diff --git a/packages/core/src/tracing/index.ts b/packages/core/src/tracing/index.ts
index f418453ff28d..470286366c81 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tracing/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tracing/index.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ export { extractTraceparentData, getActiveTransaction } from './utils';
 // eslint-disable-next-line deprecation/deprecation
 export { SpanStatus } from './spanstatus';
 export type { SpanStatusType } from './span';
-export { trace } from './trace';
+export { trace, getActiveSpan, startActiveSpan, startSpan } from './trace';
 export { getDynamicSamplingContextFromClient } from './dynamicSamplingContext';
 export { setMeasurement } from './measurement';
diff --git a/packages/core/src/tracing/trace.ts b/packages/core/src/tracing/trace.ts
index 2864377bfc04..0ca928e9002a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tracing/trace.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tracing/trace.ts
@@ -34,14 +34,14 @@ export function trace<T>(
 
   const parentSpan = scope.getSpan();
 
-  function getActiveSpan(): Span | undefined {
+  function startActiveSpan(): Span | undefined {
     if (!hasTracingEnabled()) {
       return undefined;
     }
     return parentSpan ? parentSpan.startChild(ctx) : hub.startTransaction(ctx);
   }
 
-  const activeSpan = getActiveSpan();
+  const activeSpan = startActiveSpan();
   scope.setSpan(activeSpan);
 
   function finishAndSetSpan(): void {
@@ -76,3 +76,100 @@ export function trace<T>(
 
   return maybePromiseResult;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Wraps a function with a transaction/span and finishes the span after the function is done.
+ * The created span is the active span and will be used as parent by other spans created inside the function
+ * and can be accessed via `Sentry.getSpan()`, as long as the function is executed while the scope is active.
+ *
+ * If you want to create a span that is not set as active, use {@link startSpan}.
+ *
+ * Note that if you have not enabled tracing extensions via `addTracingExtensions`
+ * or you didn't set `tracesSampleRate`, this function will not generate spans
+ * and the `span` returned from the callback will be undefined.
+ */
+export function startActiveSpan<T>(context: TransactionContext, callback: (span: Span | undefined) => T): T {
+  const ctx = { ...context };
+  // If a name is set and a description is not, set the description to the name.
+  if (ctx.name !== undefined && ctx.description === undefined) {
+    ctx.description = ctx.name;
+  }
+
+  const hub = getCurrentHub();
+  const scope = hub.getScope();
+
+  const parentSpan = scope.getSpan();
+
+  function startActiveSpan(): Span | undefined {
+    if (!hasTracingEnabled()) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    return parentSpan ? parentSpan.startChild(ctx) : hub.startTransaction(ctx);
+  }
+
+  const activeSpan = startActiveSpan();
+  scope.setSpan(activeSpan);
+
+  function finishAndSetSpan(): void {
+    activeSpan && activeSpan.finish();
+    hub.getScope().setSpan(parentSpan);
+  }
+
+  let maybePromiseResult: T;
+  try {
+    maybePromiseResult = callback(activeSpan);
+  } catch (e) {
+    activeSpan && activeSpan.setStatus('internal_error');
+    finishAndSetSpan();
+    throw e;
+  }
+
+  if (isThenable(maybePromiseResult)) {
+    Promise.resolve(maybePromiseResult).then(
+      () => {
+        finishAndSetSpan();
+      },
+      () => {
+        activeSpan && activeSpan.setStatus('internal_error');
+        finishAndSetSpan();
+      },
+    );
+  } else {
+    finishAndSetSpan();
+  }
+
+  return maybePromiseResult;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Creates a span. This span is not set as active, so will not get automatic instrumentation spans
+ * as children or be able to be accessed via `Sentry.getSpan()`.
+ *
+ * If you want to create a span that is set as active, use {@link startActiveSpan}.
+ *
+ * Note that if you have not enabled tracing extensions via `addTracingExtensions`
+ * or you didn't set `tracesSampleRate` or `tracesSampler`, this function will not generate spans
+ * and the `span` returned from the callback will be undefined.
+ */
+export function startSpan(context: TransactionContext): Span | undefined {
+  if (!hasTracingEnabled()) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const ctx = { ...context };
+  // If a name is set and a description is not, set the description to the name.
+  if (ctx.name !== undefined && ctx.description === undefined) {
+    ctx.description = ctx.name;
+  }
+
+  const hub = getCurrentHub();
+  const parentSpan = getActiveSpan();
+  return parentSpan ? parentSpan.startChild(ctx) : hub.startTransaction(ctx);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns the currently active span.
+ */
+export function getActiveSpan(): Span | undefined {
+  return getCurrentHub().getScope().getSpan();
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/test/lib/tracing/trace.test.ts b/packages/core/test/lib/tracing/trace.test.ts
index bff1c425c2a0..f607aa7369f9 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/lib/tracing/trace.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/lib/tracing/trace.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { addTracingExtensions, Hub, makeMain } from '../../../src';
-import { trace } from '../../../src/tracing';
+import { startActiveSpan } from '../../../src/tracing';
 import { getDefaultTestClientOptions, TestClient } from '../../mocks/client';
 
 beforeAll(() => {
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const enum Type {
 let hub: Hub;
 let client: TestClient;
 
-describe('trace', () => {
+describe('startActiveSpan', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     const options = getDefaultTestClientOptions({ tracesSampleRate: 0.0 });
     client = new TestClient(options);
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ describe('trace', () => {
   ])('with %s callback and error %s', (_type, isError, callback, expected) => {
     it('should return the same value as the callback', async () => {
       try {
-        const result = await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
+        const result = await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
           return callback();
         });
         expect(result).toEqual(expected);
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ describe('trace', () => {
       // if tracingExtensions are not enabled
       jest.spyOn(hub, 'startTransaction').mockReturnValue(undefined);
       try {
-        const result = await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
+        const result = await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
           return callback();
         });
         expect(result).toEqual(expected);
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ describe('trace', () => {
         ref = transaction;
       });
       try {
-        await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
+        await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, () => {
           return callback();
         });
       } catch (e) {
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ describe('trace', () => {
         ref = transaction;
       });
       try {
-        await trace(
+        await startActiveSpan(
           {
             name: 'GET users/[id]',
             parentSampled: true,
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ describe('trace', () => {
         ref = transaction;
       });
       try {
-        await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, span => {
+        await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]' }, span => {
           if (span) {
             span.op = 'http.server';
           }
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ describe('trace', () => {
         ref = transaction;
       });
       try {
-        await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]', parentSampled: true }, () => {
-          return trace({ name: 'SELECT * from users' }, () => {
+        await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]', parentSampled: true }, () => {
+          return startActiveSpan({ name: 'SELECT * from users' }, () => {
             return callback();
           });
         });
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@ describe('trace', () => {
         ref = transaction;
       });
       try {
-        await trace({ name: 'GET users/[id]', parentSampled: true }, () => {
-          return trace({ name: 'SELECT * from users' }, childSpan => {
+        await startActiveSpan({ name: 'GET users/[id]', parentSampled: true }, () => {
+          return startActiveSpan({ name: 'SELECT * from users' }, childSpan => {
             if (childSpan) {
               childSpan.op = 'db.query';
             }
@@ -168,50 +168,5 @@ describe('trace', () => {
       expect(ref.spanRecorder.spans).toHaveLength(2);
       expect(ref.spanRecorder.spans[1].op).toEqual('db.query');
     });
-
-    it('calls `onError` hook', async () => {
-      const onError = jest.fn();
-      try {
-        await trace(
-          { name: 'GET users/[id]' },
-          () => {
-            return callback();
-          },
-          onError,
-        );
-      } catch (e) {
-        expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-        expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(e);
-      }
-      expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(isError ? 1 : 0);
-    });
-
-    it("doesn't create spans but calls onError if tracing is disabled", async () => {
-      const options = getDefaultTestClientOptions({
-        /* we don't set tracesSampleRate or tracesSampler */
-      });
-      client = new TestClient(options);
-      hub = new Hub(client);
-      makeMain(hub);
-
-      const startTxnSpy = jest.spyOn(hub, 'startTransaction');
-
-      const onError = jest.fn();
-      try {
-        await trace(
-          { name: 'GET users/[id]' },
-          () => {
-            return callback();
-          },
-          onError,
-        );
-      } catch (e) {
-        expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-        expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(e);
-      }
-      expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(isError ? 1 : 0);
-
-      expect(startTxnSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/node/src/index.ts b/packages/node/src/index.ts
index e0443691a8ae..1c172bc89618 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/index.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ export {
   withScope,
   captureCheckIn,
   setMeasurement,
+  getActiveSpan,
+  startActiveSpan,
+  startSpan,
 } from '@sentry/core';
 export type { SpanStatusType } from '@sentry/core';
 export { autoDiscoverNodePerformanceMonitoringIntegrations } from './tracing';
diff --git a/packages/serverless/src/index.ts b/packages/serverless/src/index.ts
index 99730ac8dac1..f7a195aba4e8 100644
--- a/packages/serverless/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/serverless/src/index.ts
@@ -50,4 +50,7 @@ export {
   Handlers,
   Integrations,
   setMeasurement,
+  getActiveSpan,
+  startActiveSpan,
+  startSpan,
 } from '@sentry/node';
diff --git a/packages/sveltekit/src/server/index.ts b/packages/sveltekit/src/server/index.ts
index 96f43cc9f7f9..f7c0b99f6301 100644
--- a/packages/sveltekit/src/server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/sveltekit/src/server/index.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ export {
   Integrations,
   Handlers,
   setMeasurement,
+  getActiveSpan,
+  startActiveSpan,
+  startSpan,
 } from '@sentry/node';
 
 // We can still leave this for the carrier init and type exports