Who this comparison is for
MailBridge highlights
- HMAC Bridge with IP allowlists, scopes, and key rotation
- Bulk sender + verification cache + event bus
Front highlights
- Powerful collaboration (assign, comment, SLA rules)
Capability matrix
| Capability | MailBridge | Front | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP/SMTP account sync | Full | Full | Both connect mailboxes |
| Shared inbox collaboration (assign, @mention) | Partial | Full | MailBridge focuses on ops + logging; lighter collaboration |
| Secure developer Bridge (HMAC + replay window) | Native | Partial | Front has APIs; MailBridge focuses on signed bridge with rotation |
| Bulk queued sender | Full | Partial | MailBridge cron-based bulk sender |
| Verification cache (MX/SMTP probes) | Full | Partial | — |
| Event bus publish/subscribe | Native | Partial | Different ecosystem focus |
| .eml import/preview | Full | None | — |
- This is a capability contrast, not a pricing comparison. Front emphasizes collaboration; MailBridge emphasizes backend bridge + ops + sync.
Total cost of ownership
MailBridge reduces custom middleware when internal apps must send through the same inboxes that ops teams use. Front shines when deep collaboration features are the priority.
Assumptions
- Inbox operations + programmatic send from internal apps
Migration plan
From Front · Maintain inboxes; add Bridge; migrate rules as needed
-
1
Keep existing IMAP/OAuth connections; enable MailBridge sync
-
2
Introduce HMAC Bridge for system-generated mail
-
3
Mirror key rules/labels; route events to workflows
Security
- RBAC + least privilege; per-connection scopes
- Key rotation & audit logs on bridge calls
Evidence & sources
| Claim | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge security | HMAC-SHA256 over <ts>.<body> |
product_docs
Headers X-EH-TS / X-EH-SIG
|
About MailBridge
MailBridge centralizes business email inside your Velaxe workspace. Connect IMAP/SMTP accounts (including OAuth providers) and the background poller ingests folders, flags, bodies, and attachments with safe throttles. Compose drafts with uploads, send immediately, or enqueue to the bulk sender with pacing and retry policies.
A hardened, timestamped HMAC bridge lets external apps request account suggestions or send mail via signed requests—no CORS headaches. Connections include scopes, IP allowlists, and rotating secrets with audit logs and analytics.
Verification tools probe domains/MX/SMTP and cache outcomes to reduce bounces. Events integrate with workflows and AI responses so teams can automate follow-ups and logging into CRM/Chronicle.