diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 71ebefb3f8..71825d1388 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Features
+
+- Added StartSpan and GetTransaction methods to the SentrySdk ([#4303](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-dotnet/pull/4303))
+
 ## 5.11.2
 
 ### Fixes
diff --git a/src/Sentry/SentrySdk.cs b/src/Sentry/SentrySdk.cs
index d00b002576..4317314014 100644
--- a/src/Sentry/SentrySdk.cs
+++ b/src/Sentry/SentrySdk.cs
@@ -634,6 +634,12 @@ public static SentryId CaptureCheckIn(string monitorSlug,
             scope,
             configureMonitorOptions);
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Starts a transaction if there is not already one active on the scope, otherwise starts a new child span on the
+    /// currently active transaction.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static ISpan StartSpan(string operation, string description) => CurrentHub.StartSpan(operation, description);
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Starts a transaction.
     /// </summary>
@@ -692,7 +698,13 @@ public static void BindException(Exception exception, ISpan span)
         => CurrentHub.BindException(exception, span);
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Gets the last active span.
+    /// Gets the currently active transaction.
+    /// </summary>
+    [DebuggerStepThrough]
+    public static ITransactionTracer? GetTransaction() => CurrentHub.GetTransaction();
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets the last active span
     /// </summary>
     [DebuggerStepThrough]
     public static ISpan? GetSpan()
diff --git a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet8_0.verified.txt b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet8_0.verified.txt
index 82d7cdf7f7..3bbe328943 100644
--- a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet8_0.verified.txt
+++ b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet8_0.verified.txt
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static Sentry.BaggageHeader? GetBaggage() { }
         public static Sentry.ISpan? GetSpan() { }
         public static Sentry.SentryTraceHeader? GetTraceHeader() { }
+        public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer? GetTransaction() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(Sentry.SentryOptions options) { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(System.Action<Sentry.SentryOptions>? configureOptions) { }
@@ -871,6 +872,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static void ResumeSession() { }
         public static void SetTag(string key, string value) { }
         public static void StartSession() { }
+        public static Sentry.ISpan StartSpan(string operation, string description) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context, System.Collections.Generic.IReadOnlyDictionary<string, object?> customSamplingContext) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(string name, string operation) { }
diff --git a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet9_0.verified.txt b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet9_0.verified.txt
index 82d7cdf7f7..3bbe328943 100644
--- a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet9_0.verified.txt
+++ b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.DotNet9_0.verified.txt
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static Sentry.BaggageHeader? GetBaggage() { }
         public static Sentry.ISpan? GetSpan() { }
         public static Sentry.SentryTraceHeader? GetTraceHeader() { }
+        public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer? GetTransaction() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(Sentry.SentryOptions options) { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(System.Action<Sentry.SentryOptions>? configureOptions) { }
@@ -871,6 +872,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static void ResumeSession() { }
         public static void SetTag(string key, string value) { }
         public static void StartSession() { }
+        public static Sentry.ISpan StartSpan(string operation, string description) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context, System.Collections.Generic.IReadOnlyDictionary<string, object?> customSamplingContext) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(string name, string operation) { }
diff --git a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.Net4_8.verified.txt b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.Net4_8.verified.txt
index 701eaa25b3..8ef155217f 100644
--- a/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.Net4_8.verified.txt
+++ b/test/Sentry.Tests/ApiApprovalTests.Run.Net4_8.verified.txt
@@ -842,6 +842,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static Sentry.BaggageHeader? GetBaggage() { }
         public static Sentry.ISpan? GetSpan() { }
         public static Sentry.SentryTraceHeader? GetTraceHeader() { }
+        public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer? GetTransaction() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init() { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(Sentry.SentryOptions options) { }
         public static System.IDisposable Init(System.Action<Sentry.SentryOptions>? configureOptions) { }
@@ -852,6 +853,7 @@ namespace Sentry
         public static void ResumeSession() { }
         public static void SetTag(string key, string value) { }
         public static void StartSession() { }
+        public static Sentry.ISpan StartSpan(string operation, string description) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(Sentry.ITransactionContext context, System.Collections.Generic.IReadOnlyDictionary<string, object?> customSamplingContext) { }
         public static Sentry.ITransactionTracer StartTransaction(string name, string operation) { }