diff --git a/sentry_sdk/__init__.py b/sentry_sdk/__init__.py
index 9fd7253fc2..e03f3b4484 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/__init__.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/__init__.py
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
     "trace",
     "monitor",
     "logger",
+    "start_session",
+    "end_session",
 ]
 
 # Initialize the debug support after everything is loaded
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/api.py b/sentry_sdk/api.py
index e56109cbd0..698a2085ab 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/api.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/api.py
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ def overload(x):
     "start_transaction",
     "trace",
     "monitor",
+    "start_session",
+    "end_session",
 ]
 
 
@@ -450,3 +452,17 @@ def continue_trace(
     return get_isolation_scope().continue_trace(
         environ_or_headers, op, name, source, origin
     )
+
+
+@scopemethod
+def start_session(
+    session_mode="application",  # type: str
+):
+    # type: (...) -> None
+    return get_isolation_scope().start_session(session_mode=session_mode)
+
+
+@scopemethod
+def end_session():
+    # type: () -> None
+    return get_isolation_scope().end_session()
diff --git a/tests/test_api_sessions.py b/tests/test_api_sessions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4770da0acd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_api_sessions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import sentry_sdk
+
+
+def test_start_session_basic(sentry_init, capture_envelopes):
+    """Test that start_session starts a session on the isolation scope."""
+    sentry_init(release="test-release", environment="test-env")
+    envelopes = capture_envelopes()
+
+    # Start a session using the top-level API
+    sentry_sdk.start_session()
+
+    # End the session
+    sentry_sdk.end_session()
+    sentry_sdk.flush()
+
+    # Check that we got a session envelope
+    assert len(envelopes) == 1
+    sess = envelopes[0]
+    assert len(sess.items) == 1
+    sess_event = sess.items[0].payload.json
+
+    assert sess_event["attrs"] == {
+        "release": "test-release",
+        "environment": "test-env",
+    }
+    assert sess_event["status"] == "exited"
+
+
+def test_start_session_with_mode(sentry_init, capture_envelopes):
+    """Test that start_session accepts session_mode parameter."""
+    sentry_init(release="test-release", environment="test-env")
+    envelopes = capture_envelopes()
+
+    # Start a session with request mode
+    sentry_sdk.start_session(session_mode="request")
+    sentry_sdk.end_session()
+    sentry_sdk.flush()
+
+    # Request mode sessions are aggregated
+    assert len(envelopes) == 1
+    sess = envelopes[0]
+    assert len(sess.items) == 1
+    sess_event = sess.items[0].payload.json
+
+    assert sess_event["attrs"] == {
+        "release": "test-release",
+        "environment": "test-env",
+    }
+    # Request sessions show up as aggregates
+    assert "aggregates" in sess_event