How to Send Email from Vercel

To send email from Vercel, create a Serverless Function in the api/ directory, install the SendPigeon SDK, and call pigeon.send(). This works with or without a framework — no Next.js required.

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Install the SDK

npm install sendpigeon

Set Up Environment Variables

Add your API key in the Vercel dashboard under Project Settings > Environment Variables:

SENDPIGEON_API_KEY=sp_live_your_key_here

For local development, create .env.local at your project root:

SENDPIGEON_API_KEY=sp_live_your_key_here

Or pull your Vercel environment variables locally:

vercel env pull .env.local

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Send Email from a Vercel Serverless Function

Create a function in the api/ directory. Each file becomes an endpoint — api/send-email.ts maps to /api/send-email.

// api/send-email.ts
import { SendPigeon } from "sendpigeon";

const pigeon = new SendPigeon(process.env.SENDPIGEON_API_KEY!);

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { to, name } = await request.json();

  const { data, error } = await pigeon.send({
    from: "hello@yourdomain.com",
    to,
    subject: `Hey ${name}!`,
    html: `<h1>Welcome</h1><p>Thanks for signing up.</p>`,
  });

  if (error) {
    return Response.json({ error: error.message }, { status: error.status ?? 500 });
  }

  return Response.json({ emailId: data.id });
}

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Send Email from Vercel Edge Functions

Edge Functions run on V8 isolates closer to your users. The SendPigeon SDK works here because it uses the Fetch API — no SMTP or native Node.js modules.

// api/send-email-edge.ts
import { SendPigeon } from "sendpigeon";

export const config = {
  runtime: "edge",
};

const pigeon = new SendPigeon(process.env.SENDPIGEON_API_KEY!);

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { to, subject, html } = await request.json();

  const { data, error } = await pigeon.send({
    from: "hello@yourdomain.com",
    to,
    subject,
    html,
  });

  if (error) {
    return Response.json({ error: error.message }, { status: error.status ?? 500 });
  }

  return Response.json({ emailId: data.id });
}

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Contact Form Example

A complete contact form handler with validation:

// api/contact.ts
import { SendPigeon } from "sendpigeon";

const pigeon = new SendPigeon(process.env.SENDPIGEON_API_KEY!);

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const { name, email, message } = await request.json();

  if (!name || !email || !message) {
    return Response.json({ error: "Missing fields" }, { status: 400 });
  }

  // Notify yourself
  const { error } = await pigeon.send({
    from: "contact@yourdomain.com",
    to: "you@yourdomain.com",
    subject: `Contact form: ${name}`,
    html: `
      <p><strong>From:</strong> ${name} (${email})</p>
      <p><strong>Message:</strong></p>
      <p>${message}</p>
    `,
    replyTo: email,
  });

  if (error) {
    return Response.json({ error: "Failed to send" }, { status: 500 });
  }

  return Response.json({ success: true });
}

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Schedule Emails with Vercel Cron Jobs

Vercel Cron Jobs trigger a GET request to your function on a schedule. Configure in vercel.json:

{
  "crons": [
    {
      "path": "/api/daily-digest",
      "schedule": "0 9 * * *"
    }
  ]
}

// api/daily-digest.ts
import { SendPigeon } from "sendpigeon";

const pigeon = new SendPigeon(process.env.SENDPIGEON_API_KEY!);

export async function GET(request: Request) {
  // Verify cron secret
  const authHeader = request.headers.get("authorization");
  if (authHeader !== `Bearer ${process.env.CRON_SECRET}`) {
    return new Response("Unauthorized", { status: 401 });
  }

  // Fetch users and send digest
  const users = await getActiveUsers();

  await pigeon.sendBatch(
    users.map((user) => ({
      from: "digest@yourdomain.com",
      to: user.email,
      subject: "Your daily digest",
      html: `<h1>Hey ${user.name}</h1><p>Here's what happened today...</p>`,
    }))
  );

  return Response.json({ sent: users.length });
}

---

Handle Errors

The SDK returns { data, error } instead of throwing:

const { data, error } = await pigeon.send({
  from: "hello@yourdomain.com",
  to: "user@example.com",
  subject: "Hello",
  html: "<p>Hello!</p>",
});

if (error) {
  console.error(`Email failed: ${error.message}`);

  if (error.status === 429) {
    // Rate limited — retry later
  }

  return Response.json({ error: error.message }, { status: error.status ?? 500 });
}

return Response.json({ emailId: data.id });

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Test Locally

Test your emails locally before deploying:

npx @sendpigeon-sdk/cli dev

This starts a local email server. All emails are caught and viewable at localhost:4100. No emails reach real inboxes.

See our local email testing guide for full setup.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send email from Vercel without a framework?

Yes. Vercel supports standalone Serverless Functions without Next.js or any framework. Place a TypeScript file in the api/ directory and export a named HTTP method handler (like POST) — Vercel deploys it as a function automatically.

Does SendPigeon work on Vercel Edge Functions?

Yes. The SendPigeon SDK uses the Fetch API under the hood, so it runs in both the Node.js and Edge runtimes. Unlike SMTP-based libraries like Nodemailer, there are no native module dependencies to worry about.

How do I store my API key on Vercel?

Add SENDPIGEON_API_KEY as an environment variable in your Vercel project settings (Settings > Environment Variables). You can scope it per environment — Production, Preview, or Development. Access it in your function with process.env.SENDPIGEON_API_KEY.

Can I schedule emails on Vercel?

Yes. Use Vercel Cron Jobs to trigger a Serverless Function on a schedule. Define the schedule in vercel.json using cron syntax. The function receives a GET request and can send emails, digests, or reports on schedule.

What's the difference between Vercel Serverless and Edge Functions?

Serverless Functions run full Node.js with access to all npm packages. Edge Functions run on V8 isolates with Web Standard APIs — faster cold starts but no access to native Node.js modules like fs or net. Both work with SendPigeon since the SDK only uses fetch.

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Next Steps

• Set up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC on your sending domain
• Review the email deliverability checklist
• Build templates with our free visual email builder
• See the full Node.js SDK on GitHub

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Other Platforms

Deploying elsewhere? We have guides for:

• Next.js
• Supabase Edge Functions
• AWS Lambda
• Node.js & Express
• Hono

See all framework guides.