SendGrid vs Bulko: SMTP Relay Pricing and Features Compared (2026)

Choose SendGrid if you need a full email platform with an HTTP API, templates, event webhooks, subusers and dedicated IPs, and you send enough every month to justify a subscription that starts at $19.95. Choose Bulko if you only need SMTP credentials for an app, plugin or script and would rather pay once, for example $15 for 20,000 emails that never expire, by card or crypto.

Both services can deliver your application's email, but they are built for different buyers. SendGrid (part of Twilio) is a developer platform priced as a monthly plan. Bulko SMTP Relay is a plain SMTP server sold in prepaid packages. This comparison uses the prices published on each vendor's site in October 2026.

Quick comparison

Pricing

SendGrid's Email API page lists four options: a free trial ($0 for 60 days, 100 emails per day, no credit card), Essentials starting at $19.95 per month, Pro starting at $89.95 per month (adds a dedicated IP, subuser management and SSO) and Premier with custom pricing. The smallest paid volume in the plan selector is 50,000 emails per month. The page shows "starting at" prices only, and says overages may apply without listing the rate. Bulko sells four packages: 5K for $5, 20K for $15, 50K for $30 and 150K for $60.

The honest reading: at 5,000 and 20,000 emails a month Bulko costs less. At a steady 50,000 a month, SendGrid Essentials at $19.95 is cheaper than Bulko's $30 package, as long as you really use the full allowance every month. The picture changes when volume is uneven. If you send 20,000 emails one month and almost nothing for the next three, SendGrid still bills $19.95 each month, while a Bulko package simply waits until you use it. Remember Bulko's default limit of 2,000 emails per day per SMTP account: a 150K package takes 75 days at that rate unless you ask support to raise it.

Prices checked October 2026, see the SendGrid pricing page for current figures and taxes.

Setup and deliverability

To send through SendGrid SMTP you create an account, verify a sender identity (a single sender address or full domain authentication through DNS records), create an API key with Mail Send permission, and then point your software at smtp.sendgrid.net. The SMTP username is the literal string apikey and the password is the API key itself, which confuses many first-time users. Essentials runs on shared IPs; a dedicated IP comes with Pro.

Bulko works differently. There is no account review before you can send: you pay for a package and the SMTP credentials are shown in the dashboard and emailed to you immediately. You can send from any address on a domain you control. Verifying the domain is optional but recommended: Bulko gives you a DKIM TXT record (selector bk1) and a CNAME bnc.yourdomain.com for the return path, which lets SPF, DKIM and DMARC align. Without verification, mail still sends.

Mail goes out through Bulko's own MTA, which throttles warm-up per mailbox provider, processes bounces and monitors blocklists. Every message also passes an AI content filter (rules plus AI) that looks for phishing, malware, brand impersonation and scams. Messages that fail are rejected with 554 5.7.1 and are not delivered, so you see the problem immediately instead of finding it later in a reputation report. The default limit is 2,000 emails per day per SMTP account, and [email protected] can raise it on request.

No provider can promise inbox placement, and Bulko does not publish delivery-rate numbers. What decides the result is the same everywhere: authenticated domains, clean lists and content people asked for. The SPF, DKIM and DMARC setup guide and the blacklist checker help with the first two.

When SendGrid is the better choice

• You need an HTTP API. SendGrid has a REST API and official SDKs. Bulko SMTP Relay is SMTP only, with no HTTP sending API.
• You rely on event webhooks. SendGrid can post delivery, open, click and bounce events to your server. Bulko does not offer webhooks for the SMTP relay.
• You want hosted templates and inbound mail. SendGrid stores dynamic templates and can parse incoming mail. Bulko is outgoing only, with no inbox and no template storage.
• You need dedicated IPs, subusers or SSO. These come with SendGrid Pro and Premier. Bulko does not sell dedicated IPs.
• You send a large, steady volume every month or need contracts, invoicing and enterprise procurement. SendGrid offers invoiced billing for larger commitments; Bulko has no SLAs.

When Bulko is the better choice

• You do not want a subscription. Bulko packages are paid once, and unused emails never expire. Nothing renews.
• Your volume is small or irregular. 5,000 emails cost $5. A seasonal newsletter or a side project does not pay for idle months.
• You want to pay with crypto. Bulko accepts USDT, BTC and other coins, as well as Visa and Mastercard through Stripe. SendGrid accepts cards only.
• You want credentials in minutes. The username and password are ready right after payment, with no API key scopes to configure.
• Your software only speaks SMTP. WordPress SMTP plugins, CRMs, help desks, printers, Postfix relays and frameworks such as Laravel or Django all work with a host, port, username and password.

If you are comparing more options, see SendGrid alternatives in 2026 and the cheapest SMTP relay services.

How to switch to Bulko SMTP

1. Buy a package on the Bulko SMTP Relay page with a card or crypto. Your SMTP username and password appear in Dashboard > SMTP Access and are also emailed to you right after payment.
2. In your app, plugin or server config, replace smtp.sendgrid.net with smtp.bulko.io.
3. Pick a port: 587 with STARTTLS (many apps label it "TLS"), 465 with implicit SSL/TLS (often labeled "SSL"), or 2525 with STARTTLS if your hosting provider blocks 587 and 465. Port 25 is not offered for submission.
4. Paste the Bulko username (it looks like smtp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) and password into the SMTP username and password fields. Authentication is AUTH LOGIN or PLAIN, which every common SMTP library supports.
5. Use a From address on a domain you control. Optionally verify the domain under Sending Domains: Bulko gives you a DKIM TXT record (selector bk1) and a CNAME bnc.yourdomain.com for the return path, so SPF, DKIM and DMARC align.
6. Send a test message before moving all traffic. A 535 reply means the credentials are wrong; see SMTP error 535.

SMTP host: smtp.bulko.io
Port: 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SSL/TLS) or 2525 (STARTTLS)
Username: smtp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Password: from Dashboard > SMTP Access

If you are unsure which port your software expects, the SMTP ports guide explains the difference between 465, 587 and 2525.

If your code calls SendGrid's HTTP API (for example the /v3/mail/send endpoint or a SendGrid SDK), you will need to switch that code to an SMTP transport first, because Bulko SMTP Relay does not accept API calls.

FAQ

Is Bulko cheaper than SendGrid?

At 5,000 and 20,000 emails a month, yes: $5 and $15 versus $19.95 per month for SendGrid Essentials. At a steady 50,000 a month, SendGrid Essentials ($19.95) is cheaper than Bulko's 50K package ($30). Bulko wins again when your volume is irregular, because packages do not expire.

Does SendGrid still have a free plan?

Not a permanent one. As of October 2026 SendGrid offers a free trial for 60 days with up to 100 emails per day. After that you need a paid plan. Bulko has no free SMTP trial either; its 500 free sign-up credits are for the separate Campaign Platform.

Can I keep my SendGrid API code and just change the host?

Only if your code already sends through SMTP. Bulko SMTP Relay has no HTTP API, so code that calls SendGrid's API or SDK must be switched to an SMTP library such as Nodemailer, PHPMailer or Python's smtplib.

Which ports does Bulko support compared to SendGrid?

Bulko uses 587 and 2525 with STARTTLS and 465 with implicit SSL/TLS. SendGrid also accepts port 25. If your host blocks 587 and 465, port 2525 works on both services.

Do Bulko emails expire if I do not use them?

No. Unused emails in a Bulko package never expire, and an unused package can be refunded within 14 days.