When you install WordPress for the first time, there is a good chance that the email messages sent from your website will not arrive in the intended mailbox. Depending on the web server settings, they may still be sent, but end up in the spam folder instead.
Why do WordPress emails fail?
Without an additional plugin or configuration, emails are typically sent using PHP’s mail function. This function only works if a mail service is configured on the web server. Even then, its functionality is quite limited, as many mail servers do not trust these kinds of “simple” messages. The result: emails are blocked or end up in the recipient’s spam folder.
What is SMTP and why does it work better?
SMTP stands for “Simple Mail Transfer Protocol” and is the standard protocol used to send emails via your own email client. Therefore, you also want WordPress to send your emails via SMTP.
WordPress includes an SMTP mail function through the PHPMailer library, but it is not used by default. WordPress also does not provide a built-in interface for entering SMTP details, such as those of your own email account.
In most cases, an SMTP plugin is installed for this purpose, but it is also possible without one. WordPress has slightly modified the PHPMailer class, allowing you to override and extend the default options using action or filter hooks. With the snippet below, you can send emails via SMTP without using a plugin.
SMTP plugins for WordPress
If you prefer not to modify the code of your WordPress child theme, there are plenty of plugins you can use. The following five SMTP plugins are ones we use for our own websites and those of our clients.
Simple SMTP by Maileroo
If you don’t yet have a transactional email provider, Maileroo is a good and affordable choice. They offer their own plugin that connects to the Maileroo API via API mode. In SMTP mode, you can use any other provider.
WP Mail SMTP
With more than 4 million active installations, this is the most widely used plugin. The free version includes the basic functionality for sending emails via SMTP. If you need features like email logs, you will need to upgrade.
Post SMTP
If you are looking for an SMTP plugin that supports API integrations with the most popular providers, Post SMTP is a great option. The free version already includes sufficient integrations and also keeps an email log.
Easy WP SMTP
The free version of this plugin can be used with various email providers. Its functionality and structure are very similar to WP Mail SMTP. You will need to upgrade to the paid version if you want additional features such as email logging.
GoSMTP
The final plugin on our list is GoSMTP, which is comparable to WP Mail SMTP and Easy WP SMTP. You can connect to several providers via API or use general SMTP settings for your provider. This plugin also offers a paid version with email logs and additional features.
Which option should you choose?
As you can see, all plugins more or less do the same thing: sending emails via SMTP or via the API of your transactional email provider. In principle, all options are functional and reliable. Just choose the one that suits you best or the plugin that offers an API integration with your SMTP provider.
In addition to SMTP functionality, it is very useful to have an email logging feature. This is already included in some contact form plugins and, as mentioned earlier, in the free version of the Post SMTP plugin.
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