---
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"@type": TechArticle
"@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/sendgrid/for-developers/sending-email/getting-started-with-transactional-emails#article
headline: Getting Started with Transactional Email
description: Send transactional email with Twilio SendGrid over SMTP or the Mail Send API, including receipts, password resets, and account notifications.
url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/sendgrid/for-developers/sending-email/getting-started-with-transactional-emails
inLanguage: en
dateModified: 2026-07-17T03:36:59.000Z
author:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio Developer Education Team
publisher:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio
---

# Getting Started with Transactional Email

Twilio SendGrid lets you send transactional email, such as receipts, password resets, and account notifications, over SMTP or the Mail Send API.

## What is Transactional Email?

Transactional email is a type of email sent to facilitate an agreed-upon transaction between the sender and the recipient. Because these emails contain information a recipient wants or needs, they have the highest open rates across all categories of email. Common transactional email use cases include account creation emails, password resets, purchase receipts, account notifications, and social media updates like friend and follower notifications.

> \[!NOTE]
>
> Well designed and useful emails help keep open rates high. Use ([SendGrid's Dynamic Transactional Email Templates](/docs/sendgrid/ui/sending-email/how-to-send-an-email-with-dynamic-templates)) to help with the creation of responsive transactional email templates.

Read more about Transactional Email in the [SendGrid Guide](/docs/sendgrid/glossary/transactional-email/).

## How to send a Transactional Email

Once your SendGrid account is set up, you have choices on how to send the emails to your users.

1. Send [via SMTP](/docs/sendgrid/for-developers/sending-email/getting-started-smtp/)
2. Send [via API](/docs/sendgrid/api-reference)

## Additional Resources

For more information on SendGrid and where you can go from here, check out these pages:

* [Transactional Emails](/docs/sendgrid/glossary/transactional-email)
* [API Reference](/docs/sendgrid/api-reference)
* [How to Send Email](/docs/sendgrid/for-developers/sending-email/api-getting-started)