Both provision cold email sending infrastructure. Here is how they compare.
Mailforge and Maildoso both solve the same core problem: you need dedicated email infrastructure for cold outreach without burning your main company domain. Both provision sending domains, set up mailboxes, handle DNS records, and include warmup. The differences come down to pricing model, the level of management they provide, and how much technical setup you are willing to handle. If you are configuring infrastructure for 10-50 mailboxes, the choice here has a real impact on deliverability and cost per mailbox.
Managed infrastructure vs. self-service
Maildoso offers more fully managed infrastructure: dedicated servers, IP rotation, and a support team that handles deliverability issues as they arise. It is closer to infrastructure-as-a-service. Mailforge is more self-service: you spin up domains quickly through their dashboard, configure warmup settings, and manage the infrastructure yourself. Teams with technical comfort and disciplined sending practices find Mailforge's control worth the tradeoff. Teams who want to configure it once and not think about it again prefer Maildoso.
Pricing at different volumes
Mailforge starts at around $59/month for 10 mailboxes, scaling to $199/month for 50 mailboxes. Maildoso starts at $79-99/month but often bundles more mailboxes at the base tier. At low volumes (10-20 mailboxes), Mailforge tends to be cheaper. At higher volumes (50-plus mailboxes), the gap narrows and Maildoso's managed services can justify the higher cost by reducing the overhead of deliverability management.
Warmup and deliverability integration
Both include warmup networks where new mailboxes exchange emails with other accounts to build sending reputation before you start cold outreach. Mailforge integrates with third-party warmup tools like Instantly, Smartlead, and Mailreach. Maildoso's warmup is built directly into its managed infrastructure. For teams already using Instantly or Smartlead as their sending platform, Mailforge's integration-first approach fits naturally. For teams who want a standalone all-in-one infrastructure setup, Maildoso is simpler.
| Mailforge | Maildoso | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$59/month for 10 mailboxes | ~$79-99/month (bundled mailboxes) |
| Infrastructure type | Shared hosting with domain isolation | Dedicated servers with IP rotation |
| DNS setup | Semi-automated, dashboard-guided | Fully managed by Maildoso team |
| Warmup approach | Integrates with Instantly, Smartlead, Mailreach | Built-in warmup network |
| Technical setup required | Some (DNS config, warmup tool setup) | Minimal, team handles setup |
| Deliverability support | Self-service documentation | Dedicated support team |
| Scalability | Plan-based, 10 to 100-plus mailboxes | Plan-based, larger bundles at base tiers |
| Custom domain support | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Technical teams, existing Instantly/Smartlead users | High-volume senders, teams wanting hands-off infra |
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The verdict
Mailforge is the right choice for teams who are comfortable managing their own infrastructure, are already using tools like Instantly or Smartlead (which integrate natively), and want lower cost at 10-30 mailbox scale. Maildoso is the right choice for teams who want fully managed infrastructure, are running 50-plus mailboxes, or have burned infrastructure before and want dedicated IPs with professional deliverability support. The honest reality: at most SMB cold email volumes, either tool works if you follow the warmup protocol correctly. The tool matters less than the discipline: never rush warmup, keep daily sends under 40-50 per mailbox, and rotate domains every 6-12 months.
How many mailboxes do I need for cold email?
A good baseline is 1 mailbox per 40-50 cold emails per day. If your sequences are 4-5 steps over 2-3 weeks and you want to contact 200 new prospects per week, you need about 4-6 mailboxes. At that scale, either Mailforge or Maildoso handles the volume comfortably. Larger volumes (500-plus new contacts per week) benefit from 10-plus mailboxes to spread sending load across IPs and domains.
Do I need dedicated IPs or is shared hosting fine?
For most teams sending under 500 emails per day total, shared hosting with good domain isolation works fine. Dedicated IPs matter most when you are sending at high volumes, need precise control over your sending reputation, or have had shared infrastructure flagged before. Maildoso's dedicated servers make more sense for agencies or high-volume teams. For a typical B2B startup sending 100-300 emails per day, Mailforge's infrastructure is sufficient.
How long does mailbox warmup take?
Proper warmup takes 3-5 weeks minimum. Weeks 1-2: start at 5-10 emails per day per mailbox, all going into the warmup network. Weeks 3-4: ramp to 20-30 per day. Week 5 onward: begin mixing real cold outreach at 10-20 per day while continuing warmup sends alongside. Both Mailforge (via integrations) and Maildoso (via built-in warmup) automate this schedule. Skipping or rushing warmup is the single most common reason cold email infrastructure gets flagged.
Can I use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailboxes on these platforms?
Both Mailforge and Maildoso provision custom domains that you can connect to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Using these providers adds sending legitimacy since Google and Microsoft have strong reputation with major email providers. The tradeoff is added per-mailbox cost ($6-8/month from Google, more from Microsoft). Many teams use a hybrid: primary sending from custom domains on the infrastructure provider, with 1-2 Google Workspace accounts for reply handling.
What is the difference between Mailforge and Infraforge?
Mailforge and Infraforge are competing cold email infrastructure providers with similar positioning: domain provisioning, mailbox setup, warmup, and deliverability management. Infraforge tends to be cheaper at high volumes and uses a more self-service model. Mailforge positions as a more polished, user-friendly product with better onboarding support. For technical teams prioritizing cost per mailbox at scale, Infraforge is worth comparing directly. For teams prioritizing ease of use and support quality, Mailforge holds the edge.
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