Comparison
Feb 24, 2026
CEO and co-founder
Mailreef vs Mailforge: Deliverability, Setup, and Cost Comparison for Agencies
Updated January 12, 2026
TL;DR: Mailreef provides dedicated servers at $249/month with strict approval requirements, best for agencies needing full IP control. Mailforge offers cheaper entry at $3/mailbox on shared infrastructure, but your reputation depends on pool neighbors. Inframail combines dedicated US-based IPs with automated DNS setup at a flat $129/month for unlimited inboxes. We save you $120/month versus Mailreef and provide better reputation isolation than Mailforge's shared pools.
Choosing cold email infrastructure feels like picking between overpaying for control or gambling on shared pools. Scale your Google Workspace to 200 inboxes and you're paying $1,200-$1,600/month in infrastructure costs alone before warmup tools, sending platforms, or the hours spent manually configuring DNS records across GoDaddy and Cloudflare.
The infrastructure decision you make today determines whether you can add five new clients without doubling operational overhead. Mailreef and Mailforge represent two different approaches: one prioritizes dedicated infrastructure at premium pricing, while the other emphasizes accessibility on shared pools. We break down deliverability infrastructure, setup workflows, and total cost of ownership for both platforms, and show you why Inframail offers a third option that combines dedicated IPs with flat-rate economics that protect your margins at scale.
At a glance: The core differences between Mailreef and Mailforge
Inframail now has 38 5-star reviews on Trustpilot.
Before we dive into technical details, you need to understand the fundamental trade-off. Mailreef operates on dedicated servers where your sending reputation stays completely isolated from other users. Mailforge distributes mailboxes across a shared IP pool similar to how Gmail and Outlook operate, but optimized for cold outreach.
The Outreach Almanac's Mailreef analysis confirms that every Mailreef user gets their own dedicated IP, entirely separate from other senders. Meanwhile, Mailforge's pricing page explains their distributed model spreads mailbox accounts among millions of businesses on shared infrastructure.
Feature | Mailreef | Mailforge | Inframail |
|---|---|---|---|
Pricing Model | $249/month per server + $0.001/email | $3/mailbox (volume discounts to $1.67) | $129/month flat rate |
IP Type | Dedicated | Shared pool | Dedicated (1-3 IPs by plan) |
Capacity | 50 domains, 200 mailboxes per server | Slot-based, scales with purchase | Unlimited inboxes |
Setup Speed | 30 seconds DNS automation | 5-10 minutes | Under 5 minutes |
Warmup Included | No | Yes (via Warmforge ecosystem) | Yes (DFY plan only) |
Approval Required | Yes (screening process) | No | No |
Platform | Dedicated servers | Shared/distributed infrastructure | Microsoft cloud |
The three key differentiators that matter for your agency economics:
IP isolation: Mailreef and Inframail protect you from bad neighbors. Mailforge requires trusting their pool management.
Cost structure: Mailreef charges per server plus per-email. Mailforge charges per mailbox slot. Inframail charges a flat monthly rate regardless of inbox count.
Access barriers: Mailreef screens and approves every customer. Mailforge and Inframail let you start immediately.
For a deeper understanding of how dedicated versus shared infrastructure impacts deliverability, watch our breakdown on Dedicated IP vs Shared IP Pools for Cold Email.
Deliverability infrastructure: Dedicated servers vs shared pools
Your email infrastructure's technical architecture directly impacts your inbox placement rates. When a shared IP gets flagged for spam, you and every other sender on that IP suffer the consequences.
How Mailreef isolates your reputation
Mailreef's dedicated IP documentation states their primary difference from Google and Microsoft is that Mailreef only provides users with dedicated IP and custom infrastructure. According to Smartlead's integration guide, each mailbox is configured with proper authentication records and assigned to the server's dedicated IP.
This isolation means your sending behavior alone determines ESP trust. The trade-off: Mailreef requires an approval process where they screen every customer. Woodpecker's Mailreef review notes this gatekeeping approach keeps bad actors off the platform but adds friction to getting started.
How Mailforge manages shared infrastructure
Mailforge's platform operates on a distributed model using shared IP pools. A hands-on Mailforge review explains that your sender reputation can be influenced by other senders on the network, though Mailforge manages this pool aggressively to maintain high reputation.
The shared pool approach works like carpool lanes where other drivers affect your commute. One bad actor spamming gets the whole IP range flagged, and your carefully warmed domains take the hit.
Mailforge maintains a 4.8/5 rating on G2, suggesting most users find the shared model acceptable. For agencies needing guaranteed isolation, Mailforge's premium tier (Infraforge) offers dedicated mailboxes and dedicated IPs for high-volume senders.
We built Inframail on Microsoft's enterprise cloud platform with dedicated US-based IPs (1 IP on the Unlimited Plan, 3 IPs on the Agency Pack). Your sending reputation stays isolated from other users entirely. Our FAQ documentation explains how dedicated hosting prevents cross-contamination from other senders. The comparison video on Mailreef vs Mailscale vs Inframail covers the technical differences in detail.
Cost analysis: Which platform protects your margins at scale?
Infrastructure costs eating 25-30% of your client billings kill your agency profitability. Here's the math for 50, 100, and 200 inboxes across all three platforms.
TCO breakdown by inbox count
Scale | Google Workspace | Mailreef | Mailforge | Inframail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50 inboxes | $300-420/month | $249/month + sends | $150/month | $129/month |
100 inboxes | $600-840/month | $249/month + sends | $300/month | $129/month |
200 inboxes | $1,200-1,680/month | $498/month + sends* | ~$484/month | $129/month |
Mailreef servers cap at 200 mailboxes. Exceeding this requires a second server at $249/month.
Google Workspace Business Starter at $6-8.40/user/month scales linearly. At 200 inboxes, you're paying $1,200-1,680/month for infrastructure alone. Mailreef's pricing shows $249/month per server includes 50 domains and 200 mailboxes, plus $0.001 per email. At 100,000 sends monthly, that adds $100 in email costs.
Mailforge pricing starts at $3/mailbox/month with volume discounts to $1.67/mailbox for bulk purchases. According to Mailforge's comparison content, 200 mailboxes costs around $484/month. Inframail charges $129/month flat rate for unlimited inboxes plus approximately $34/month in amortized domain costs ($9.44-$16.44/year per domain). Your total: $163/month whether you run 50 or 200 inboxes.
The margin impact at agency scale
Running 8-15 active clients with 100 inboxes, here's what infrastructure choice means for your P&L:
Google Workspace: $600-840/month = 24-34% of $2,500 average client billing
Mailreef: ~$349/month = 14% of billings
Mailforge: $300/month = 12% of billings
Inframail: $163/month = 6.5% of billings
That 21.5 percentage point margin difference means you can afford a $50-60k junior account manager instead of spending hours weekly on DNS panels. For detailed guidance on matching your sending volume to the right plan, check our help article on calculating email sending capacity.
Setup speed and DNS automation: The time-to-campaign reality
Manual DNS configuration for 50+ domains consumes significant time every month. You log into Namecheap, create SPF records, set up DKIM, wait 24-48 hours for propagation, and test with Mail-Tester before campaigns can launch. Every hour you spend on DNS panels is an hour you're not spending closing new clients.
Mailreef's automation approach
Mailreef's domain purchasing page states their platform automatically sets up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records under the DNS of new domains, and this process takes less than 30 seconds. The Mailforge blog's Mailreef comparison notes you don't need to touch DNS records manually since domains and inboxes can be created in a few clicks.
Mailreef's API-first architecture enables programmatic provisioning through Zapier or direct API calls. This matters for agencies building automated client onboarding workflows.
Mailforge's wizard-based setup
Mailforge's homepage claims you can set up domains and mailboxes in less than 10 minutes. Their automated DNS setup guide explains the platform handles DMARC, SPF, DKIM, and custom domain tracking automatically following industry best practices.
The Outreach Almanac's Mailforge review mentions user feedback stating procedures that usually took hours for multiple domains now take a few minutes. The wizard guides you through each step and helps calculate how many domains and mailboxes you need.
Inframail's 2-minute workflow
Our platform automates the entire DNS stack. Purchase domains through the platform or transfer existing ones. The platform configures SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records automatically with no DNS panel access required. Watch the step-by-step setup tutorial for the actual workflow.
The process works like this:
Domain setup: Purchase or transfer domains with instant turnaround
Auto-configuration: Platform handles all DNS records without manual panel work
Inbox provisioning: Create unlimited Microsoft inboxes under dedicated IPs
Export credentials: Download IMAP/SMTP credentials to CSV for your sending platform
Our getting started guide walks you through the complete process, and the video on creating unlimited cold email inboxes demonstrates the full workflow.
Why agencies are switching to Inframail for flat-rate dedicated IPs
Choosing between Mailreef and Mailforge often feels like choosing between high costs or high risk. We bridge this gap by combining dedicated IP infrastructure with flat-rate pricing that doesn't punish your growth.
The three pillars of our infrastructure
1. Dedicated IP isolation: Every Inframail account gets dedicated US-based IPs (1 on Unlimited Plan, 3 on Agency Pack). Your sending behavior alone determines ESP trust. We built this on Microsoft's enterprise cloud platform with a publicly announced partnership (January 2024).
2. Flat-rate economics: $129/month for unlimited inboxes. No per-seat charges, no overage fees. Whether you run 50 or 200 inboxes, infrastructure costs stay fixed. For 100 inboxes, you save $171/month versus Mailforge and $120/month versus Mailreef. Over 12 months, that's $1,440-$2,052 back into your agency's operating budget.
3. Microsoft partnership credibility: We're built on Microsoft's cloud platform, not a white-label workaround. Our phantom redirects documentation explains how we handle domain redirects without triggering ESP flags.
Agencies using our infrastructure report 200+ appointments monthly, deals in the $50,000+ range, and 6+ daily sales calls from cold email campaigns. You can see real results in our user interviews with Bhavesh Kumar and Kirsty.
For agencies needing warmup guidance after migration, our help center covers how to warm up inboxes after migrating to Inframail. Integration works with all major sending platforms as detailed in our platform compatibility guide.
Final verdict: Which infrastructure fits your agency stage?
The right choice depends on your current scale, budget constraints, and risk tolerance.
Choose Mailreef if:
You have a $300+/month infrastructure budget and need API-level control
Your sending volume stays under 200 mailboxes per server
You're comfortable with an approval process and potential onboarding calls
You need full isolation and don't mind paying a premium for it
Mailreef works well for established agencies with proven unit economics who value control over cost optimization.
Choose Mailforge if:
You're just starting with under 50 inboxes and budget is your only constraint
You accept shared IP risks and trust their pool management
You plan to upgrade to Infraforge later if you need dedicated IPs
Mailforge offers the lowest barrier to entry. The Salesforge comparison of Maildoso alternatives positions it well for small teams prioritizing accessibility.
Choose Inframail if:
You're scaling from 50 to 200+ domains and need margin protection
You want dedicated IP isolation without Mailreef's premium pricing
You value Microsoft's enterprise infrastructure over custom builds
You need to launch clients in days, not weeks
Our unlimited email hosting guide covers the full feature set. If you're running 50-200 domains and infrastructure costs are squeezing your margins below 20%, you need flat-rate dedicated IPs.
Sign up to Inframail and get started today.
Specific FAQs
Does Mailforge offer dedicated IPs?
Standard Mailforge plans use shared IP pools. Their premium Infraforge tier provides dedicated mailboxes with dedicated IPs for high-volume senders needing private reputation.
Is Mailreef worth $249/month?
For agencies under 200 mailboxes needing full API control and guaranteed IP isolation, yes. For cost-conscious agencies scaling beyond 200 mailboxes, flat-rate alternatives provide better unit economics.
How does Inframail compare to Google Workspace pricing?
Google Workspace charges $6-8.40/inbox/month (Business Starter). At 50 inboxes, that's $300-420/month. Inframail's flat $129/month plus approximately $34 in domain costs totals $163/month.
Can I switch from Mailreef or Mailforge to Inframail mid-campaign?
Yes. You can migrate existing domains to Inframail with instant DNS auto-configuration. Our domain warmup guide covers post-migration best practices.
What's the difference between Inframail's Unlimited Plan and DFY package?
Unlimited Plan ($129/mo) provides unlimited inboxes and dedicated IPs. Done-for-You package ($299/mo) adds free inbox warmup and hands-on setup support.
Key terms glossary
Dedicated IP: An IP address used exclusively by one sender, isolating reputation from other users. Your sending behavior alone determines ESP trust.
Shared IP pool: A group of IPs used by multiple senders. One spammer on the pool can hurt deliverability for everyone sharing those IPs.
DNS propagation: The time for DNS record changes (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to update across the internet. Typically 24-48 hours for manual setup, instant with automated platforms.
SPF/DKIM/DMARC: Email authentication protocols that verify sender identity. SPF specifies authorized sending servers. DKIM adds cryptographic signatures. DMARC sets policies for handling authentication failures.
