1. SendGrid (by Twilio)
Best for: Transactional emails, cold outreach, and marketing campaigns.
Key Features:
Contents
- Allows sending from any domain without verification (but emails may go to spam).
- High deliverability if used responsibly.
- Free tier: 100 emails/day.
Limitations:
- Unverified domains may trigger spam filters.
- Requires compliance with Twilio’s email policies.
2. Mailchimp (Limited Use)
Best for: Marketing campaigns where the sender’s domain isn’t critical.
Key Features:
- Lets you send from a @mailchimpapp.com or @mailchimp.com domain.
- Good for one-off campaigns where branding isn’t tied to a custom domain.
Limitations:
- Cannot use a custom domain without verification.
- Free plan has sending limits.
3. Gmail / Google Workspace (With “Send Mail As”)
Best for: Personal and professional cold emails.
Key Features:
- You can configure Gmail to send emails “on behalf of” another domain (even unverified).
- Works well for low-volume outreach.
Limitations:
- Recipients may see “via gmail.com” in the sender field.
- High-risk of spam filtering if overused.
4. SMTP2GO
Best for: Developers and businesses needing flexible SMTP.
Key Features:
- Allows sending from unverified domains (but may affect deliverability).
- Pay-as-you-go pricing.
Limitations:
- Requires manual SMTP setup.
- Not ideal for large marketing campaigns.
5. Postmark (For Transactional Emails)
Best for: Apps and automated emails.
Key Features:
- Supports sending from unverified domains in test mode.
- High deliverability for legitimate use cases.
Limitations:
- Production use requires domain verification.
- Not for bulk marketing.
Best Practices for Sending from Unverified Domains
- Use a “via” or “on behalf of” sender field to maintain transparency.
- Keep volumes low to avoid spam flags.
- Warm up IPs if sending cold emails.
- Monitor deliverability with tools like GlockApps.
Final Recommendation
- For cold emails → Use SendGrid or Gmail (“Send As”).
- For transactional emails → Postmark (test mode) or SMTP2GO.
- For marketing → Mailchimp’s default domain.
Need a domain-authenticated solution long-term? Consider verifying domains with AWS SES, Mailgun, or Brevo (ex-Sendinblue).