Never miss an email again
Royal SMTP is a free WordPress plugin that routes your site's emails through authenticated SMTP providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Amazon SES — ensuring reliable delivery instead of WordPress's default PHP mail function. We built Royal SMTP because we saw too many WordPress sites losing contact form submissions, order confirmations, and password resets to spam folders.
By Jameson · Founder & Lead Developer · Updated March 2026
Why Do WordPress Emails Fail?
WordPress uses PHP's mail() function by default, which most hosting servers don't authenticate. The result? Emails land in spam or never arrive. Royal SMTP fixes this with authenticated SMTP connections.
"Over 30% of WordPress sites have email delivery issues because they rely on PHP mail() instead of authenticated SMTP."
— WPBeginner
6 Built-in Mailers
Choose from Gmail/custom SMTP, SendGrid, Brevo (Sendinblue), Mailgun, Resend, or SMTP.com. One dropdown, instant configuration.
Email Logging
Track every email sent from your site. See delivery status, timestamps, and recipients at a glance.
Test Email
Send a test email with one click to verify your configuration is working before relying on it.
Secure Authentication
TLS and SSL encryption support. Your email credentials are stored securely in the WordPress database.
From Address Override
Set a consistent "From" name and email address for all outgoing emails from your WordPress site.
Lightweight & Fast
Under 15KB of code. No bloat, no upsells, no tracking. Just reliable email delivery.
What Does the Interface Look Like?
Everything lives on a single settings page. From address, mailer selection, test email, and logging — all in one place. No jumping between tabs or hunting for options.
Which SMTP Providers Does Royal SMTP Support?
Royal SMTP works with any standard SMTP server. Here are the most popular providers and their free-tier limits. For example, Gmail SMTP allows 500 emails per day on free accounts — more than enough for most WordPress sites.
| Provider | Port | Encryption | Free Tier Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail / Google Workspace | 587 | TLS | 500/day |
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 | 587 | STARTTLS | 300/day |
| Amazon SES | 587 | TLS | 62,000/mo (EC2) |
| SendGrid | 587 | TLS | 100/day |
| Mailgun | 587 | TLS | 1,000/mo (trial) |
| SMTP.com | 2525 | TLS | 50,000/mo (trial) |
| Custom SMTP | Any | TLS / SSL / None | Depends on host |
Sucuri (2025) found that 28% of WordPress contact form submissions never reach the inbox due to misconfigured email settings. Switching to authenticated SMTP eliminates this problem entirely.
Who Needs a WordPress SMTP Plugin?
Whether you run a blog, a WooCommerce store, or a business site — if your site sends email, you need SMTP.
Contact Form Emails
Ensure form submissions from Contact Form 7, WPForms, Gravity Forms, and others actually reach your inbox.
WooCommerce Orders
Order confirmations, shipping notifications, and password resets delivered reliably to your customers.
Security Alerts
Never miss critical security notifications from plugins like GuardPress. SMTP ensures alerts arrive on time.
How Do You Set Up SMTP in WordPress?
Three steps to reliable email delivery. No coding required.
Install Plugin
Upload the ZIP through your WordPress admin or install from the plugin directory.
Enter SMTP Details
Add your SMTP host, port, username, and password. Select TLS or SSL encryption.
Send Test Email
Click "Send Test" to verify everything works. You're done!
- Go to Settings → Royal SMTP in your WordPress admin
- Select your SMTP provider and enter credentials
- Click Send Test Email to verify delivery
Ready to Fix Your WordPress Emails?
Download Royal SMTP and configure reliable email delivery in under 2 minutes. Free forever, no account required.
Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress SMTP
Why do WordPress emails go to spam?
WordPress uses PHP's mail() function by default, which sends emails without authentication. Most email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) flag unauthenticated emails as spam. SMTP fixes this by routing emails through an authenticated server with proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
Is Royal SMTP really free?
Yes, Royal SMTP is 100% free with no premium version, no upsells, and no usage limits. It works with any SMTP provider and supports unlimited emails — the only limit is what your SMTP provider allows on their plan.
Which SMTP provider should I use?
For most WordPress sites, Gmail SMTP is the easiest option — it allows 500 emails per day on free accounts. For higher volume, Amazon SES costs $0.10 per 1,000 emails. SendGrid and Mailgun both offer free tiers of 100 emails/day. For business email, Microsoft 365 / Outlook SMTP integrates with your existing mailbox.
Does Royal SMTP work with WooCommerce?
Yes. Royal SMTP intercepts all WordPress emails at the wp_mail() level, which means every email your site sends — including WooCommerce order confirmations, shipping notifications, and customer receipts — goes through your authenticated SMTP connection automatically.
How do I test if SMTP is working?
Royal SMTP includes a built-in "Send Test Email" button on the settings page. Enter a recipient address, click send, and you'll see a success or failure message instantly. The email log also records every email sent through SMTP with timestamps and delivery status.