The latest articles on Forem by Staks (@staksdev). https://forem.com/staksdev https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3704588%2F831396cc-3cd8-4c97-a87e-4516c22e19dd.png https://forem.com/staksdev en Staks Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:21:00 +0000 https://forem.com/staksdev/why-i-built-staks-open-source-email-infrastructure-for-developers-3inc https://forem.com/staksdev/why-i-built-staks-open-source-email-infrastructure-for-developers-3inc <p>Why I Built Staks: Open-Source Email Infrastructure for Developers</p> <p>I'm launching, Staks, an open-source email infrastructure platform built specifically for developers in emerging markets.</p> <p>The Problem</p> <p>Email infrastructure is broken for developers outside the US.</p> <p>Sendgrid charges $300k+/year for enterprise plans. Mailgun costs $90/month for 100,000 emails. For developers in India, Brazil, Nigeria, and other emerging markets, this is simply not affordable.</p> <p>I've been there. I've watched talented developers build amazing products but struggle to send transactional emails (password resets, order confirmations, etc.) because the infrastructure costs are prohibitive.</p> <p>The Solution: Staks</p> <p>$50/month for UNLIMITED emails.</p> <p>No per-email charges. No surprises. No hidden fees.</p> <p>Key Features:</p> <ul> <li>99.9% uptime SLA- Your emails get delivered</li> <li>Simple REST API- Integrate in minutes</li> <li>Email templates- Pre-built templates for common use cases</li> <li>Real-time analytics- Track opens, clicks, deliveries</li> <li>Open-source - Self-host or use managed</li> <li>Developer-first - Built by developers, for developers</li> </ul> <p>Why Open-Source?</p> <p>Transparency matters. Developers want to know how their email is being sent. With Staks, you can:</p> <ul> <li>Audit the code</li> <li>Self-host if you want</li> <li>Contribute improvements</li> <li>Build on top of it</li> </ul> <p>The Market</p> <p>There are 500,000+ developers in emerging markets who need affordable email infrastructure. They're building SaaS products, e-commerce platforms, and fintech apps. They deserve infrastructure that doesn't cost a fortune.</p> <p>We're in Beta</p> <p>I'm looking for early users to help shape Staks. If you're interested:</p> <ol> <li>Sign up for beta:<a href="https://staks.dev" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://staks.dev</a> </li> <li>Check out the code: <a href="https://github.com/edbarki77-arch/Staks-core" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://github.com/edbarki77-arch/Staks-core</a> </li> <li>Share feedback: Reply in the comments</li> </ol> <p>What's Next?</p> <ul> <li>Week 1: Validation (getting early users)</li> <li>Week 2-3: MVP (building the core product)</li> <li>Week 4: Beta launch (first paying customers)</li> </ul> <p>I'll be documenting the entire journey here on Dev.to. Follow me for updates!</p> <p>Questions? Ask in the comments below!</p> email opensource startup developers