Mailgun's core strength is sending email. Inbound is treated as a secondary feature with complex routing rules and filters. If your primary use case is receiving email via webhook, you're paying for features you don't use.
Mailgun's pricing is tied to outbound volume and requires a credit card to start. Their inbound-only plans are buried behind higher tiers. Mailhooks offers a straightforward free tier and transparent pricing.
Mailgun requires you to configure routes, priorities, and expression filters to handle inbound. With Mailhooks, every email at your domain is automatically captured and forwarded to your webhook — no routing rules needed.
| Feature | Mailhooks | Mailgun |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound email webhooks | ||
| Setup time | 5 min | 30+ min |
| Free tier | 100 emails/mo | 5,000 emails/mo (credit card required) |
| Pricing transparency | Simple, predictable | Complex, usage-based tiers |
| Structured JSON payloads | ||
| Attachment URLs | ||
| Real-time webhook delivery | ||
| IMAP client access | ||
| Notion integration | ||
| Discord integration | ||
| n8n integration | ||
| TypeScript SDK | ||
| BYO cloud storage | ||
| Email parsing simplicity | Easy | Complex (routes + filters) |
| Outbound email sending |
Add DNS records, create a webhook, start receiving. No routes, no filters, no complex configuration.
Direct integrations with Notion, Discord, and n8n — set up email-to-tool workflows without writing code.
Free tier with 100 emails/month. No credit card required. Upgrade when you need more.
TypeScript SDK, clean JSON payloads, attachment URLs instead of base64, and thorough documentation.
Mailgun excels at outbound email delivery — transactional sends, bulk campaigns, and email validation. If you need a full email platform that sends and receives, Mailgun covers more ground.
You need to send large volumes of outbound email
You need advanced email validation and deliverability analytics
Your team already uses Mailgun for outbound and wants a single provider
Simpler email webhook alternative to SendGrid
Modern stack and transparent pricing vs CloudMailin
Standalone inbound email without outbound requirements
Purpose-built for inbound vs Resend's beta inbound support
Notion Mail shuts down 22 Sept 2026 — keep email flowing into Notion