Using a WordPress SMTP Plugin to Send your Newsletter Emails

Noptin relies on the same approach WordPress uses to send emails. By default, emails are sent directly from your web server or hosting provider.

Sending emails through your web server often results in them being marked as spam. Furthermore, most web hosts have an email sending limit. This restricts the number of emails you can send per hour or day.

We recommend using a specialized email delivery service, such as Amazon SES, for sending your emails.

To send your emails via an email delivery service or SMTP, you first need to create an account with your SMTP service of choice. Finally, install the Easy WP SMTP plugin and use it to connect your new SMTP account to WordPress.

What is SMTP?

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, and is the standard method for sending emails over the internet.

SMTP services are essential for email transmission and are used by email servers to send, receive, and relay outgoing mail between email senders and receivers.

Why Use SMTP?

SMTP servers provide the following advantages compared to sending your Noptin emails directly via your WordPress site:-

  • SMTP servers specialize in email delivery, which improves delivery rates.
  • They offer authentication features, such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, to verify sender identity and improve security.
  • SMTP services provide better error handling and reports, giving insights into delivery issues.
  • These servers handle high email volumes efficiently. They are ideal for sites with large audiences and heavy email loads.

The table below lists some of our recommended SMTP service providers and their prices.

NOTE: The prices were last updated on January 13, 2025.

ProviderFree Plan / TierStarting PriceNotable Features
SendGrid✔️ Free trial (60 days; 100 emails/day)$19.95/monthSMTP & API, analytics, high volume
Mailgun✔️ (100 emails/day)$15/monthEmail validation, robust logging
Amazon SES✔️ (3,000 emails/mo first 12 months)$0.10 per 1,000 emailsUltra low cost, scalable
SMTP.com$25/monthDeliverability tools, mature service
Postmark✔️ (100 emails/mo)$15/monthFocused on transactional emails
Mailjet✔️ (200 emails/day)$17/monthIntuitive email builder, A/B testing
Brevo✔️ (300 emails/day)$9/monthCRM features, transactional support
SMTP2GO✔️ (1,000 emails/mo)$10/monthReliable SMTP relay, analytics
MailerSend✔️ (3,000 emails/mo)$25/monthFree tier varies by region
SendPulse✔️ (12,000 emails/mo)$6/monthSMTP + automation, SMS & more
Mailtrap✔️ (1,000 emails/mo)$10/monthTesting + transactional SMTP
AhaSend✔️ (1,000 emails/mo)$10/monthAffordable SMTP relay
List of recommended SMTP services

Building your own SMTP service

If you send thousands of emails per month, it might be cheaper to build your own SMTP service instead of using a third-party server.

This also gives you more customization options and enhances data privacy, security, and reliability.

For this, we recommend you use Mail-in-a-Box. You can easily set it up on a DigitalOcean droplet and start using it right away.

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