MailCheap vs Sendy
Sendy is a $69 license you install on your own hosting. MailCheap is open source and free to self-host, your AI agent runs it, or we run it for you.
“Moved to MailCheap. Cancelled beehiiv / ActiveCampaign same weekend. $380/mo now $19.”
Bruce van Zyl@brucevanzyl
Both send through your own email provider. Sendy's price from its site, October 31, 2026.
01 · Features
Side by side
From Sendy's site and docs and MailCheap's, on October 31, 2026. Where Sendy does more, the table says so.
| Feature | MailCheapMailCheap | Sendy |
|---|---|---|
| Run by your AI agent (MCP) | Every plan, every action, sending included | API only |
| API | Every action | Subscribers, lists and campaigns |
| Open source | AGPL-3.0, free to self-host | No, a license per domain |
| Website for your newsletter | Website and signup form | Signup forms and web versions of emails |
| Segments | Yes | Yes |
| Autoresponders | Welcome email | Drip series and emails on a date |
| Brands and client accounts | Up to 3 newsletters, one user | Brands, with client logins and limits |
02 · Cost
What it takes to run
Self-hosted, both run on a server of yours and send through your own email provider, which charges per email.
Rather not run a server? MailCheap Cloud runs the same code for you, sending included, from $19 a month.
| Cost | MailCheap | Sendy |
|---|---|---|
| The app | MailCheapFree and open source, AGPL-3.0 | Sendy$69 once, for one domain |
| Updates | MailCheapFree | SendyFree until the next major version |
| Where it runs | MailCheapVercel or any Node.js 22 host, with MongoDB and Upstash QStash. Their free tiers work to start | SendyWeb hosting with PHP and MySQL or MariaDB |
| Sending | MailCheapWhat your email provider charges per email | SendyWhat your email provider charges per email |
| Run for you | MailCheapMailCheap Cloud, from $19 a month, sending included | SendyNo. Its installation service sets it up on your server |
| Support | MailCheapNone when you self-host. A chat in the dashboard on MailCheap Cloud | SendyHelp from Sendy, and its forum |
- A Sendy license installs on one domain, and sends from addresses on any domain.
- Sendy's AI assistant, for writing and reports, is optional.
Source: sendy.co, checked October 31, 2026. Self-hosting MailCheap: what you need.
03 · AI agents
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Cursor
- Codex
- Grok Bot
Your AI agent writes, schedules and sends each issue, reads the stats and imports your list
Sendy's API adds and removes subscribers, and creates and sends campaigns. It has no MCP server.
04 · Open source
Self-host it free, or let us run it
MailCheap is open source under the AGPL-3.0: the code that runs mailcheap.ai is the code you can run. Sendy isn't open source: you buy a license for each domain you install it on.
Self-host
FreeRun MailCheap on your own server, at no cost. No support: you keep it up to date yourself.
MailCheap Cloud
From $19 a monthWe run it: sending, your website, your domain setup and updates, with chat support.
Moving from Sendy?
Export your subscribers, import the file as it is, and send. People who unsubscribed or bounced stay out.
Other comparisons
- MailCheap vs beehiiv
- MailCheap vs Substack
- MailCheap vs Mailchimp
- MailCheap vs Kit
- MailCheap vs MailerLite
- MailCheap vs Buttondown
- MailCheap vs Ghost
- MailCheap vs EmailOctopus
- MailCheap vs listmonk
Sendy is a trademark of its owner, shown here to name the product compared. MailCheap isn't affiliated with Sendy. Prices and features come from sendy.co on October 31, 2026 and may have changed since.