Why I Use Sendy and Not Mailchimp
I used to run my email like most people drive a rental car – paying too much, following someone else’s rules, and praying nothing broke mid-trip. Every big launch meant another invoice from Mailchimp and another fight with their automation quirks.
Then one night, after yet another campaign stalled in a Promotions tab, I decided to stop renting and start owning. I wanted something faster, leaner—something built for a sharp shooter, not a Sunday driver.
That’s when I found Sendy.
And once I pulled the trigger, there was no going back.
Locked, loaded, and laser-focused—blast campaigns straight to the inbox with a master strategist guiding every shot.
When it comes to email delivery, I’ve tried almost everything. Here’s why my trigger finger stays on Sendy, not Mailchimp.
Before we talk dollars, picture this: you gear up for a major campaign—design polished, copy tight. You hit send. The shot leaves the chamber. Then bam—the first invoice lands harder than the campaign.
Month after month I watched those bills climb. Extra subscribers? Price hike. New automation? Price hike. By the time a launch ended, the only thing scaling faster than my open rates were the fees.
I knew email was supposed to be about reach and precision, not paying rent on my own audience. So I started looking for a system built like a marksman’s tool—lean, accurate, and fully under my control. That’s how I locked onto Sendy.
1. Cost Comparison: Simple Math, Big Difference
Let’s keep it black and white:
| Platform | Typical Volume | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 50,000 emails | ~$270+ |
| Sendy + Amazon SES | 50,000 emails | ~$5 (plus pennies for SES) |
Mailchimp charges you for list size and features. Sendy charges you once (about $69 for the license) and then pennies per send through Amazon SES.
If you’re serious about scaling, the numbers aren’t even close.
2. Full Ownership of Your Data
Mailchimp keeps you inside their black box. Templates, lists, analytics—all live on their servers and stay there if you leave. Your most valuable marketing asset is effectively on loan.
Sendy flips that script:
Self-hosted freedom. Install it on your own server or trusted host.
Full data control. Export, back up, and migrate anytime.
No surprise lockouts. Your access isn’t tied to a third-party policy change.
That independence isn’t just a convenience—it’s a strategic moat. When you own your list, no algorithm or platform pivot can cut you off from your audience.
3. Deliverability Flexibility
Great email isn’t just about what you say—it’s about whether it arrives. I engineer bulletproof deliverability: custom DNS, precise warm-ups, and the ability to test and pivot fast.
Sendy + Amazon SES give me:
1. Custom sender domains and dedicated IPs
2. Fine control over SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Transparent logs and granular stats on every send
Mailchimp’s shared IP pools can be solid, but you still live and die by other senders’ reputations. With Sendy, my inbox rate is in my own hands.
4. When Mailchimp Still Makes Sense (The Balanced Take)
I’m not here to torch Mailchimp.
If you need:
Rapid, no-code setup for a very small list
Built-in ecommerce automations with Shopify
Pre-baked landing pages and sign-up forms
…it can be a decent place to start. But the moment you grow, the costs and limits stack up fast. What began as convenience quickly turns into drag.
Bottom Line: Own Your Trigger
Sendy is like a precision rifle – simple, powerful, and built to scale.
Mailchimp is a rental car – convenient for a weekend, expensive for the long haul.
If you’re ready to shoot past limits and own your email infrastructure, I can help you set up Sendy with rock-solid deliverability and automations that scale as far as you can pull the trigger.
