SendGrid alternative
A SendGrid alternative without the complexity
Rovela is a plain HTTP email API for developers who find SendGrid over-engineered for transactional use. A single POST endpoint sends a message; a webhook delivers the result. Rovela also ships business mailboxes on your own domain, inbound mail processing, and idempotency keys — features that SendGrid does not offer. Free plan, no card required.
How Rovela compares
| Rovela | SendGrid | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 100 emails / day (with restrictions) | |
| Send from your own domain | ||
| Business mailboxes included | ||
| Receive inbound email | Inbound Parse (complex setup) | |
| Signed delivery webhooks | ||
| Idempotency keys | ||
| Single REST endpoint | Multiple endpoints, many options | |
| DKIM / SPF / DMARC on every send | ||
| 100 emails/month + 5 mailboxes, no card | 100 emails / day (with restrictions) |
Why developers switch
One endpoint instead of dozens
SendGrid exposes separate endpoints for sends, templates, suppressions, stats, and more. Rovela uses a single POST /emails endpoint. There is less to learn and less to go wrong.
Business mailboxes on the same domain
SendGrid is a sending service. Rovela includes real mailboxes — hello@yourcompany.com readable in the browser and in Outlook — so your domain does not need two separate providers.
A permanent free tier, not a trial
SendGrid's free plan restricts branding and is designed to convert you. Rovela's free plan is permanent: 100 emails and 5 mailboxes every month, no card, no expiry.
Common questions
- How long does it take to migrate to Rovela?
- Most teams are sending through Rovela within 30 minutes. You add a sending domain, update one DNS record for DKIM, swap the API endpoint and key in your code, and you are live. Business mailboxes take a few minutes more to set up DNS and verify.
- Do I need to change my DNS records when switching?
- Yes, but usually only two: the DKIM TXT record and the SPF TXT record. Rovela's dashboard shows the exact values, and suggests a DMARC record only if your domain has none. If your domain is on Cloudflare, Aliyun, or DNSPod, Rovela can apply the records in one click.
- Can I keep the same sending domain I use today?
- Yes. Rovela sends from any domain you own. You verify it by adding one DKIM TXT record and one SPF TXT record, and all messages go out signed and aligned with that domain. You can migrate gradually by sending some traffic through Rovela while keeping the existing provider for the rest.
- What is the difference between the free plan and a paid plan?
- The free plan includes 100 emails per month and 5 business mailboxes with no card required and no expiry. Paid plans raise the email and mailbox limits. Every plan, including free, gets DKIM signing, delivery webhooks, idempotency keys, inbound mail, and full delivery logs.