name: SMTP2GO FinOps Framework
description: FinOps cost management guidance for SMTP2GO email delivery API usage,
  covering cost allocation, optimization, and forecasting aligned to the FinOps Foundation
  FOCUS specification.
version: '1.0'
url: https://www.smtp2go.com/pricing/
framework: FinOps Framework FOCUS 1.0
currency: USD
billing_model: subscription_plus_overage
billing_period: monthly
cost_categories:
  - name: Base Subscription
    description: Fixed monthly fee for the selected SMTP2GO plan tier covering included
      email volume.
    type: fixed
    plans:
      - plan: Free
        cost: 0.00
        included_emails: 1000
      - plan: Starter
        cost: 10.00
        included_emails: 10000
      - plan: Professional
        cost: 75.00
        included_emails: 100000
      - plan: Premier
        cost: custom
        included_emails: 3000000_plus
  - name: Email Overage
    description: Per-1,000-email charge applied when monthly included volume is exceeded.
    type: variable
    unit: per 1000 emails
    rates:
      - plan: Starter
        rate: 1.00
      - plan: Professional
        rate: 0.85
      - plan: Premier
        rate: custom
  - name: Annual Discount
    description: Savings available by committing to annual billing instead of monthly.
    type: discount
    discounts:
      - plan: Starter
        monthly_cost: 10.00
        annual_cost: 100.00
        annual_savings: 20.00
        savings_pct: 16.7
      - plan: Professional
        monthly_cost: 75.00
        annual_cost: 750.00
        annual_savings: 150.00
        savings_pct: 16.7
cost_optimization:
  - recommendation: Use annual billing to save approximately 16.7% on Starter and
      Professional plans.
    category: commitment_discount
  - recommendation: Monitor monthly email volume against plan limits to avoid overage
      charges; consider upgrading plans when overage regularly exceeds 10-15% of the
      included allocation.
    category: right_sizing
  - recommendation: Use SMTP2GO subaccount management to allocate sending quotas by
      team, product, or customer to track costs per cost center.
    category: cost_allocation
  - recommendation: Leverage suppression lists and bounce management to reduce wasted
      sends and lower effective cost per delivered email.
    category: waste_reduction
  - recommendation: Use API key-level rate limits to prevent runaway send loops or
      accidental bulk sends that could generate unexpected overage charges.
    category: cost_controls
  - recommendation: Review activity reports and email cycle summaries monthly to forecast
      volume trends and plan upgrades or downgrades proactively.
    category: forecasting
cost_allocation:
  methods:
    - type: subaccounts
      description: SMTP2GO subaccounts allow resellers and enterprise customers to
        segment email sending by client, department, or product line for chargeback
        or showback reporting.
    - type: api_keys
      description: Separate API keys per team or application allow granular tracking
        of sending volumes by cost center using SMTP2GO activity reports.
forecasting:
  signals:
    - Monthly email cycle report (available via /v3/stats/email/cycle)
    - Email history breakdown by sender domain (available via /v3/stats/email/history)
    - Activity search for trend analysis (available via /v3/activity/search)
  guidance: Track monthly growth rate of email volume to anticipate plan tier transitions
    and overage charges. Set quota usage notification alerts in the SMTP2GO dashboard
    to receive warnings before exceeding plan limits.
unit_economics:
  - plan: Free
    cost_per_1k_emails: 0.00
    note: Limited to 1,000 emails/month total
  - plan: Starter
    cost_per_1k_emails: 1.00
    at_included_volume: 1.00
    overage_cost_per_1k_emails: 1.00
  - plan: Professional
    cost_per_1k_emails: 0.75
    at_included_volume: 0.75
    overage_cost_per_1k_emails: 0.85