Mailgun vs Substack: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Mailgun and Substack. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Substack starts at $5/mo, making it $10/mo cheaper than Mailgun ($15/mo). Mailgun offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Mailgun vs Substack: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Mailgun | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/mo | $5/mo |
| Number of Plans | 14 | 7 |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Substack is the more affordable option, starting at $5/mo compared to Mailgun's $15/mo. Both are Email Marketing tools with 21 combined pricing plans and 22 features compared.
Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Email Marketing needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Mailgun Try it free |  Substack Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Enterprise: Send high-volume emails through the most reliable email API provider. Custom pricing | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
|
| Tier 2 | Documentation: API resources to help you use Mailgun Custom pricing | Basic $5/monthCheapest $5 / year Includes
|
| Tier 3 | Release Notes: Keep up with what's in the Mailgun platform. Custom pricing | Standard $7/monthCheapest $7 / year Includes
|
| Tier 4 | 2025 State of Email Deliverability Research Report $2025/month | Advanced $10/monthCheapest $10 / year Includes
|
| Tier 5 | $0/mo $0/monthCheapest | Pro $15/month $15 / year Includes
|
| Tier 6 | 100 emails/day included $100/month | Premium $30/monthCheapest $30 / year Includes
|
| Tier 7 | $15/mo $15/monthCheapest | Enterprise $75/month $75 / year Includes
|
| Tier 8 | 10,000 emails/mo included $10000/monthCheapest | — |
| Tier 9 | Extra emails Custom pricing | — |
| Tier 10 | $35/mo $35/monthCheapest | — |
| Tier 11 | 50,000 emails/mo included $50000/monthCheapest | — |
| Tier 12 | Extra emails & validations Custom pricing | — |
| Tier 13 | $90/mo $90/monthCheapest | — |
| Tier 14 | 100,000 emails/mo included $100000/monthCheapest | — |
Swipe to compare plans →
Substack
Substack offers a free plan, starts at $10/mo lower ($5/mo vs $15/mo).
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Substack
Try Substack freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Mailgun if:
- •You prefer Mailgun's free tier features—features
- •You need 14 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Mailgun offers negotiated terms for large deployments
Choose Substack if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Substack starts at $5/mo, saving $10/mo compared to Mailgun at $15/mo
- •You prefer Substack's free tier features—Set up paid subscriptions, Keep 90% of revenue
- •You want more features built-in—Substack offers 22 additional features across its plans
Both Mailgun and Substack offer free plans [1], eliminating cost barriers for evaluation. This means you can test both tools thoroughly with your actual workflows before any financial commitment. The free tiers differ in scope: Mailgun includes multiple features, while Substack includes 4 features. Evaluate which free tier matches your evaluation needs before deciding to upgrade. Your best approach is to activate both free trials and evaluate which tool's workflow, integrations, and user experience align better with your team's needs before committing to paid plans.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mailgun vs Substack
Which is cheaper, Mailgun or Substack?
How many pricing plans does Mailgun have vs Substack?
Does Mailgun or Substack offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Mailgun or Substack?
Does Mailgun or Substack offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do Mailgun and Substack compare for Email Marketing?
Sources
- Mailgun Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Substack Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
Related Articles
Track Price Changes
Get notified when pricing changes for these tools.