SendLayer vs WP Mail SMTP (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, WP Mail SMTP grades higher than SendLayer: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
SendLayer grades higher on value for money. WP Mail SMTP grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SendLayer
Transactional email over SMTP or API, aimed at WordPress sites
WP Mail SMTP
WordPress plugin that routes site email through an SMTP provider
Which one is for you
Pick SendLayer if
- Fits if you run a WordPress or WooCommerce site and send order mail
- Works for small senders under 10,000 emails a month
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is only a 200-email trial
- Tight if you want to pay monthly, since every plan is billed annually
- Watch out: your plan is upgraded automatically when you reach its monthly email limit
- Not for you if you send marketing campaigns, because it is a transactional service
- Tight if you need long logs, as Starter keeps 3 days
Pick WP Mail SMTP if
- Fits if your WordPress site's emails are landing in spam or not arriving
- Works for site owners who already have an account with a mail provider
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't run WordPress, as it only works inside it
- Tight if you stay on free: no email log, reports, tracking or backup connection
- Pricey if you renew: the $49 first year goes to $99 a year for 1 site
- Watch out: Amazon SES, Microsoft and Zoho connections need Pro
- Watch out: it needs an account with a separate mail provider, which has its own price
How we grade them
| 2.4GPASendLayerFair | 2.6GPAWP Mail SMTPGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$5 a month billed annually for 1,000 emails, under the $6 that is 60% of the category's cheaper quarter. The volume is small and the year is paid up front. | BPro is $99 a year for 1 site, about $8.25 a month, with $49 for the first year. That's inside the cheapest quarter of email sending tools, which start at $9. |
| Free plan and trial | DA trial of up to 200 emails and no permanent free plan; the page does not say whether a card is needed. | BThe Lite plugin is free, with a setup wizard and most mailer connections. Amazon SES, Microsoft and Zoho, plus the email log, need Pro. |
| Features | CSMTP and an API, email logs, open and click tracking, suppression and domain authentication, but the listing shows no inbound mail or IP pools and logs last 3 to 30 days. | CMailer connections and a setup wizard on free. Email log, reports, open and click tracking, backup connections and routing are Pro only. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You verify a sending domain with DNS records and wire up SMTP credentials or an API key before the first email goes out. | CNo store rating on record. You install it in WordPress and connect an account with a separate mail provider. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA web dashboard and an API; the listing names WordPress and WooCommerce. | BRuns inside WordPress and connects to SendLayer, SMTP.com, Brevo, SES, Mailgun, Postmark, SendGrid and Gmail. No standalone app. |
| Best for | transactional email for WordPress sites | fixing WordPress email by connecting a mail provider |
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: SendLayer and WP Mail SMTP. How we grade
Price against what you get
SendLayer starts at $5 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. WP Mail SMTP starts at $8.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and SendLayer starts $3.25 a month lower. Of the other email sending services on the chart, 2 score higher than SendLayer for less, and 4 score higher than WP Mail SMTP for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- WP Mail SMTP also covers reports.
At a glance
| SendLayer | WP Mail SMTP | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per month for 1,000 emails, billed annually | $99 per year for 1 site at renewal, after a first year for $49 |
| Free plan | None | Free plugin on WordPress.org: setup wizard and connections to most mailers; logging, reports and backup connections are Pro only. |
| Free trial | Free trial of up to 200 emails | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | SendLayer, LLC | WPForms, LLC |
| Price read from | sendlayer.com | wpmailsmtp.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
SendLayer
- All plans are billed annually; the pricing page shows no monthly-billing option.
- It has no permanent free plan, only a trial of up to 200 emails.
- Per its FAQ, a plan is upgraded automatically if you reach its monthly email limit.
- It is a transactional email service, not a tool for marketing campaigns.
WP Mail SMTP
- Runs only inside WordPress; it is not a standalone sending service and needs a separate email provider account.
- Email logging, reports, tracking, backup connections and routing are Pro features, not part of the free plugin.
- Pro prices on the page are introductory: the page says renewals are at full price, $99 a year for 1 site.
- The pricing page states a 14-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
Key features
SendLayer
- SMTP relay and API
- Every plan can send through an SMTP relay, set up by copying credentials, or through an email API.
- Email logs
- Logs trace each message to its destination. Retention runs from 3 days on Starter to 30 days on Growth and Scale.
- Open and click tracking
- Engagement can be checked per message and filtered by status or recipient, with an analytics view on every plan.
- Suppression and bounce handling
- Suppression, bounce and blocklist management are listed on every plan, along with event-based webhooks.
- Domain authentication
- DKIM, SPF and DMARC authentication are listed on every plan, with a limit on sender domains per plan.
WP Mail SMTP
- Mailer connections
- Connects WordPress to providers such as SendLayer, SMTP.com, Brevo, Mailgun, Postmark, SendGrid and any other SMTP server, using the provider's API where there is one.
- Setup wizard
- A guided wizard in the free plugin walks through choosing and configuring a mailer.
- Email log and reports
- Pro keeps a record of every email sent from the site, with delivery status, and charts of deliverability statistics.
- Open and click tracking
- Pro shows open and click rates for emails that WordPress sends.
- Backup connections and smart routing
- Pro can fall back to a second provider if the first fails, and route different emails through different providers using conditional rules.
- Failure alerts
- Pro sends an alert when an email fails to send.
Plans
SendLayer
Starter$5
per month for 1,000 emails, billed annually
1 sender domain, 3 days of log retention and standard support.
Business$15
per month for 5,000 emails, billed annually
3 sender domains, 15 days of log retention and premium support.
Growth$25
per month for 10,000 emails, billed annually
5 sender domains, 30 days of log retention and premium support.
ScaleCustom
20,000+ emails a month, 20 sender domains, 30 days of logs and VIP support. Quote on request.
WP Mail SMTP
Lite$0
Free plugin from WordPress.org with the setup wizard and most mailer connections. Amazon SES, Microsoft and Zoho need Pro.
Pro$99
per year for 1 site, renewing at full price
Email log, reports, tracking, backup connections, smart routing and failure alerts. First year $49 on the pricing page.
Elite$149
per year for 1 site, renewing at full price
Everything in Pro plus White Glove Setup by the vendor's experts and priority support. First year $99.
Developer$249
per year for 20 sites, renewing at full price
Pro features for 20 sites with priority support. First year $199.
Agency$449
per year for 100 sites, renewing at full price
Pro features for 100 sites with priority support. First year $399.
Ways to pay less
SendLayer
- Other savings
14-day money-back guarantee
The pricing page says that within 14 days of starting, you can ask for a full refund if SendLayer is not a fit.
WP Mail SMTP
- Other savings
First-year introductory prices
The pricing page shows each paid plan $50 below its regular yearly price (Pro $49, Elite $99, Developer $199, Agency $399) and says renewals are at full price.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, SendLayer or WP Mail SMTP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SendLayer is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against $8.25 a month when paid by the year for WP Mail SMTP. SendLayer starts at $5 per month for 1,000 emails, billed annually, and WP Mail SMTP starts at $99 per year for 1 site at renewal, after a first year for $49.
Which has a free plan, SendLayer or WP Mail SMTP?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only WP Mail SMTP has a free plan. SendLayer does not, though it has a free trial.
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.