Post SMTP is a plugin that solves WordPress email delivery problems by redirecting outgoing emails through a properly configured SMTP server instead of the default PHP mail function, which is often blocked or filtered by hosting providers. When WordPress tries to send emails through PHP mail, many hosts either block the function outright or the emails are flagged as spam because they lack proper authentication. Post SMTP fixes this by connecting to an SMTP provider — Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, or any SMTP server — and routing all WordPress emails through it with proper authentication. The plugin includes OAuth 2.0 support for Gmail and Outlook, which means you don’t need to store your email password in plain text in the WordPress database. With email logging, delivery reports, and error tracking, Post SMTP gives you full visibility into email delivery. For site owners who’ve had trouble with contact forms, password resets, or WooCommerce order notifications not arriving, Post SMTP is the most reliable fix, competing with WP Mail SMTP Pro.
The plugin hooks into WordPress’s wp_mail() function at the transport layer, replacing the default PHP mail handler with an SMTP-based one. It uses the PHPMailer library with socket-based connections and supports SSL/TLS encryption for secure email transmission.
Competitive Features
- SMTP configuration — connect to any SMTP server with host, port, encryption, and authentication settings
- OAuth 2.0 authentication — Gmail and Outlook OAuth with token storage and automatic refresh
- Email logging — log all sent emails with headers, content, attachments, and delivery status
- Delivery reports — per-email delivery status with success, failure, and error reasons
- Email testing — send test emails to verify SMTP configuration before going live
- Error tracking — detailed error messages for failed deliveries with troubleshooting suggestions
- Multisite support — network-wide SMTP configuration with per-site override options
Key Features
- OAuth 2.0 — connect to Gmail, Google Workspace, and Outlook without storing passwords
- API integration — Amazon SES, Mailgun, SendGrid, Sendinblue, and SparkPost connectors
- Email log viewer — searchable log with date filters, recipient search, and status filtering
- Resend failed emails — retry delivery of failed emails from the log with one click
- Email statistics — dashboard widget showing total sent, failed, and delivery rate metrics
- HTML/custom content — option to send test emails with custom HTML content
- Import/export — export SMTP settings for backup or transfer to other sites
Comparison with Competitors
Post SMTP vs WP Mail SMTP Pro
| Aspect | Post SMTP | WP Mail SMTP Pro |
|---|---|---|
| SMTP configuration | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth 2.0 | Gmail, Outlook | Gmail, Outlook |
| Email logging | Yes | Yes |
| Failed email resend | Yes | Yes |
| Mailer integrations | 6+ | 12+ |
| Multisite support | Yes | Yes |
Bottom line: Both plugins are comparable in core features. WP Mail SMTP Pro has more mailer integrations (including SendGrid and Mailgun API). Post SMTP has a more feature-rich free version with full email logging and failed email resend included.
Post SMTP vs Easy WP SMTP
| Aspect | Post SMTP | Easy WP SMTP |
|---|---|---|
| SMTP configuration | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth 2.0 | Yes | No |
| Email logging | Yes | Basic |
| Failed email resend | Yes | No |
| Test email | Yes | Yes |
| Error tracking | Detailed | Basic |
Bottom line: Easy WP SMTP is simpler for basic SMTP setup. Post SMTP is more comprehensive with OAuth support, detailed logging, and failed email resend capabilities.
Recommended Stack: Post SMTP fixes email delivery for all WordPress emails. For email marketing campaigns, pair it with MailPoet Premium which sends newsletters through your Post SMTP-configured server.
Official Changelog
Version 4.0.1
Release Date: August 25, 2026
- Rolled back from 4.0.0-beta.1.
Version 3.10.0
Release Date: August 24, 2026
- New: Added SMTP.com as an email service provider.
- New: Added Cloudflare as an email service provider.
- Improvement: Updated Sweego API.
- Improvement: Verified compatibility with WordPress 7.1.
- Fix: Resolved issue where newsletter emails were rendered incorrectly via Microsoft 365 API.
- Fix: Fixed critical error when sending Wordfence Admin Authentication emails.
- Fix: Resolved PHP 8.3 deprecation warnings.
- Fix: Fixed fatal error occurring on the configuration page for version 3.7.0.
- Fix: Fixed issue where the Resend feature sent raw HTML instead of rendered emails.
- Fix: Corrected delivery time in logs to match WordPress timezone settings.
- Fix: Added missing angle brackets in Message-ID header to prevent Google Workspace bounces.
- Fix: Resolved issue where Reply-to settings were not being honored.
- Fix: Fixed Cyrillic domain support issues.
Version 3.9.5
Release Date: June 24, 2026
- Updated dashboard banners and removed the Extensions screen from the plugin menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my WordPress emails not arriving?
Most hosting providers block or throttle the PHP mail function to prevent spam. Post SMTP fixes this by routing emails through a properly authenticated SMTP server, which ensures deliverability.
Does Post SMTP work with Gmail?
Yes. Post SMTP supports OAuth 2.0 authentication for Gmail and Google Workspace, which means you authorize the plugin without storing your Gmail password. The plugin handles token refresh automatically.
Will Post SMTP slow down my site?
No. Email delivery happens in the background using WordPress cron. The email log query is optimized with indexing and doesn’t affect front-end performance.
Can I resend failed emails?
Yes. Post SMTP logs all email attempts with delivery status. You can view the log and resend any failed emails with a single click from the log viewer.
What is the difference between free and Pro?
The free version includes SMTP configuration, OAuth, and basic logging. The Pro version adds unlimited email log storage, advanced mailer integrations (SES, Mailgun, SendGrid), and priority support.
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