Mastering WordPress Emails: 3 Easy Ways to Use Free SMTP Servers

WordPress’s default PHP mail function can be unreliable, often causing important emails to end up in the spam folder or not be delivered at all.

At CanadaCreate, we utilize an SMTP server to ensure our emails are consistently delivered. However, many beginners find the setup process for a mail server to be challenging.

This article offers a comprehensive guide on how to set up a free SMTP server for your WordPress site, enhancing your email deliverability. The first method is the easiest to implement.

Why Should You Use an SMTP Server for Sending WordPress Emails?

Many website owners report issues with WordPress not sending emails.

By default, WordPress sends emails using the PHP mail function. Unfortunately, not all hosting providers are properly set up to support PHP mail.

Even if emails are sent successfully, they may be mistakenly marked as spam, leading to automatic deletion before they can be read.

The most effective way to guarantee the delivery of your WordPress emails is by using an SMTP server, which is the standard method for sending emails online.

SMTP servers provide proper authentication to ensure that emails are sent by authorized users, enhancing deliverability and ensuring that your emails reach recipients’ inboxes.

To connect your WordPress site to your SMTP server, you will need a plugin. We recommend using the WP Mail SMTP plugin, which is the top choice for SMTP integration with WordPress.

Fortunately, there is a free version of WP Mail SMTP that you can use.

Now, let’s explore how to set up WP Mail SMTP and connect it to popular free SMTP servers.

How to Install the WP Mail SMTP Plugin for WordPress

The first step is to install and activate the WP Mail SMTP plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, you will be greeted by the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard. You can skip this wizard, as we will guide you through the manual setup process.

Simply click the ‘Go back to the Dashboard’ link at the bottom.

You should now see the WP Mail SMTP»Settings page, where you can customize the plugin settings.

If you have purchased a Pro license, you will need to enter your license key and click the ‘Verify Key’ button. You can find your license key in your account area on the WP Mail SMTP website.

Begin by entering your From Email and From Name. This is the email address and name that will appear on WordPress emails.

Keep the ‘Force From Email’ option enabled to ensure that all emails sent from your WordPress site originate from the specified email address via your SMTP server.

Next, navigate to the Mailer section where you can select your preferred SMTP mailing service. Simply click on the service you wish to use.

The subsequent steps will vary based on the service you select.

We will provide a step-by-step guide on setting up several free SMTP servers. Keep the WP Mail SMTP settings tab open and follow the instructions for your chosen SMTP server:

1. How to Send WordPress Emails Using Gmail SMTP Server

You can utilize a free Gmail account to send SMTP emails. If you don’t have a Gmail account yet, you’ll need to create one before proceeding with the following steps.

With a free Gmail account, you can send up to 500 emails each day. If you have a paid Google Workspace account, this limit increases to 2000 emails per day.

First, log into your WordPress admin panel, where you should have already installed the WP Mail SMTP plugin.Navigate to WP Mail SMTP » Settings.On this page, select ‘Google / Gmail’ as your mailer option.

Connecting WordPress plugins to Gmail and other Google services can be complex. Fortunately, the Pro version of WP Mail SMTP provides a one-click setup that is both quick and easy. We highly recommend using it.

To begin, simply toggle the ‘One-Click Setup’ option to the on position.

You will see a notification prompting you to save your settings before proceeding, so be sure to click the ‘Save Settings’ button at the bottom of the page.

As you scroll down the page, you will notice a ‘Sign in with Google’ button. Click this button to authorize the plugin.

You will need to select a Google account, accept the terms of service, and click the ‘Allow’ button to enable WP Mail SMTP to send emails.

Congratulations! You have successfully connected your site to Google, and you can now start sending emails using Gmail.

Before proceeding, it’s important to test that your email functionality is working correctly.

2. Sending WordPress Emails Using Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) SMTP Server

Brevo allows you to send up to 300 free emails each day from your website.

To use Brevo, ensure you select ‘Sendinblue’ in theWP Mail SMTP » Settingssection shown in the screenshot above.

Next, create an account on the Brevo website. After confirming your email, you will need to provide some information about your business and will receive a text message with a confirmation code to enter.

Then, you will choose a Brevo pricing plan.

Simply click the ‘Continue with a Free plan’ button.

You will now be directed to your Brevo dashboard.

Creating a New Subdomain for Your Email

Before proceeding, you need to set up a subdomain on your website, such asmail1.yourdomain.com.

Log in to your web hosting or domain registrar account and follow the provided instructions to add a subdomain.

If you’re using Bluehost, click on the Hosting tab on the left side. Then, open the control panel by selecting the ‘cPanel’ button at the bottom of the page.

This action will open the cPanel dashboard for your website.

Scroll down to the Domains section and click on the ‘Domains’ option.

You will see a page displaying your current domains and subdomains.

To create a new subdomain, click the ‘Create A New Domain’ button.

On the following page, enter the desired subdomain followed by your domain name, for example, ‘mail1.startawpsite.com’.

Next, click the ‘Submit’ button to proceed. Bluehost will then add the subdomain to your hosting account.

After creating the subdomain, you must add it to your Brevo account.

Adding Your Subdomain to Brevo

In your Brevo account, navigate to the Settings page. Scroll to the ‘Your Senders and Domains’ section and click the ‘Configure’ button located below it.

Next, select ‘Domains’ from the displayed menu, and then click the ‘Add a domain’ button.

Please enter your complete subdomain, for example, mail1.yoursite.com. Additionally, select your email domain provider from the dropdown menu. If your provider is not listed, simply select ‘Other’.

Remember to click the ‘Save this email domain’ button once you are done.

After saving your email domain, you must verify ownership. This requires adding two codes to your DNS settings. The first code confirms your ownership of the domain, while the second enhances email deliverability.

Next, access the DNS settings for your domain through your web hosting account. Your web host should provide guidance on this. Keep the tab with the Brevo website open to copy the necessary settings.

For instance, in Bluehost, navigate to the Domains tab and click the ‘Settings’ button next to your domain name.

You will then see various domain settings in Bluehost.

Simply scroll down and select the ‘Advanced Tools’ option.

Here, Bluehost will display the nameservers for your domain along with other records.

To manage your DNS records, click the ‘Manage’ button located next to Advanced DNS Records.

Bluehost will show a warning message advising that only advanced users should modify DNS records, as incorrect settings can result in losing access to your email and website.

Simply click the ‘Continue’ button to proceed.

This will direct you to a screen where you can manage the DNS records for your WordPress site.

Click the ‘Add Record’ button and then input the Brevo code record using the details provided on the Brevo website. Repeat this process to add the DKIM record as well.

After adding both TXT records to your domain’s DNS settings, return to the Brevo website.

Next, click the button labeled ‘Authenticate this email domain’. You will be redirected to a new page where you should see a success message confirming the authentication.

Activating Brevo in WP Mail SMTP

Now, complete the activation of Brevo on your WordPress site. Return to the WP Mail SMTP Settings page you previously opened and locate the API key box.

Next, click on the ‘Get v3 API Key’ link.

This will open the appropriate page of your Brevo account in a new tab.

Here, simply copy the value of the SMTP key.

After copying it, return to WP Mail SMTP and paste the API key.

You will also need to enter the sending domain you specified in Brevo earlier, such as mail1.yoursite.com.

Ensure you click the ‘Save Settings’ button after completing this step.

Congratulations! You have successfully configured Brevo. Just wait for them to activate your account.

Now, it’s time to test if your email is functioning properly.

3. Sending WordPress Emails with the SendGrid SMTP Server

SendGrid provides a free plan that allows you to send up to 100 emails daily at no cost.

First, visit the SendGrid website and click the ‘Start For Free’ button to create your free account.

After you create your account, a verification process will begin. Your account will be temporarily on hold while they ask you some questions via email. This is to ensure that you will use the service in accordance with their policies and values.

Once your application is approved, you can log in to your SendGrid dashboard.

Establishing a Sender Identity

The first step is to establish a sender identity, which is the ‘from’ address for your emails. To do this, navigate to ‘Sender Authentication’ in the Settings section located at the bottom of the dashboard menu.

This action will direct you to the SendGrid Sender Authentication page.

Scroll down to the Single Sender Verification section and click the ‘Get Started’ button under ‘Verify an Address’.

A form will appear where you can set up your sender information.

Enter the name, email address, and mailing address you wish to use for your emails. Once you have completed the form, click the ‘Create’ button to save your sender details.

You will receive a confirmation email in your inbox to verify your business email address.

Be sure to click the link in the email to finalize the single sender identity setup.

After verifying your email address, return to your SendGrid dashboard by clicking the Dashboard link in the sidebar.

Creating an API Key

The next step is to create an API key that will allow you to connect your website to your SendGrid account and start sending emails.

In the SendGrid dashboard, locate the Email API section and click on ‘Integration Guide’.

On the following page, you will need to select an integration method.

Within the SMTP Relay section, click the ‘Choose’ button.

Assign a name to the API key that will help you remember its purpose in the future.

In this example, we have named it ‘WP Mail SMTP’.

Now, click the ‘Create Key’ button to generate your API key.

You should see a confirmation message indicating that it was created successfully, and the API key will be shown below.

You’ll need this key in the next section, so keep the SendGrid tab open in your browser.

Connecting WP Mail SMTP to Your SendGrid Account

Next, go back to your WordPress admin tab and navigate to WP Mail SMTP » Settings. Ensure that you have selected SendGrid as your mailer. If you haven’t, please select it now.

At the bottom of the page, you will find a field to enter your SendGrid API key. Simply copy and paste it here, then click the ‘Save Settings’ button.

Next, verify that your integration is functioning correctly.

Begin by navigating to the Email Test tab in your WP Mail SMTP settings. Enter your email address and click the ‘Send Email’ button.

You should receive a notification indicating that the test email was sent successfully. Check your inbox to confirm the email is present.

After successfully sending your test email, return to the tab with your SendGrid API page. Check the ‘I’ve updated my settings’ box, then click the ‘Next: Verify Integration’ button.

On the following screen, click the ‘Verify Integration’ button.

You should see a confirmation message indicating that SendGrid has received your email and that your setup is complete.

Authenticating a Subdomain in SendGrid

To complete your SendGrid setup, create and authenticate a subdomain to enhance your email deliverability.

Now, create a subdomain on your website, such as sg.yourdomain.comLog in to your web hosting account and follow the provided instructions to add a subdomain.

If you are using Bluehost, log in to your web hosting account and click on the ‘Hosting’ tab on the left side. Open the control panel by clicking the ‘cPanel’ button located at the bottom of the page.

This action will open the cPanel dashboard for your website.

Scroll down to the ‘Domains’ section and click on the ‘Domains’ option.

You will see a page displaying your existing domains and subdomains.

To create a new subdomain, click the ‘Create A New Domain’ button.

On the following page, enter the desired subdomain name.

We recommend using sg.yourdomain.com as your subdomain. Remember to click the ‘Submit’ button to save your new subdomain.

After creating the subdomain, you need to add it to your SendGrid account.

To do this, return to the Settings » Sender Authentication page in your SendGrid account. Under ‘Domain Authentication,’ click the ‘Get Started’ button.

First, choose your DNS host, which is typically your website hosting provider like Bluehost or SiteGround, unless your domain is registered with another service.

In the next step, select ‘Yes’ for the option ‘Would you also like to brand the links for this domain?’ This ensures that your emails appear to come from your domain instead of SendGrid.

After that, simply click the ‘Next’ button.

Now, enter your domain in the ‘Domain You Send From’ field. Below that, click on the ‘Advanced Settings’ link to access additional options.

Here, you can uncheck the ‘Use automated security’ option and check the ‘Use custom return path’ option. Then, enter the first part of your subdomain for the ‘Return Path’.

For example, if your subdomain is sg.example.com, enter sg.

Once you’ve completed this, click the ‘Next’ button.

Next, you’ll see a list of DNS records that you need to add to your domain. You can refer to your web host’s documentation or check our Brevo method for guidance.

After adding the records, click the ‘Verify’ button at the bottom of the screen. You should see a success message.

Finally, perform a test of your SMTP email to ensure that messages are being sent correctly.

Verifying Your SMTP Email Functionality

The last step for all these methods is to send a test email to confirm that everything is functioning properly.

First, navigate to the ‘Email Test’ tab in the WP Mail SMTP settings. Then, input the email address where you want the test email sent, if it’s different from the default one.

Simply click the ‘Send Email’ button, and your email will be dispatched.

You should receive a notification indicating that the email was sent successfully.

Next, check your inbox to verify that the test email has arrived.

Alternative Free SMTP Mailer Solutions

There are additional free SMTP mailer options available beyond those we’ve discussed:

• Outlook: This method requires a more extensive setup process compared to others, but it allows you to send a large volume of emails (up to 5,000 per day).
• Amazon SES: This service is recommended only for those who are tech-savvy, as the setup can be quite complicated. It is free for the first year.
• SMTP.com: This is a strong and dependable option. However, it is only free for the first 30 days, after which a fee is required to continue using it.

To find detailed instructions, select your mailer on the WP Mail SMTP settings page and click the documentation link. This will open the instructions in a new tab for your convenience.

We hope this article has helped you understand how to utilize a free SMTP server for sending emails through WordPress. You may also be interested in our articles on the top email marketing services and our comparison of the best virtual business phone number apps, including free options.

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