MailWizzvsEmailOctopus

MailWizz vs EmailOctopus

self-hosted PHP email marketing application with one-time license vs simple and affordable email marketing

TL;DR

MailWizz ($86 one-time) is a self-hosted PHP email marketing application with one-time license. EmailOctopus (~$36/month) is a simple and affordable email marketing. MailWizz wins on one-time payment (no recurring). EmailOctopus wins on simple interface. For SaaS founders, Sequenzy ($49/mo) offers Stripe integration and AI sequences that neither provides.

Key Differences

The main things that set these tools apart

Pricing Model

MailWizz costs $86 one-time. EmailOctopus costs ~$36/month. Different pricing models for different needs and budgets.

Primary Strength

MailWizz is best for one-time payment (no recurring). EmailOctopus is best for simple interface. They optimize for different goals.

Feature Depth

MailWizz strengths: One-time payment (no recurring), Unlimited subscribers, Multiple delivery servers. EmailOctopus strengths: Simple interface, Affordable pricing, Landing pages.

Pricing Comparison

At comparable self-hosted usage

MailWizz
$86 one-time

One-time license. Unlimited subscribers. Self-hosted PHP. BYOSP (SES, SendGrid, etc.).

Visit MailWizz
EmailOctopus
~$36/month

Free 2,500 subs. ~$36/mo 10k. Simple. Affordable. Landing pages.

Visit EmailOctopus
Sequenzy

The SaaS alternative

$49/month

SaaS marketing + transactional, Stripe integration, 10k contacts

Feature Comparison

Side-by-side feature breakdown

Feature
MailWizz
EmailOctopus
Sequenzy
Core Features
Automation
Full workflows
Limited
AI-powered sequences
A/B Testing
White-label
Multiple Delivery Servers
Managed
Managed
Pricing & Operations
Cost Model
$86 one-time
~$36/month
$49/mo
Server Management
Self-hosted (you manage)
Fully managed
Fully managed
Stripe Integration
Native

Best For

When to choose each tool

Choose MailWizz if you...
  • One-time payment (no recurring)
  • Unlimited subscribers
  • Multiple delivery servers
  • White-label
Choose EmailOctopus if you...
  • Simple interface
  • Affordable pricing
  • Landing pages
  • Good deliverability
Choose Sequenzy if you...
  • SaaS founders needing Stripe integration
  • Teams wanting marketing + transactional in one
  • Startups wanting AI-powered email sequences
  • Companies building subscription businesses

When to Consider Sequenzy Instead

Built for SaaS

Neither MailWizz nor EmailOctopus offers native Stripe integration. Sequenzy connects to [Stripe](/features/stripe-integration) and triggers emails based on subscription events automatically.

Marketing + Transactional Unified

One platform for [campaigns](/features/campaigns), [transactional emails](/features/transactional-emails), and [AI sequences](/features/ai-sequences). No stitching tools together.

AI-Powered Sequences

Describe what you want and Sequenzy generates the email sequence. Neither MailWizz nor EmailOctopus has AI content generation built in.

Simple Pricing

$49/month for 10,000 subscribers with everything included. Check [pricing](/pricing) for details.

Overview

MailWizz and EmailOctopus represent different philosophies. MailWizz is a self-hosted PHP email marketing application with one-time license. EmailOctopus is a simple and affordable email marketing.

Self-Hosted vs Managed

The fundamental choice here is control vs convenience. MailWizz gives you complete ownership of your data and infrastructure for a $86 one-time fee. EmailOctopus handles everything for ~$36/month but you're renting the platform.

MailWizz requires you to set up servers, configure delivery services, and handle updates. EmailOctopus handles all of that. For teams with technical resources, MailWizz's one-time cost can save thousands over years. For teams wanting simplicity, EmailOctopus removes the operational burden.

Feature Comparison

MailWizz offers automation, A/B testing, landing pages, multiple delivery servers, and white-label support. EmailOctopus offers simple interface, affordable pricing, landing pages.

EmailOctopus has the advantage of being managed and ready to use immediately, while MailWizz offers more control over your setup.

For SaaS Companies

Neither tool is built specifically for SaaS. If you need Stripe integration and subscription-aware automation, Sequenzy is purpose-built for that at $49/month with AI sequences and unified transactional + marketing email.

Frequently Asked Questions

MailWizz costs $86 one-time. EmailOctopus costs ~$36/month. The better value depends on what features you need beyond just sending.

Neither is purpose-built for SaaS. For subscription businesses, Sequenzy offers native Stripe integration, AI sequences, and unified transactional + marketing email at $49/month.

Yes. Export your contacts from MailWizz and import them into EmailOctopus. Templates and automations will need to be recreated. Domain authentication (SPF, DKIM) needs to be reconfigured.

Yes. MailWizz has automation capabilities.

Both have adequate deliverability for their use cases. Proper domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) matters more than the platform choice.

Sequenzy combines marketing and transactional email with native Stripe integration and AI sequences at $49/month. Built specifically for SaaS businesses that need subscription-aware email automation.

Not sure which to pick?

If you're a SaaS founder who needs Stripe integration and unified email, try Sequenzy free. No credit card required.

Related Comparisons

Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 2k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (0-100 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com