The SendGrid alternative that doesn't charge per contact
SendGrid makes you pay for two separate products and charges by contact count for marketing. Sendkit gives you transactional emails, campaigns, and automations in one API — priced per email, not per contact.
Why teams switch from SendGrid
Two products, two bills
SendGrid splits Email API and Marketing Campaigns into separate products with separate pricing. Need both? Pay for both. Sendkit is one platform, one bill.
Contact-based pricing
SendGrid Marketing charges by contact count. Your list grows, your bill grows — even if you send fewer emails. Sendkit charges per email sent. Unlimited contacts on every plan.
Account freezes
The most common complaint about SendGrid: accounts get suspended without warning, and support takes days to respond. Sendkit has responsive support and transparent policies.
No AI agent support
SendGrid has no MCP server. Sendkit has a full MCP server with 40+ tools — your AI agent can manage templates, send campaigns, segment contacts, and track metrics.
Sendkit vs SendGrid
| Feature | Sendkit | SendGrid |
|---|---|---|
| Transactional + Marketing | One platform | Two separate products |
| Pricing model | Per email sent | Per contact (marketing) |
| Free tier | 3,000 emails/mo (permanent) | 60-day trial only |
| Official SDKs | 10 languages | 7 languages |
| MCP Server | 40+ tools | Not available |
| Email Validation | Built-in | Paid add-on (Pro+) |
| Unlimited Contacts | All plans | Email API only |
| Automations | Included | Marketing plan only |
Pricing comparison
SendGrid requires two separate subscriptions for transactional and marketing. Sendkit's Marketing plan includes everything.
| Volume | Sendkit | SendGrid |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 emails/mo | $15/mo (Transactional) or $30/mo (Marketing) | $19.95/mo (API) + $15/mo (Marketing) = $34.95/mo |
| 50,000 emails/mo | $80/mo (Marketing) | $89.95/mo (API Pro) + $60/mo (Marketing) = ~$150/mo |
| 100,000 emails/mo | $130/mo (Marketing) | $89.95/mo (API Pro) + $60+/mo (Marketing) = ~$150+/mo |
Sendkit is a good fit if you
- Need transactional and marketing email in one platform
- Want per-email pricing, not per-contact
- Use AI agents and need MCP integration
- Want a permanent free tier, not a trial
- Need SDKs for 10+ languages
SendGrid might be better if you
- Need enterprise features like SSO and subuser management
- Send 1M+ emails/month and need custom infrastructure
- Already have deep SendGrid API integrations
- Need phone support
Start sending in minutes.
3,000 emails/month on the free tier. No credit card, no commitment.