Amazon SES vs Postmark: developer API pricing compared
Updated 2026-11-10 · listed A to Z, not ranked
Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is AWS’s email sending API. It now has three plans, each with a per-1,000-email rate that falls at higher monthly volumes.
Postmark is a transactional email service. Its three paid plans start at 10,000 emails a month and differ by overage rate, retention and domains.
Listed A to Z, from aws.amazon.com and postmarkapp.com. Every figure below is quoted from those pages.
- Main price table
- 0 to 10 million, 10 to 100 million, Over 100 million, Monthly plan fee (per account, per region)
- Free option
- None in the published plan table
- Published prices
- Essentials from $0.16 per 1,000 emails, Pro $0.22, Enterprise $0.23, with lower rates above 10M emails a month.
- Main price table
- Free, Basic, Pro, Platform
- Free option
- Free: $0 (100 emails a month)
- Published prices
- Free 100 emails a month, Basic $15, Pro $16.50 and Platform $18 for 10,000 emails, overage per 1,000 and retention.
How we checked: Prices quoted from each official pricing page: Amazon SES checked Nov 10, 2026, Postmark checked Nov 10, 2026. Taxes, usage overages and promotions can change what you pay; confirm with each provider before you buy.
How they compare
- Main price table. Amazon SES lists 4 entries (0 to 10 million, 10 to 100 million, Over 100 million, Monthly plan fee (per account, per region)); Postmark lists 4 (Free, Basic, Pro, Platform).
- Free option. Amazon SES: none in the published plan table. Postmark: Free: $0 (100 emails a month).
- How prices are quoted. Amazon SES: “Outbound email, per 1,000 emails”. Postmark: “Plans (10,000 emails a month)”.
Amazon SES plans and prices
| Monthly volume | Essentials | Pro | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 million | $0.16 | $0.22 | $0.23 |
| 10 to 100 million | $0.14 | $0.17 | $0.18 |
| Over 100 million | $0.11 | $0.12 | $0.13 |
| Monthly plan fee (per account, per region) | None | $105 | $500 |
Volume tiers apply marginally. AWS says new accounts start on Essentials from July 21, 2026.
From aws.amazon.com, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: Amazon SES pricing.
Postmark plans and prices
| Plan | Price per month | Extra per 1,000 | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (100 emails a month) | No overage | |
| Basic | $15 | $1.80 | 45-day retention, 5 domains |
| Pro | $16.50 | $1.30 | Retention up to 365 days, 10 domains, inbound |
| Platform | $18 | $1.20 | Unlimited domains, inbound |
From postmarkapp.com, checked Nov 10, 2026. Full breakdown: Postmark pricing.
FAQ
How much does Amazon SES cost?
Essentials from $0.16 per 1,000 emails, Pro $0.22, Enterprise $0.23, with lower rates above 10M emails a month. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
How much does Postmark cost?
Free 100 emails a month, Basic $15, Pro $16.50 and Platform $18 for 10,000 emails, overage per 1,000 and retention. (checked Nov 10, 2026).
Do Amazon SES and Postmark have a free option?
Amazon SES: none in the published plan table. Postmark: Free: $0 (100 emails a month).
Which is better, Amazon SES or Postmark?
We do not pick a winner. The two price and package their products differently; the tables above quote each official pricing page so you can match a plan to your own usage.
Where do these prices come from?
Each vendor's own pricing page: aws.amazon.com (checked Nov 10, 2026) and postmarkapp.com (checked Nov 10, 2026). Prices change; confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Sources (official pages, read 2026-11-10)
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