Have you ever lost sales because your important emails never reached your customers? Or discovered that your carefully crafted newsletter campaigns were sitting in spam folders instead of driving conversions?
I’ve been there. After twenty years of building WordPress websites, from small personal sites to working with big corporations, I’ve experienced firsthand how frustrating email deliverability issues can be.
That’s why I’ve tested dozens of the best WordPress email plugins to find solutions that actually work. As a senior writer for WP Mail SMTP and SendLayer with over 150 published guides on email deliverability, I know what separates reliable tools from marketing hype.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my findings after rigorously testing each plugin against three critical criteria:
- Deliverability performance: Does the plugin actually get your emails to the inbox rather than spam?
- Marketing automation capabilities: What features are available for growing your list and nurturing leads?
- Pricing and value: Is the cost justified by the features and reliability?
Whether you’re struggling with transactional emails never arriving, seeking better newsletter engagement, or simply want to ensure your WordPress site’s emails are professional and reliable, this up-to-date guide has you covered.
Let’s solve your WordPress email headaches once and for all.
Best SMTP & Deliverability Plugins
Let’s get started with the best plugins to stop WordPress emails from going to spam.
SMTP plugins change the way that WordPress sends email. Instead of using your web server, they’ll send emails through a 3rd party provider instead, making it more likely they’ll hit the inbox. Here are the best of the bunch.
1. WP Mail SMTP
The most widely-used SMTP plugin (3+ million active installs) that finally gets WordPress emails into inboxes.
Key features:
- Choice of 15+ SMTP/API integrations (I personally recommend SendLayer as an affordable transactional email service for small businesses)
- One-click resend for failed emails (saved me countless support headaches)
- Automatic alerts via email, Slack, Teams, SMS, or push notifications if an email fails
- Smart routing that automatically switches to backup providers if your primary connection fails
- One-click setup for Gmail and Outlook email accounts
After testing every SMTP plugin on this list, I consistently recommend WP Mail SMTP first to anyone having problems with their WordPress emails because it combines enterprise-level deliverability features with beginner-friendly setup.
The free version works wonderfully for basic needs, but I’ve found the Pro features pay for themselves quickly in saved troubleshooting time and improved customer communication. WP Mail SMTP has 4+ thousand 5-star reviews on WordPress.org
There are 2 huge reasons why beginners love WP Mail SMTP:
- Choice: It supports SMTP servers and email provider APIs. That means you can send WordPress email through SMTP or a separate provider like Gmail.
- Ease of use: You can easily set up any provider or SMTP server using the Setup Wizard. So you don’t have to work through a ton of technical settings to get your emails working. And if you’d like help, the White Glove set up service will take care of your complete WordPress SMTP settings.
And in the Pro version, you also get a ton of very advanced email tracking features like:
- Optimized Email Sending: If you’re sending a lot of emails from your site due to announcements or a spike in online orders, WP Mail SMTP Pro also offers features to queue your emails asynchronously.
- Email logging: Logs every email sent from WordPress for troubleshooting or tracking. Includes the option to log the content as well as the headers and to search your logs for specific messages.
- Delivery status tracking: If your mailer supports it, you can see if your emails are delivered right in the WordPress dashboard.
- Open and click tracking for WordPress email: See if individual emails were opened, and see if the links in the emails were clicked.
- Resend emails: Click on any email to resend or forward it, or resend a bunch of emails in bulk with a couple of clicks.
- Email log export: Back up your email logs to CSV, EML, or XLS so you can track deliverability in any platform or tool. You can also filter the results before exporting.
- Save attachments: Want to send email attachments from WordPress? It’s common to receive file attachments from backup plugins or contact forms. WP Mail SMTP can automatically save sent email attachments along with the email log and email body.
- Dashboard widget: Track deliverability easily with a chart that shows emails sent, failed, and delivered (if your mailer supports the ‘delivered’ status).
- Email controls: Disable auto-update email notifications, new user emails, and any other emails that are usually generated in WordPress.
- Detailed Email Reports: Track your email deliverability, opens, and clicks on a graph.
- Weekly Email Summaries: Get deliverability reports by email.
- Multisite logging: Use SMTP on WordPress multisite and give each site its own settings page. It’s easy for the network admin to review the email log for any site.
If you need some help getting started, the Elite license includes White Glove Setup. That means the WP Mail SMTP team will get everything working with SendLayer, SMTP.com, or Brevo on your site.
So if you want the most powerful email plugin for WordPress that supports some of the most trusted SMTP providers, WP Mail SMTP is the best choice.
Why I love it:
- The guided setup wizard detects your host automatically and configures everything in under 3 minutes
- I can track exactly who opened my emails and clicked links with the built-in analytics dashboard
- The White-Glove Setup option is great for anyone who doesn’t want to mess around with configuration and will configure everything for you remotely (on Pro plan)
Pricing: Lite forever-free; Pro $49/yr for 1 site (normally $99 – check current pricing)
Best for: Almost everyone – from bloggers to WooCommerce shops to membership sites. It’s the universal solution that guarantees your critical emails actually reach inboxes without requiring technical expertise.
2. Easy WP SMTP
Comprehensive SMTP plugin with one-click setup for Gmail and Outlook that rivals premium alternatives while maintaining simplicity.
Key features:
- Works with any SMTP provider that supports TLS/SSL connections
- Comprehensive email logging and delivery tracking
- Full analytics dashboard with open and click tracking
- Weekly deliverability reports and status alerts
- Backup connections and smart email routing
Easy WP SMTP has evolved significantly, now offering a robust feature set that matches premium alternatives.
Both WP Mail SMTP and Easy WP SMTP deliver excellent results for WordPress site owners who need reliable email delivery. For critical business communications, either solution provides the enterprise-level tools needed for reliable delivery.
Why I like it:
- I can set up Gmail authentication with just one click via their streamlined OAuth implementation
- The Slack notifications alerted me immediately when emails failed on my test site
- Despite its expanded feature set, it still maintains a relatively light footprint
Pricing: Core plugin free; Basic $49.50/yr for 1 site unlocks advanced features and premium support
Best for: A decent alternative if you want something similar to WP Mail SMTP but with a slightly different interface approach.
3. FluentSMTP
100% free, open-source SMTP plugin with unlimited connections and automatic fallback routing.
Key features:
- Quick setup wizards for 10+ popular email services
- Automatic switch to backup mailer if your primary service has an outage
- Comprehensive email logging
- Email failure notificaitons
FluentSMTP delivers impressive functionality at zero cost. I’ve deployed it on several low-budget projects where clients couldn’t justify paid solutions but still needed reliable email delivery. The ability to set up multiple SMTP connections in priority order provides enterprise-level redundancy without any subscription fees.
Why I like it:
- All functionality is included for free
- I can set up multiple SMTP connections in priority order for better reliability
- The built-in testing tool is handy, so you don’t need to rely on external services
Pricing: Free – all features included
Best for: Users on extremely tight budgets who need multiple SMTP connections but can’t justify the cost of premium solutions like WP Mail SMTP Pro.
4. Post SMTP
Feature-rich premium version of the original Postman SMTP plugin
Key features:
- Detailed email logs
- Easy integration with popular providers via setup wizard
- Mobile app with email logs and failure notifications
- Auto resend failed emails
Post SMTP’s mobile notifications are genuinely useful for sites where email delivery is mission-critical. The plugin offers comprehensive debugging tools that help identify exactly why emails might be failing, making it easier to resolve complex delivery issues. However, it is significantly more expensive to access all the premium features than other SMTP plugins
Why I like it:
- The app is handy for keeping an eye on email status on the go
- The at-a-glance dashboard gives an overview of email health
Pricing: Free core; Basic $59.99/yr (1 site); Business $99.99/yr adds more features and priority support
Best for: Site admins specifically looking for mobile notifications about email failures (though WP Mail SMTP’s email alerts are sufficient for most businesses).
Best Email Capture Plugins
Looking to capture emails from your visitors? These plugins make it easy to collect emails that you can add to a marketing list or drip campaign.
5. WPForms
Drag-and-drop form builder with marketing addons that turn any form into a high-converting newsletter opt-in.
Key features:
- AI form builder allows you to create any form you can describe in plain English
- Store and export entries to analyze submission patterns
- Payment integration allows you to collect email signups and payments simultaneously
- Show or hide form fields with smart conditional logic
- Create high converting lead forms
WPForms is a fantastic tool for creating high-converting forms that will help to grow your email marking lists. While not a complete email solution on its own, it’s an excellent companion to any of the SMTP or ESP plugins on this list, helping you capture leads effectively.
Why I like it:
- The pre-built templates and AI form builder save me hours of form design time
- Direct integrations with all the major email marketing platforms make it easy to automate subscriber sign ups
- Conditional logic and conversational forms have helped to dramatically boost signup rates
Pricing: Lite free; Pro from $49.50 / year
Best for: Site owners focused on building email lists rather than sending emails (perfect companion to WP Mail SMTP which ensures form notifications and other emails are delivered from your WordPress site).
6. OptinMonster
High-conversion pop-up builder that turns abandoning visitors into email subscribers and funnels them straight into your email marketing platform.
Key features:
- Exit-intent, scroll, and timed triggers boost opt-in rates
- A/B testing and built-in conversion analytics
- Seamless connections with email marketing providers and no HTML forms needed
- Monster Leads backup storage for peace of mind
- Mobile-specific pop-ups & slide-ins
OptinMonster focuses on solving the critical challenge of capturing email addresses before visitors leave your site. With its advanced targeting and triggering capabilities, it dramatically improves conversion rates compared to standard embedded forms.
It pairs perfectly with WP Mail SMTP to create a complete email marketing solution for your website – OptinMonster handles list growth while WP Mail SMTP ensures deliverability.
Why I like it:
- Drag-and-drop campaign builder with 700+ templates
- Advanced display rules (scroll, exit-intent, geolocation, WooCommerce cart value)
- One-click integrations with 30+ email services, including MailPoet, Brevo, and HubSpot
Pricing: No free tier; Basic $99.60 / year (1 site, unlimited campaigns). Higher plans add advanced analytics, tracking, and reports.
Best for: Marketers and store owners looking for powerful list-building tools to grow their audience and recover abandoning visitors.
7. Mailchimp for WP (MC4WP)
The Mailchimp official plguin for syncing any WordPress form or checkout to Mailchimp lists.
Key features:
- Automatically add commenters or new registrants to your Mailchimp email lists
- GDPR checkbox builder for legal compliance
- Ecommerce reporting helps measure exact ROI from campaigns
- Developer-friendly hooks to customize functionality as needed
MC4WP creates a seamless bridge between WordPress and Mailchimp, making it quick and easy to send email addresses from signup forms on your site directly to Mailchimp.
For businesses already invested in using Mailchimp as their email marking platform, this plugin automates list management and provides valuable eCommerce tracking.
Pricing: Core free; Premium from $99/yr (single-site) for eCommerce integration, form styling, and more premium features.
Best for: Marketers already using Mailchimp who don’t need the flexibility of a form builder like WPForms
8. HubSpot CRM & Email Plugin
Full lead generation tool with signup form and popup buider, WordPress newsletter builder, Livechat, and chatbots
Key features:
- The forms and popups automatically sync new leads to your CRM
- Add live chat with a chatbot to your WordPress site
- Built in marketing analytics
- Easy integrations with over 1,000 CRM, email marekting, social media, eCommerce, and other apps
HubSpot’s WordPress plugin offers incredible value for businesses that need more than just email marketing.
The integration of CRM, chat, forms, and email into a single plugin creates powerful opportunities for nurturing leads through your entire sales funnel.
Why I like it:
- I can see a complete timeline of every interaction with each contact
- The email builder mirrors HubSpot’s web app, maintaining consistency
- Built-in analytics show me exactly how my emails perform
Pricing: Free CRM + 2,000 emails/mo; paid Marketing Hub from $45/mo (Starter) scales limits
Best for: Businesses needing CRM functionality first, email second – and who don’t mind HubSpot branding (works best when complemented by WP Mail SMTP for system emails).
Best Email Marketing & Automation Plugins
Ready to move beyond basic notifications? These tools add drag-and-drop builders, automations, and detailed analytic. Pair them with your chosen SMTP plugin for rock-solid delivery
9. MailPoet
All-in-one newsletter and WooCommerce email engine built specifically for WordPress.
Key features:
- Set up multi-step welcome sequences that engage new subscribers automatically
- Customer segmentation based on purchase history helps you target the right audience
- Dedicated IP pools help to improve email deliverability
- Dozens of beautiful, ready-to-use email templates
MailPoet stands out by combining email marketing with WordPress’s native block editor, making it incredibly intuitive for anyone already familiar with WordPress.
Their dedicated sending service handles the technical aspects of deliverability, which means you can’t use it alongside WP Mail SMTP or another standalone SMTP plugin. This works well if you want an all-in-one solution, but it does lock you into their ecosystem for all your emails.
Why I like it:
- I can create beautiful emails right from the WordPress dashboard
- The integration with WooCommerce makes it easy to encourage subscriptions at checkout and send automatic follow-up emails
- I don’t need a separate SMTP plugin as their sending service handles deliverability
Pricing: Send up to 5,000 emails/mo free; paid plans from $10/mo for ≤500 subscribers (billed annually)
Best for: Store owners focused primarily on marketing emails and WooCommerce integrations who prefer an all-in-one solution and don’t mind being limited to MailPoet’s sending service.
10. Brevo (Sendinblue) WordPress Plugin
Signup form plugin for Brevo, offering email, SMS, WhatsApp & transactional SMTP under one roof.
Key features:
- Build marketing automation workflows that drive conversions
- Reliable SMTP relay for transactional emails
- AI-powered send-time optimization
- EU server options to maintain strict GDPR compliance
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) provides an all-in-one communication platform that extends well beyond just email.
The ability to coordinate email, SMS, and WhatsApp messages from a single interface makes it particularly valuable for businesses with complex marketing needs.
Why I like it:
- I can manage all contacts in one unified database across email campaigns and CRM
- The drag-and-drop builders make creating both emails and landing pages simple
- I can send SMS and WhatsApp messages without separate tools
Pricing: 300 emails/day free; Starter $25/mo (5,000 emails) – no subscriber caps
Best for: SaaS or e-commerce teams that specifically need SMS/WhatsApp capabilities alongside email (though I still recommend adding WP Mail SMTP as a failsafe for critical transactional messages).
12. The Newsletter Plugin
Old-school yet powerful newsletter system with unlimited subscribers even on the free tier.
Key features:
- Schedule automatic emails whenever you publish content in specific categories
- List segmentation tools to target specific reader interests
- WooCommerce integration to sync customer and subscriber lists
- Comprehensive privacy tools to maintain legal compliance
The Newsletter Plugin offers impressive functionality without the per-subscriber pricing model that makes many ESPs expensive as your list grows. For content publishers who primarily send blog updates or regular newsletters, it provides everything needed without unnecessary complexity.
Why I like it:
- I can send to unlimited subscribers when using my own SMTP provider
- The composer lets me turn blog posts into email digests with minimal effort
- Their extensive add-on library lets me expand functionality as needed
Pricing: Core free; Full Add-ons Pack €69/yr – all premium extensions
Best for: Publishers focused solely on blog-to-email digests who want unlimited subscribers but don’t need the advanced deliverability features of WP Mail SMTP.
And that’s it! We hope our recommendations for the best WordPress email plugins will help you choose the most suitable options for your site!
Next, Set Up Push Notifications for Your Blog
Did you know that you can also send browser push notifications from WordPress? Check out how to set up push notifications in WordPress with a free plugin.
You can also take a look at our guides to the best MailerLite integrations and the best email tracking plugins to help with your email marketing.
Ready to fix your emails? Get started today with the best WordPress SMTP plugin. If you don’t have the time to fix your emails, you can get full White Glove Setup assistance as an extra purchase, and there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee for all paid plans.
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