Side by side
| Task | SES console | Stamp0 |
|---|---|---|
| Domain setup | Copy DKIM CNAMEs and MAIL FROM records into your DNS by hand | Records applied on Route 53 (other DNS: a copy-paste list), then polled until verified |
| Delivery events | Configuration set, event destination, SNS or EventBridge, plus your own consumer | Created by the stack and streamed into a searchable activity log |
| Looking up one email | No message history in the console | Timeline per email: queued, sent, delivered, opened, bounced |
| Inbound mail | Receipt rule sets, an S3 action, and your own parser | Inboxes, threads and messages over an API |
| Bounce and complaint health | Account-level reputation metrics | Per domain and per project, against SES review thresholds |
| Sandbox exit | A form, then waiting | Guided checklist so the request is ready to approve |
| API | SES v2 API (AWS SigV4) | Resend-compatible REST API with API keys |
| Agents | Sample MCP server that wraps raw API calls | Remote MCP with task-level tools |
What the setup actually involves
Getting SES production-ready from the console takes a list of steps that each live in a different part of AWS:
- Create a domain identity and publish three DKIM CNAME records.
- Configure a custom MAIL FROM domain (MX and SPF TXT) for alignment.
- Publish a DMARC record.
- Create a configuration set and an event destination, then something to consume the events and store them.
- Set up receipt rules, an S3 bucket and a parser if you receive mail.
- Request production access to leave the sandbox.
Stamp0 does steps 1 to 5 from one CloudFormation Quick Create link and a domain name, and prepares step 6.
Cost
You keep paying AWS for SES exactly as before. Stamp0 adds a flat monthly price, free up to 50,000 emails a month, and its stack costs about $0.40 a month in your account. Because Stamp0 provides deliverability insights, most teams can use SES à la carte at $0.10 per 1,000 rather than the Essentials plan at $0.16; see SES pricing explained.
You stay in control
Everything Stamp0 creates is a normal AWS resource in your account, tagged and visible in the console. Delete the CloudFormation stack and Stamp0 loses access; your identities, suppression list and sending reputation remain yours.