FluentSMTP vs Post SMTP (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FluentSMTP grades higher than Post SMTP: 3.2 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FluentSMTP grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FluentSMTP
Free WordPress plugin for sending site email through your provider
Free
Post SMTP
WordPress SMTP plugin with email logs, alerts and backup mailers
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick FluentSMTP if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want logs and a fallback without paying
- Works for sites already on Amazon SES or Mailgun that need a way to connect
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't run WordPress, as it only works inside it
- Not for you if you want a sending service: it's a connector and deliverability depends on the provider you pick
- Watch out: you need a separate provider account, which has its own pricing
- Watch out: Zoho Mail connects through SMTP, not an API
Pick Post SMTP if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want failed-email alerts on your phone
- Works for sites that need a backup SMTP connection without paying
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't run WordPress, as it only works inside it
- Tight if you stay on free: one-click Gmail and Microsoft 365, Amazon SES, Zoho and auto-resend are Pro
- Watch out: Pro pricing couldn't be read, as the vendor's site showed a maintenance page
- Watch out: it needs an account with a separate mailer
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAFluentSMTPVery good | 2.6GPAPost SMTPGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe whole plugin is free, with no Pro edition or paid tier, according to its WordPress.org page. You still pay whatever your mail provider charges. | BThe free plugin covers logs, alerts and a backup connection. Pro pricing couldn't be read, because the vendor's own site showed a maintenance page on 13 November 2026. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright with no cap: all features and integrations, no paid edition, and the vendor says it will stay that way. | BFree plugin on WordPress.org with a setup wizard, email logs, failure alerts, a fallback mailer and mailers such as SMTP.com, Brevo and Mailgun. |
| Features | BConnections to SES, Gmail, Mailgun, SendGrid, Postmark and others, routing, a fallback, an email log with resend, failure alerts and migration from other plugins. Nothing in the listing is held back for a paid tier. | CSetup wizard, logs, alerts, fallback, DNS checks and a mobile app. One-click Gmail and Microsoft 365 setup, Amazon SES, Zoho, auto-resend and batching are Pro. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You install it in WordPress and connect a provider account. | CNo store rating on record. You install it in WordPress and connect a mail provider. |
| Platforms and integrations | BRuns inside WordPress and connects to Amazon SES, Gmail, Microsoft 365, Mailgun, SendGrid, Postmark and Brevo. No standalone app. | BRuns inside WordPress, with an iOS and Android app, and connects to Gmail, Microsoft 365, SES, Brevo, Mailgun, SendGrid, Postmark and Slack. |
| Best for | connecting WordPress to a mail provider for free | a WordPress mail plugin with logs and a phone app |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FluentSMTP and Post SMTP. How we grade
Where they differ
- FluentSMTP is open source, according to its own site.
In commonFree planWebReportsTransactional email
At a glance
| FluentSMTP | Post SMTP | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | Not published |
| Free plan | The whole plugin is free, with no Pro version or paid tier, per its WordPress.org page. | Free plugin on WordPress.org with a setup wizard, email logs, failure alerts, fallback mailer and mailers such as SMTP.com, Brevo and Mailgun. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | WPManageNinja | Saad Iqbal |
| Price read from | wordpress.org | wordpress.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FluentSMTP
- Runs only inside WordPress; it needs an account with a separate email provider, which has its own pricing.
- It is a connector, not a sending service, so deliverability depends on the provider you choose.
- Zoho Mail is connected through SMTP rather than an API, according to the plugin listing.
Post SMTP
- Runs only inside WordPress and needs an account with a separate mailer.
- The plugin listing marks Microsoft 365 and Gmail one-click setup, Amazon SES, Zoho Mail, auto-resend of failed emails and email batching as Pro features.
- Pro pricing could not be read: the vendor's own site, postmansmtp.com, showed a maintenance page on 2026-11-13.
Key features
FluentSMTP
- Provider connections
- Connects to Amazon SES, Gmail and Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, Brevo, SparkPost, SMTP2GO, Elastic Email and any SMTP server.
- Multiple connections and routing
- Several providers can be connected at once, and each email is routed to one based on its From address.
- Fallback connection
- A secondary connection takes over when the primary one fails.
- Email log and resend
- Logs sent emails with headers, body and the server's response, and lets you resend a logged email.
- Failure alerts
- Notifies you by email, Telegram, Slack, Discord or Pushover when delivery fails, according to the plugin listing and the vendor site.
- Migration from other plugins
- Imports settings from WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP, and works with WP-CLI.
Post SMTP
- Setup wizard
- A three-step wizard configures a mailer using API keys, with a one-click setup for Gmail and Microsoft 365 listed as Pro features.
- Email logs
- Lists sent and failed emails with their status and error messages, and can be filtered.
- Failure alerts
- Alerts by email, Slack, SMS through Twilio or push notification when an email fails to deliver.
- Fallback mailer
- A backup SMTP connection sends email when the main mailer is unavailable.
- Mobile app
- A companion app shows email status and failure alerts on a phone; resending and multi-site monitoring are Pro.
- DNS record checks
- A spam score checker looks at a domain's SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.
Plans
FluentSMTP
Free$0
All features and integrations, with no paid edition. The vendor says it is free and open source, and pledges that it stays free.
Post SMTP
Free$0
Free plugin from WordPress.org: setup wizard, email logs, reports, failure alerts and a backup SMTP connection.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FluentSMTP or Post SMTP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FluentSMTP is free, and Post SMTP publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, FluentSMTP or Post SMTP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FluentSMTP and Post SMTP have a free plan.
Which platforms do FluentSMTP and Post SMTP run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Post SMTP lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.