Comparison
Jan 14, 2026
CEO and co-founder
The core difference: Dedicated servers vs. shared IP pools
The fundamental distinction between these platforms comes down to how they handle sending infrastructure. This single technical choice affects everything from deliverability stability to your ability to troubleshoot campaigns.
How dedicated IPs protect your reputation
Think of dedicated IPs like owning your own house. Your behavior alone determines your reputation with email service providers (ESPs). If you follow best practices, your sending reputation improves. If you make mistakes, you know exactly what caused the problem and can fix it.
Mailreef provides dedicated IP addresses to all users, giving full control over deliverability rates. This isolation means your inbox placement depends entirely on your sending patterns, not anyone else's behavior.
Why shared pools create "bad neighbor" risk
Shared IP pools work like apartment buildings. Multiple senders use the same IP addresses simultaneously, and the building's reputation depends on every tenant's behavior. One sender blasting spam can get the entire IP range flagged, tanking deliverability for everyone.
According to industry analysis, Maildoso operates on a shared resources model using hundreds of email accounts and domains through a shared IP pool. This means your campaign performance can drop overnight through no fault of your own. When agencies report sudden deliverability crashes from 80% to 55% inbox rates, shared IP contamination is often the culprit.
The "bad neighbor" effect is particularly dangerous for agencies because you're managing multiple client campaigns. One contaminated IP can affect 5-10 client accounts simultaneously, creating fires across your entire portfolio.
Feature comparison: Setup speed, cost, and deliverability
Before diving into platform-specific analysis, here's how the three main options compare across critical agency metrics:
Factor | Mailreef | Maildoso | Inframail |
|---|---|---|---|
IP Type | Dedicated | Shared Pool | Dedicated (1-3 IPs) |
Pricing Model | Flat per server | Per-inbox | Flat-rate unlimited |
Monthly Cost (50 inboxes) | $251 | ~$115 | $129 |
Monthly Cost (200 inboxes) | $257 | ~$550 | $129 |
DNS Setup | Automated | Automated | Automated |
Approval Required | Yes (application) | No | No |
Minimum Commitment | 12 months (or $249 flex) | Quarterly | Month-to-month |
Warmup Included | No | No | No |
The table reveals a clear pattern: Mailreef and Inframail both offer dedicated infrastructure, but with very different pricing and access models. Maildoso's per-inbox model looks attractive at low volumes but becomes the most expensive option once you exceed 100 inboxes.
Mailreef analysis: High control with a high barrier to entry
Mailreef positions itself as the premium option for teams prioritizing technical control. The platform delivers on that promise, but at costs that squeeze margins for smaller agencies.
What Mailreef does well
Mailreef's dedicated server architecture provides genuine isolation. Each user gets their own mail server and IP address, meaning deliverability depends entirely on individual sending behavior. For technical teams comfortable with cold email mechanics, this API-first approach provides a solid foundation for high-volume outbound programs.
The platform includes automated DNS configuration. Once you purchase a domain, automation handles SPF, DKIM, and DMARC record creation in under 30 seconds. This eliminates the hours spent manually logging into DNS panels and waiting for propagation.
Developer API access allows for programmatic mailbox and domain provisioning. Agencies with technical resources can build custom workflows around Mailreef's infrastructure.
Where Mailreef creates friction
The $249/month Agency Flex plan provides month-to-month flexibility, but that's a steep entry point for agencies testing a new infrastructure provider. Additionally, Mailreef charges an extra $0.001 for every email sent, which can quickly add up for high-volume campaigns. The cheaper Agency tier ($249/month) requires a 12-month commitment upfront. There's no option to trial the platform for a month or two before making a year-long financial commitment.
Mailreef's application process adds another friction point. The platform screens and approves every customer, which creates delays and uncertainty. While this vetting supposedly maintains deliverability quality across users, it means you might apply and get rejected without ever testing the platform.
Server capacity limits also matter at scale. Each server is capped at 50 domains and 200 mailboxes. Growing beyond those limits requires purchasing additional servers at $249/month each.
Mailreef verdict
Mailreef works well for technical teams with larger budgets who value API access and dedicated infrastructure. The approval process and high minimum cost make it a poor fit for agencies wanting to validate ROI before committing significant capital.
Maildoso analysis: Low barrier with hidden deliverability risks
Maildoso markets itself on affordability and ease of setup. The platform delivers on both, but the cost savings come with infrastructure risks that can undermine everything you're trying to build.
What Maildoso does well
The entry pricing is genuinely low. Rates start around $1.90-$2.75 per inbox depending on volume, making Maildoso accessible for founders just starting their first cold email campaigns. Setup is straightforward, and the platform handles technical configurations like SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX records automatically.
For beginners, there's value in the simplicity. The platform handles DNS setup without requiring technical expertise, letting new users get campaigns running quickly. Multiple sources confirm Maildoso can help set up hundreds of secondary domains and email addresses in less than 10 minutes.
Where Maildoso creates problems
The shared IP infrastructure is the core issue. User reports consistently mention burned domains (often replaced with .xyz or .click instead of .com), deliverability drops (emails landing in spam), and blocklisting problems (SURBL). These issues often trace back to shared IP contamination rather than individual sender behavior.
Billing structure adds friction. Maildoso only offers quarterly billing, meaning you're locked into a three-month commitment before you can properly evaluate deliverability performance. If you discover problems in week two, you've already paid for twelve weeks of service.
Cost scaling also becomes problematic for growing agencies. At 100 inboxes, monthly costs reach approximately $166-200. At 200 inboxes, you're looking at roughly $550/month. At 300 inboxes, costs climb to around $825/month. The per-inbox model that looked attractive at 30 inboxes becomes the most expensive option at agency scale.
Maildoso verdict
Maildoso works for beginners with fewer than 20 inboxes who prioritize budget over deliverability control. For established agencies managing client portfolios, the shared IP risks and escalating costs make it a poor long-term choice.
The hidden costs of scaling: Why per-inbox pricing kills margins
Infrastructure economics determine whether adding clients improves or destroys your margins. The math matters more than most founders realize.
TCO breakdown at agency scale
Here's what infrastructure actually costs across the three platforms at different scales:
Inbox Count | Maildoso | Mailreef | Inframail | Google Workspace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50 inboxes | ~$115/mo | $251/mo | $129/mo | $350-420/mo |
100 inboxes | ~$180/mo | $251/mo | $129/mo | $700-840/mo |
200 inboxes | ~$550/mo | $257/mo | $129/mo | $1,400-1,680/mo |
The pattern is clear. Per-inbox models (Maildoso, Google Workspace) punish growth. Flat-rate models (Mailreef, Inframail) reward it. At 50 inboxes, Maildoso appears $14/month cheaper than Inframail. At 200 inboxes, Maildoso costs $421/month more.
What this means for your margins
For agencies targeting 15-20% net margins, infrastructure costs need to stay below 25% of client billings. If your average client pays $3,000/month and you're running 20 inboxes per client, here's how the math works with 10 clients (200 inboxes):
Maildoso: $550/month = 18.3% of single-client billings
Mailreef: $257/month = 0.86% of single-client billings
Inframail: $129/month = 4.3% of single-client billings
That 14% difference between Maildoso and Inframail at scale represents real money. On a $30,000/month agency book, saving $421/month on infrastructure means an extra $5,052/year toward hiring, tools, or profit distribution. The difference between Mailreef and Inframail is $128/month, which is $1,536/year.
For a detailed walkthrough on calculating your email sending capacity, our Help Center breaks down the math for different agency sizes.
Inframail: The flat-rate alternative for high-volume agencies
I've covered the trade-offs between Mailreef and Maildoso. Now let me explain why we built Inframail as a third option specifically for agencies caught between these extremes.
Dedicated IPs without the premium pricing
We use dedicated hosting. Each user can only be negatively impacted by their own sending. We don't use shared hosting. The Unlimited Plan includes 1 dedicated US-based IP. The Agency Pack includes 3 dedicated US-based IPs for agencies running larger portfolios.
Inframail has 38 5-star reviews on Trustpilot.
This means you get the reputation isolation benefits of Mailreef without the $249/month minimum or approval gatekeeping.
Automated DNS that saves 10+ hours per client
Manual SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration for 50 domains typically takes 12-15 hours. Logging into DNS panels, creating records, waiting for propagation, testing with Mail-Tester. Our automation handles all of it in seconds per domain.
In one user interview, agency owner Bhavesh Kumar shared how he books 200+ appointments per month using Inframail infrastructure. The time savings from automated setup meant more hours for actual campaign work and client strategy.
For a full walkthrough of the setup process, watch our Inframail 3.5 demo showing how to create unlimited cold email inboxes.
Flat-rate pricing that protects growth
Our Unlimited Plan costs $129/month whether you create 50 or 500 inboxes. Domain costs run $5-16 each through the platform. For 50 inboxes with domains amortized, total infrastructure cost is approximately $163/month compared to $350-420/month on Google Workspace.
That's $187-257/month in savings per 50 inboxes, or $2,244-3,084 annually. Scale to 200 inboxes and the savings compound dramatically against per-inbox alternatives.
No contracts, no approval gatekeeping
You can sign up and start provisioning inboxes immediately. No application process. No mandatory quarterly billing. No 12-month commitments. If the platform doesn't work for your use case, cancel anytime.
This matters because infrastructure validation requires real campaign data. You need 30-45 days of sending across actual client campaigns to verify deliverability claims. Forcing quarterly or annual commitments before that validation creates unacceptable risk.
What we don't include
Transparency matters, so here's what Inframail doesn't provide:
Built-in warmup: You'll need external warmup tools like Warmbox or Lemwarm ($15-50/month per inbox)
Google Workspace support: We focus exclusively on Microsoft infrastructure for deliverability and cost reasons.
EU/APAC data residency: Our infrastructure is currently US-based only.
Verdict: The best Mailreef alternative for scaling agencies
Mailreef built quality infrastructure with legitimate deliverability results. But the $249/month price tag, mandatory application process, and per-server limits create friction that growing agencies can't afford.
If you need Mailreef's dedicated IP benefits but want to save approximately $1,440/year and skip the application queue, Inframail is the logical choice. You get:
1. Unlimited inboxes at $129/month flat (no per-seat charges as you scale)
2. Dedicated US-based IPs (1-3 depending on plan) for reputation isolation
3. Automated DNS configuration (SPF/DKIM/DMARC in seconds, not hours)
4. Instant access (no application or approval delays)
Frequently asked questions
Does Inframail require an application like Mailreef? No. Inframail provides instant access after signup with no screening process. You can provision unlimited inboxes immediately.
What is the difference between a private server and a dedicated IP? A private server dedicates physical/virtual hardware resources to one client. A dedicated IP assigns a unique IP address exclusively to your account. For email deliverability, both provide IP isolation. The practical difference is private servers cost more without improving deliverability outcomes.
Can I bring my own domains to these platforms? Yes. Inframail charges $5 per domain transfer. Mailreef, Maildoso, and Mailforge all support domain migration with varying fees.
Which platform works best with Instantly or Smartlead? All five alternatives integrate with major sending platforms. Inframail exports IMAP/SMTP credentials to CSV for direct import. Our integration guide covers supported platforms.
Do I need a separate warmup tool? With Inframail, Maildoso, and Mailreef: yes. Mailforge includes built-in warmup. Our warmup migration guide covers the process for external tools.
Key terminology glossary
Dedicated IP: An IP address used exclusively by your account. Your sending behavior alone determines reputation. Inframail provides 1-3 dedicated IPs depending on plan.
Shared IP: An IP address used by multiple senders on the same platform. Other users' behavior affects your deliverability. Used by Maildoso and Mailforge.
DNS propagation: The time required (typically 24-48 hours) for DNS record changes to spread across global nameservers. Automated platforms handle this in the background.
SPF/DKIM/DMARC: Email authentication protocols that verify sender identity. SPF defines authorized sending servers. DKIM adds cryptographic signatures. DMARC specifies how receiving servers handle authentication failures.
Flat-rate pricing: A fixed monthly fee regardless of usage volume. Inframail charges $129/month whether you create 50 or 500 inboxes.
Per-seat pricing: Charges that scale with each user or inbox added. Google Workspace charges $7-8.40 per inbox monthly.
