What should I use instead of a full email marketing platform?

If you don’t want a full email marketing platform, the best alternative depends on what you actually need to do.

Good options instead of a full platform

1. Simple SMTP service + your own app

Use a transactional email provider like:

• Amazon SES
• SendGrid
• Mailgun
• Postmark

Best if you:

• only need to send emails from your product
• want low cost
• don’t need drag-and-drop campaigns, automations, or audience management

2. CRM with basic email features

Use tools like:

• HubSpot CRM
• Pipedrive
• Zoho CRM
• Notion/Airtable + email integration

Best if you:

• mostly send 1:1 or small-batch emails
• want contact tracking and notes
• don’t need sophisticated newsletters or automation

3. Google Workspace / Outlook + mail merge

Use:

• Gmail + Mailmeteor / GMass
• Outlook + mail merge tools

Best if you:

• send personalized outreach
• want something lightweight
• only send small volumes

4. Newsletter tool only

If your only need is publishing a newsletter, use:

• Substack
• Beehiiv
• Buttondown
• Ghost
• ConvertKit if you want some automation but not a full enterprise suite

Best if you:

• mainly send newsletters
• want a simple audience and subscription flow
• don’t need heavy segmentation/flows

5. Build your own lightweight stack

A common minimal stack is:

• email sending provider (SES/Postmark/SendGrid)
• database or spreadsheet for contacts
• automation via Zapier/Make
• forms via Tally/Typeform/Google Forms

Best if you:

• want flexibility
• have technical resources
• don’t want vendor lock-in

Rule of thumb

• Transactional emails: Postmark / SES / SendGrid
• Personal outreach: Gmail + mail merge
• Newsletters: Substack / Beehiiv / Buttondown
• Contact management: CRM
• Custom flows: your app + SMTP provider

If you tell me your use case — newsletters, outreach, transactional messages, or product emails — I can recommend the simplest stack.