Mailgun vs Mailjet
Compare Mailgun and Mailjet based on observed API performance, features, and pricing
Live performance comparison
Real-world performance data from messages sent through Knock
| Provider | Message volume | Growth | Status page updates (30d) | Status page updates (90d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100M–500M | 5th of 10 → | 3 | 7 |
| <1M | 6th of 10 → | 1 | 1 |
From February 10th to May 11th, Knock routed 100M–500M messages through Mailgun and <1M through Mailjet. Mailgun reported 7 status page updates over the last 90 days, while Mailjet reported 1.
Response time
Response time measures how long each provider takes to accept an API request from Knock, including connection overhead and any automatic retries. Lower values mean faster message hand-off.
The chart above shows each provider's daily median response time (p50) from February 10th to May 11th. The top-line number is an average of these daily values: Mailgun averaged 130ms compared to 413ms for Mailjet. Mailgun's highest daily p50 was 147ms; Mailjet's was 490ms. Mailgun is 283ms faster at the median, which can add up at high volumes.
The 90th percentile (p90) captures the slowest 10% of requests, revealing how each provider handles moderate stress. Averaged across all days, Mailgun has a p90 of 185ms compared to 544ms for Mailjet. The highest daily p90 was 220ms for Mailgun and 20309ms for Mailjet. Mailgun handles these slower requests 359ms faster, suggesting more consistent performance across the board.
The 99th percentile (p99) represents the long tail — the slowest 1% of requests. Averaged across all days, Mailgun reached 392ms at p99 while Mailjet reached 784ms. The highest daily p99 was 501ms for Mailgun and 20345ms for Mailjet, indicating the worst-case response time during spikes or provider-side congestion. Mailgun shows a tighter tail, which may matter for time-sensitive notifications like one-time passwords or real-time alerts where even rare delays can impact user experience.
Error rate
Error rate tracks the ratio of 5xx responses and timeouts to total requests. Knock automatically retries failed requests, so transient provider errors rarely affect end-user delivery.
| Provider | Avg. daily error rate | Highest daily rate | Peak error date | Zero-error days | Days above 0.01% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00% | 0.03% | Mar 17 | 90 | 1 |
| 0.14% | 12.99% | Apr 13 | 88 | 3 |
Averaged across the date range, Mailgun shows a 0.00% daily error rate compared to 0.14% for Mailjet. The highest single-day error rate was 0.03% for Mailgun and 12.99% for Mailjet. Mailgun demonstrates a lower error rate, indicating slightly more consistent availability during this period. Knock automatically retries failed requests to both providers, minimizing the impact of transient errors on end-user delivery.
About these metrics: Data represents messages sent through Knock during the specified period. Response time measures time from Knock to provider acceptance. Error rate includes only provider 5xx responses and timeouts.
Recent Mailgun incidents
Recent status page incidents for Mailgun
Started May 7, 2026 — Resolved May 7, 2026
May 7, 11:42 PDT Resolved - This incident has been resolved.May 7, 05:40 PDT Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results.May 6, 12:46 PDT Update - We are continuing to work on a fix for this issue.May 6, 08:40 PDT Identified - Customers creating domains with Automatic Sender Security may have CNAME records with no corresponding TXT records reflecting DKIM keys. A fix for this issue is being prepared.
Started Apr 17, 2026 — Resolved Apr 17, 2026
Apr 17, 10:15 PDT Resolved - This incident has been resolved.Apr 17, 10:05 PDT Update - We are continuing to monitor for any further issues.Apr 17, 10:05 PDT Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results.Apr 17, 09:45 PDT Identified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.
Started Apr 15, 2026 — Resolved Apr 15, 2026
Apr 15, 08:34 PDT Resolved - This incident has been resolved.Apr 15, 07:02 PDT Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results.Apr 15, 06:42 PDT Identified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.Apr 15, 06:40 PDT Investigating - We are currently investigating an issue where customers making HTTPS requests to our API without Server Name Indication (SNI) enabled are being presented with an expired SSL/TLS certificate. This results in certificate va
Started Apr 7, 2026 — Resolved Apr 7, 2026
Apr 7, 10:42 PDT Resolved - This incident has been resolved. Elevated 500 errors beginning at 17:25 UTC resolved at 17:30 UTCApr 7, 10:32 PDT Monitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results.Apr 7, 10:30 PDT Identified - The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.
Started Mar 19, 2026 — Resolved Mar 19, 2026
Mar 19, 11:53 PDT Resolved - A fix has been deployed and systems are back to normal.Mar 19, 11:43 PDT Identified - Some requests may be incorrectly failing with 401 error codes in our US region.
Recent Mailjet incidents
Recent status page incidents for Mailjet
Started Apr 16, 2026 — Resolved Apr 16, 2026
Apr 16, 03:30 UTC Completed - The scheduled maintenance has been completed.Apr 16, 02:30 UTC In progress - Scheduled maintenance is currently in progress. We will provide updates as necessary.Apr 13, 16:16 UTC Scheduled - We’ll be performing scheduled infrastructure maintenance on Thursday, April 16, starting at 2:30 AM UTC. The estimated impact duration is 15 to 20 minutes. During this window, you won't be able to log in or send new messages via API. Don't worry, any emails already submitted w
Pros and cons
Mailgun
Mailjet
Pros
- Well-written documentation with comprehensive guides and best practices for deliverability
- Robust deliverability support with optional expert pairing to optimize sending
- Powerful inbound email processing with customizable routing rules
- Trusted by Lyft, American Express, and Wikipedia since 2010
Pros
- Hybrid support for both marketers and developers in a single platform
- Unique real-time collaboration features for team-based template editing
- EU-only data processing for companies with strict data residency requirements
- Powers email delivery for over 130,000 companies including Microsoft and DHL
Cons
- Requires familiarity with email protocols and API integrations
- Pricing tiers can be confusing
- Email template features are basic without the Mailjet editor
Cons
- Activated automation workflows cannot be edited, requiring new workflows for any changes
- Some analytics and deliverability tools are locked behind higher pricing plans
- Deliverability can lag behind specialists like Postmark
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Mailgun and Mailjet?
Mailgun is a developer-focused email API platform owned by Sinch, known for flexible sending and receiving capabilities. Mailjet is a collaborative email platform with real-time editing and combined transactional and marketing capabilities. Mailgun is best suited for developer-focused sending + receiving, while Mailjet is geared toward team collaboration + marketing.
Which is cheaper, Mailgun or Mailjet?
Free tier includes 100 emails per day with no expiration. Paid plans start at $15/month for 10,000 emails with overages at $1.80/1K. Free tier includes 200 emails per day (6,000/month). Paid plans start at $17/month for 15,000 emails with no daily limit. Premium plans start at $105/month for 100,000 emails. The best value depends on your sending volume. Use the pricing calculator above to compare costs at your expected volume.
Which is faster, Mailgun or Mailjet?
Based on real-world data from Knock, Mailgun has a median API response time (p50) of 130ms compared to 413ms for Mailjet.
Which is more reliable, Mailgun or Mailjet?
From February 10th to May 11th, Mailgun showed an error rate of 0.00% while Mailjet showed 0.14%. Both rates are within acceptable thresholds for production email delivery, and Knock automatically retries failed requests to minimize the impact of transient errors.
Which is more popular, Mailgun or Mailjet?
On the Knock platform, Mailgun handled 100M–500M messages from February 10th to May 11th compared to <1M for Mailjet. Mailgun volume has remained stable, while Mailjet volume has remained stable.
Can I use both Mailgun and Mailjet together?
Yes. Knock enables you to integrate multiple email providers into a single notification workflow. You can use Mailgun and Mailjet side by side, route traffic between them, or migrate from one to the other without changing your application code.
What are the main pros and cons of Mailgun vs Mailjet?
Mailgun strengths include well-written documentation with comprehensive guides and best practices for deliverability and robust deliverability support with optional expert pairing to optimize sending. Mailjet strengths include hybrid support for both marketers and developers in a single platform and unique real-time collaboration features for team-based template editing. On the other hand, Mailgun drawbacks include requires familiarity with email protocols and api integrations, while Mailjet drawbacks include activated automation workflows cannot be edited, requiring new workflows for any changes.
Use either provider with Knock
Knock enables you to integrate Mailgun, Mailjet, or any combination of email providers into a single notification workflow. Manage templates, orchestrate cross-channel delivery, and switch providers without changing your code.