a constrained trial or onboarding tier. Once you pay, MailerSend has a cheaper on-ramp at $5.60/mo, but Maileroo’s first paid tier is still very affordable at $15/mo and includes a much higher free ceiling than MailerSend. Choose based on whether free headroom or cheapest paid entry matters more.
Maileroo vs MailerSend free tier, side by side
| MailerooFTV 64 | MailerSendFTV 37 | |
|---|---|---|
| Outbound emails per monthMaileroo's free cap is much higher. | 3,000 | 500 |
| Inbound emailsMailerSend's free-tier inbound quota is not provided in the input. | 1,000 | Not listed |
| Email verificationMailerSend lists a specific credit cap; Maileroo lists API access but no credit count. | Access included | 10 credits |
| SMTP relayBoth support SMTP on the free tier. | Included | Included |
| REST / email APIBoth expose API access on the free tier. | Included | Included |
| Drag-and-drop builderMailerSend explicitly includes it in the free plan. | Not listed | Included |
| Card required for free planMaileroo says no credit card is required; MailerSend says card details are required. | No | Yes |
After you outgrow the free tier
Maileroo’s first paid tier is Starter at $15/month, using a flat pricing model. MailerSend’s first paid tier is Hobby at $5.60/month, also flat-priced, so it has the cheaper paid entry. The gap widens as you move up: MailerSend adds Starter at $28/month and Professional at $88/month with larger API and content limits, while Maileroo’s provided pricing stops at Starter plus a Custom Plan that requires contact sales. For a small team, Maileroo is cheaper if you can stay within the free tier; once paid, MailerSend is cheaper at the entry level.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Maileroo | MailerSend |
|---|---|---|
| 500 emails/monthMailerSend still requires credit card details for the free plan. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 3,000 emails/monthMailerSend's free plan does not cover this volume. | Free (within tier) | $5.60/mo |
| 5,000 emails/monthMaileroo's free plan caps at 3,000 outbound emails. | $15/mo | $5.60/mo |
| 50,000 emails/monthMailerSend's Starter tier includes 50,000 emails/month. | Contact sales / custom | $28/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Maileroo when…
- You need a free transactional email setup for a small app and want to avoid adding a card.
- You want inbound routing, SMTP relay, REST API access, webhooks, and tracking included on day one.
- You send a few thousand emails per month and want a plan that feels usable instead of immediately constraining.
- You want to test email delivery, suppression, bounce handling, and analytics before paying.
Pick MailerSend when…
- You only need a very small free allowance and are fine with 500 emails/month.
- You want the cheapest paid entry once you outgrow the free tier.
- You need a drag-and-drop email builder on the free plan.
- You want to start on a product that has multiple later tiers with more domains, templates, API requests, and seats.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Maileroo is the better free-tier choice because it gives you more room to test and run a small real workload without a card. If you expect to outgrow free quickly and want the cheapest paid plan, MailerSend is the better follow-on option. But for first-time setup, small apps, and low-volume senders, Maileroo is the easier place to start and stay for longer.
Read the full listings: Maileroo and MailerSend. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.