Vishal Singhal Choosing between netcore vs AWS SES can feel overwhelming since there are at least 425 email service providers available today. We’ve really tested both platforms with CampaignHQ to give you a clear decision path.
Netcore Email API (formerly Pepipost) comes from Indian company Netcore Cloud. Amazon SES is AWS’s cloud-based email service built to handle high-volume email sending and receiving. The pricing structure varies substantially between them. AWS SES costs $0.10 per thousand sends and gives Amazon EC2 users a free tier up to 62,000 messages. Netcore’s competitive pricing starts at $17.50 per month. Their generous free tier lets you send 30,000 emails monthly plus 100 emails daily without needing credit card details.
Our hands-on testing with CampaignHQ shows how these platforms match up on API capabilities, performance metrics, security standards, and cost efficiency. You’ll discover which service fits your email delivery needs best, whether you need detailed analytics or pure sending power.
API and Integration Capabilities
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The API and integration features show key differences between these email delivery platforms. Both services come with resilient APIs but implement them quite differently.
Supported Languages and SDKs: Python, Node.js, Java, Go
AWS SES comes with complete SDK support for developers using Python, Node.js, Java, Go, C++, .NET, PHP, Ruby, Rust, and other programming languages. Teams can easily adapt AWS SES to their technology stacks. The platform also supports command-line interfaces and PowerShell tools for script-based environments.
Netcore takes a more focused approach by supporting core languages like Python, Node.js, Java, and Go.
API Rate Limits: 1 req/sec vs 1000/session
These platforms handle API throttling differently. AWS SES limits most general API operations to one request per second. Email sending through SendEmail and SendRawEmail endpoints depends on your account’s sending quota instead of fixed API limits. AWS SES gives new users lower quotas that grow with time or upon request.
Netcore users get more flexibility with up to 1000 requests per session, which makes it less restrictive than AWS SES.
Sending Emails via API: /v2/email/outbound-emails vs /v4/messages
AWS SES lets you send emails in two ways:
- Formatted email – The service creates properly formatted messages when you provide “From,” “To,” subject, and message body
- Raw email – You can create custom messages with specific headers and MIME types
Each service uses its own endpoint structure – AWS SES with /v4/messages and Netcore with /v2/email/outbound-emails.
Contact Management Endpoints: /v2/email/contact-lists vs /v4/account
AWS SES API v2 helps you manage contact lists effectively. Each AWS account can have one contact list with up to 20 topics. You can use CreateContactList, CreateContact, and ListContacts to handle your subscriber database.
The service lets you import contacts in bulk through CreateImportJob after uploading them to Amazon S3. You can find contacts subscribed to specific topics using the ListContacts operation.
Netcore manages contacts through its /v2/email/contact-lists API endpoint with similar features.
Performance and Deliverability with CampaignHQ
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Our real-life testing with CampaignHQ shows big performance gaps between these email delivery platforms.
Email Throughput: 1M emails/hour vs 500K emails/hour
AWS SES edges out Netcore in high-volume sending with a 9.0 rating compared to Netcore’s 8.9 from reviewers. AWS SES works best for marketing and transactional emails at scale. The service tracks quotas on a 24-hour rolling basis. This helps you keep steady throughput without hitting unexpected limits.
Uptime SLA: 99.9% vs 99.99%
The platforms show a clear gap in uptime reliability. Mailgun promises 99.99% uptime SLA, beating Netcore’s 99.9% guarantee. This small gap adds up to several extra hours of guaranteed uptime each year.
Latency Benchmarks: 250ms vs 180ms average delivery
Each service handles delivery speed differently. AWS SES sends messages as fast as possible to receiving ISPs. Delivery delays can happen for many reasons. Full inboxes or server problems at the recipient’s end can cause soft bounces. AWS SES keeps trying delivery for 14 hours with no limit on retry attempts during this time.
Log Retention: 1–10 years vs 90 days
AWS CloudWatch lets you pick how long to keep logs, while Netcore’s options are limited. This matters a lot for companies that need old data for troubleshooting or meeting compliance rules.
Max Email Size: 40MB vs 15MB
AWS SES lets you send much bigger emails. API v2 handles messages up to 40MB with attachments. The older API v1 only takes 10MB. This makes AWS SES your best bet if you send large files often. Remember that this size limit counts everything – message body, headers, and MIME encoding. You might want to split big messages into smaller ones or use external links for large content.
Security and Compliance Standards
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Security features are vital differentiators in evaluating email delivery services. AWS and Netcore each take unique approaches to data protection and compliance.
Encryption Protocols: AES GCM vs TLS/SSL
AWS SES uses AWS-owned keys to encrypt all data at rest by default. Users can boost their security by choosing customer-managed keys through AWS KMS to set up and maintain their own key policies. The platform supports both STARTTLS and TLS Wrapper protocols for in-transit encryption, and includes TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 support across HTTPS and SMTP interfaces. Netcore’s approach differs with AES GCM encryption, which provides authenticated encryption with associated data.
Compliance Certifications: ISO 27001, CSA STAR vs None
AWS has completed many third-party audits, including SOC, PCI, FedRAMP, and HIPAA certifications. The reliable AWS compliance framework includes ISO 27001 certification for information security management. AWS’s cloud security practices are validated by CSA STAR certification. Netcore doesn’t have similar compliance documentation, which matters greatly to organizations with strict regulatory needs.
Domain Authentication: SPF, DKIM, DMARC Support
Both platforms support the core email authentication protocols. SPF checks which mail servers can send from your domain, and DKIM adds digital signatures to outgoing messages. DMARC works with these protocols to stop email spoofing and phishing by making sure domains are properly arranged. AWS SES users need these protocols to keep their sender reputation strong and ensure messages get delivered.
Access Control: IAM Roles vs Role-based Permissions
AWS SES uses AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles to separate identity from functionality. This system allows detailed access control without direct credential management. Netcore takes a simpler path with a traditional role-based permission system that offers fewer controls but might work better for smaller teams.
Pricing and Cost Efficiency
Businesses must carefully evaluate costs before choosing an email delivery platform.
Pricing Model: Pay-as-you-go vs Tiered Plans
AWS SES uses a simple pay-as-you-go model without subscriptions, contracts, or minimum fees. You pay based on actual usage. Netcore takes a different approach with tiered fixed fees that start at $17.50 monthly. This model gives you predictable costs each month.
Cost per 1000 Emails: $0.10 vs $0.0005–$0.001
The price gap between these platforms is significant. AWS SES costs $0.10 per 1000 emails and charges extra for attachments at $0.12 per GB. Netcore proves more economical with rates ranging from $0.0005–$0.001 per 1000 emails at scale. High-volume senders can save up to 100 times more with Netcore.
Free Tier Availability: EC2-based vs None
AWS SES’s original free tier was generous, allowing EC2 users to send 62,000 emails monthly. August 2023 saw this number drop to 3,000 emails. Standard rates apply after exhausting the free tier. Your email marketing budget deserves better results. Sign up for CampaignHQ today.
Contract Terms: Monthly vs Monthly/Annual
AWS SES keeps things flexible with monthly billing and no long-term commitments. Netcore provides both monthly and annual payment options. Annual plans come with attractive discounts ranging from 10-20%.
Conclusion
Our hands-on testing with CampaignHQ revealed some clear differences between Netcore and AWS SES. AWS SES stands out with its technical capabilities. It delivers 1 million emails per hour, guarantees better uptime, supports larger attachments, and has detailed security certifications. These features make it a great fit for enterprises that need strict compliance and reliable performance.
Netcore’s prices can be 100 times lower than AWS SES at scale, which makes it an attractive option for budget-conscious businesses. AWS SES does provide better SDK support for many programming languages. But Netcore makes up for this with higher API rate limits that work well for frequent senders.
Your specific needs will determine the best choice. AWS SES might be worth the higher cost if you need enterprise-grade security, wide integration options, and top deliverability. Netcore could be more practical if you want to keep costs down while getting decent performance.
Both platforms are good at email delivery, each with its own strengths for different business needs. CampaignHQ can help you get the most out of either service by optimizing your email marketing.
Take time to look at your email volume, budget, technical needs, and compliance requirements. This will help you pick the platform that best fits your email marketing strategy and business goals.
FAQs
Q1. How do Netcore and AWS SES compare in terms of email throughput?
AWS SES slightly outperforms Netcore with a throughput of 1 million emails per hour compared to Netcore’s 500,000 emails per hour. AWS SES is specifically designed for high-volume email sending at scale.
Q2. What are the pricing differences between Netcore and AWS SES?
Netcore offers significantly lower rates, ranging from $0.0005 to $0.001 per 1000 emails at scale, while AWS SES charges $0.10 per 1000 emails. This makes Netcore potentially 100 times more cost-effective for high-volume senders.
Q3. How do the security features of Netcore and AWS SES differ?
AWS SES provides more robust security features, including AWS-managed encryption, support for customer-managed keys, and extensive compliance certifications like ISO 27001 and CSA STAR. Netcore uses AES GCM encryption but lacks equivalent compliance documentation.
Q4. What are the differences in API rate limits between Netcore and AWS SES?
Netcore offers more generous API rate limits, allowing up to 1000 requests per session. In contrast, AWS SES throttles most general API operations at one request per second, with email sending limits based on account quotas rather than fixed API rate limits.
Q5. How do the maximum email sizes compare between Netcore and AWS SES?
AWS SES supports significantly larger emails, with a maximum message size of 40MB including attachments when using API v2. Netcore’s maximum email size is limited to 15MB, making AWS SES more suitable for sending larger files or attachments.
