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Migrate
From Sendinblue

Migration Guide

Sendinblue→AlpacaRelay

Switch from Sendinblue to AlpacaRelay

Complete migration in under 30 minutes — saves ~$400-1,125/month in labor (8-15 hrs/month at $50-75/hr you currently spend managing Sendinblue). Your contacts, templates, and automations transfer with quality scoring added. The 7-step expertise chain takes over from day one.

30 minutesEasy — no developer needed

What Transfers from Sendinblue

FromToStatus
Contacts & listsContacts with all tags & segments — AI auto-maps fields and cleans duplicatesFull transfer
Email templatesTemplates re-scored by EQS — AI identifies weak dimensions and suggests upgrades worth ~$200-600/month in improved performanceFull transfer
Automation workflowsAI recreates and upgrades sequences — welcome email becomes scored 3-email sequence, manual newsletter becomes AI-optimized, nonexistent cart recovery becomes one-click Tier 1 (~$800-2,000/month revenue lift)Rebuild
Campaign historyAnalytics archive (read-only) — AI analyzes historical performance to calibrate future sendsPartial
Audience segmentsAI recreates segments from contact data and optimizes segment boundaries for revenue impactFull transfer
Landing pagesNot transferred (use PageKiss) — AI focuses on email, where the highest ROI livesManual

6 Steps to Complete Your Move

Step-by-Step Migration

1

Export Your Contacts from Sendinblue

Log into your Sendinblue account and navigate to Contacts > All Contacts. Select all contacts (or filter by segment if migrating in phases), then click Export > Download as CSV. This exports your full contact list with all custom fields and tags intact. You'll receive a CSV file typically within seconds. This step moves data ownership from manual spreadsheet management to AlpacaRelay's AI-powered list hygiene—saving you approximately 2-3 hours per month on list maintenance and duplicate detection. At $60/hour labor cost, that's $120-180/month in immediate savings.

2

Create Your AlpacaRelay Account & Workspace

Sign up at alpacarelay.com and complete the onboarding wizard. Provide your business name, primary sending domain, and timezone. AlpacaRelay will generate your API keys automatically (find them in Account Settings > API Keys). This activation step connects you to the 7-Step Expertise Chain, where AI begins handling everything from list segmentation to send-time optimization. Once your workspace is active, the platform's AI infrastructure starts monitoring your sending patterns—no additional setup required on your end. This step eliminates the need for manual API configuration, saving 1-2 hours of technical work.

3

Import Contacts with AI-Powered Mapping

In AlpacaRelay, go to Audience > Import Contacts and upload your CSV file. The AI automatically maps your Sendinblue fields (email, first name, custom attributes) to AlpacaRelay fields and detects duplicate entries. You'll see a preview of the mapping—verify that tags and custom fields align correctly, then confirm import. AlpacaRelay's AI simultaneously validates email addresses (removing hard bounces and syntax errors) and segments subscribers by engagement level. Industry data shows 39% of companies manually test contact data after import (LLCBuddy, 2026)—AlpacaRelay eliminates this step. Estimated savings: 3-4 hours of data cleaning and QA, or $180-240/month in labor.

4

Transfer & Upgrade Your Email Templates

In Sendinblue, navigate to Campaigns > Templates, select each template, and click Template Actions > Export HTML. Save the HTML file locally. Then in AlpacaRelay, go to Templates > Import Template and upload the HTML. Here's the critical difference: as each template imports, AlpacaRelay's AI instantly scores it across the 8-Dimension Email Quality Framework (Deliverability, Mobile Render, CTA Clarity, Personalization Depth, Visual Hierarchy, Copy Effectiveness, Brand Consistency, Structural Compliance). You'll see the Email Quality Score (EQS) for each template—typically 65-78 for imports. The AI then provides specific upgrade recommendations (e.g., improve subject line length, add mobile-responsive padding, clarify primary CTA). This eliminates manual template audits. Personalized emails achieve 29% higher open rates and 41% higher CTR compared to non-personalized (Litmus / Instapage, 2025)—AlpacaRelay's AI applies personalization logic automatically. Estimated savings: 5-6 hours of template review, or $300-360/month.

5

Rebuild & Upgrade Automations (Welcome, Cart Recovery, Re-engagement)

Sendinblue automations cannot be exported—you must rebuild them in AlpacaRelay, but the payoff is significant. In AlpacaRelay, go to Automations > Create New Automation. Rebuild your welcome sequence, abandoned cart flow, and re-engagement campaigns. As you build each automation, AlpacaRelay's AI scores every email in the sequence individually. For example, a 3-email welcome sequence will show separate EQS scores: welcome email (typically upgrades from 72 to 88 after AI recommendations), Day-3 engagement email (from 68 to 85), and final offer email (from 75 to 91). The AI also auto-generates subject line variants and optimal send times based on subscriber behavior. This transformation moves automation management from 'you manually set delays and conditions' to 'AI optimizes every send parameter.' Estimated effort: 4-6 hours for basic automations; 8-12 hours for complex, multi-branch flows. At $65/hour, this is a one-time cost of $260-780 but yields $200-400/month in labor savings long-term as the AI maintains and optimizes automations continuously.

6

Update DNS Records & Enable Authentication

In AlpacaRelay, navigate to Account Settings > Sending Domain. You'll see instructions for adding DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records to your domain provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, AWS Route53). Copy the values provided and paste them into your domain's DNS settings. This typically takes 5-15 minutes to configure; DNS propagation completes within 24-48 hours. Once authenticated, AlpacaRelay's AI begins monitoring deliverability in real time, flagging issues before they impact inbox placement (average global inbox placement rate is 83.5%, with 1 in 6 marketing emails never reaching the inbox—Validity, 2025). Non-compliant email traffic faces temporary and permanent rejections starting November 2025 enforcement (Google, 2025), so this step is critical. You'll also set up custom warm-up rules in AlpacaRelay to ramp sending volume gradually, avoiding spam traps. AlpacaRelay handles warm-up scheduling automatically—no manual intervention needed. This eliminates weekly deliverability monitoring tasks, saving 1-2 hours/month, or $50-100/month.

What You Gain by Switching

Sendinblue users switching to AlpacaRelay typically reduce their email management workload from 10+ hours monthly to under 30 minutes—a savings of approximately $7,440 annually at standard consulting rates. This dramatic efficiency gain comes from replacing manual expertise with AI automation across the entire email creation and optimization process. Where Sendinblue requires you to handle subject line testing, template design, send time optimization, and performance analysis manually, AlpacaRelay's 7-Step Expertise Chain automates these critical tasks while delivering superior results through pre-send quality scoring.

The most immediate advantage is pricing transparency that eliminates Sendinblue's notorious contact tier jumps. While Sendinblue users regularly face unexpected billing increases when crossing contact thresholds, AlpacaRelay maintains consistent per-contact pricing with no surprise charges. More importantly, you gain the one capability Sendinblue fundamentally lacks: pre-send quality assessment through the 8-Dimension Email Quality Framework. This system evaluates deliverability, mobile render, CTA clarity, personalization depth, visual hierarchy, copy effectiveness, brand consistency, and structural compliance before any email leaves your account. Given that the average global inbox placement rate is only 83.5%, with 1 in 6 marketing emails never reaching the inbox (Validity (Email Deliverability Benchmark Report), 2025), this proactive quality control becomes essential for campaign success.

Industry-calibrated templates represent another significant upgrade from Sendinblue's generic library. While Sendinblue provides basic templates requiring extensive customization, AlpacaRelay delivers email templates pre-optimized for specific business contexts with built-in Email Quality Scores averaging 92/100. These templates incorporate proven design patterns that achieve 29% higher open rates and 41% higher click-through rates compared to non-personalized alternatives (Litmus / Instapage, 2025). The AI handles template selection, personalization depth, and mobile optimization—expertise steps 2, 4, and 5 of the chain—eliminating hours of manual design work each campaign cycle.

Analytics transparency provides the final crucial advantage over Sendinblue's Apple Mail Privacy Protection-inflated metrics. Our Sendinblue vs AlpacaRelay comparison shows how honest reporting enables accurate performance measurement, while personalized CTAs convert 202% better than generic versions when properly tracked (HubSpot (State of Marketing Report), 2025). You'll trade Sendinblue's extensive integrations library for focused email excellence—a worthwhile exchange for businesses prioritizing deliverability and conversion optimization over feature breadth. This focus, combined with comprehensive migration support, ensures your transition delivers measurable ROI through reduced labor costs and improved email performance within the first quarter.

Common Migration Concerns (Addressed)

The first concern most Sendinblue users raise is subscriber data loss during migration. The good news: your subscriber data transfers completely intact. Sendinblue's CSV export preserves every contact field, tag, and subscription preference. AlpacaRelay's AI automatically maps your existing custom fields to our system, so nothing gets lost in translation. Your 10,000 subscribers remain 10,000 subscribers — with their full engagement history and segmentation intact. The migration process preserves every data point you've carefully collected.

The second concern is deliverability impact, and we address this with complete honesty: yes, your deliverability will temporarily dip. This isn't unique to AlpacaRelay — it happens with ANY sending infrastructure change. ISPs need 2-4 weeks to build trust with new IP addresses and domains. According to Validity's 2025 Email Deliverability Benchmark Report, the average global inbox placement rate is 83.5%, with 1 in 6 marketing emails never reaching the inbox. During warm-up, expect a 10-20% deliverability decrease that recovers to pre-migration levels (often better) within 2-4 weeks. We don't pretend this dip doesn't happen — we help you manage through it with proper warm-up sequences.

The third concern involves automation rebuilding. Here's the honest truth: your Sendinblue automations cannot transfer directly and must be rebuilt from scratch. However, this rebuilding process becomes an upgrade opportunity. AlpacaRelay's AI recreates your sequences while applying the 8-Dimension Email Quality Framework to each message. Your rebuilt welcome series, cart abandonment, and re-engagement campaigns typically outperform the originals because they're now quality-scored and optimized. What was once manual work becomes AI-enhanced expertise.

Timeline and cost concerns round out the common fears. Basic migrations (contacts and templates) take approximately 30 minutes. Complex automations require 2-3 hours of rebuilding time. We strongly recommend running both platforms in parallel for 2-4 weeks — yes, that means paying for both temporarily. The overlap cost ranges from $200-500 depending on your Sendinblue plan, but this parallel approach eliminates risk while deliverability stabilizes. Considering that AI-generated subject lines increase open rates by up to 22% (Knak, 2026), the ~$400-1,125 monthly labor savings from automated email management justifies the temporary overlap investment. This isn't about switching tools — it's about moving from manual email management to AI-powered expertise.

Migration FAQ
What format will my Sendinblue contacts export in, and how do I get them?
Your Sendinblue contacts export as a CSV file via Contacts > All Contacts > Export Audience. AlpacaRelay accepts CSV imports directly — map email, first name, last name, and custom attributes during upload. CSV is the universal format, so no conversion is needed. However, Sendinblue's advanced segments and automation tags won't transfer automatically; you'll need to manually recreate high-value segments in AlpacaRelay or use our bulk tagging tools post-import. This represents Step 2 of the 7-Step Expertise Chain (audience segmentation) — after migration, AI handles segment optimization continuously, whereas Sendinblue requires manual review.
How does AlpacaRelay handle double opt-in during migration, and will my existing consent data transfer?
Your existing Sendinblue double opt-in status transfers via a consent field in your CSV export. AlpacaRelay respects that status during import — subscribers marked as confirmed remain confirmed, and you avoid re-opting everyone in. However, you must verify that your CSV includes a consent timestamp or status column; if it doesn't, contact Sendinblue Support to request a compliance-ready export that includes opt-in dates and source. This is critical for GDPR and CAN-SPAM compliance. Structural Compliance (one of the 8 dimensions in the Email Quality Framework) automatically audits your import for consent gaps; any templates sent to unconfirmed addresses will score lower, flagging the risk before you send.
What Sendinblue credentials or API keys do I need to migrate, and where do I find them?
You don't need Sendinblue API keys for a basic contact migration — CSV export is sufficient and safer. If you're using Sendinblue's API integrations (e.g., e-commerce sync, CRM plugins), you'll need to identify those third-party tools and reconnect them to AlpacaRelay separately; AlpacaRelay doesn't automatically pull Sendinblue API credentials. To find your Sendinblue settings, navigate to Account Settings > Security, though for migration purposes, the CSV export path (Contacts > All Contacts > Export) is all you need. This step (Step 1: audience acquisition) traditionally required manual API configuration; AlpacaRelay's AI-driven sync automation eliminates that overhead post-migration by auto-detecting and optimizing incoming audience data.
How long does the full migration take, and should I run both platforms in parallel?
Basic migration (contacts + simple templates) takes 1-2 weeks; complex migrations with 50+ automations or custom integrations take 3-4 weeks. We strongly recommend running Sendinblue and AlpacaRelay in parallel for 2-4 weeks. Send your most engaged 20-30% of subscribers through AlpacaRelay first to build sending reputation and stabilize deliverability, then migrate the remainder. This parallel period costs extra (you're paying both platforms), but it eliminates the risk of a deliverability dip affecting your entire list. Expect a 2-4 week warm-up period regardless — ISPs need to build trust with AlpacaRelay's IP infrastructure. Honesty check: yes, parallel running increases short-term costs; however, the cost of a botched migration (15-25% inbox placement drop for weeks) far exceeds the overlap expense.
What happens to my Sendinblue templates and automations when I migrate — do they automatically transfer?
Templates do not auto-transfer; you must export them manually. From Sendinblue, navigate to Campaigns > select a campaign > Replicate > Export as HTML, then import the HTML into AlpacaRelay's template editor. Automations cannot be exported from Sendinblue at all — you'll rebuild them in AlpacaRelay using our workflow builder. However, this is where AlpacaRelay's AI Expertise Replacement shines: instead of manually recreating a 5-email welcome sequence, you input your brand voice and goals, and AI generates the entire sequence with individual Email Quality Scores for each email. Your imported templates immediately receive an EQS score across all 8 dimensions; templates scoring 80+ typically generate 15-20% higher engagement and convert to approximately $800-2,000/month additional revenue depending on list size (based on AlpacaRelay analysis of customer cohorts). Step 3 (template authoring) and Step 4 (automation design) shift entirely to AI, reducing your rebuild time from days to hours.
How much will it cost to run both Sendinblue and AlpacaRelay during the parallel migration period?
Cost depends on your Sendinblue plan and AlpacaRelay tier. If you're on Sendinblue's $20/month starter plan and migrate to AlpacaRelay's equivalent tier ($25/month), expect 2-4 weeks of parallel costs totaling $180-240 extra. If you're on a higher Sendinblue tier, the overlap may cost more. Calculate it honestly: parallel cost versus the risk of deliverability collapse. Industry benchmarks show 1 in 6 marketing emails fail to reach the inbox (Validity, 2025); a botched migration could drop your placement rate to 70% for 4-6 weeks, losing significant revenue. We recommend budgeting the overlap cost as insurance. After the 2-4 week warm-up and migration validation, cancel Sendinblue. Total migration investment: 2-4 weeks of overlap plus 5-10 hours of rebuild work — significantly less than the long-term labor savings AI automation delivers (Step 5-7 of the Expertise Chain shift to AI, saving 8-12 hours/month in ongoing campaign management).

Ready to Switch? Migration Saves ~$5,000-13,500/Year in Labor

Free account. Import your Sendinblue contacts in 5 minutes. See your templates scored instantly. The 7-step expertise chain takes over from day one — 8-15 hrs/month of manual work moves to AI.

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