WP Mail SMTP vs Solid Mail (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: WP Mail SMTP at #1 and Solid Mail at #8. WP Mail SMTP leads on all 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
WP Mail SMTP
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – The Most Popular SMTP and Email Log Plugin
Make email delivery easy for WordPress. Connect with SMTP, Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, SES, Zoho, + more. Rated #1 WordPress SMTP Email plugin.
Solid Mail
Solid Mail – SMTP email and logging made by SolidWP
Email deliverability made SOLID. Connect to your chosen email provider with an intuitive set-it-and-forget-it SMTP plugin.
Who leads on what
WP Mail SMTP leads on all 5 measures we track.
WP Mail SMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #8 in Email Plugins.
WP Mail SMTP has more users: 4 million+ active installs against 60,000+.
WP Mail SMTP is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 5,188 reviews, against 4.2 from 52 reviews.
WP Mail SMTP has more reviews behind its score: 5,188 against 52.
WP Mail SMTP was updated more recently, on June 25, 2026; Solid Mail on May 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.
WP Mail SMTP
Pick WP Mail SMTP 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, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Solid Mail
Solid Mail does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
WP Mail SMTP vs Solid Mail side by side
| WP Mail SMTP | Solid Mail | |
|---|---|---|
| Email Plugins ranking | #1 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 5,188 | 52 |
| Active installs | 4 million+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 83,545,084 | 1,216,251 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 25, 2026 | May 12, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 12, 2007 | Nov 10, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 6.9.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
WP Mail SMTP ratings
Solid Mail 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 WP Mail SMTP nor Solid Mail can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Email Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
WP Mail SMTP vs Solid Mail: common questions
Is WP Mail SMTP better than Solid Mail?
WP Mail SMTP leads on all 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WP Mail SMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #8 in Email Plugins.
Which has more users, WP Mail SMTP or Solid Mail?
WP Mail SMTP ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #8 in Email Plugins.
Which is rated higher, WP Mail SMTP or Solid Mail?
WP Mail SMTP has more users: 4 million+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are WP Mail SMTP and Solid Mail free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. WP Mail SMTP may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Solid Mail may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to WP Mail SMTP and Solid Mail
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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