Loops vs Resend: All-in-One Simplicity vs Transactional Excellence
Comparing Loops and Resend for SaaS email. Combined marketing and transactional vs focused transactional API. Different tools for different needs.
Overview
Loops and Resend are both modern email platforms with beautiful design, but they serve different purposes. Loops combines transactional and marketing email in one simple platform. Resend focuses exclusively on transactional email with developer-first API.
The choice depends on what you need: all-in-one simplicity (Loops) or transactional excellence paired with a separate marketing tool (Resend + Sequenzy).
| Feature | Loops | Resend |
|---|---|---|
| Email Types | Transactional + Marketing | Transactional only |
| Starting Price | $49/mo | Free (3k/mo) |
| Sequences/Automation | Basic sequences | No |
| Developer Experience | Good | Excellent |
| React Email | No | First-class support |
Key Differences
Scope
Loops handles both transactional and marketing email from one platform. Password resets and product updates live alongside newsletters and sequences. This simplicity is valuable for teams wanting fewer tools.
Resend focuses exclusively on transactional email API. No marketing automation, no sequences. For marketing needs, you'd pair Resend with a dedicated tool like Sequenzy.
Developer Experience
Resend offers the best developer experience in email. Modern API, React Email integration, excellent documentation. For developer-led teams, the DX is unmatched.
Loops has good developer experience but prioritizes the product interface. It's designed for founders and marketers as much as developers.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Loops if:
- You want one tool for transactional + marketing
- Simplicity matters more than feature depth
- You prefer product UI over API-first
- Your email needs are straightforward
Choose Resend if:
- Developer experience is a priority
- You want best-in-class transactional API
- You'll use a separate tool for marketing
- React Email integration is valuable
The Bottom Line
Loops works well for founders wanting simple all-in-one email. The trade-off is limited automation compared to dedicated tools.
Resend excels at transactional email with excellent DX. Pair with Sequenzy for lifecycle email - the combination provides better capabilities than Loops alone at comparable total cost.