FluentSMTP vs SMTP Mailer (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Email Plugins top 10: FluentSMTP at #2 and SMTP Mailer at #6. FluentSMTP leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
FluentSMTP
FluentSMTP – WP SMTP Plugin with Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Cloudflare, toSend, Gmail and Any SMTP
Free WP Mail SMTP plugin - fix WordPress email deliverability with Gmail, Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, Cloudflare, Postmark, Brevo and any SMTP.
SMTP Mailer
Configure a SMTP server to send email from your WordPress site. Configure the wp_mail() function to use SMTP instead of the PHP mail() function.
Who leads on what
FluentSMTP leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
FluentSMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Email Plugins.
FluentSMTP has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 70,000+.
FluentSMTP is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 400 reviews, against 4.6 from 67 reviews.
FluentSMTP has more reviews behind its score: 400 against 67.
SMTP Mailer was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; FluentSMTP on August 12, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
FluentSMTP
Pick FluentSMTP if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
SMTP Mailer
Pick SMTP Mailer if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
FluentSMTP vs SMTP Mailer side by side
| FluentSMTP | SMTP Mailer | |
|---|---|---|
| Email Plugins ranking | #2 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 400 | 67 |
| Active installs | 600,000+ | 70,000+ |
| Total downloads | 4,969,718 | 1,482,974 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 12, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 18, 2021 | Dec 20, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
FluentSMTP ratings
SMTP Mailer ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither FluentSMTP nor SMTP Mailer can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Email Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
FluentSMTP vs SMTP Mailer: common questions
Is FluentSMTP better than SMTP Mailer?
FluentSMTP leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. FluentSMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Email Plugins.
Which has more users, FluentSMTP or SMTP Mailer?
FluentSMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Email Plugins.
Which is rated higher, FluentSMTP or SMTP Mailer?
FluentSMTP has more users: 600,000+ active installs against 70,000+.
Are FluentSMTP and SMTP Mailer free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. FluentSMTP is a community plugin with no paid version. SMTP Mailer may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to FluentSMTP and SMTP Mailer
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Email Plugins comparisons
- Easy WP SMTP vs FluentSMTP
- Easy WP SMTP vs SMTP Mailer
- FluentSMTP vs GoSMTP
- FluentSMTP vs Post SMTP
- FluentSMTP vs Email Deliverability
- FluentSMTP vs SureMail
- FluentSMTP vs WP Mail Logging
- FluentSMTP vs WP Mail SMTP
- FluentSMTP vs Solid Mail
- GoSMTP vs SMTP Mailer
- Post SMTP vs SMTP Mailer
- Email Deliverability vs SMTP Mailer
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.