Partner disclosure: Arrel partners with Mailpool and may benefit commercially from referrals. This comparison uses public list prices, links to both vendors and does not manufacture a price advantage where there is none.
Our short answer: At ten native/shared mailboxes, price is effectively a tie: Mailpool is $30 monthly or $26 annual-equivalent; Mailforge is $30 monthly or about $25 annual-equivalent. Mailpool wins on provider choice and low starting quantity. Mailforge is attractive when you want shared infrastructure and are comfortable buying at least ten reusable mailbox slots.
| Decision | Mailpool | Mailforge |
|---|---|---|
| Native/shared inbox | $3 monthly; $2.60 annual-equivalent | $3 monthly at 10 slots; about $2.50 annual-equivalent in the official 10-slot example |
| Minimum | One mailbox | Ten mailbox slots |
| Provider options | Native, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and dedicated infrastructure | Shared native infrastructure; Google and Microsoft sit in sibling products |
| Domains | Purchased once through the platform, renewed annually; exact prices vary | .com listed at $14 per year |
| Sequencing | Requires a separate sending platform | Requires a separate sending platform |
These are infrastructure prices, not the full cost of outbound. Add domains, your sequencer, data, monitoring and operator time. Mailforge's annual unit price changes with quantity, so we use official ten-mailbox examples rather than a universal rate.
Mailpool sells several infrastructure choices in one product
Mailpool lists native inboxes at $3 per month, Google Workspace at $4 and Microsoft 365 at $5. Annual equivalents are $2.60, $3.40 and $4.30. A dedicated IP/server starts at $200 monthly or $170 annual-equivalent, but the official documentation says email volume can also affect dedicated pricing. Get a quote before treating $200 as the all-in cost.
The provider choice is useful when a portfolio needs different infrastructure profiles. Automated DNS, domain management, monitoring, export and API features keep provisioning in one operating layer. There is no free trial, but a buyer can start with one mailbox and no setup fee.
Mailforge uses a capacity-slot model
Mailforge requires at least ten slots. Its official example prices ten at $30 monthly or $25 per month equivalent on annual billing. A current 25-slot calculator example is $75 monthly or $60 annual-equivalent, so annual unit prices vary by quantity.
You pay for purchased capacity even if a mailbox is inactive, but a slot can be recycled for another mailbox without buying new capacity. That is sensible for teams with planned volume and less efficient if the requirement often falls below ten. Mailforge lists .com domains at $14 per year. SSL and domain masking are separate: $2 per domain monthly or $6 per domain yearly.
Pick Mailpool
Mix providers or start small
You want native, Google, Microsoft or dedicated options in one control plane, or you need fewer than ten inboxes.
Pick Mailforge
Plan shared capacity in blocks
You want focused shared infrastructure, transparent .com pricing and reusable slots, and the ten-slot minimum fits your volume.
Neither tool is your sending engine
Both products provision and manage infrastructure. You still need a sequencer to send campaigns, manage replies and apply sending rules. Include that subscription and integration work when comparing total cost.
Infrastructure also does not rescue weak practices. Domain age, DNS, mailbox behavior, list quality, message relevance and complaint rates all affect outcomes. Treat mailbox count as capacity, not as a target for maximum volume.
A practical ten-mailbox comparison
Before domains and add-ons, ten native Mailpool inboxes cost $30 month to month or $26 per month equivalent annually. Ten Mailforge slots cost $30 month to month or about $25 annual-equivalent. The one-dollar annual difference should not decide the purchase.
Instead, compare the desired provider, minimum commitment, domain workflow, monitoring, API, cancellation behavior and the work required to replace an inbox. If dedicated infrastructure matters, get a written quote that includes volume assumptions.
Official sources
- Mailpool pricing, billing guide and domain guide
- Mailforge pricing calculator and official scaling examples
Compare the data layer next: Prospeo vs Hunter or Prospeo vs Apollo. See all GTM tool comparisons.
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