What is Postmark?
Postmark is a transactional email service focused on fast, reliable delivery for application email. It is made by ActiveCampaign and provides REST and SMTP APIs for receipts, password resets, notifications and other messages that must arrive quickly. The problem it solves is deliverability: teams send transactional and broadcast email through separate message streams with authentication, suppression management and detailed activity data.
Key features
- Transactional email API. A REST API and SMTP relay send individual messages with templates, attachments, tags and webhooks.
- Message streams. Transactional, broadcast and inbound email run on separate streams so marketing volume does not affect application email.
- Inbound email. Postmark parses incoming email and posts it as structured JSON to a webhook.
- Templates and batch sending. Responsive templates, a template editor and batch sending support common product flows.
- Deliverability tools. DKIM, SPF and DMARC authentication, suppression management, bounce data and detailed delivery analytics are included.
- Activity retention. Message content is retained for 45 days by default, with custom retention available up to 365 days on higher plans.
- Optional add-ons. Dedicated IPs, custom retention and DMARC monitoring can be purchased separately.
Who is Postmark for?
Software teams that send transactional email and want delivery speed and visibility without a full marketing suite. It suits SaaS products sending receipts and password resets, marketplaces and ecommerce teams sending order updates, and developers who want a straightforward API with strong logs. Teams that also send broadcasts can use a separate message stream, though Postmark is not a full marketing automation platform.
Use cases
- Sending password resets, receipts and account notifications.
- Sending batch email such as statements or event confirmations.
- Processing inbound email into an application webhook.
- Separating transactional and broadcast email into different streams.
- Monitoring bounces and delivery issues by message stream.
Pricing
Postmark has a Free plan with 100 emails per month for testing and evaluation. Basic costs $15 per month for 10,000 emails, Pro costs $16.50 per month and Platform costs $18 per month, each starting at 10,000 emails with different overage rates and features. Pro adds inbound email processing and customizable retention, and Platform adds unlimited sending domains and users. Extra emails cost $1.80 per 1,000 on Basic, $1.30 on Pro and $1.20 on Platform. Dedicated IPs start at $50 per month, and custom retention starts at $5 per month. See the official Postmark pricing page.
Getting started
- Create a Postmark account and add a sending domain.
- Verify the domain with the provided DNS records.
- Create a server and copy its API token.
- Send a test message through the API or SMTP, then check the activity feed.
Alternatives
- Resend is an email API for transactional and product email.
- Loops combines marketing, product and transactional email.
- Novu is open source notification infrastructure with email and other channels.
FAQ
Is Postmark free?
Yes. The Free plan includes 100 emails per month and can be used for testing. Paid plans start at $15 per month for 10,000 emails.
What is Postmark used for?
Postmark is used to send transactional email such as password resets, receipts and notifications. It also handles inbound email, broadcast streams and delivery analytics.
Postmark vs Resend?
Both provide transactional email APIs. Postmark emphasises separate message streams, inbound parsing and deliverability tooling, while Resend focuses on a modern developer API and product email. The right choice depends on your volume, required features and pricing at that volume.
Does Postmark support inbound email?
Yes. Postmark can parse inbound email and post it as JSON to a webhook. Inbound processing is included on Pro and Platform plans.
Can I send marketing email with Postmark?
Yes, through broadcast message streams, but transactional and marketing email are kept separate. Postmark is not a full marketing automation platform.
