Back to Alternatives

European Alternative to SendGrid

SendGrid is a transactional email platform owned by Twilio. European businesses need alternatives with EU data residency.

The best European alternative to SendGrid is Mailjet.

Mailjet logo

1. Mailjet

GDPR Compliant
Mailjet screenshot

Email Marketing and Transactional Email from France

Mailjet is a French email platform that uniquely combines marketing email campaigns with transactional email delivery. Its collaborative email editor allows multiple team members to work on the same email simultaneously — a feature no other platform offers.

Marketing + Transactional in One Platform

Mailjet bridges the gap between marketing and engineering:

  • Collaborative email editor — Real-time team editing like Google Docs for email
  • Marketing campaigns — Newsletters, promotions, and automated sequences
  • Transactional emails — API and SMTP relay for order confirmations, password resets, etc.
  • A/B testing — Test up to 10 versions of your emails simultaneously
  • Advanced segmentation — Target contacts based on behavior and properties

Now Part of the Sinch Group

Mailjet is now part of Swedish messaging company Sinch, with all data stored on EU servers. The free plan includes up to 6,000 emails per month.

Key features include:

  • Collaborative editor - Real-time team editing for email creation
  • Marketing campaigns - Newsletters, automation, and segmentation
  • Transactional API - SMTP relay and REST API for app-generated emails
  • A/B testing - Test up to 10 email variations simultaneously
  • Contact management - Advanced segmentation and list management

Pros

Unique collaborative editing feature

Combined marketing and transactional email

Generous free plan (6,000 emails/mo)

Cons

Automation features are basic compared to specialists

Support response times can be slow on free plan

Freemiumfrom Free up to 6,000 emails/moEmail Marketing
Read more

Why consider a European alternative to SendGrid?

SendGrid is headquartered outside the EU, which means it operates under a different legal framework. For EU-regulated businesses, this raises practical considerations around data jurisdiction and regulatory compliance.

The Schrems II ruling invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield, and data transfers to non-EU companies remain legally complex. Tools based outside the EU may also be subject to foreign surveillance laws or policy changes that are beyond your control.

The alternatives listed above are all built and headquartered in Europe, with data processing within the EU and GDPR compliance built in from the ground up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why look for European alternatives to SendGrid?

European businesses face increasing pressure to ensure their tools comply with GDPR and keep data within the EU. Using non-European tools can expose your organisation to Schrems II risks, foreign surveillance laws, and the possibility that geopolitical shifts could disrupt access to tools you depend on. European alternatives eliminate these risks entirely.

Are these alternatives fully GDPR compliant?

Each tool listed has been reviewed for GDPR compliance. Check the compliance badge and comparison table for each tool. Tools marked as "GDPR Compliant" have been verified to meet all major requirements including DPA availability and EU data hosting.

Can I self-host any of these alternatives?

Some of the listed tools offer self-hosted or on-premise options, giving you full control over where your data is stored. Check each tool's individual page for details on hosting options.

How do the prices compare to SendGrid?

Many European alternatives offer competitive pricing, and several include free tiers or open-source options. See each tool above for pricing details.

What does "Schrems II Risk" mean?

The Schrems II ruling by the EU Court of Justice invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield. Tools with "Low" Schrems II risk keep all data within the EU, while tools with "High" risk may transfer data to jurisdictions without adequate protections.