Bird Email alternatives · Email Sending
Self-hosted alternatives to Bird Email
The Bird Email listing does not say it can be self-hosted. 7 of the 50 other email sending services in this directory can be self-hosted, according to their own sites.
Bird Email has a free plan. Paid plans start at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance. 5 of them are free or have a free plan.
7 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
How each one differs from Bird Email
- Free plan · from $5,000/yr
KumoMTA
Open-source mail server for high-volume, self-run email sending
- KumoMTA starts at $5,000 per billion messages per year for Silver support. Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Only KumoMTA lists a Linux app.
- Only Bird Email lists a web app.
- KumoMTA is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Free trial · from €10,000 one-time
MailerQ
Self-hosted mail transfer agent for high-volume email sending
- MailerQ starts at €10,000 one-time per instance, plus €2,000 a year for updates and support. Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Bird Email has a free plan. MailerQ does not, though it has a free trial.
- MailerQ is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- MailerQ also covers inbox warm-up and dMARC.
- Free plan · from $10/mo
useSend
Open-source email sender built on Amazon SES
- useSend starts at $10 per month, then pay as you go. Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- useSend is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Free plan · from $0.001
Plunk
Open-source email platform for transactional and marketing mail
- Plunk starts at $0.001 per email sent. Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Plunk is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Plunk also covers workflow automation.
- Free plan · from €10,000/yr
Hyvor Relay
Open-source email API you can self-host
- Hyvor Relay starts at €10,000 per year and up (Enterprise License). Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Hyvor Relay is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Bird Email also covers email campaigns.
- Free trial · from $199/mo
EmailEngine
Self-hosted REST API for Gmail, Microsoft 365 and IMAP mailboxes
- EmailEngine starts at $199 per month, or $1,450 per year (€169 or €1,200). Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Bird Email has a free plan. EmailEngine does not, though it has a free trial.
- EmailEngine is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Bird Email also covers email campaigns.
- Free plan · from $3/mo
Forward Email
Open-source email forwarding and hosting for custom domains
- Forward Email starts at $3 per month for unlimited domains. Bird Email starts at $15 per month, deposited to your Bird balance.
- Only Forward Email lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Forward Email is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Bird Email also covers email campaigns and transactional email.
Common questions
Is there a self-hosted alternative to Bird Email?
Yes. KumoMTA, MailerQ, useSend, Plunk, Hyvor Relay, EmailEngine and Forward Email can be self-hosted, according to their own sites.
Can Bird Email be self-hosted?
The Bird Email listing does not say it can be self-hosted. The listing was checked on Nov 9, 2026 against the pages it cites.
Which of these email sending services are free?
KumoMTA, useSend, Plunk, Hyvor Relay and Forward Email are free or have a free plan.
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Nov 9, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Bird Email: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.