Overview
The Two Core Differences
Open-Source vs Closed-Source
Notifuse: AGPL-3.0 open-source, self-hosted. Full control over your code and data.
Resend: Proprietary closed-source SaaS. Vendor lock-in with no code access.
Visual Builder vs Code-Based
Notifuse: MJML visual drag-and-drop builder. No coding required.
Resend: React Email only. Requires coding every email template.
Resend Uses Amazon SES Under the Hood
Resend is built on top of Amazon SES and adds a pricing markup. With Notifuse, you can:
- Connect directly to Amazon SES (same infrastructure, no markup)
- Not tied to one ESP: Use Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, or any custom SMTP server
- Customize sending rate limits (Resend doesn't allow this)
- Pay only AWS costs (~$1 per 10,000 emails)
Resend is a developer-first, cloud-based email API built on Amazon SES. It's focused on simplicity with React Email templates but is proprietary, cloud-only, and charges a markup on Amazon SES infrastructure.
Notifuse is an open-source, self-hosted email platform with a visual MJML builder, advanced segmentation, multi-tenancy, and flexible ESP connections. Not tied to any single ESP—use Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, or mix different ESPs for transactional vs marketing emails.
Quick Comparison
| Notifuse | Resend | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free (self-hosted) | Free tier: 3,000 emails/month |
| License | AGPL-3.0 (Open-source) | Proprietary (Closed-source) |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Cloud-only SaaS |
| Infrastructure | Multiple ESPs (Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost) + Custom SMTP | Amazon SES only (with markup) |
| Visual Builder | MJML drag-and-drop editor | None (React Email code-based only) |
| Segmentation | Dynamic with filters & conditions | Static buckets only |
| Contact Timeline | Yes (full activity history) | No |
Email Builder
The biggest difference: Notifuse has a visual no-code builder, while Resend requires coding every email template in React.
Email Builder Comparison
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Email Builder | MJML-based - guarantees mobile-responsive & compatible with all email clients | None - React Email requires coding |
| Templating Engine Dynamic variables for personalization | Liquid | React/JSX |
| Built-in File Manager | S3-compatible storage with CDN support | |
| Template Library | Coming soon | React Email templates |
| Support for Test Data Preview emails with sample contact data |
Notifuse UI - MJML Visual Email Builder (No Coding Required)
Why This Matters
With Notifuse, non-technical team members can create emails using the visual MJML builder. Resend requires developers to code every email template in React, making it unsuitable for teams with marketers or non-technical staff.
Mailing-list Management
Both platforms support audience management, but with different capabilities. Note: Resend calls mailing lists "Topics".
List Management Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Mailing Lists | Lists with full features | Topics (Resend's terminology) |
| 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
Both platforms support broadcast campaigns, but Notifuse offers significantly more features.
Campaign Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Broadcast Campaigns | ||
| Send to Multiple Lists | ||
| Filter by Contact Segments Resend segments are static buckets without filters | ||
| A/B Testing with Auto Winner Selection | ||
| UTM Tracking Parameters | ||
| Schedule in Specific Timezone |
Contact Management & Segmentation
A major difference: Notifuse has full contact activity timelines and dynamic segmentation, while Resend has static segments only and no activity timeline.
Contact & Segmentation Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Contact Fields | ||
| Activity Timeline Complete history of emails, opens, clicks, and profile changes | ||
| Segmentation Type | Dynamic with filters & conditions | Static buckets only (no dynamic rules) |
| Relative Date Filters E.g., "subscribed in the last 30 days" |
Notifuse UI - Contact Profile with Activity Timeline (Resend doesn't have this)
Dynamic vs Static Segmentation
Notifuse's dynamic segments automatically update based on conditions and filters. Resend's segments are just static buckets—you manually add/remove contacts. This means no "engaged users in last 30 days" or "opened but didn't click" segments in Resend.
Email Sending & Deliverability
ESP Flexibility: A Major Advantage
Notifuse
- ✓ Choose any ESP (Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost) + Custom SMTP
- ✓ Use different ESPs for transactional vs marketing
- ✓ Switch ESPs anytime
- ✓ Customize sending rate limits
- ✓ No vendor lock-in
Resend
- ✗ Locked to Amazon SES only
- ✗ Can't use different ESPs
- ✗ Can't switch providers
- ✗ Can't customize rate limits
- ✗ Vendor lock-in
Email Delivery Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| ESP Options | Amazon SES, Mailgun, Postmark, Mailjet, SparkPost + Custom SMTP | Amazon SES only (locked-in) |
| Separate ESPs for Email Types Use different ESPs for transactional vs marketing | ||
| Customizable Rate Limits | ||
| SMTP Relay | ||
| Opens/Clicks Tracking | ||
| Bounce Webhooks | ||
| Delivery Webhooks | ||
| Spam Webhooks | ||
| Complaint Webhooks |
Analytics & Reporting
Both platforms track email events, but Notifuse provides more comprehensive analytics and reporting.
Analytics Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Open Rate Tracking | ||
| Click Tracking | ||
| Bounce Tracking | ||
| Complaint Tracking | ||
| Unsubscribe Tracking | ||
| Transactional vs Marketing Stats Separate analytics for transactional and broadcast campaigns |
Notifuse UI - Analytics Dashboard
Multi-tenancy & Agency
Notifuse is built for agencies and SaaS platforms. Resend has no multi-tenancy.
Multi-tenancy & Agency Features
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| 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—Resend doesn't support this.
Developer Experience & API
Both are developer-friendly, but with different approaches.
API & Developer Tools
| Feature | Notifuse | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| RESTful API | ||
| Transactional Email API | ||
| React Email Support Code-based email templates using React | ||
| Dev/Test Environment | Workspace-based environments | Sandbox mode |
| OpenAPI Specification Full API documentation in OpenAPI format - useful for AI integrations and code generation | ||
| SMTP Relay Built-in SMTP server for legacy integrations | ||
| Outgoing Webhooks | Coming soon |
Different Developer Philosophies
Resend is developer-first with code-based React Email templates—great if you love coding emails. Notifuse serves both developers AND marketers with MJML visual builder, SMTP relay, OpenAPI spec, and workspace-based testing.
Pricing & Cost Comparison
The cost difference is significant, especially at scale.
Same Infrastructure, Different Cost
Resend uses Amazon SES under the hood and charges separately for transactional vs marketing emails.
Transactional Emails (100k/month)
Marketing Emails (10k contacts)
Notifuse total: $10 (Amazon SES) + $15-30 (hosting) = ~$25-40/month for unlimited transactional + marketing
Pricing as of November 2025
Notifuse
Software cost (self-hosted)
+ Amazon SES: ~$10/month (100k emails)
- ✓ Unlimited emails (pay only AWS/hosting)
- ✓ Open-source code
- ✓ No vendor lock-in
- ✓ ESP flexibility
- ✓ All features included
Resend
Then $0
$20/month
$90/month
- ✗ Closed-source
- ✗ Cloud-only
- ✗ Amazon SES lock-in
- ✗ No visual builder
- ✗ No multi-tenancy
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose Notifuse
Notifuse is the better choice if you:
- Want open-source solution (not proprietary)
- Need visual email builder (no React coding)
- Want ESP flexibility (not locked to Amazon SES)
- Need dynamic segmentation with filters
- Need contact activity timeline
- Want to avoid Amazon SES markup
- Are an agency (need multi-tenancy)
Choose Resend
Resend might work if you:
- Prefer fully managed cloud (no server management)
- Love coding emails in React
- Low volume (within 3,000/month free tier)
- Don't need visual builder or marketers on team
- OK with Amazon SES markup for convenience
- Static segments are sufficient
Why Choose Notifuse Over Resend?
Teams choose Notifuse over Resend when they need more than just a simple email API:
Open-Source Freedom
Notifuse is AGPL-3.0 open-source—inspect the code, modify it, contribute. Resend is closed-source proprietary software with vendor lock-in.
Visual Builder for Teams
Resend requires developers to code every email in React. Notifuse's MJML visual builder lets marketers create emails without coding—perfect for cross-functional teams.
No Amazon SES Markup
Resend uses Amazon SES and charges a markup. Notifuse connects directly to Amazon SES (or any other ESP) with no markup—you pay only AWS costs. Save $300/year by avoiding Resend's markup.
ESP Flexibility
Not tied to one provider. Use Amazon SES for transactional emails, Mailgun for marketing campaigns. Switch ESPs anytime. Customize sending rate limits. Resend locks you into Amazon SES only.
Dynamic Segmentation
Notifuse has real dynamic segments with filters and conditions. Resend's "segments" are just static buckets—no "engaged in last 30 days" or "opened but didn't click" targeting.
Contact Activity Timeline
See the complete history of every contact's interactions. Resend doesn't have contact timelines—you can't see a contact's email history or behavior.
Multi-Tenancy for Agencies
Manage multiple clients with isolated workspaces. Each gets their own database, domain, and API keys. Resend doesn't support multi-tenancy.
Ready to move from Resend?
Migrate your contacts and templates to Notifuse. Connect to Amazon SES directly and start saving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get the same deliverability as Resend?
Yes! Resend uses Amazon SES under the hood. Notifuse can connect directly to Amazon SES (same infrastructure, same deliverability) without Resend's markup. You get identical delivery performance at a fraction of the cost.
Why pay Resend when I can use Amazon SES directly?
Exactly! Resend charges separately: $35/month for 100k transactional emails + $80/month for 10k marketing contacts. Amazon SES (which Resend uses) costs only $10 for 100k emails. With Notifuse + Amazon SES, you pay $10 for AWS + ~$15-30 for hosting = $25-40 total for BOTH transactional and unlimited marketing emails. You avoid Resend's markup entirely—that's significant savings especially if you need both email types.
Do I need to code emails with Notifuse like with Resend?
No! That's a major advantage. Resend requires coding every email template in React. Notifuse has a visual MJML builder—drag, drop, and create beautiful emails without writing code. Perfect for teams with marketers.
Can I use different ESPs for different email types?
Yes with Notifuse! Use Amazon SES for transactional emails and Mailgun for marketing campaigns. Resend locks you into Amazon SES only—you can't mix providers or switch without migrating platforms.
What about contact segmentation?
Notifuse has dynamic segments with filters and conditions (e.g., "opened in last 7 days", "clicked but didn't convert"). Resend's "segments" are just static buckets—you manually manage who's in each bucket. No dynamic filtering or auto-updating.
Is Resend really just Amazon SES with markup?
Yes. Resend is built on Amazon SES infrastructure and adds convenience features (React Email, nice UI, webhooks) but charges significantly more than using Amazon SES directly. With Notifuse, you get those same features plus visual builder, segmentation, and multi-tenancy—while connecting directly to Amazon SES or any ESP you prefer.
Ready to experience Notifuse?
Open-source, self-hosted, visual MJML builder, ESP flexibility, and no Amazon SES markup. Join teams who switched from Resend.