WP Mail SMTP
Widely used SMTP plugin from the WPForms team: 15 mailers free, with logs, alerts, backup connections and smart routing in Pro.
96
Gmail SMTP
Lightweight plugin that sends WordPress email through Gmail or Google Workspace SMTP using OAuth 2.0, with paid add-ons for logging, Reply-To and Cc.
Free installs10K+WordPress.org, active
Est. Pro installs~600Likely 300–1.2K
Rating4.1/5103 reviews
Price from$39.99Freemium
Last updated1 Nov 2026Version 1.2.3.23
Overview
Gmail SMTP by naa986 (wphowto.net) does one job. It sends all WordPress email through Gmail’s SMTP server, authenticating with OAuth 2.0 instead of a stored password. That makes it useful on shared hosting where outgoing mail is blocked or unreliable, and it avoids Google’s old ‘less secure apps’ setting and app passwords.
Setup is the hardest part. You create a project in Google Cloud Console, configure the OAuth consent screen and create a web application client ID using the redirect URL the plugin gives you. Then you paste the Client ID and Secret into the plugin and click Grant Permission. After that the plugin shows a Connected status, refreshes its token automatically and sends through smtp.gmail.com on TLS (587) or SSL (465). A Test Email tab shows full debug output, which helps diagnose failures. A Revoke Access tab lets you reauthorise.
Free vs paid
- Free: Gmail/Workspace OAuth sending, default From email and name, encryption and port settings, test email with debug output, server info and an option to skip SSL certificate checks.
- Email Logger add-on ($39.99, unlimited sites): logs every email and whether it was sent.
- Add-on bundle ($49.99): Email Logger plus Reply-To and Cc add-ons that apply to every outgoing email.
Limitations
The plugin only works with Google. There are no other mailers and no backup connection, retries, alerts, reports or staging mode, and logging needs a paid add-on. The From settings are defaults that other plugins can change, and Gmail may rewrite the sender to the authorised account. Google’s own sending limits apply, so it is not built for high-volume or marketing email. Credentials and tokens sit in the WordPress database. Recent versions require WordPress 7.0 and PHP 8.1, which may rule out older servers.
Who should pick it: small sites that already use Gmail or Google Workspace and want a lean, focused plugin for low-volume transactional email. If you need more than one provider or built-in logs, a multi-mailer plugin is a better fit.
Best for: Small sites on Gmail or Google Workspace that want simple, OAuth-based transactional email.
Gmail SMTP handles Gmail OAuth sending well and stays out of the way. Its scope stops there: there are no other providers, failover or alerts, and logging costs extra. That suits low-volume sites tied to Google, but multi-mailer plugins offer more for free.
Pros
- OAuth 2.0 sign-in with Google, so no Gmail password is stored
- Focused and lightweight, built on WordPress's own PHPMailer
- Test email tab with full SMTP debug output
- Low-cost add-ons with unlimited-site licences
- Long-standing plugin with a detailed setup guide
Cons
- Gmail / Google Workspace only, with no other mailers or backup connection
- Email logging is a paid add-on
- Google Cloud OAuth setup is fiddly for non-technical users
- No retries, alerts, reports or staging mode
- Requires WordPress 7.0+ and PHP 8.1+
Key features
What Gmail SMTP highlights on its WordPress.org page and its own website, split by version.
Free version WordPress.org
- Sends via Gmail SMTP server
- OAuth 2.0 Google authorisation
- Works with Google Workspace accounts
- No password stored
- TLS or SSL encryption
- Default From email and name
- Test email with debug output
- Revoke and reauthorise access
- Server info for troubleshooting
- Optional SSL verification bypass
Pro / paid adds From $39.99
- Email Logger add-on ($39.99)
- Logs sent and failed emails
- Reply-To add-on for all emails
- Cc add-on for all emails
- Bundle of all three ($49.99)
- Unlimited-site licences
- Direct purchase from wphowto.net
- Requires Gmail SMTP 1.2.3.15+
Feature checklist
6 of 23 features we track in SMTP & Email Delivery, feature score 23/100
Sending & mailers 1/8
Any SMTP server Key
Send through any SMTP host with your own credentials.
Only connects to Gmail's SMTP server; no custom SMTP host.
Not included
API mailer integrations Key
Native API connections to SendGrid, Mailgun, Brevo, Postmark and similar.
No API mailers; Gmail SMTP is the only transport.
Not included
Gmail & Google Workspace Key
Sign in with Google (OAuth) instead of storing a password.
Core feature: OAuth 2.0 authorisation with a Google Cloud client ID and secret.
Included
Microsoft 365 / Outlook
Send through Outlook or Microsoft 365 with OAuth.
No Microsoft 365 or Outlook support.
Not included
Amazon SES
Native Amazon SES integration.
No Amazon SES support.
Not included
Backup connection Key
Falls back to a second mailer if the main one fails.
Single Gmail connection with no fallback mailer.
Not included
Smart routing
Send different emails through different connections by rules.
One connection for all emails.
Not included
Setup wizard
Guided setup with a test email at the end.
Settings form plus a written guide; no guided wizard.
Not included
Logs & monitoring 1/7
Email log Key
Keeps a record of every email sent from the site.
Paid Email Logger add-on ($39.99, unlimited sites) logs every email.
Via add-on
Resend from the log
Resend failed or individual emails from the log.
The Email Logger page does not say whether emails can be resent.
Not verified
Open & click tracking
See whether emails were opened and links clicked.
No open or click tracking.
Not included
Failure alerts Key
Alerts by email, Slack, SMS or push when sending fails.
No alerts when sending fails.
Not included
Automatic retry & queue
Queues emails and retries failed sends automatically.
No queue or automatic retry.
Not included
Delivery reports
Charts or weekly summaries of sent and failed emails.
No delivery charts or summaries.
Not included
Log retention & attachments
Control how long logs are kept, with optional attachment storage.
Retention options for the Email Logger add-on are not documented.
Not verified
Email control 2/4
Force from name & address
Override the sender name and address on every email.
From email and name are defaults when none is set; other plugins can override, and Gmail may rewrite the sender.
Partial
Turn WordPress emails on or off
Disable individual core, update or WooCommerce notification emails.
No options to disable individual WordPress emails.
Not included
Stop sending / test mode
Block outgoing email on staging sites or while testing.
No option to block or simulate outgoing email.
Not included
Test email & diagnostics
Send a test email and see a readable error if it fails.
Test Email tab sends a message and shows SMTP debug output.
Included
Security & admin 2/4
Secure credential storage
Store keys in wp-config constants or encrypted in the database.
Client secret and OAuth token are stored in plugin options; no encryption or wp-config constants.
Not included
Multisite support
Network-wide or per-site settings on multisite.
Multisite support is not documented.
Not verified
No paywalled mailers
All supported mailers are available in the free version.
Gmail is the only mailer and it is free; paid add-ons cover logging, Reply-To and Cc.
Included
Developer hooks & WP-CLI
Hooks, filters or WP-CLI commands for developers.
A few filters (gmailsmtp_reply_to, gmailsmtp_cc, advanced settings fields); no WP-CLI.
Partial
Pricing
Free
$0On WordPress.org
Free
Freeper yearUnlimited
Gmail / Google Workspace OAuth sending and test email.
Email Logger add-on
$39.99one-offUnlimited
Logs all emails sent via Gmail SMTP. Billing term is not stated on the product page.
Add-on Bundle
$49.99one-offUnlimited
Email Logger, Reply-To and Cc add-ons. Billing term is not stated on the product page.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use Gmail SMTP?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
10K+
Active installations reported by WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
—
The vendor does not publish a total.
Estimated Pro / paid installs
~600
Our estimate, see method below.
How we estimated this: About 15K free installs x 4% (the usual share of free sites that also run the paid version when most features are free) gives 600. Likely range: 300 to 1.2K. This counts sites running the paid version, including sites whose licence has lapsed. Estimates are rough and based on public figures as of 14 Oct 2026.
Stats & health
Weekly downloads
726 downloads last week, 763.1K all time
Rating breakdown
| Version | 1.2.3.23 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 1 Nov 2026 (2 days ago) |
| Tested up to | WordPress 7.1.4 |
| Requires | WordPress 7.0+, PHP 8.1+ |
| Support threads (2 months) | 0 of 1 resolved |
| On WordPress.org since | 12 Nov 2015 |
Gmail SMTP compared
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FluentSMTP
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Solid Mail
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40
FAQ
Is Gmail SMTP free?
Yes. Gmail SMTP has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $39.99.
How many sites use Gmail SMTP?
WordPress.org reports 10K+ active installations of the free version. We estimate around 600 sites run the paid version.
Does Gmail SMTP have any smtp server?
No: not included. Only connects to Gmail's SMTP server; no custom SMTP host.
Does Gmail SMTP have api mailer integrations?
No: not included. No API mailers; Gmail SMTP is the only transport.
Does Gmail SMTP have gmail & google workspace?
Yes: included. Core feature: OAuth 2.0 authorisation with a Google Cloud client ID and secret.
Does Gmail SMTP have backup connection?
No: not included. Single Gmail connection with no fallback mailer.
Does Gmail SMTP have email log?
Yes: via add-on. Paid Email Logger add-on ($39.99, unlimited sites) logs every email.
Does Gmail SMTP have failure alerts?
No: not included. No alerts when sending fails.
Do I need my Gmail password?
No. The plugin uses OAuth 2.0: you create a Google Cloud OAuth client, paste the Client ID and Secret into the plugin and grant permission.
Does it keep a log of sent emails?
Not in the free plugin. The paid Email Logger add-on ($39.99, or $49.99 in a bundle with Reply-To and Cc) adds a log.
Can I use another provider such as SendGrid or Amazon SES?
No. Gmail SMTP only connects to Google's SMTP server; use a multi-mailer SMTP plugin for other providers.
Why do I see 'This app isn't verified' during setup?
Your Google Cloud app is in testing or unverified. Add your account as a test user or publish the app, then continue through the warning.
What are the requirements?
The current version requires WordPress 7.0 or higher and PHP 8.1 or higher, plus the OpenSSL extension for TLS or SSL.
Last updated 11 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.