MailForge vs Mela
MailForge
browsercraftstudio.com
Mela
usemela.comSide by side
| Figure | MailForge | Mela |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $8.25/mo | $33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 3 |
| Spec score · Email Design Software | 7.7 (#26) | 8.7 (#6) |
| Integrations | The maker says generated standard HTML works with ESPs including Mailchimp, Klaviyo, SendGrid, and ConvertKit. | Mela's pricing page lists Brevo, Mailchimp, and Resend form integrations as $9/mo add-ons. |
| Privacy | The maker says email content is never sent to a server and projects are stored in the browser's local storage. | Mela says its built-in customer-site analytics are cookieless and that it does not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. |
| Support | The Pro and Team plans list priority support. | Mela lists [email protected] for general inquiries and [email protected] for security inquiries. |
Plans
In their own words
MailForge
MailForge is a browser-based drag-and-drop editor for designing email templates and exporting them as HTML or MJML. Its visual builder uses pre-built blocks and does not require coding. Designs are processed in the browser, and the maker says email content is not sent to a server and projects remain in browser local storage. Once the page loads, the editor can work offline.
Exports include HTML with inline CSS and MJML source, with presets for Mailchimp and Klaviyo merge tag syntax. The maker says standard HTML works with services including Mailchimp, Klaviyo, SendGrid, and ConvertKit. MJML files can be imported and converted into editable blocks; raw HTML paste is listed as a future feature. An AI assistant runs a lightweight model in the browser, while advanced features can optionally use your OpenAI API key. The Free plan costs $0 forever and allows five exports per month and three projects. Pro costs $12/month; Team costs $29/month and includes five seats and collaboration features.
Mela
Mela is a multi-site CMS for creating and managing websites from one dashboard. It is aimed at freelance developers, agencies, studios, and small business owners. A site can begin from a blueprint or a blank slate and is live and editable when created. Mela supports visual content modeling and front ends built against a typed, versioned contract.
Every site includes forms with a submissions inbox, cookieless analytics, redirects, SEO controls, media, localization, and role-based access. Optional add-ons include visual page building, an email designer, and an AI site generator. The Email Builder exports email-safe HTML, but it does not send emails or include contact lists, scheduling, or open- and click-tracking. Brevo, Mailchimp, and Resend form integrations are listed as $9/mo add-ons. Developers can use a Next.js theme framework with a versioned theme contract, while the MCP server works with Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP client for content modeling, site imports, media uploads, and typed frontend scaffolding.