Mailforge is one of the most talked-about cold email infrastructure tools with strong content marketing presence. MailDeck offers dedicated Microsoft 365 tenants at a lower per-inbox cost. Both serve the cold email market, but there's a fundamental architectural difference you should understand.
This comparison breaks down pricing at every scale, the infrastructure differences, and when each provider makes more sense.
Mailforge pricing verified on https://www.mailforge.ai/pricing as of March 2026.
Quick Comparison
| MailDeck | Mailforge | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per domain (100 inboxes) | Per mailbox |
| Cost per inbox | $0.45 | ~$3.00 |
| Cost per 1,000 inboxes | $450/mo | ~$3,000/mo |
| Infrastructure | Dedicated Microsoft 365 tenants | Shared IP pool |
| IP approach | Microsoft's IPs (your tenant) | Distributed across millions |
| Setup time | 48 hours | Faster provisioning |
| Minimum purchase | 4 domains (400 inboxes, $180/mo) | 1 mailbox |
| Built-in sequencer | No (use Instantly, Smartlead, etc.) | No |
Pricing at Every Scale
Mailforge pricing (from their website):
- Per mailbox pricing: approximately $3/mailbox
MailDeck pricing:
- Starter: $45/mo per domain, 100 inboxes per domain (4-10 domains)
- Growth: $40/mo per domain (11-30 domains)
- Enterprise: $35/mo per domain (31-100 domains)
| Scale | Mailforge | MailDeck | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 inboxes | ~$300/mo | $180/mo (min 4 domains) | MailDeck saves $120/mo |
| 500 inboxes | ~$1,500/mo | $225/mo (5 domains) | MailDeck saves $1,275/mo |
| 1,000 inboxes | ~$3,000/mo | $450/mo (10 domains) | MailDeck saves $2,550/mo |
Annual savings at 1,000 inboxes: Approximately $30,600/year with MailDeck.
Important context: Mailforge has a lower entry point (1 mailbox). MailDeck's minimum is 4 domains (400 inboxes) at $180/month. For a comparison across all providers, see our pricing analysis of 11 cold email providers.
The Core Difference: Shared vs Dedicated
Mailforge's Approach
Mailforge "leverages a shared IP pool, distributing your mailbox accounts among millions of businesses - similar to platforms like Gmail or Outlook."
This sounds reasonable in theory. In practice:
- Your sender reputation is tied to other users' behavior
- If others abuse the platform, your deliverability can suffer
- Limited control over IP reputation
MailDeck's Approach
MailDeck provisions dedicated Microsoft 365 tenants. Your domains, your tenant, Microsoft's infrastructure. No shared pools with other customers.
For DNS configuration details, see our SPF, DKIM, DMARC setup guide.
Where MailDeck Falls Short
To give you an honest comparison, here's where Mailforge has advantages:
Lower entry point. Mailforge allows purchasing individual mailboxes. MailDeck's minimum is 4 domains at $180/month (400 inboxes). For small tests or solo operations, Mailforge is more accessible.
Faster setup. Mailforge can provision mailboxes faster. MailDeck takes 48 hours to provision Microsoft 365 tenants.
Google Workspace focus. MailDeck offers both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, but our primary focus and strongest infrastructure is Microsoft 365. If you need balanced focus on both platforms, research Mailforge's offering.
Content and community. Mailforge has strong content marketing and community presence. MailDeck focuses on infrastructure provisioning.
Infrastructure only. MailDeck does not include a sequencer. You'll need Instantly, Smartlead, or similar separately. Factor this into your total cost calculation.
Where MailDeck Wins
Cost at scale. Once you pass 100 inboxes, MailDeck's per-domain model becomes significantly cheaper. At 500 inboxes, you're paying $225/month vs approximately $1,500/month with Mailforge.
Dedicated infrastructure. Each MailDeck domain gets its own Microsoft 365 tenant. Your domains are fully isolated from other customers. No cross-contamination from other users' behavior.
Transparent pricing. MailDeck pricing is published and linear. 1 domain = 100 inboxes. No calculator needed.
Enterprise deliverability. Microsoft 365 infrastructure has the highest trust with corporate mail servers. We maintain 98% inbox placement across 1M+ managed Outlook inboxes.
Simpler pricing model. Mailforge per-mailbox pricing requires calculation. MailDeck is simple: 1 domain = 100 inboxes = $35-45. To calculate capacity needs, see our inbox calculator.
MailDeck Pricing
| Plan | Price | Domains | Inboxes | Cost/Inbox |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $45/mo per domain | 4-10 | 400-1,000 | $0.45 |
| Growth | $40/mo per domain | 11-30 | 1,100-3,000 | $0.40 |
| Enterprise | $35/mo per domain | 31-100 | 3,100-10,000 | $0.35 |
| Custom | Contact us | 100+ | 10,000+ | Custom |
Each domain includes 100 inboxes with automated DNS configuration (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
FAQ
How much does Mailforge cost?
Mailforge charges approximately $3 per mailbox per month. At 500 inboxes, total cost is approximately $1,500/month. Current pricing on https://www.mailforge.ai/pricing.
How does MailDeck compare to Mailforge on price?
MailDeck charges $35-45 per domain with 100 inboxes included. At 500 inboxes, MailDeck costs $225/month vs Mailforge's approximately $1,500/month. The tradeoff: MailDeck requires 48-hour setup and minimum 4 domains (400 inboxes at $180/month).
Is shared IP pool really a problem?
It depends on your volume and targets. For high-volume senders targeting enterprise recipients, shared pools carry reputation risk from other users. Dedicated tenants eliminate this cross-contamination risk.
Can I use MailDeck with Instantly or Smartlead?
Yes. MailDeck is infrastructure only. It provides SMTP credentials that work with any sequencer: Instantly, Smartlead, Salesforge, Apollo, and any other SMTP-compatible tool.
Why is MailDeck cheaper at scale?
Per-domain pricing vs per-mailbox. At 100 inboxes, prices are comparable. At 1,000 inboxes, MailDeck costs $450/month ($0.45/inbox) vs Mailforge's approximately $3,000/month ($3/inbox).
What's the minimum purchase?
MailDeck minimum is 4 domains (400 inboxes) at $180/month. Mailforge allows purchasing individual mailboxes.
How long does MailDeck setup take?
48 hours. MailDeck provisions dedicated Microsoft 365 tenants with full DNS configuration. Mailforge can provision mailboxes faster.
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