MERU Inbound vs Mailjet: The Better Way to Handle Inbound Email

Mailjet offers comprehensive email marketing and transactional services, but if you need dedicated inbound email processing, MERU provides a more focused, cost-effective solution without platform complexity.

---

Core Differences

Feature	MERU	Mailjet
Primary Purpose	Inbound email processing	Marketing + transactional email
Setup Complexity	Single API call	DNS + dashboard configuration
Data Format	Structured JSON webhooks	Raw MIME requiring parsing
Address Management	Dynamic API creation	Static routing rules
Pricing Model	Per-message inbound	Contact/volume based tiers
Developer Focus	100% inbound optimization	Mixed outbound/inbound features

---

Quick Implementation Comparison

MERU: Simple & Direct

// Create address and process emails in minutes
const address = await meru.addresses.create({
  userId: 'user_123',
  webhookUrl: 'https://your-app.com/webhook'
});

app.post('/webhook', (req, res) => {
  const event = meru.verifyWebhook(req.body, req.headers);
  processEmail({
    subject: event.headers.subject,
    from: event.envelope.mailFrom,
    content: event.text,
    spam: event.spam.score
  });
  res.json({ status: 'received' });
});

Mailjet: Complex Setup

// Requires DNS setup, dashboard configuration, MIME parsing
app.post('/mailjet-webhook', (req, res) => {
  const rawEmail = req.body;
  
  // Manual MIME parsing required
  // Custom spam filtering needed
  // Attachment handling complex
  
  res.json({ status: 'ok' });
});

---

Pricing Comparison

MERU (Inbound-Only):

• Starter: $10/month → 1,300 emails
• Growth: $25/month → 5,000 emails
• Scale: $50/month → 15,000 emails

Mailjet (Full Platform):

• Free: 200 emails/day (6,000/month)
• Essential: $15/month → 15,000 emails
• Premium: $25/month → 15,000 emails + advanced features
• Custom: Enterprise pricing

For inbound-only use cases, MERU eliminates unnecessary complexity and costs

---

When to Choose Each

Choose MERU if:

• Inbound email processing is your primary need
• You want developer-friendly APIs
• SOC 2 compliance is important
• You prefer simple, predictable pricing
• You don’t need marketing automation

Choose Mailjet if:

• You need both inbound AND marketing email
• Template design tools are important
• Contact management features required
• European data residency needed
• Existing Mailjet infrastructure in place

---

The Bottom Line

Mailjet is comprehensive but complex for inbound-only needs. MERU provides superior inbound processing with cleaner APIs, better security, and transparent pricing.

Start Free Trial • API Documentation • Compare All Providers