| Features | Own SMTP Mailers | Hosted SMTP Mailers | Tier 2 ESP | Tier 1 ESP |
| Hardware/Software | Client manages | Vendor manages | Vendor manages | Vendor manages |
| Internal Effort | Extremely time consuming | More time consuming |
Minimal | Virtually none |
| Internal Skills | Internal experts required | Some know-how beneficial | Little Know-how needed | No Know-how needed |
| Availability | Poor | Medium | High | Extremely high |
| Security | Poor | Medium | High | Extremely high |
| Performance and Scalability | Poor | Medium | High | Extremely high |
| Reputation of Sender | Poor | Medium | High | Extremely high |
| Deliverability | Poor (<50%) | Medium (50 to 60%) | High (60 to 80%) | Extremely high (>95%) |
| ISP Relations | None | None | Limited | Very good |
| Feedback loop from ISPs | None | None | Limited or None | Very good and at a price |
| Reports | Rudimentary | Basic | Medium | Rich |
| Functionality | Basic | Basic | Medium | Extremely High |
| Best pratices | None | None | Medium | Very High |
| CMS | None | None | None | Yes |
| Support | Limited | Limited | Self Service | Good Support |
| Tier 1 ESP – Sprinklr/eCircle, etc. | ||||
| Tier 2 ESP – Benchmark, Campaigner, Constant contact, Vertical Response, E-campaigner, iContact, Juvlon etc. | ||||
| Hosted SMTP Mailers - Netcore emergic mailer | ||||
