The strongest Post SMTP alternative for most sites is WP Mail SMTP, which fixes email deliverability through a guided setup and mailer wizard that is more polished than Post SMTP’s. For a fully free option with no upsell, FluentSMTP handles every major provider, while Easy WP SMTP keeps configuration simple. We ranked these from our index of 55,000+ WordPress plugins.

Why people switch from Post SMTP

• Post SMTP is capable but its interface feels dated, so people move to WP Mail SMTP for a cleaner guided setup.
• Teams wanting every API mailer, including Amazon SES and SendGrid, without paying move to FluentSMTP.
• Sites wanting the lightest possible configuration move to Easy WP SMTP or SMTP Mailer.
• Those wanting a modern, free-to-start plugin try GoSMTP.

WP Mail SMTP – Overall replacement

WP Mail SMTP is the most widely used SMTP plugin, made by the WPForms team at Awesome Motive. Against Post SMTP, it offers a smoother guided setup wizard and a longer list of native mailer integrations that most users find easier to configure. Its drawback is that email logging and some of the direct mailer integrations are reserved for paid plans, whereas Post SMTP includes detailed logging for free.

Choose WP Mail SMTP if you want the most polished setup and the widest mailer support.

Easy WP SMTP – Simple SMTP setup

Easy WP SMTP is a lightweight plugin focused on getting authenticated SMTP working quickly, with free email logs and popular provider presets. Against Post SMTP, it is leaner and simpler to configure for a basic Gmail, Outlook, or custom SMTP connection. Its drawback is that it offers fewer direct API mailer integrations than WP Mail SMTP or FluentSMTP, so advanced provider setups have less native support.

Choose Easy WP SMTP if you want a straightforward free SMTP plugin with logs.

FluentSMTP – Free with every mailer

FluentSMTP is made by the Fluent team at WPManageNinja and is fully free, including native connections to Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, and generic SMTP, plus email logs. Against Post SMTP, it unlocks every provider and feature without a paid tier. Its drawback is that support is community-based rather than a dedicated premium desk, so there is no paid support channel if you need hands-on help.

Choose FluentSMTP if you want every major mailer and logs without paying.

GoSMTP – Modern lightweight SMTP

GoSMTP is a newer SMTP plugin with a clean, modern setup flow and support for common mailers and email logging. Against Post SMTP, it presents a fresher, less cluttered interface for connecting a provider. Its drawback is that it is much newer and less battle-tested, with a shorter track record and fewer integrations than the long-established options here.

Choose GoSMTP if you want a clean, modern SMTP plugin and do not need a long track record.

SMTP Mailer – Bare-bones SMTP

SMTP Mailer is a minimal plugin that does one thing: routes WordPress mail through an authenticated SMTP server. Against Post SMTP, it is about as simple as an SMTP plugin gets, with a single settings screen. Its drawback is that it is genuinely bare-bones, with no built-in email logging or provider API integrations in the free version, so you get delivery but little visibility.

Choose SMTP Mailer if you want the simplest possible SMTP configuration and nothing more.

When to stay on Post SMTP

Stay on Post SMTP if you rely on its free email logging, backup mailer failover, and mobile app alerts, which few competitors bundle at no cost. It fixes deliverability just as well as the alternatives, and if it is already sending your mail reliably there is little to gain from switching. Reconfiguring SMTP is a task best done for a concrete reason.

How we ranked these

Every plugin here is scored by the WPS Score, a single 0 to 10 rating built from 21 signals covering maintenance, support responsiveness, compatibility, performance, and ratings quality across our index of 55,000+ plugins. Rankings are derived from that data, not editorial preference, and no plugin author can pay to change a score. How the WPS Score works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free SMTP plugin for WordPress?

FluentSMTP is the strongest fully free option because it supports every major mailer, including Amazon SES and SendGrid, and includes email logs at no cost. WP Mail SMTP and Easy WP SMTP also have free tiers, though some mailers and features are reserved for their paid plans.

Is WP Mail SMTP better than Post SMTP?

WP Mail SMTP has a more polished setup wizard and broader native mailer support, while Post SMTP includes email logs, backup delivery, and mobile alerts for free. For most users WP Mail SMTP is easier to configure, but Post SMTP offers more built-in features without paying.

Do I still need an SMTP plugin if my host sends email?

Often yes. Default WordPress mail sent through a host is frequently marked as spam or dropped, so an SMTP plugin like WP Mail SMTP or FluentSMTP routes it through an authenticated provider for reliable delivery. This improves deliverability even on hosts that technically send mail.

The verdict

The best all-round Post SMTP alternative is WP Mail SMTP for its guided setup and wide mailer support, while FluentSMTP wins for a fully free feature set and Easy WP SMTP for simple configuration. If Post SMTP’s free logging and backup delivery already serve you well, staying on Post SMTP is a sound choice.