MERU Inbound vs SMTP2GO: The Better Way to Handle Inbound Email

SMTP2GO provides reliable email delivery services, but if you need dedicated inbound email processing, MERU offers modern APIs and specialized features that SMTP services can’t match.

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Platform Comparison

Feature	MERU	SMTP2GO
Core Service	Inbound email processing	SMTP email delivery
Inbound Features	Purpose-built, comprehensive	Basic relay service
API Design	RESTful, inbound-focused	SMTP-focused APIs
Setup Complexity	Single API call	SMTP + DNS configuration
Data Format	Structured JSON webhooks	Basic relay data

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Technical Approach

MERU: Modern Inbound APIs

// Clean, purpose-built inbound processing
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);
  processInboundEmail(event);
  res.json({ status: 'received' });
});

SMTP2GO: Traditional SMTP Approach

// SMTP-based inbound processing (limited)
// Requires SMTP server setup
// Basic inbound relay capabilities
// Manual email parsing required

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Key Differences

MERU Advantages:

• Inbound-first design - every feature optimized for inbound
• Modern APIs - RESTful, webhook-based
• Rich data structure - parsed attachments, spam scores
• Dynamic provisioning - create addresses via API
• Developer experience - clean SDKs and documentation

SMTP2GO Focus:

• SMTP delivery - reliable email sending
• Traditional infrastructure - SMTP-based approach
• Business email - general email delivery needs
• Infrastructure focus - server reliability and uptime

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Use Case Fit

Choose MERU for:

• Support ticket systems from inbound email
• Reply-by-email functionality
• User-specific inbound addresses
• Modern webhook-based architecture
• Rich email data processing

Choose SMTP2GO for:

• Reliable SMTP email delivery
• Traditional email infrastructure needs
• Business email sending requirements
• SMTP server replacement
• General email delivery services

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The Bottom Line

SMTP2GO excels at email delivery but lacks modern inbound processing capabilities. MERU provides specialized inbound features with developer-friendly APIs designed for today’s applications.

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