SendGrid Free Trial Explained – No Free Plan Available

Here’s something that’ll mess up your morning coffee: SendGrid killed off its free plan this May. If you’ve been coasting on their free tier or thinking about signing up, we need to talk.

What is the SendGrid Pricing Plan?

SendGrid has always been that reliable email service lurking behind the scenes — you know, the one handling billions of emails for Uber and Airbnb while you never really think about it. Until now.

They pulled the plug on free plans on May 27, 2025. Just like that. No more 100 daily emails through their API, no more 6,000 monthly marketing emails. After that date, you’re looking at $19.95/month minimum to keep the lights on.

Twilio clearly decided free users aren’t worth the server costs anymore. Can’t blame them from a business perspective, but it leaves a lot of smaller operations scrambling. Good thing competitors like Sender still offer 2,500 contacts permanently free — no expiration dates, no sudden rug-pulling.

A Quick Overview of SendGrid and Its Features

Think of SendGrid as the postal service for apps and websites. Not glamorous, but when you need that password reset email to actually show up in someone’s inbox at 2 AM, they’re the ones making it happen.

They built their reputation on transactional email — those critical messages that keep digital services running. Their SMTP relay and API make integration pretty straightforward, which explains why so many developers default to them for application email.

The real strength here is infrastructure and deliverability. They handle all the messy technical stuff: IP reputation management, spam filter navigation, relationships with Gmail and Outlook. It’s like having an email delivery expert on staff without the salary.

They also tacked on Marketing Campaigns somewhere along the way — their answer to Mailchimp. Drag-and-drop editor, contact management, basic automation. It works, but always felt like an afterthought compared to their core transactional business. Honestly, if you’re primarily doing email marketing, there are better options out there.

What’s the Deal with the SendGrid Free Trial?

The SendGrid free trial is essentially a no-strings-attached test run of their email services, available for 60 days. This gives you a chance to explore both their email API and Marketing Campaigns features. In practical terms, you get 100 emails per day — that’s around 3,000 emails per month, which could be useful for small businesses, startups, or even developers experimenting with integrations.

In other words, it’s like testing the engine of a car without driving it off the lot. It’s enough to get a feel for the basics, but it’s not going to fully show you what the car can do at full speed.

So, What Do You Get in the Free Trial?

Here’s where SendGrid starts to shine — even with the free trial, you get access to a pretty solid list of features.

• Email API access: This allows you to send those 100 emails per day using SendGrid’s API or SMTP relay. This is great for testing integrations, especially if you’re a developer or have a system that needs direct email capabilities.
• Marketing campaigns: If you’re more into bulk emailing, you can send up to 100 emails daily through the Marketing Campaigns feature and store up to 100 contacts. Not a huge list, but enough for small campaigns or testing.
• Deliverability tools: You get the basics of domain authentication and some optimization tools to help your emails land in inboxes rather than spam folders.
• Analytics: You can track how your emails are performing, but keep in mind, it’s basic analytics — no advanced segmentation or deep insights.
• Support: During your trial, you’ll have access to ticket-based support. It’s a little less immediate than live chat or phone support, but it’s still there when you need it.

What’s Missing?

While SendGrid’s free trial offers a lot to get started with, there are a few notable limitations:

• Limited contacts: You can only store 100 contacts. That’s fine if you’re just getting started, but it might be restrictive if you plan to grow your list fast or if you need more complex email workflows.
• Basic analytics: If you’re used to the kind of detailed analytics that platforms like Mailchimp offer on their paid plans, SendGrid’s free trial might leave you wanting more. No A/B testing, no advanced segmentation — just the basics.
• No dedicated IP: This one might seem minor until you start sending a lot of emails. Without a dedicated IP, your deliverability could take a hit as you’re sharing the same IP with others. This is something to keep in mind if you’re sending a high volume of emails.
• Support: Although you do get support, it’s limited to tickets. So if you’re looking for immediate answers or troubleshooting, this could slow things down a bit.

Who’s the SendGrid Free Trial Really For?

I’d say the free trial is a great fit for a few different types of users:

• Developers: If you’re integrating email functionality into an app or website, SendGrid’s API is a big draw. You get the chance to play around with it without paying upfront.
• Small businesses & startups: If you’re just starting out and don’t have a huge email list yet, the free trial lets you explore SendGrid’s tools without the risk. You can send those first few campaigns and see how it feels.
• Marketers: If you’re curious about SendGrid’s email campaign features — like their templates and analytics — it’s a solid way to test them out without committing.

But if you’re running a large-scale business with complex email marketing needs, you’ll likely find the free trial too limiting. It’s just not built for high-volume senders or people with sophisticated analytics needs.

SendGrid Free Trial vs Paid Plans: What’s the Difference?

Here’s the thing: The free trial gives you a taste, but SendGrid’s paid plans unlock the full experience. Here’s a quick breakdown:

When Should You Upgrade?

If you find yourself constantly hitting that 100-email limit or growing past 100 contacts, that’s when it makes sense to upgrade.

If you need things like A/B testing, segmentation, or dedicated IPs for better deliverability, the paid plans are worth it. And if you’re planning to send more than 3,000 emails a month (which, let’s face it, you probably are as your business grows), the Essentials or Pro plans are designed to handle that without running into roadblocks.

The Bottom Line

The SendGrid free trial offers a solid entry point if you’re looking to test the waters. But it’s really just that — a test. If you’re planning to scale your email efforts, the free trial will probably start to feel limiting after a while.

For anyone just starting out or experimenting with email integrations, it’s a great way to get a feel for SendGrid’s functionality. But if you’re committed to email marketing as a key business tool, you’ll likely want to upgrade sooner rather than later.