Choosing an Email Provider

Quick Decision

| Your situation | Best choice |
|---------------|-------------|
| No existing email platform | Mailgun (Managed) — we handle everything |
| Already use Klaviyo | Connect Klaviyo |
| Already use Mailchimp | Connect Mailchimp |
| Already use Resend | Connect Resend |
| Want maximum control over deliverability | Resend or your existing ESP |
| E-commerce with existing flows/segments | Klaviyo |

Managed vs. Bring Your Own Account

ILLIXIS offers two approaches to email sending:

Mailgun — Managed by ILLIXIS

ILLIXIS owns the Mailgun account and handles all email infrastructure on your behalf. You provide your sending domain and add DNS records — that's it. No API keys, no external accounts to manage.

Best for:

• Users new to email marketing who don't have an existing platform
• Users who want the simplest possible setup
• Users who don't want to manage another SaaS subscription

How it works:

1. Go to Settings > Integrations > Email Marketing
2. Enter your sending domain (e.g., mail.yourbrand.com)
3. ILLIXIS generates DNS records (SPF, DKIM, CNAME)
4. Add those DNS records to your domain provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.)
5. Click "Check Verification" — once DNS propagates, you're ready to send

What ILLIXIS handles:

• Mailgun API authentication
• Deliverability optimization
• Bounce and complaint processing
• Suppression list management

What you handle:

• Adding DNS records to your domain provider
• Choosing which emails to send through ILLIXIS

Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Resend — Bring Your Own Account

Connect your existing email platform to ILLIXIS. You manage the account and billing directly with the provider. ILLIXIS sends campaigns, sequences, and digests through their API on your behalf.

Best for:

• Users who already have an email platform with existing subscribers
• Users who want advanced features (Klaviyo flows, Mailchimp automations)
• Users who need full control over their sender reputation

Setup varies by platform:

| Platform | What you provide | Setup method |
|----------|-----------------|--------------|
| Klaviyo | Private API Key (with required scopes) | Paste key in ILLIXIS |
| Mailchimp | OAuth authorization | Click "Connect" and authorize |
| Resend | API Key | Paste key in ILLIXIS |

Platform Comparison

| Feature | Mailgun (Managed) | Klaviyo | Mailchimp | Resend |
|---------|-------------------|---------|-----------|--------|
| Setup effort | Low (DNS only) | Medium (API key + scopes) | Low (OAuth click) | Medium (API key + domain) |
| External account needed | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Additional cost to you | Included with ILLIXIS | Your Klaviyo plan | Your Mailchimp plan | Your Resend plan |
| Advanced email flows | Via ILLIXIS sequences | Klaviyo flows + ILLIXIS | Mailchimp automations + ILLIXIS | Via ILLIXIS sequences |
| E-commerce features | Basic | Best-in-class | Limited | Basic |
| Audience management | Via ILLIXIS | Klaviyo segments | Mailchimp audiences | Resend audiences |
| Sender reputation | Managed by ILLIXIS | Your own | Your own | Your own |

What You Can Send Through Any Platform

Regardless of which platform you choose, ILLIXIS can send:

• Email Digests — AI-generated newsletters from your published content
• Email Sequences — Multi-step automated campaigns with delays and conditions
• Broadcast Emails — One-time campaigns to your subscriber lists
• Decision Digest Emails — Data-driven executive reports

Related Guides

• Email Digest Builder — Creating and sending email newsletters
• Email Automation Triggers — Setting up automated email workflows
• Trial Email Sequences — Pre-built onboarding sequences
• Broadcast Emails — Sending one-time email campaigns

Automation Schedule

Not applicable — this is a setup guide.