Managed email server
Your own mail server on your own IP, built properly and checked every day by someone who knows what to look for.
What's included
- Mail server build: Postfix, OpenDKIM (2048-bit keys), SRS, Let's Encrypt TLS with auto-renewal, fail2ban and firewall rules.
- DNS: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX and reverse DNS, set up and verified.
- Separation: separate outbound IPs and rate limits per domain or mail stream if you need them.
- Daily monitoring: DNS changes, blocklists, certificate expiry, mail queue and bounce rates.
- DMARC reports: we read them, so you find out if someone is spoofing your domain.
- Maintenance: security updates, config fixes and a monthly health report.
Why not just use Resend or SendGrid?
For many businesses you should. They're excellent at small volumes. A managed server makes sense when the per-email bill keeps growing, when you want your reputation separate from other senders on shared IPs, when you run several domains, or when you want your email data on infrastructure you control. Compare the options in detail on our Resend alternative and SendGrid alternative pages.
What you'll need
- A VPS from a provider that allows outbound port 25 (we'll recommend one), typically about $5–20 a month.
- Access to your domain's DNS, or someone who can paste in records we send.
- Your app's email settings, so it can send over SMTP on port 587.
Prefer to do it yourself? Our step-by-step Postfix guide is the same setup we use.
Server Setup
$499 one-time
Your own mail server on your own VPS, built properly, then handed over to you.
- Postfix, OpenDKIM, SRS, TLS, fail2ban on your VPS
- Every DNS record: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX, PTR
- Per-domain IPs and rate limits if you need them
- Warm-up plan and a written runbook
- No monthly fee, ever
Managed Server
$99 per month + $499 setup
Server Setup on your VPS, plus we watch it every day and fix problems before you notice.
- Everything in Server Setup
- Daily checks: DNS drift, blocklists, TLS expiry, mail queue
- DMARC report review and spoofing alerts
- Security updates and fixes included
- Monthly health report, real human support
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my server's IP gets blocklisted?
Our daily checks catch it, usually before it affects delivery. We find the cause, fix it and request delisting. If needed we can temporarily route mail through a backup relay so nothing is lost while the listing clears.
Can I keep sending through Resend or SendGrid while we switch?
Yes, and we recommend it. Both can be authorized in SPF and DKIM at the same time. We move traffic over gradually during warm-up and keep the old provider as a fallback until the new server has a solid reputation.
Do you handle inbound email too?
We can. Most clients keep staff inboxes on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 and use their own server for sending. We can also receive mail for addresses like support@ and forward it, or set up mailboxes with Mailcow if you want everything self-hosted.
Who has access to my server?
You own the VPS and control access. We use an SSH key you authorize, and you can remove it at any time. Your DKIM private keys and logs never leave your server.
Is it suitable for marketing email?
It's built for transactional and opted-in email. Newsletters to your own subscribers work fine with proper unsubscribe headers. We don't set up servers for cold outreach to bought lists or bulk unsolicited mail.
Sending 250,000+ emails a month?
Get your own server and dedicated IP at a flat price, with warm-up and deliverability handled for you. Scale plans are in early access.