Who owns server operations?
Include updates, backups, monitoring, and incident response in total cost.
eMailBase and Sendy
Self-host Sendy or use SaaS connected to your own sending infrastructure?
Both models let a business work with sending infrastructure it controls. The practical differences are server responsibility, workflow depth, and the effort required to keep the application running.
Compared by operating workflowStrengths of each model includedNo absolute claims
Before you compare
The two products address different levels of operational need.
Sendy is a self-hosted newsletter application centered on Amazon SES, lists, and autoresponders. eMailBase extends the model with multi-branch automation, multiple sending providers, and team workflows.
Newsletter or lifecycle?
Decide whether you need broadcasts, sequential drips, or event-driven branches.
Who changes an automation?
Measure the time from a marketing request to a tested workflow change.
What must be preserved?
Map consent, suppressions, custom fields, and autoresponder logic before moving.
Operating-model comparison
Nine differences that shape the operating decision.
Each row answers a deployment question instead of reducing the comparison to feature checkmarks.
Decision criterion
Sendy · Self-hosted
eMailBase · BYO SaaS
Deployment
Installed on a PHP and database environment maintained by your team.
Delivered as SaaS; the team configures accounts, DNS, and workflows.
Sending infrastructure
Sends newsletters through Amazon SES and follows that account’s region, quota, and configuration.
Connects SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, SMTP, or Gmail OAuth for different sending needs.
Cost and scale
Software license plus hosting, SES usage, and internal engineering effort.
Workspace fee separated from provider charges; model total cost with real volume and plan limits.
Automation
Time- or date-based autoresponders, with Rules and Webhooks for supported actions.
Multi-branch canvas combining delays, attributes, email behavior, and external events.
Data management
Lists, custom fields, segments, imports, and subscribers organized by brand.
Contact profiles, tags, and events shared across segmentation, automation, and reporting.
Access control
Brands and client accounts provide functional separation for users.
Sub-users, roles, and scoped API keys separate internal and client work.
API and integrations
APIs for campaigns and subscription actions, plus third-party integrations.
REST API and webhooks for contacts, events, campaigns, and automation.
Deliverability operations
Bounce and complaint handling runs through SES/SNS; your team still manages DNS and SES.
DNS status, suppressions, bounces, and provider health are brought into one operating layer.
Ownership and portability
You host the application and database, including backups, updates, and recovery.
You retain sending-provider accounts and can export data; automations still require migration mapping.
Sendy information was checked against the official product site, the API documentation. Features, limits, and prices can change; verify them before making a decision.
A context-based decision
There is no universal best choice.
Choose according to your technical capacity and the complexity of the journeys you operate.
You need a focused self-hosted newsletter application and can run it responsibly.
- Amazon SES and a one-time software license suit your model.
- Your team can maintain PHP, the database, backups, and updates.
- Sequential autoresponders, segmentation, and brands cover the use case.
You need multi-branch automation without maintaining the application.
- You need different sending providers for different workloads.
- Several teams use product or customer events in workflows.
- You need scoped users, API keys, and centralized DNS checks.
Migration plan
Migrate in layers—do not retire the current system too early.
Timing depends on data volume, active automations, integrations, and your approval process.
- 01
Inventory
Confirm owners, contacts, consent, suppressions, and active journeys.
- 02
Connect
Configure sending providers, access permissions, and required DNS records.
- 03
Rebuild and test
Move one priority workflow; verify triggers, exit rules, and webhooks.
- 04
Shift traffic
Increase volume only after bounce, unsubscribe, and reporting data are stable.
Migration questions
Questions to resolve before moving from Sendy.
Protect data integrity and sending permissions before optimizing for migration speed.
Consider Sendy when the primary need is newsletters through Amazon SES, your team can maintain PHP and a database, and a one-time software license fits your operating model.
Yes, if the SES account belongs to your business. Review IAM permissions, sending region, quota, and bounce handling before moving traffic.
At minimum, export subscribers, consent, suppressions, custom fields, segments, and campaign content. Diagram autoresponders before rebuilding them.
There is no universal period. Retire the old system only after DNS, bounce, unsubscribe, webhook, and reporting behavior have been reconciled.
Validate before you migrate
Rebuild one Sendy workflow in eMailBase.
Use a small dataset to validate sending connections, automation, bounce handling, and reporting before moving full traffic.