11 platforms — deep dive
Listed in order of feature breadth + recent activity (May 2026). Pricing notes follow vendor's published page; recheck for current dollars.
#1
AcelleMail
$80 Regular · $199 Extended · One-time
AcelleMail is a Laravel 11 self-hosted email marketing platform sold on CodeCanyon since 2016. Regular License ($80) covers self-use with unlimited subscribers + sends; Extended License ($199) adds the multi-tenant SaaS layer for agencies/resellers. Both licenses include full PHP source code + lifetime updates + 6 months of email support.
Strengths
- Modern Laravel 11 stack — easiest to find devs + plugins for in 2026
- 8 built-in sending drivers (SES, SendGrid, SparkPost, Mailgun, Postmark, Elastic Email, Blastengine, generic SMTP)
- 4-pattern Hook system (REGISTRY / EVENT / FILTER / BEHAVIOR) for extensions without forking core
- Aurius AI plugin (chat, sparkle rewrite, coach personas) — first-party AI add-on
- Messenger plugin for multi-channel (SMS via Twilio, WhatsApp via Meta API, Telegram)
- Extended License includes 6 payment gateways out of the box (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, Razorpay, Paystack, Offline)
When it's not the right fit
- You want a free OSS option — choose Listmonk or Mautic
- You don't want to operate a server — pick a managed SaaS
- You need a built-in event-registration system (Constant Contact territory)
- You need a creator-network (Kit/ConvertKit's cross-promotion graph)
See AcelleMail pricing → ·
Try live demo →
#2
MailWizz
~$79 Regular · ~$399 Extended · One-time (CodeCanyon)
MailWizz is a PHP/Yii self-hosted email marketing application, available on CodeCanyon since around 2014. Regular License covers self-use with unlimited subscribers; Extended adds reselling rights. Includes drag-and-drop builder, automation, multi-list management, REST API, and an extension/plugin architecture. Vendor cadence: regular maintenance releases per their changelog.
Where it shines: mature feature set, long-running CodeCanyon community, established sending-driver coverage. Where AcelleMail differs: Laravel 11 (vs Yii) is more current as the PHP framework of choice in 2026 — bigger developer pool, more libraries; AcelleMail also ships first-party AI (Aurius) and multi-channel (Messenger) plugins.
mailwizz.com →
#3
Listmonk
Free · AGPL · 15K+ GitHub stars
Listmonk is a free, open-source newsletter and mailing-list manager written in Go (backend) + Vue (frontend), with 15K+ GitHub stars. Single-binary install, minimal dependencies, fast performance. Supports templates, segmentation, transactional sends, and bounce processing. AGPL license.
Where it shines: truly free, performant, modern stack, great for technically-comfortable operators who want unlimited everything at zero license cost. Where AcelleMail differs: built-in visual automation builder, multi-tenant SaaS layer, no AGPL obligations (Listmonk's AGPL requires you to open-source any modifications you deploy publicly).
listmonk.app → ·
AcelleMail vs Listmonk full comparison →
#4
Mailcoach
$99–$249/year Self-Hosted · Laravel · Spatie
Mailcoach is a Laravel-based self-hosted email platform built by Spatie (well-known Laravel package maintainers). Sold as an annual subscription rather than one-time license. Tight integration with Laravel apps, transactional + marketing email in one package.
Where it shines: Spatie ecosystem (laravel-permission, laravel-medialibrary etc.) — if your stack already uses Spatie packages, Mailcoach feels native. Where AcelleMail differs: one-time license vs annual subscription, multi-tenant SaaS layer in Extended (Mailcoach requires separate add-on), Hook-based plugin SDK for non-Spatie extensions.
mailcoach.app →
#5
Mautic
Free · GPL · Acquia-backed · 9K+ GitHub stars
Mautic is a free, open-source marketing automation platform written in PHP/Symfony. Backed by Acquia since 2019. Goes well beyond email — supports landing pages, forms, lead scoring, point-of-interest tracking, A/B testing, multi-channel campaigns.
Where it shines: enterprise marketing automation depth — closest open-source competitor to HubSpot/Marketo in terms of breadth. Huge community + plugins. Where AcelleMail differs: simpler scope (email-first, not full MA suite); easier to install + maintain; cleaner UX; faster on small-medium lists. If you primarily need bulk + automation emails (not full marketing-automation suite), AcelleMail is lighter.
mautic.org → ·
AcelleMail vs Mautic full comparison →
#6
SendPortal
Free OSS / paid SaaS · Laravel · Multi-tenant native
SendPortal is an open-source Laravel-based email marketing platform with multi-tenancy built into the core data model. Supports SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, SparkPost. Newer + smaller community than the established players but mature enough for production agency use.
Where it shines: multi-tenant from day one — no separate Extended-License upcharge for agency use. Where AcelleMail differs: richer single-tenant UX (drag-drop builder, more templates, more sending drivers), Hook-based plugin SDK, AI + multi-channel plugins, established sales-and-support track record.
sendportal.io →
#7
Mailtrain
Free · GPL · Node.js
Mailtrain is a free, open-source self-hosted newsletter application built on Node.js. Targets Node.js shops, supports AWS SES + SMTP, RSS-driven campaigns, subscriber segmentation, and template inheritance.
Where it shines: if your stack is already Node.js + you want a Node-native email tool, Mailtrain fits naturally. Where AcelleMail differs: PHP/Laravel ecosystem is larger for marketing-page extensions; AcelleMail has a more polished UI + more sending drivers out of the box.
mailtrain.org →
#8
Sendy
~$69 one-time · PHP · SES-focused
Sendy is a long-running PHP application laser-focused on sending bulk newsletters via Amazon SES. Single-purpose: deeply integrated with SES (bounce handling, complaint handling, send-rate tuning), minimal extra features. Lowest-cost paid entry point in this list.
Where it shines: SES-only workflow + lowest entry cost — if you don't need anything beyond bulk email through SES, Sendy delivers. Where AcelleMail differs: broader scope (8 sending drivers vs 1, visual automation builder, AI + multi-channel plugins, multi-tenant Extended option, modern Laravel 11 codebase).
sendy.co →
#9
BillionMail
Free OSS · Recent (2024+) entry · PHP
BillionMail is a newer (2024+) free open-source self-hosted email-marketing tool, gaining attention via XDA + indie-developer review channels. Self-hosted privacy posture; dashboard-focused UI.
Where it shines: free + recent + community-driven; early adopters may find it fits a niche use case well. Where AcelleMail differs: 10+ years of production track record, 6,000+ CodeCanyon sales, mature plugin SDK, established AI + multi-channel add-ons. Newer projects carry higher operational risk for production deployments.
#10
OpenEMM
Free OSS (AGPL) · Java · Agnitas-maintained
OpenEMM is a Java-based open-source enterprise email-marketing system maintained by Agnitas. Long history in European enterprise + government deployments where Java + on-prem + AGPL compliance are required.
Where it shines: Java enterprise environments + AGPL-aligned organizations (government, finance, healthcare in EU). Where AcelleMail differs: PHP install is dramatically simpler than Tomcat + Java setup; UI is more modern; documentation is broader for SMB use cases.
#11
phpList
Free OSS · AGPL · Oldest active project (2000)
phpList is the longest-running open-source newsletter manager (since 2000). Mature, stable, focused on simple newsletter sends. Free hosted tier also available (phplist.com).
Where it shines: battle-tested over 25 years; stable + predictable; suits operators who want minimal change. Where AcelleMail differs: modern UI (phpList's UI shows its age), built-in visual automation, modern Laravel stack, AI + multi-channel plugins, multi-tenant Extended option.
phplist.org →
Frequently asked questions
What does "self-hosted email marketing" actually mean?
You install the software on a server you operate (VPS, cloud VM, on-prem box) instead of using a cloud SaaS like Mailchimp or ConvertKit. You own the database, the subscriber list, the sending logic, the source code. You pair the software with a sending service (Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, etc.) for actual email delivery — the SaaS in this list refers to the platform tier, not the delivery infrastructure.
Why pay for AcelleMail when Listmonk, Mautic, and others are free?
The free options are excellent for specific use cases (Listmonk for minimal-stack newsletter, Mautic for full marketing-automation suite, etc.). AcelleMail's value proposition is "all-in-one PHP/Laravel platform with paid support + lifetime updates + first-party AI and multi-channel plugins + multi-tenant Extended for resellers." If those features matter to you, paying once at $80 replaces a yearly subscription elsewhere; if not, free OSS is the right choice.
How do these compare to SaaS like Mailchimp, MailerLite, or ConvertKit?
Self-hosted means you own the platform; SaaS means you rent it. Self-hosted wins on data ownership, cost predictability past 1,000 subscribers, and architectural control (you can extend with custom code). SaaS wins on no-ops simplicity, support depth, and integrated landing-page / event tools. For per-product comparisons, see our pages on vs Mailchimp, vs SendGrid, vs Brevo, vs Klaviyo, and vs MailerLite.
What's the minimum server I need to run one of these?
For PHP-based options (AcelleMail, MailWizz, Mailcoach, Sendy, phpList): a $5/mo VPS with 1 GB RAM + PHP 8.1+ + MySQL/MariaDB handles lists up to ~50K comfortably. Listmonk (Go single binary) runs on even smaller boxes. Mautic (Symfony) recommends 2 GB RAM for production. Java OpenEMM needs a Tomcat-capable server (~4 GB RAM). All can scale up via horizontal sending workers / queue runners as list size grows.
Will my deliverability suffer if I self-host?
Not if you pair with a managed sending service (Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, SparkPost, Postmark). Those services maintain IP reputation + sender authentication; the self-hosted platform just orchestrates campaigns, lists, and tracking. The risk is running your own Postfix/Exim MTA without warmup — most of these platforms recommend against that for serious volume. See our email deliverability guide for SPF / DKIM / DMARC setup.
Can I migrate from a SaaS like Mailchimp to one of these?
Yes — all the platforms above support CSV import of subscribers + tags + custom fields. Templates and automation flows are rebuilt manually since they're vendor-specific. Allow half a day for a small list (under 5,000 subs) or 2–5 days for complex multi-step automation rebuilds. See our Mailchimp migration playbook for the detailed 7-step process.
Is the AGPL license a problem for commercial use?
AGPL (Listmonk, OpenEMM, phpList) requires you to open-source any modifications you deploy publicly. If you fork the code, host it on a server, and serve it to end-users (even as a SaaS), you must publish your changes under the same license. For internal-only use this is fine; for building a commercial product on top, GPL/MIT/proprietary alternatives (AcelleMail, MailWizz, Mailcoach) are safer.
Which platform has the best plugin / extension story?
AcelleMail ships a four-pattern Hook system (REGISTRY for plugin registration, EVENT for pub/sub, FILTER for transforming data, BEHAVIOR for adding behavior to core models). Mautic has a Symfony-bundle plugin architecture. MailWizz has a Yii-extension model. Listmonk + Mailtrain rely on patching source. For "I want to ship custom features without forking core," AcelleMail and Mautic lead; see our developer page for the Hook system details.
