Reliable and configurable email delivery is essential for applications that automate user communication and notification workflows. The @rubixstudios/payload-usesend adapter enables PayloadCMS to integrate directly with the useSend email infrastructure, eliminating the need for external middleware. This integration supports both transactional and marketing email use cases through a secure and scalable configuration. This guide explains how to install the adapter, manage environment variables, and deploy it with hosted and self-managed useSend instances.
PayloadCMS is an open-source, headless Content Management System engineered with Node.js and React. It adopts a code-first development paradigm, allowing content structures, access controls, and API behaviour to be defined directly in code. This model enhances maintainability, promotes version control, and aligns with modern software engineering practices.
Features:
PayloadCMS is purpose-built for teams requiring extensibility and control in content delivery systems. Its architecture supports both simple deployments and complex, high-traffic applications, making it suitable for marketing sites, SaaS platforms, internal tools, and enterprise-grade digital products.
useSend (formly Unsend) is an open-source email infrastructure platform designed to provide developers with full control over outbound email delivery through a REST API. It supports both transactional and marketing communications, offering a robust feature set for reliable and compliant email operations.
Features:
useSend is engineered for deployment flexibility. It can be operated as a hosted solution or deployed on-premise, making it suitable for teams that prioritize data ownership, regulatory compliance, and cost-efficiency in their email infrastructure.
Rubix Studios’ @rubixstudios/payload-usesend serves as a direct integration layer between PayloadCMS and the useSend email infrastructure. This adapter enables PayloadCMS to dispatch emails through useSend’s REST API without relying on intermediary services or custom middleware.
This integration is well-suited for use cases requiring:
Features:
The adapter provides key capabilities that simplify integration and enhance operational efficiency:
To integrate the adapter with PayloadCMS:
Installation
pnpm add @rubixstudios/payload-usesendConfiguration
In your payload.config.js, import and set up the adapter:
import { sendAdapter } from '@rubixstudios/payload-usesend';
export default buildConfig({ email: sendAdapter({ apiKey: process.env.USESEND_API_KEY!, useSendUrl: process.env.USESEND_URL!, defaultFromName: 'Rubix Studios', defaultFromAddress: 'example@rubixstudios.com.au', }),});Variables
Ensure the following variables are defined in your environment:
USESEND_API_KEY=your_api_keyUSESEND_URL=https://your-usesend-instance-url or https://app.usesend.comFor self-hosted useSend deployments using Amazon SES:
IAM user
Permissions
Attach the following policies:
Credentials
Variables
In your useSend deployment:
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=your-access-key-idAWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=your-secret-access-keyCompared to SaaS-based email services such as Resend, useSend presents a strategic, developer-focused alternative with clear operational and financial benefits:
The @rubixstudios/payload-usesend adapter is publicly available and actively maintained by Rubix Studios Pty. Ltd.
Developers are encouraged to participate in ongoing improvements by submitting enhancements, reporting bugs, or contributing to documentation.
The @rubixstudios/payload-usesend integration extends PayloadCMS with robust and configurable email capabilities, leveraging useSend’s infrastructure for scalable and cost-efficient delivery. By adopting this solution, development teams gain enhanced control, improved compliance alignment, and the flexibility to tailor email operations to project-specific needs.
Organizations are invited to support ongoing development by contributing to the open-source repository, enabling broader adoption and continued innovation.