SparkPost: Transactional email service
SparkPost is a Transactional email service. Starting at $20/mo, it targets senders staying on the Momentum-derived API that still answers at api.sparkpost.com after the move to Bird. Our verdict: 24 webhook event types, the richest instrumentation in the category. Watch for: Renamed to Bird Email, and its own site still advertises a 2017 free plan. Rated 5.8/10 overall across ease of use, deliverability, and pricing value.
What is SparkPost?
SparkPost is the cloud service Message Systems launched in November 2014 on top of Momentum, the commercial MTA it had been selling to enterprises from Columbia, Maryland, and whose binaries are still named ecelerity. MessageBird bought the company for $600 million in April 2021, renamed the product MessageBird Email in March 2023, then renamed itself Bird in February 2024.
The brand is gone: sparkpost.com now redirects to bird.com. The plumbing is not. api.sparkpost.com still answers, and it still returns a Server: msys-http header — msys for Message Systems, a company that changed its name back in 2015.
Explore SparkPost on SMTPedia
Frequently asked questions
Is SparkPost worth it in 2026?
Our full editorial review covers pricing, deliverability, ease of use, support quality, and API/MCP maturity. Read the SparkPost review →
How much does SparkPost cost?
All pricing tiers, hidden fees, refund policy, and the true cost per email are broken down in the pricing tab. See SparkPost pricing →
What are the best alternatives to SparkPost?
SparkPost compared with its closest competitors by use case, pricing, and switching cost. See alternatives →
What are the SMTP settings for SparkPost?
Hostnames, ports, authentication, rate limits, and DKIM/SPF configuration for SparkPost. See SMTP settings →
Does SparkPost have an official MCP server?
Our API tab covers SparkPost's REST API version, SDKs, rate limits, and MCP server support (official, community, and commercial wrappers). See API + MCP →
This review follows our email infrastructure testing methodology. We disclose affiliate relationships in our editorial independence policy.
