Overview
SendGrid is one of the oldest email APIs and is now sold as part of Twilio. It offers a Web API with client libraries, an SMTP relay, dynamic templates, event webhooks and an Inbound Parse webhook for receiving mail.
There is no permanent free plan for the Email API: new accounts get a 60-day trial limited to 100 emails a day. Essentials starts at $19.95 a month for 50,000 emails ($34.95 for 100,000) with ticket and chat support and one teammate. Pro starts at $89.95 for 100,000 emails and adds a dedicated IP, IP pools, subuser management, SSO, 1,000 teammates, 2,500 email validations and seven days of searchable activity.
Essentials keeps only three days of searchable email activity, which is short when you are chasing a missing email. Longer history is a paid add-on.
SendGrid lists SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance, and an EU data residency option. Marketing Campaigns, the newsletter product, is purchased separately.
Pricing and plans
checked 28 Sept 2026| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | $0 for 60 days | 100 emails/day |
| Essentials 50k | $19.95/mo | 50,000 emails, $0.00133 per extra email, 3 days of activity |
| Essentials 100k | $34.95/mo | 100,000 emails, $0.00088 per extra email |
| Pro 100k | $89.95/mo | 1 dedicated IP, subusers, SSO, 7 days of activity |
| Pro 300k | $249/mo | 300,000 emails |
| Pro 700k | $499/mo | 700,000 emails |
| Pro 1.5M | $799/mo | 1,500,000 emails |
| Premier | Custom | 2.5M+ emails, 5,000 validations |
What it does
- Web API and SMTP
- Send through a REST API with client libraries or a standard SMTP relay.
- Dynamic templates
- Stored templates with handlebars-style substitution.
- Inbound Parse
- Receive email and have it posted to your webhook.
- Dedicated IPs and pools
- One dedicated IP included on Pro and Premier, with automated warm-up and pooling.
- Subusers
- Separate sending accounts under one parent on Pro and Premier, useful for multi-tenant apps.
- Email validation
- 2,500 validations included on Pro and 5,000 on Premier.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Dedicated IP and subusers included from $89.95/mo
- $34.95 covers 100,000 emails on Essentials
- Part of Twilio, so SMS and email can share one vendor
- SOC 2 Type II and an EU data residency option
Limitations
- No permanent free plan, only a 60-day trial at 100 emails/day
- Essentials includes only 3 days of searchable activity and one teammate
- Marketing Campaigns is billed separately from the Email API
- Premier pricing requires contacting sales
Who it suits
Good for
- Companies already using Twilio
- Multi-tenant apps that need subusers
- Senders of 100,000+ emails who want a dedicated IP included
Look elsewhere if
- Hobby projects that need a free plan
- Teams that want long log retention on a low-cost plan
Pricing history
-
SendGrid retires its Free Email API plan
Announced May 27, 2025: existing Free Email API and Free Marketing Campaigns plans kept full access for 60 days, after which sending paused unless the account upgraded to a paid plan (Essentials from $19.95/mo). Source ↗
-
New SendGrid accounts get a 60-day trial instead of a free plan
From March 25, 2025 (effective date), new Twilio SendGrid accounts start on a 60-day trial limited to 100 emails a day, after which sending stops unless a paid Email API plan is chosen. Source ↗
Alternatives to Twilio SendGrid Email API
| Tool | From | Free option | Stages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brevo Email marketing and transactional platform | $9/mo | Free tier | |
| Amazon SES Cloud email sending and receiving service | Usage-based | ||
| Azure Communication Services Email Cloud email sending API | Usage-based | ||
| Mailchimp Transactional Transactional email and SMS add-on | $20/mo | ||
| Mailgun Email API and SMTP relay | $15/mo | Free tier | |
| SocketLabs Email delivery platform and analytics | $39.95/mo |
Twilio SendGrid Email API vs Mailgun → All transactional email apis →
Questions
Does SendGrid still have a free plan?
The Email API now has a free trial: 100 emails a day for 60 days. After that you need a paid plan.
How much does SendGrid cost for 50,000 emails?
$19.95 a month on Essentials 50k.
Which SendGrid plan includes a dedicated IP?
Pro, starting at $89.95 a month for 100,000 emails, includes one dedicated IP.
Can SendGrid receive email?
Yes, the Inbound Parse webhook receives email and posts it to your application.
Sources read for this page