We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Paid plans start at $15/mo. There's also a free plan.
Bird has free and paid email sending plans, but the published pricing summary does not state the free limits. Email wallet funding starts at $15 per month; Apple Messages funding starts at $100, with pay-as-you-go also available. Other products charge by message, segment, minute, lookup or workflow invocation. The bill can also include separate carrier or Meta fees, number rental and setup costs. Bird says annual billing is not shown, and unused balance carries forward.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | $15 | Transactional email and campaigns | |
| SMS | — | $0.00 | Text messaging and alerts |
| — | $0.01 | WhatsApp messaging | |
| Apple Messages | — | $100 | Apple Messages businesses |
| Voice | — | Quote | Programmable calling teams |
| Verify | — | $0 | Signup and login verification |
| Lookup | — | $0.01 | Phone and email validation |
| Mailbox | — | Quote | Apps and AI agents needing inboxes |
| eSIM | — | Quote | Apps offering mobile data |
| Realtime | — | Quote | Realtime messaging apps |
| Phone numbers | — | $0.50 | Teams needing phone numbers |
| Dedicated IPs | — | $24.95 | Email senders needing dedicated IPs |
| Email validation | — | Quote | Senders checking addresses |
| PowerMTA | — | Quote | Teams running email infrastructure |
| Automations | — | Quote | Teams automating channel workflows |
| Inbox | — | $0 | Teams sharing customer conversations |
| Inbox Insights | — | Quote | Email teams monitoring placement |
| Competitive Insights | — | Quote | Brands tracking email competitors |
| Deliverability services | — | Quote | Teams needing email delivery support |
| Developer tools | — | $0 | Developers building with Bird |
| Push | — | Quote | Teams sending mobile notifications |
| RCS | — | Quote | Teams using rich business messaging |
Add-ons and overages
- SMS carrier fees are separate.
- WhatsApp Meta fees are separate.
- Channel message charges apply to free Inbox.
- Phone numbers have recurring rental charges; setup and registration fees may apply.
- Dedicated IPs cost $24.95 per IP per month; setup fees may apply.
- Usage draws from the Bird balance; unused balance carries forward.
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Separate channel fees
SMS carrier fees and WhatsApp Meta fees are separate from Bird’s listed US rates. Ask for a full channel-level estimate.
Wallet funding
Email funding starts at $15 monthly and Apple Messages at $100. Usage draws from the balance; unused balance carries forward.
Number and IP charges
US local numbers are $0.50 per month. Dedicated IPs are $24.95 per month, and number or IP setup fees may apply.
Usage beyond base rates
Voice rates vary by destination and duration; automation invocations and channel messages are charged separately.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Email side projects | Free and paid sending plans are listed. Paid wallet funding starts at $15 monthly; confirm the free sending limits. | |
| US SMS production apps | SMS | The listed US outbound long-code rate is $0.0035 per segment, with carrier fees separate. |
| WhatsApp campaign teams | The listed US marketing-message rate is $0.005, with Meta fees separate. |
04Is Bird worth the money?
Bird can be worth paying for when one integration and workspace for several messaging channels simplify your stack. The listed rates make some US usage costs estimable, but separate carrier and Meta fees, destination-dependent voice pricing and unpublished free-tier and rate limits complicate forecasts. Free email sending may suit a small evaluation or low-volume project if its limits fit. For production, request a channel-by-channel quote and confirm overages, limits, wallet behavior and any setup fees. Bird does not publish a self-hosting option in the product details.
Bird pricing FAQ
Does Bird have a free plan?
Bird lists free and paid email sending plans, and its pricing summary marks a free plan. It does not state the free sending limits. Other services have their own pricing models, so confirm which products are included before treating Bird as a free multichannel option.
How much does Bird SMS cost?
The listed US outbound long-code rate is $0.0035 per segment. Carrier fees are separate. The final cost depends on message segments and the applicable carrier charges; confirm rates for your destinations and message types with Bird.
Are WhatsApp fees included in Bird’s rate?
No. Bird lists US WhatsApp marketing messages at $0.005 each and states that Meta fees are separate. Ask Bird for a complete estimate that includes the relevant Meta charges and your expected message volume.
What extra charges should I budget for?
Budget for SMS carrier fees, WhatsApp Meta fees, phone-number rental and possible setup or registration charges. Dedicated IPs cost $24.95 per IP per month, with possible setup fees. Voice rates vary by destination and duration.