MailDev vs Unspam.email
MailDev
maildev.github.io
Unspam.email
unspam.emailSide by side
| Figure | MailDev | Unspam.email |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 7 |
| Spec score · Email Testing Software | 7.7 (#18) | 8.3 (#10) |
| Purpose | MailDev is a local SMTP server and web inbox for developers to catch and inspect email sent by an app during development. | Unspam is an email deliverability platform that checks spam signals, sender authentication, blacklists, previews, heatmaps, and inbox placement. |
| Security | MailDev accepts mail from anyone, stores it unencrypted, and has no authentication by default, so the docs warn against exposing it to the public internet or using it for production traffic. | The privacy policy says stored data is kept on services and providers certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2013, PCI DSS, SOC 1 Type II, and SOC 2 Type II or higher. |
Plans
Unspam.email
- FreeFree
- No accountFree
- Custom plan$5 a month
- Basic$9 a month
- Business$19 a month
- Agency$29 a month
- White LabelPriced on request
In their own words
Unspam.email
Unspam.email is an email deliverability platform for examining spam signals, sender authentication, blacklists, previews, and inbox placement. Spam tests assess authentication, sender reputation, blacklists, and message content, then show which checks affected the score. Inbox placement tests send a campaign to seed mailboxes at Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other providers and report where it landed. Email previews cover rendering across more than 50 real clients and devices in light and dark modes. Scheduled tests can track placement and spam scores and send alerts by email when results decline. Its API has 39 endpoints across seven areas and can test mail sent through SES, Postmark, SendGrid, Mailgun, or a sender’s own SMTP setup; an MCP server lets compatible AI clients run tests and retrieve results. The free plan includes 21 tests per month, unlimited sender accounts, and 14-day data retention, but excludes DMARC monitoring and full API access. Custom costs $5 a month, with a $5 monthly minimum and pay-per-test rates.