Overview
The Two Core Features of Any Emailing Platform
Deliverability
Notifuse: Native connections to major ESPs (Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost) for best deliverability.
Listmonk: Custom SMTP.
Visual Email Builder
Notifuse: MJML-based drag-and-drop builder with real-time preview. Guaranteed mobile-responsive across all email clients.
Listmonk: Basic visual editor — without guarantee of mobile-responsive rendering across all email clients.
Listmonk is a lightweight, self-hosted newsletter manager focused on simplicity. It offers a basic visual editor but lacks the MJML-based rendering guarantees and native ESP integrations that modern teams need.
Notifuse is a comprehensive, self-hosted email platform that combines newsletter functionality with transactional email capabilities, visual MJML builder, advanced segmentation, A/B testing, multi-tenancy, and robust APIs. Designed to scale and compete against top closed-source competitors, it's built for both marketers and developers who need enterprise-grade features.
Quick Comparison
| Notifuse | Listmonk | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free (self-hosted) | Free (self-hosted) |
| Open Source License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Best For | Developers & marketers needing advanced features | Simple newsletter campaigns |
| Security & Testing | >80% test coverage, modern security practices | No automated tests, legacy codebase |
| Visual Tools | MJML drag-and-drop editor | Basic visual editor |
| Integrations | Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost, S3, Supabase, SMTP | SMTP |
| Multi-tenancy | Yes (Workspaces) | No |
Visual Email Builder
Both platforms offer visual email editors, but Notifuse's MJML-based approach guarantees mobile-responsive rendering across all email clients, while Listmonk's basic editor doesn't provide this guarantee.
Email Editor Comparison
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Email Builder | MJML-based - guarantees mobile-responsive & compatible with all email clients | Basic visual editor - does not guarantee mobile-responsive or compatibility across all email clients |
| Templating Engine Dynamic variables for personalization | Liquid | Golang |
| Built-in File Manager | S3-compatible storage with CDN support | S3-compatible storage without CDN support |
| Template Library | Coming soon | |
| Support for Test Data Preview emails with sample contact data |
Notifuse UI - MJML Email Builder
Why This Matters
Notifuse's MJML-based builder guarantees that emails render perfectly on all devices and email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.). Listmonk's basic visual editor doesn't provide these guarantees, which can lead to rendering issues.
Mailing-list Management
Essential features for managing subscriber lists and preferences.
List Management Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Private Lists | ||
| Double Opt-in | ||
| Welcome Email | ||
| Unsubscribe Email | ||
| List Analytics Active, unsubscribed, spam, complaints metrics | ||
| Notification Center Self-service notification center for subscribers |
Campaigns
Compare newsletter and broadcast campaign features between both platforms.
Campaign Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Send to Multiple Lists | ||
| Filter by Contact Segments | ||
| A/B Testing with Auto Winner Selection Automatically send winning variant to remaining contacts | ||
| UTM Tracking Parameters Measure campaign performance with UTM tags | ||
| Campaign Analytics | ||
| Schedule in Specific Timezone |
Contact Management & Segmentation
Notifuse shines with advanced contact management and powerful segmentation capabilities.
Contact & Segmentation Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Contact Fields | ||
| Activity Timeline Complete history of emails, opens, clicks, and profile changes | ||
| Dynamic Segments Auto-update based on rules and conditions | ||
| Relative Date Filters E.g., "subscribed in the last 30 days" |
Notifuse UI - Contact Profile with Activity Timeline
Email Sending & Deliverability
Both platforms support SMTP integration, but Notifuse offers more flexibility and better deliverability monitoring.
Email Delivery Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| SMTP Integration | ||
| SMTP Relay | ||
| Native Integrations | Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost | |
| Opens/Clicks Tracking | ||
| Bounce Webhooks | ||
| Delivery Webhooks | ||
| Spam Webhooks | ||
| Complaint Webhooks | ||
| Unsubscribe Webhooks |
Analytics & Reporting
Track campaign performance and engagement with detailed analytics.
Analytics Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Open Rate Tracking | ||
| Click Tracking | ||
| Bounce Tracking | ||
| Complaint Tracking | ||
| Unsubscribe Tracking |
Notifuse UI - Analytics Dashboard
Multi-tenancy & Agency
Notifuse is built for agencies and SaaS platforms that need complete workspace isolation.
Multi-tenancy & Agency Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-tenancy Isolated environments for multiple brands or clients | Database Isolation & custom domain per workspace | |
| User Permissions Granular access control for team collaboration |
Perfect for Agencies
Notifuse's workspace feature makes it ideal for agencies managing multiple clients. Each client gets their own isolated environment with custom domains, separate contacts, and dedicated API keys—all from one installation.
Developer Experience & API
For developers building SaaS applications, API quality and developer experience are crucial.
API & Developer Tools
| Feature | Notifuse | Listmonk |
|---|---|---|
| RESTful API | ||
| Transactional Email API | ||
| Dev/Test environment | Workspace-based environments | |
| OpenAPI Specification Full API documentation in OpenAPI format - useful for AI integrations and code generation | ||
| SMTP Relay Built-in SMTP server that accepts standard SMTP connections for sending transactional emails - perfect for legacy integrations. | ||
| Observability & Monitoring | Messages & Webhooks history. OpenTelemetry tracing. |
Developer Advantage
Built for developers who need production-ready email infrastructure. OpenAPI specification, SMTP relay for legacy integrations, workspace-based dev/test environments, and comprehensive transactional API—everything you need to ship fast and scale confidently.
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose Notifuse
Notifuse is the better choice if you:
- Are building a SaaS application that needs transactional + marketing emails
- Need guaranteed mobile-responsive emails with MJML-based builder
- Want advanced segmentation and A/B testing
- Are an agency managing multiple clients (workspaces)
- Need team collaboration with granular permissions
- Prioritize security and reliability with tested, production-ready code
- Want a modern, intuitive UI with great UX
Choose Listmonk
Listmonk might be sufficient if you:
- Only need simple newsletter functionality
- Are comfortable writing HTML/Markdown
- Want the lightest possible resource footprint
- Don't need multi-tenancy or workspaces
- Don't require advanced features or integrations
- Prefer a minimal, no-frills approach
Why Switch to Notifuse?
Notifuse is a safe bet for the future. While Listmonk remains focused on basic newsletter functionality, Notifuse has the ambition to compete with closed-source giants like Mailchimp and Klaviyo. Teams and developers choose Notifuse when they need:
MJML-Based Visual Builder
While Listmonk has a basic visual editor, Notifuse's MJML-based builder guarantees mobile-responsive rendering across all email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo, etc.). No more rendering issues or broken layouts—your emails will look perfect everywhere.
Multi-Tenant Architecture
Agencies and SaaS platforms need workspace isolation. Notifuse provides complete multi-tenancy with separate databases, custom domains, and API keys per workspace—something Listmonk doesn't offer.
Advanced Segmentation
Move beyond simple lists. Notifuse's dynamic segmentation with real-time updates, relative dates, and complex rules lets you target the right audience at the right time.
Modern Developer Experience
Robust REST APIs, webhooks for events, better error handling, and comprehensive documentation. Built for developers who are building products, not just sending newsletters.
Team Collaboration
Granular permissions, user roles, and team management. Notifuse is built for teams, not just solo users.
Security & Code Quality
Security matters when handling customer data. Notifuse has >80% test coverage with comprehensive automated tests, ensuring reliability and catching security issues before they reach production. Built with modern, state-of-the-art technologies and security best practices—without the vulnerabilities that can accumulate in older legacy codebases.
Better Analytics & A/B Testing
Optimize your campaigns with built-in A/B testing, detailed engagement metrics, and actionable insights—not just basic open rates.
Ready to upgrade from Listmonk?
Migration is straightforward. Export your contacts from Listmonk and import them into Notifuse in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I migrate from Listmonk to Notifuse?
Migration is straightforward: Export your contacts from Listmonk as CSV, then import them into Notifuse using our CSV import tool. You can recreate your email templates using our visual MJML builder or import your existing HTML. Check our documentation for a detailed migration guide.
What does Notifuse offer that Listmonk doesn't?
Key differentiators include: Visual MJML email builder, multi-tenant workspaces for agencies, advanced segmentation with dynamic rules, A/B testing, team permissions, notification center for subscribers, S3 file management with CDN, comprehensive webhooks, and better API documentation. Notifuse is designed for both marketers and developers, while Listmonk focuses on simplicity.
Is Notifuse harder to learn than Listmonk?
Not at all. While Notifuse has more features, it's designed with excellent UX in mind. The visual MJML builder actually makes email creation easier than writing HTML/Markdown in Listmonk. You can start with basic features and gradually adopt advanced capabilities as needed.
How do the APIs compare?
Both platforms offer REST APIs, but Notifuse provides more comprehensive endpoints, better error handling, webhook support for events, and workspace-level API keys. Notifuse's API is designed for SaaS applications that need programmatic email functionality, while Listmonk's API covers basic operations.
Can I use both platforms together?
Technically yes, but it's not recommended. You'd be managing separate contact lists, templates, and analytics. It's better to choose the platform that matches your needs. Start with Listmonk if you need simplicity, or Notifuse if you want room to grow.
How does code quality and testing compare?
Notifuse has >80% test coverage with comprehensive automated tests for all critical functionality, ensuring reliability and catching bugs before they reach production. The codebase is built with modern, state-of-the-art technologies and best practices. Listmonk, while functional, is a mature project with a legacy codebase and lacks automated testing, which can lead to more bugs and harder maintenance over time.
Is there enterprise support available?
Yes! Notifuse offers enterprise support with priority assistance, custom implementation, training, onboarding, and SLA guarantees. Contact us for details. Listmonk relies on community support.
Ready to experience Notifuse?
Join developers and marketers who have upgraded from Listmonk to Notifuse for advanced features and better email experiences.