Imagine this: Your website is live, your app is ready, and you’re expecting a flood of new users. Everything seems perfect, until you realize your transactional emails aren’t reaching your customers. Account confirmations, purchase receipts, password resets – they’re all vanishing into thin air.
What’s the problem?
If you use WordPress, you might be relying on PHP mail, the default email sending method. However, PHP mail isn’t known for its reliability. Spammers often misuse it, causing major email providers like Gmail and Outlook to frequently block emails sent this way.
This issue likely brought you here: you need a dependable, Cheap Smtp Server. And while your web hosting might offer an SMTP service, it’s often not much better than PHP mail, especially if you send more than just a few emails daily. They might get blocked too.
To ensure your important transactional emails are delivered successfully, we’ve compiled a list of cheap SMTP servers (also known as SMTP relay services) that have passed our rigorous deliverability tests. The best part? These aren’t just reliable; they are also incredibly affordable, many even offering free tiers with limitations – which is far better than a limited free trial. Keep your credit card put away; you won’t need it for these initial setups.
Setting up one of these email servers is simple. You don’t need to be a coding expert; all the setup information is user-friendly. These servers also provide secure connections using SSL/TLS encryption.
Let’s see if you enjoy this short TikTok video we made. Some people questioned if SMTP servers are TikTok-worthy content 🙈
@tooltester Free email marketing? Top 3 totally free SMTP servers you need to know!
So, let’s dive into our detailed list of the best cheap SMTP servers, ranked based on several quality factors:
Deliverability Performance
To identify the most effective cheap SMTP services for email delivery, we conducted four rounds of deliverability tests across nine different transactional email service providers.
Similar to our regular deliverability tests for various email marketing providers, we utilized Glockapps for our testing. This tool allows us to send test emails to a seed list of over 20 international mailbox providers, including Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo. Glockapps then automatically analyzes email placement: inbox, spam, or not delivered. It also assesses server reputation, authentication (DMARC, DKIM, and SPF), and blacklist status.
Important Note: Email deliverability is significantly impacted by your domain’s sender reputation. A positive sender reputation, built by recipients engaging with your emails, greatly improves deliverability. While the SMTP service contributes (around 30% in our estimation), your sender reputation becomes increasingly crucial as your email volume grows.
Here are the deliverability results for our cheap SMTP server providers:
| Rank | Provider | Test 1 | Test 2 | Test 3 | Test 4 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMTP2GO | 95% | 94% | 97% | 96% | 96% |
| 2 | Postmark | 97% | 95% | 96% | 87% | 94% |
| 3 | Mailersend | 92% | 75% | 86% | 94% | 87% |
| 4 | Mailjet | 84% | 92% | 72% | 92% | 85% |
| 5 | SendGrid | 82% | 86% | 87% | 73% | 82% |
| 6 | Brevo (Sendinblue) | 84% | 72% | 78% | 85% | 80% |
| 7 | Mailtrap | 66% | 91% | 64% | 87% | 77% |
| 8 | SendPulse | 56% | 84% | 80% | 74% | 74% |
| 9 | Elastic Email | 60% | 41% | 79% | 58% | 60% |
While deliverability is crucial, it’s not the only factor. Let’s explore the unique features and benefits each of these affordable SMTP services provides:
1. MailerSend – Exceptionally Cheap with a Free Tier
mailersend
If you need a substantial number of free emails without daily limits, MailerSend is a fantastic cheap SMTP server option. A part of MailerLite, a reputable email service provider from Lithuania, MailerSend excels in delivering transactional emails affordably, offering a free plan and cost-effective bulk sending options.
MailerSend stands out with its generous free plan, providing a high monthly email allowance without a restrictive daily cap, unlike many other email service providers. With an approved account, you can use all 3,000 free emails in a single day.
Need to send even more? Their pricing for additional emails is incredibly competitive at just $1.00 per 1,000 emails. MailerSend can scale to millions of emails if your needs grow.
Advantages of MailerSend
- Generous Free Plan: 3,000 free emails per month! Perfect for larger contact lists.
- Strong Deliverability: Ranked third in our deliverability tests.
- Value for Money: Among the most competitively priced plans available.
- Quick Approval: Faster account approval process than many competitors.
Disadvantages of MailerSend
- Limited Data Retention: Free plan statistics are only kept for 7 days.
Try MailerSend’s free plan
2. SMTP2GO – Top-Tier Deliverability at a Low Cost
smtp2go homepage
Based in New Zealand, SMTP2GO offers a cheap SMTP server solution, allowing up to 1,000 free emails per month. While their website and dashboard might seem a bit dated, don’t let appearances deceive you. They provide excellent deliverability!
Another benefit of their free plan is the ability to add team members, a feature often restricted to paid plans by other free SMTP server providers. Let’s explore the details:
Advantages of SMTP2GO
- Exceptional Deliverability: Achieved an outstanding average deliverability rate of 96%.
- Attractive Free Plan: 1,000 free emails per month with no daily cap, and affordable paid plans.
- Responsive Customer Service: Fast and helpful live chat support experience.
- EU Hosting Available: Crucial for GDPR compliance.
Disadvantages of SMTP2GO
- Sending Limits: The free plan has an hourly limit of 25 emails and a daily limit of 200, although the hourly limit can be lifted by contacting support.
- Limited Reporting: Free plan statistics are only available for the last 5 days.
Try SMTP2GO’s free plan
3. SendPulse: Cheap and Feature-Rich Free Plan
sendpulse transactional For those seeking a cheap SMTP server with the highest volume of free emails, SendPulse is your answer. This Ukrainian company provides a generous 12,000 free transactional emails per month via SMTP or API.
Additionally, SendPulse offers a comprehensive newsletter editor with email templates, also free for up to 500 subscribers (and 15k emails). This includes traditional email campaigns, making it a great option for email marketers. SendPulse also supports AMP for Email, allowing you to add interactive elements to your emails.
Advantages of SendPulse
- Very Generous Free Plan: 12,000 free emails monthly.
- Comprehensive Marketing Platform: Includes newsletter editor, CRM, email automation, chatbots, SMS, landing page builder, and more.
- Affordable Paid Plans: Upgrading is budget-friendly when you exceed the free plan limits.
- Reporting: Access to 30 days of analytics data.
Disadvantages of SendPulse
- Deliverability Concerns: Average deliverability of 74%, with issues particularly affecting AOL and Yahoo.
Try SendPulse’s free plan
4. Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) – High Volume, Low Cost Email Sending
brevo homepage
If a large volume of free emails is your priority, Brevo, based in France, is a strong cheap SMTP server contender. Offering up to 9,000 free emails, it surpasses most SMTP providers. However, there is a daily limit of 300 emails.
Brevo is more than just a high-volume provider; it’s a complete email marketing suite with a CRM, newsletter templates, landing pages, and live chat, all available in the free plan. For marketers needing an all-in-one marketing solution, Brevo is worth considering.
Advantages of Brevo
- All-in-One Marketing Suite: Features email marketing, drag-and-drop editor, templates, SMS marketing, and CRM.
- Free Plan: Up to 9,000 free emails per month. Affordable paid plans are also available.
- Unlimited Contacts: Store unlimited contacts in Brevo.
- Extensive Integrations: Plugins for WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, and major CRMs.
Disadvantages of Brevo
- Deliverability Rate: Inconsistent deliverability scores can lead to lost transactional emails.
- Inflexible Pricing: Upgrades require moving to the next pricing tier, unlike services offering email increments of 1,000.
Try Brevo’s free plan
5. Mailjet – Economical Newsletter and SMTP Service
Like Brevo, Mailjet is a great cheap SMTP server choice if you need both SMTP and newsletter capabilities for bulk emails. Part of Sinch, which also owns Mailgun, Mailjet provides templates, basic email automation, A/B testing, and a drag-and-drop editor.
While their free plan offers 6,000 emails monthly, there’s a daily limit of 200 emails.
Advantages of Mailjet
- Free Plan: 6,000 monthly emails with a 200 daily limit.
- Good Deliverability: Average deliverability score of 85% in our tests.
- Included Newsletter Editor: Access to their template editor for newsletters at no extra cost!
Disadvantages of Mailjet
- Complex Setup: More complicated setup compared to other services.
- Limited Free Support: Support is restricted on the free plan, relying more on documentation.
6. Aha Send – Fast and Simple, Budget-Friendly Sending
aha send
Aha Send is a transactional email service emphasizing faster email delivery. They offer both SMTP and a transactional email API. While we couldn’t verify their speed claims in our small tests, Aha Send provides a cheap SMTP server option with 1,000 free emails per month. Paid plans are also very affordable, starting at $5 per month for 10,000 emails, and $0.50 per 1,000 additional emails.
Advantages of Aha Send
- Free Plan: 1,000 free emails monthly.
- User-Friendly Interface: Quick and easy setup, with free team member additions.
Disadvantages of Aha Send
- New Provider: Limited information available about Aha Send, based in Austria with a small team.
- Deliverability Rate: Deliverability similar to Brevo, placing them in the middle of our deliverability rankings.
Try Aha Send for free
7. Mailtrap – Affordable Email Testing and Sending
mailtrap homepage
Mailtrap is primarily known for email testing, offering a sandbox environment for inspecting and debugging emails for developers. They also provide a cheap SMTP server option, with a free plan allowing 1,000 emails per month.
While deliverability has been inconsistent, Mailtrap might be a good choice if you need both SMTP and email testing functionalities.
Note: Mailtrap has informed us of efforts to improve deliverability in early 2024 by enhancing stability, client compliance, and system reliability.
Advantages of Mailtrap
- Decent Free Plan: 1,000 free emails per month.
- Unique Testing Features: Offers a fake SMTP server for testing without sending real emails.
Disadvantages of Mailtrap
- Inconsistent Deliverability: Deliverability results have varied significantly in our tests.
8. Postmark – Premium Quality, Higher Price Point
Postmark is part of ActiveCampaign, a highly-rated email marketing service.
Postmark excels in deliverability, but their free SMTP server is limited to 100 emails per month. Paid plans are more expensive than other transactional email providers, starting at $15 for 10,000 emails monthly.
Advantages of Postmark
- Excellent Deliverability: Average deliverability of 94%, among the top in our tests.
- ActiveCampaign Integration: Seamless integration with ActiveCampaign automations.
Disadvantages of Postmark
- Limited Free Plan: Only 100 free emails per month.
- Expensive: Higher pricing compared to other options.
- Non-EU Data Hosting: Data is hosted in the US, which may not be ideal for GDPR compliance if EU data hosting is required.
Try Postmark’s free plan
9. SendGrid – Scalable, Cost-Effective for Large Volumes
sendgrid
Like Postmark, SendGrid offers 100 free emails per month. However, SendGrid focuses on high-volume sending with cost-effective paid plans starting at 50,000 emails per month for $19.95. While the free plan is limited, SendGrid is a strong contender for businesses sending very large email volumes.
Advantages of SendGrid
- Cost-Effective for High Volume: Low prices for sending large quantities of emails.
Disadvantages of SendGrid
- Very Limited Free Plan: Many Sendgrid alternatives offer more generous free plans (e.g., Brevo – see Brevo vs SendGrid comparison).
- High Entry for Paid Plans: Lowest paid plan starts at 50,000 emails per month.
10. Gmail – Free SMTP via Google, But with Limitations
google workspace smtp
With a significant market share of around 35%, many are Gmail users. Gmail offers a free SMTP server allowing up to 500 emails per day.
However, free Gmail accounts restrict you to using your @gmail.com address as the sender. For business use, sending from your domain is usually preferred.
Google Workspace addresses this, providing 2,000 SMTP emails daily. But, Google Workspace is a paid service.
Advantages of Google’s SMTP Servers
- High Free Allowance (Workspace): 2,000 daily emails with a paid Google Workspace account.
- Trusted Google Servers: Presumably high deliverability due to Google’s infrastructure.
Disadvantages of Google’s SMTP Servers
- Gmail Address Restriction: Free Gmail only allows sending from @gmail.com addresses.
- Sending Limits: Daily sending limits, and sending stops for 24 hours after hitting the limit. Recipient limit of 100 per message.
- Complex Workspace Setup: Setting up SMTP via Google Workspace for custom domains is more complicated than using standard Gmail.
11. Elastic Email – Budget Pricing, Lower Deliverability
elastic email
Based in Poland, Elastic Email offers an Email API with a free SMTP server. Their free plan is limited to 100 emails per day and had the lowest deliverability in our tests, attributed by their support to shared IPs for free accounts. Consider this deliverability issue if you’re considering their free plan.
Advantages of Elastic Email
- Low Prices: Very competitively priced paid plans.
- Live Chat Support: Helpful and patient support staff.
Disadvantages of Elastic Email
- Poor Deliverability: Lowest deliverability scores in our testing, especially with Outlook, Yahoo, and AOL. Shared IPs on free plans are cited as the cause.
Try Elastic Emails free plan
How Does an SMTP Server Function?
smtp protocol infographic
Understanding the SMTP Protocol
An SMTP server utilizes the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol to send emails. When you send an email, your email client connects to the SMTP server (typically on ports 25, 465, or 587) and authenticates your credentials. Upon successful authentication, your email is sent to this server.
The SMTP server then queries the DNS to find the SMTP server responsible for the recipient’s domain and forwards the email. The server acts as an SMTP relay, passing the email to the recipient’s mail server. The recipient’s server verifies the email address and delivers it to the inbox or bounces it back if undeliverable.
If immediate delivery isn’t possible, the SMTP server queues the email for later attempts. Server configuration is crucial for security and protocols like encryption. It also uses verification methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prevent spam and ensure email integrity, configured via your domain’s DNS records.
SMTP servers work with incoming mail servers like POP3 or IMAP to provide a complete email experience.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Cheap SMTP Server
By now, you should have a clearer picture of the best email service to deliver your transactional emails affordably. Many options exist, but we’ve aimed to highlight the top choices.
Our comparison focused on:
- Free email allowance
- Deliverability rate
Top Cheap SMTP Provider Overall: SMTP2GO. Combines excellent deliverability with a good free plan of 1,000 emails per month.
Best Value by Volume: SendPulse offers 12,000 free emails, but deliverability is lower. Alternative: MailerSend provides 3,000 free emails with better deliverability.
Best Free All-in-One Newsletter Service: Brevo. Offers 300 daily emails and includes a drag-and-drop editor and email marketing automation features.
Still unsure? Ask your questions in the comments below!
FAQ: Affordable SMTP Providers
SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It’s the protocol for sending email messages between servers over the internet.
SMTP isn’t the only way to send emails. Most SMTP services also offer Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for sending emails. APIs are generally faster and more flexible but might require developer implementation due to complexity.
To change your SMTP server in WordPress, you’ll need a plugin. We use WP Mail SMTP on EmailTooltester, which is free and effective. It does include the WPForms plugin, meaning two plugins to update.
The Authors
Learn more about us
Robert Brandl
Robert Brandl
Founder and CEO
Hello! I’m Robert, an email marketing expert with 15+ years of experience. I founded EmailTooltester to help small and medium businesses after working with major corporations. Connect with me on LinkedIn for email marketing insights. Ask me for ESP recommendations – I have experience with ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Mailchimp, and Brevo.
Cai Ellis
SEO Manager
Hi! I’m Cai, with years in digital marketing, focusing on email marketing, tool testing, and guide writing. I have WordPress email plugin experience with MailPoet and SEO knowledge. Happy to help with questions!
Learn more about us We keep our content up to date
31 Jul 2024 – Aha Send added 22 Jul 2024 – Comment from Mailtrap added 24 Jan 2024 – TikTok video added 21 Sep 2023 – Technical explanation of SMTP added 24 Jul 2023 – Small update for Postmark 04 Jul 2023 – Smaller updates and corrections 30 Jun 2023 – SendPulse added
Our Methodology
This article follows EmailTooltester’s methodology for writing and research.
Our Methodology
