If you are related to web content development, then you have heard of WordPress without a doubt. It is the forerunner of content management software (CMS). Everyone who loves to develop and administrate simple websites prefers it. WordPress or WP is a go-to platform for them.
One of the features that WordPress has is the ability to accept public registrations. For example, a web host which accepts memberships or is an eCommerce store. These types of WordPress websites need to send plenty of emails to the users.
Read: 13 Best WordPress Membership Plugins Compared
Suppose a site uses the default WordPress email solution. In that case, there is a high probability that the users will miss the emails. This is because they have a high tendency to be sent to the recipients’ spam folder.
Therefore, professional web developers use SMTP plugins. In simple language, these WP SMTP plugins enable you to ensure that the users get the email that your website sends.
There are quite a few easy WP SMTP plugins available, so it can be a bit confusing as to which to choose. That is why we have categorized the six best WordPress SMTP plugins in this article. It will help you.
Which Emails does WordPress Send?
When we talk about websites that need emailing features, they are mainly the ones with public registrations. Such a website is primarily a membership site. These sites require the user to get mails and also confirm them.
So, whenever building this kind of site, it’s obligatory to have email sending services. Generally, these emails are not the same as newsletter or marketing emails. The emails that they send are most of the time are,
- Emails notifying about comments
- Emails regarding password reset
- New user welcome email
- Admin notification emails
- Site update notification emails
The emails are not limited to the ones mentioned. There can also be transactional emails. That is why they are pretty crucial for the user.
How Does WordPress do it?
The most common way the developers send emails to the user is by using the WP mail function. This is the native email solution provided by WordPress. While using this function, the emails are sent using the default method.
For example, when a user requests a password reset, the WordPress website prepares a mail and sends it to the host. The mail is a PHP mail that the host receives and sends mail using the Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) system. And then, finally, the mail reaches the recipient’s inbox.
In the case of PHP mailing system, the mail is in most cases transferred to the spam folder. This causes the recipient to miss the mail, and they request again. But the new mail is also treated as spam, and it becomes an endless loop.
What are SMTP Plugins?
A question you might ask right now is what WordPress SMTP is? In short, SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a plugin service for receiving and sending emails. It is mainly a plugin for WordPress that controls the email you send. The parts are relevant to your mail, and it is moved from you to your recipient clients.
Most of the emails that you receive are probably sent using an SMTP server. If one uses the default WordPress mailing service, the emails are sent as PHP mail. Due to this, you are highly likely to miss the mail. That is why SMTP plugins are used.
The mails sent via SMTP servers are correctly configured. This ensures that the emails you send from the WordPress website are not sent to the spam or junk folder.
Why is it Needed?
As it has already been clarified that the default mailing service of WP is not a reliable one. Even when they send transactional emails, these emails may end up in your spam folder. That is why it is better to use some plugins for WordPress to ensure the recipient gets emails to their inbox. This is where SMTP servers come in.
To send a mail using SMTP, you need to use a plugin and also connect to one. This can be done in three possible routes. They are…
First Route: Use the host’s SMTP server, considering it’s available. But not all hosts have the service of email hosting. That is why this route is not that reliable.
Second Route: You can utilize the SMTP servers provided by free mailing media. Such as the servers provided by Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail.
Third Route: If you are looking for a more reliable route, then use a third-party SMTP server. These servers are entirely dedicated to mailing services. One of the most popular services is the Mailgun. There are also a few other reliable ones.
6 Best WordPress SMTP Plugins Review
Mail Bank
The Mail Bank SMTP is a free WordPress plugin. This is a plugin that is developed by Teck Banker. The plugin updates automatically, so you don’t need to do anything manually.
By using this plugin, email deliverability is guaranteed. That is because Mail Bank works by sending emails using a customized Zend Framework. The plugin reconfigures the default wp_mail() function to give you control over the outgoing emails.
Key Features
- Updates automatically
- Internal email logging
- Guaranteed deliverability
- Supports multiple languages
Price: Mail Bank is entirely free of any cost.
Email Tools
The default WP mail function is wp_mail(). Like most other SMTP, the Email plugin reconfigures this default function. Using an SMTP plugin, you can setup custom gateways.
Moreover, it is easy to use and is compatible with multiple sites. Due to this, you have a certain degree of freedom while using it as a WP plugin. This is because it has built-in SMTP settings.
Key Features
- Complete SMTP settings
- Password encrypted
- Multiple SMTP profiles
- Compatible with multiple sites
Price: The introductory price for one site is $29.
Linemail
Linemail, unlike the other SMTP plugins, has two different versions. The primary product is easy to use and highly configurable. It supports Ajax, HTML5, and JQuery. If you want to use the plugin, it can be used with WordPress 5.0-5.6.x.
Moreover, with the widget function, the users’ email, surname, and username can easily be gathered. If you wish, there is also a premium version that gives you an extra half-year of support.
Key Features
- Collects email addresses using Widget
- Email logs are downloadable in .xlsx format
- Server connectivity settings
- The website sends the email
Price: For a single site, the basic fee is $35.
WP Mail SMTP
Like the usual SMTP plugins, WP Mail SMTP is an easy-to-use plugin by WPForms. This plugin reconfigures the default wp_mail() function and properly uses SMTP host credentials.
Using the built-in SMTP integrations, the developer can overcome all the email delivery issues. If you require additional expert support, then you can upgrade to the premium version. They also provide White Glove Setup with the paid version.
Key Features
- Provides expert support
- Optimal grade security
- White glove setup
- Easy WordPress notifications management
- Best contact form plugin
Price: The basic pack of the plugin is free of any cost.
Post SMTP Mailer/Email Log
Post SMTP is not your usual clone of WP Mail SMTP. It entirely replaces the library. Mainly the WordPress SMTP library and PHPMailer are swapped with heavy-duty Zend Mail. This ensures that the user receives the email newsletter that your site sends.
The setup wizard of this plugin is also extremely easy and fast. So you will not face any unwanted issues while using this WP SMTP plugin.
Key Features
- Supports Google API, Mandrill API, Mailgun API, and many others
- Provides SMTP error messages
- Configuration can be easily copied to other SMTPs
- Detailed email logging
Price: The entire SMTP plugin is free of charge.
Easy WP SMTP
If you wish to configure all your outgoing emails, then Easy WP SMTP is the best option. This plugin uses SMTP servers. That is why your email newsletters’ probability of ending up in the junk or spam folder is pretty low.
Unlike other plugins, this plugin keeps debugging logs. Using the debug log, you can easily see if the emails were delivered successfully or not. The general testing and debugging settings are easy to use. So, you can develop and maintain your site with ease.
Key Features
- Utilizes SMTP servers
- Email delivery is one of the most secure ones
- Easy testing and debugging settings
- Compatible with Google, Yahoo, and Hotmail’s SMTP servers
Price: The WordPress SMTP plugin is free to download.
Final Words
No matter if it’s a newsletter or a service notification email, these plugins are there to make sure to deliver them directly to the client’s email inbox, not a junk folder. And that is why WordPress developers/webmasters require a well-rated WordPress SMTP plugin.
