# Bird vs MailerSend for transactional email

Bird operates the [email sending infrastructure](/docs/guides/deliverability), manages IP reputation and builds its own delivery tools. Choose Bird when you want the team running your sending network to handle delivery feedback, with email, SMS and WhatsApp in one API.

[Get Started](/dashboard/signup?returnTo=%2Fdashboard%2Fw%2Femail)

[Contact Sales](/demo?product=migrate-mailersend)

## Set up with your agent

[Read the agent setup guide](/docs/ai/set-up-your-agent)

Copy this prompt into your coding agent:

```text
Bird connects customer communications, data and automation. Help me build with Bird using my coding agent.
1. Read https://bird.com/docs/ai/set-up-your-agent.md and follow its setup workflow for this client. Use an existing connected Bird MCP server or signed-in CLI when available.
2. Read the product guide for the task I want to complete and inspect my existing integration. Identify the workspace, available operations and required setup.
3. Help me complete a first example for the product and destination I choose. Follow the operation through to its actual result, explain any uncertainty, and help me choose the next step.

First task: Compare the documented sending workflows and prepare a small migration test, including domains, templates and delivery events. Keep the current provider running until I approve a cutover.

Use this Bird page as the starting context: https://bird.com/email-api/compare/bird-vs-mailersend
Read its Markdown alternative and linked guides. Keep the first example relevant to this page and the customer outcome I choose. Preserve the supplied campaign context when following Bird signup or sales links.
```

[Read customer stories](/customers)

[Explore Enterprise](/enterprise)

- [Airwallex](/customers/airwallex)
- [Glovo](/customers/glovo)
- [Zillow](/customers/zillow)
- Uber
- [Binance](/customers/binance)
- Adobe
- Meta
- PayPal
- Pinterest
- Square
- [Al Jazeera](/customers/aljazeera)
- [Aramex](/customers/aramex)
- [Bazaar Technologies](/customers/bazaar)
- [ComparaOnline](/customers/compara)
- [Emma](/customers/emma)

- By the numbers: Bird
- Bird network: [About 40% of commercial email](/email-api)
- Stored message bodies: [Up to 30 days, with storage enabled](/docs/api/reference/get-email-message-content)

## Who controls the sending stack?

### MailerSend: validation and managed warm-up

- MailerSend provides [bulk CSV validation and real-time address checks](https://www.mailersend.com/features/email-verification-tool). Keep MailerSend when uploaded-list cleaning is part of your sending workflow.
- MailerSend’s [dedicated-IP request guide](https://www.mailersend.com/help/how-to-request-dedicated-ip) requires at least one authenticated domain and 500,000 emails a month. Its team assesses the application and warms the IP before sending begins.
- MailerSend’s [blocklist monitoring](https://www.mailersend.com/help/blocklist-monitoring) checks domains and IPs on Professional and Enterprise plans, alerts senders and provides delisting requirements and links.

### Bird: infrastructure and reputation

- Bird operates its [sending infrastructure](/docs/guides/deliverability) and develops MTA software, including [PowerMTA, which Bird also licenses for self-hosted sending](/pricing/connectivity/powermta). Bird’s [SparkPost sending network carries about 40% of the world’s commercial email](/email-api/features/sparkpost).
- Bird manages its [shared sending IPs, dedicated IPs and pools](/docs/guides/email/dedicated-ips-and-pools), with automatic warm-up and shared-pool overflow. Bird’s delivery technology [adjusts traffic per mailbox provider](/email-api/features/momentum), while its platform [processes delivery feedback](/docs/guides/deliverability) and [acts on bounce and complaint signals](/email-api/features/deliverability). These are controls Bird operates within its sending stack.
- Bird provides [Inbox Insights for placement estimates and seed tests](/email-api/features/inbox-insights), [Email analytics for your own sending results](/email-api/features/analytics), and [Competitive Insights for observed competitor campaigns](/email-api/features/competitive-insights). [Bird’s email team](/email-api/enterprise) can help assess your requirements.

## How do Bird and MailerSend compare?

Compare dedicated-IP eligibility, send tracking and saved content. MailerSend supports bulk address validation; Bird combines its sending infrastructure, delivery tools and mailboxes with other channels in one API.

| Capability | Bird | MailerSend | Who wins |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Transactional send API | [Bird’s TypeScript SDK](/docs/sdks/typescript) throws typed errors by default; .safe() returns data and error. | [MailerSend’s Node SDK](https://github.com/mailersend/mailersend-nodejs/blob/main/README.md) constructs a MailerSend client with apiKey and sends EmailParams through email.send. The [send endpoint](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/email.html) accepts JSON with address objects and personalization. | Even |
| SMTP relay | [Bird SMTP](/docs/guides/email/smtp) accepts port 465 with TLS or 587 and 2525 with STARTTLS, using an API key. | [MailerSend SMTP](https://www.mailersend.com/help/smtp-relay) uses generated usernames and passwords across verified domains on the account. Its relay uses STARTTLS and recommends port 587. | Even |
| Email address validation | [Bird email lookup](/docs/guides/lookup/email-addresses) checks one address per call, returning a verdict, confidence, address flags and suggested corrections. | [MailerSend validation](https://www.mailersend.com/features/email-verification-tool) supports bulk CSV uploads and real-time API checks of individual addresses. | Even |
| Idempotency on send | [Bird retains completed responses for 3 hours](/docs/guides/idempotency); later retries are fresh requests. | [MailerSend’s send endpoint](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/email.html) returns x-message-id for querying send status. That response identifier tracks a send; it is not a client-supplied retry key. | Even |
| Stored message retention | [Bird stores message bodies for up to 30 days](/docs/api/reference/get-email-message-content) when content storage is enabled. | [MailerSend content tracking](https://www.mailersend.com/help/domain-tracking-options) makes HTML previews available in email activity when enabled. Its [activity retention](https://www.mailersend.com/help/plan-add-ons) is 7 days on Starter and 30 on Professional and Enterprise, with an eligible-plan add-on up to 365 days. | Even |
| Published pricing | [Bird email plans and rates](/email-api/pricing) are read live in the table below. | Compare the selected plan with [MailerSend’s published rates](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing), including its billing period and features. | Even |
| Dedicated IPs and pools | [Bird dedicated IP purchases](/docs/guides/email/dedicated-ips-and-pools) are bounded by your plan’s IP quota. Automatic warm-up sends overflow through the shared pool. | [MailerSend’s dedicated-IP request guide](https://www.mailersend.com/help/how-to-request-dedicated-ip) requires 500,000 emails a month and an authenticated domain. Its team assesses eligibility and warms the IP; the [add-on](https://www.mailersend.com/help/plan-add-ons) is available on Professional, excluding trials, and Enterprise. | Bird |
| Deliverability heritage | Bird acquired [SparkPost in 2021](/blog/welcome-to-the-nest-sparkpost). Its sending network [carries about 40% of the world’s commercial email](/email-api/features/sparkpost). | [MailerSend’s dedicated-IP team](https://www.mailersend.com/help/how-to-request-dedicated-ip) enables and warms the IP after assessing the sender. Its [blocklist monitoring](https://www.mailersend.com/help/blocklist-monitoring) covers domains and IPs on Professional and Enterprise. | Bird |
| SPF, DKIM and DMARC | Bird verifies [DKIM, return-path and DMARC](/docs/guides/email/dkim-spf-dmarc). [BIMI](/docs/guides/email/bimi) is a separate DNS and logo configuration. | [MailerSend’s automatic DNS setup](https://www.mailersend.com/features/email-api) configures SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. | Even |
| Event webhooks and signing | [Bird signs webhook deliveries using Standard Webhooks](/docs/guides/webhooks). | [MailerSend webhook signing](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/webhooks.html) puts an HMAC-SHA256 hash of the raw payload in the Signature header, using the webhook’s signing secret. | Even |
| Channels beyond email | [Bird’s API](/docs/api) covers email, SMS, WhatsApp, Verify and Realtime, with [international SMS delivery](/sms-api). | [MailerSend](https://www.mailersend.com/) offers transactional email and [WhatsApp](https://www.mailersend.com/features/whatsapp). Its [SMS service](https://www.mailersend.com/features/sms-api) is available in the US and Canada. | Bird |
| Vendor and procurement | Review [Bird’s published legal terms and policies](/legal) against your existing agreement and procurement requirements. | Review [MailerSend’s published terms](https://www.mailersend.com/legal/terms-of-use) against your existing agreement and procurement requirements. | Even |
| Mailboxes | [Bird’s agent mailboxes](/docs/guides/email/mailboxes) provide addressable inboxes, threads, replies and sender rules managed through code. | [MailerSend inbound routing](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/inbound.html) delivers parsed message content, raw content and attachments to the configured destination. | Bird |
| Agent tooling | [Bird’s hosted MCP server](/docs/ai/mcp-server) at mcp.bird.com exposes 354 tools. The [bird CLI](/docs/cli) sends and inspects email, manages domains, templates and webhooks, and gives [agents JSON output and semantic exit codes](/docs/ai/cli-for-agents). | [MailerSend’s hosted MCP server](https://developers.mailersend.com/mcp-server) sends email and SMS and manages domains, templates and webhooks. Its [CLI](https://developers.mailersend.com/tools/cli) also manages recipients and suppressions. | Bird |

## How do you send one HTML email?

MailerSend’s Node SDK builds EmailParams and sends through email.send. Bird throws typed errors by default; this example opts into .safe() so the application can branch on data and error.

**MailerSend** · send.ts

```typescript
import { MailerSend, EmailParams, Sender, Recipient } from "mailersend";

const ms = new MailerSend({ apiKey: process.env.MAILERSEND_API_KEY! });

await ms.email.send(
  new EmailParams()
    .setFrom(new Sender("onboarding@yourdomain.com", "Acme"))
    .setTo([new Recipient("customer@example.com")])
    .setSubject("Your March invoice")
    .setHtml("<p>Attached.</p>"),
);
```

**Bird** · send.ts

```typescript
import { BirdClient } from "@messagebird/sdk";

const bird = new BirdClient({ apiKey: process.env.BIRD_API_KEY! });

const { data, error } = await bird.email
  .send({
    from:    { email: "onboarding@yourdomain.com", name: "Acme" },
    to:      ["customer@example.com"],
    subject: "Your March invoice",
    html:    "<p>Attached.</p>",
  })
  .safe();

if (error) console.error(error.message);
else console.log(data.id);
```

## What changes around the send call?

### Which suppression lists should I import?

Import permanent [MailerSend suppressions](https://www.mailersend.com/help/suppression-list-managing), including hard bounces, complaints, unsubscribes and manual blocks. Keep the [On Hold list](https://www.mailersend.com/help/on-hold-blocklist) separate. MailerSend states: “These emails will be blocked for 72 hours, after which they will be automatically removed from the list.” Importing that temporary hold as a permanent Bird suppression would prevent those addresses from receiving mail after the hold expires. The [migration guide](/docs/guides/email/migrate/mailersend) maps the lists.

### How should I prevent duplicate sends during migration?

Keep a record of each business operation and its send outcome. [MailerSend’s x-message-id](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/email.html) lets you query an accepted send’s status. Use that status lookup when investigating an uncertain outcome. Bird’s [3-hour idempotency window](/docs/guides/idempotency) retains the completed response; retries after that window are fresh requests. Check your application’s send record before submitting another send.

## Published email plans

Bird’s full monthly ladder is shown below. Nearest-volume plans are labelled and are not quotes for Bird’s volume. Check billing terms, features and overages.

Pricing verdict: Even. The verdict compares the lowest published monthly amount at each exact volume and currency; daily-only allowances, annual commitments, usage rates, starting prices and custom quotes are not compared.

| Bird tier | Emails per month | Bird | MailerSend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | 1,000 | [$0 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€0 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Nearest published volume: [Free: $0](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Startup | 50,000 | [$15 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€15 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $35.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 50,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $110.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 50,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Startup | 100,000 | [$30 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€27.5 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $68.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $140.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Growth | 100,000 | [$80 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€72.5 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $68.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $140.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Growth | 250,000 | [$175 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€160 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $162.50 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 250,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $275.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 250,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Growth | 500,000 | [$295 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€270 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $325.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $525.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Growth | 1,000,000 | [$530 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€480 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Matching volume: [Starter: $600.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 1,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07; Matching volume: [Professional: $1,000.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 1,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Growth | 2,500,000 | [$1,039 / month (USD)](/email-api/pricing); [€950 / month (EUR)](/email-api/pricing) | Nearest published volume: [Professional: $1,600.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 2,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |

## MailerSend published plans

| Plan | Published price and terms |
| --- | --- |
| Free | [Free: $0](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Hobby | [Hobby: $7.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 5,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Starter | [Starter: $35.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 50,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Starter | [Starter: $68.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Starter | [Starter: $162.50 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 250,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Starter | [Starter: $325.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Starter | [Starter: $600.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 1,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $110.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 50,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $140.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 100,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $275.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 250,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $525.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 500,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $1,000.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 1,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Professional | [Professional: $1,600.00 /month](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing); 2,000,000 emails; Monthly billing.; as published 2026-09-07 |
| Enterprise | [Enterprise: contact us](https://www.mailersend.com/help/plans-features-and-limits); Custom or daily emails; Custom enterprise requirements and pricing.; as published 2026-09-07 |

## How should you compare email costs?

### What do the Bird and MailerSend price rows include?

The table shows Bird’s full monthly ladder. Rival plans match the volume or are labelled with the nearest published volume. Bird’s amounts come from its live catalogue; MailerSend’s linked amounts carry their check dates. Compare the billing period and included features before choosing a plan. Use [MailerSend’s pricing page](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing/) to check the features and add-ons for the selected plan.

## Switching cost: What does a MailerSend migration involve?

Map [MailerSend address objects, template_id and personalization](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/email.html) to Bird’s send payload and template parameters. Follow the [migration guide](/docs/guides/email/migrate/mailersend) to import permanent suppressions while excluding the temporary On Hold list.

Replace [MailerSend’s Signature verification](https://developers.mailersend.com/api/v1/webhooks.html) with [Bird’s Standard Webhooks verification](/docs/guides/webhooks). Map delivery events and replace [SMTP credentials](https://www.mailersend.com/help/smtp-relay) with a Bird API key if you use SMTP. Test sends and handlers in [Bird’s mail sandbox](/docs/guides/email/testing-sandbox), and plan warm-up for new dedicated IPs.

[Read the migration guide](/docs/guides/email/migrate/mailersend)

[Test in Bird’s mail sandbox](/docs/guides/email/testing-sandbox)

## Where to go next

Start with the migration guide to map the integration and test the cutover.

- [Migrate email from MailerSend](/docs/guides/email/migrate/mailersend): Map address objects and personalization, import permanent suppressions and update webhook verification.
- [Bird email pricing](/email-api/pricing): Read the rates and plan features published in Bird’s email catalogue.
- [MailerSend pricing](https://www.mailersend.com/pricing/): Check MailerSend’s published plans for your sending volume.
- [Bird vs Resend](/email-api/compare/bird-vs-resend): Compare published pricing, retry handling and channels beyond email.
- [Bird vs Amazon SES](/email-api/compare/bird-vs-amazon-ses): Compare the send integration and published billing terms.
- [All email comparisons](/email-api/compare): See every Bird email comparison in one place.

Talk to our email team

## See how Bird fits your MailerSend workflow.

Test your sender, templates and delivery events before moving traffic from MailerSend. For a larger move, plan the cutover with an email specialist.

Create your account and test your integration. Your migration enquiry will include the provider you are comparing.



## Related resources

- [Getting started with email](/learn/email/getting-started-with-email) (video)
- [Send your first email](/docs/get-started/send-your-first-email) (docs)
- [Build your first integration](/learn/paths/integration) (course)

[Get an implementation brief](/learn/workspace?topic=email)