Stacks / Newsletter
Easy
Plunk or Posta + Resend
Own the list in PocketBase, send with Resend, use Plunk or Posta when you want a full newsletter app.
The problem
Mailchimp taxes the list. Mailgun is an API, not a newsletter. Moving later means begging for a CSV and rebuilding segments.
Replaces
Mailchimp / Mailgun newsletter
Estimated SaaS saved
$1,800
per year, small team, before lock-in
Deploy on RailwayThis site already stores subscribers in PocketBase and optionally adds them to a Resend audience. Plunk/Posta is the upgrade path.
The stack
- Plunk
Open-source email platform
- goposta/posta
Self-hosted newsletter
- Resend
Delivery, audiences, broadcasts
- PocketBase
Signup mirror you own
Dave stack
Cost table
| You stop paying | Typical / year | Self-host instead |
|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp Standard (small list) | $1,800 | PocketBase + Resend audience |
| Mailgun + a newsletter UI | $1,200 | Plunk or Posta |
Agent setup prompt
Build a newsletter that replaces Mailchimp.
Minimum: a signup form that writes to PocketBase collection "subscribers" and, when RESEND_API_KEY and RESEND_AUDIENCE_ID are set, also creates a Resend contact on that audience.
Upgrade: deploy Plunk or goposta/posta for the editorial UI, still sending through Resend.
- Double opt-in via Resend when keys exist; otherwise store as pending.
- Weekly format: one stack combo, one new tool, one sponsor slot ("c17 Stack of the Week").
- Use a send. subdomain so apex MX can stay on Mailflare.Also as markdown: /stacks/plunk-newsletter.md
FAQ
- Why mirror subscribers in PocketBase?
- So the list survives a vendor swap. Resend is the pipe. PocketBase is the source of truth on this box.
- Do I need Plunk on day one?
- No. c17 ships signup + archive pages. Add Plunk when you want campaigns beyond a markdown issue.