About Plunk
Plunk is an open-source email platform focused on simplicity. It can be self-hosted or used as a managed service.
Website: useplunk.com
Prerequisites
- A Plunk account (hosted or self-hosted)
- An API key
- A configured project
Getting Your API Key
Hosted Plunk
- Log in to Plunk
- Go to your project settings
- Find your Secret API Key
- Copy the key
Self-Hosted Plunk
- Access your Plunk dashboard
- Navigate to project settings
- Copy the API key
Configuration
Add Plunk in mailshit:
- Go to Settings > Providers
- Click Add Provider
- Select Plunk
- Enter the following:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| API Key | Your Plunk API key | sk_abc123... |
| From Email | Sender email | hello@yourdomain.com |
| From Name | Display name (optional) | Your Company |
- Click Save
Hosted vs Self-Hosted
Hosted (useplunk.com)
- Managed infrastructure
- Automatic updates
- No server maintenance
- Pay-as-you-go pricing
Self-Hosted
- Full control over data
- No usage limits (you control the infrastructure)
- Requires server maintenance
- Connect your own email provider (AWS SES, etc.)
Free Tier (Hosted)
Plunk’s hosted service offers:
- 100 emails/month free
- 1 project
- Basic analytics
Open Source
Plunk is open source under the AGPLv3 license:
- GitHub: github.com/useplunk/plunk
- Self-hosting documentation available
- Community contributions welcome
Example Response
{
"success": true,
"type": "sent",
"messageId": "plunk_abc123..."
}Best Practices
- Configure your sending domain for better deliverability
- Use environment variables for API keys
- Monitor sends through Plunk’s dashboard
- Self-host for privacy if handling sensitive data
Troubleshooting
“Unauthorized”
- Verify your API key is correct
- Ensure you’re using the secret key, not public key
“Project not found”
- Check your project exists in Plunk
- Verify API key belongs to the correct project
Emails not delivering (self-hosted)
- Check your underlying email provider configuration
- Verify DNS records are set up correctly