Gmail SMTP
by Naa986
Sends WordPress mail through a Gmail or Google Workspace account using OAuth.
This link may earn us a commission. It never changes our rating.
What Gmail SMTP does
Sends WordPress mail through a Gmail or Google Workspace account using OAuth.
It sits in the email delivery part of a WordPress stack and is sold by Naa986 on a free basis. We recommend it in our email delivery guides because it does that one job well without asking you to rebuild the rest of the site around it.
Every plugin adds work to a page request, so treat this as a decision with a cost. Record a speed test before you install it and run the same test afterwards, on the same page, so you know exactly what it charged you.
Real user ratings
Score
4.1/5
Reviews
103
Active installs
10,000+
Downloads
754K
Latest version
1.2.3.22
Last updated
2026-08-25
These figures come straight from the public WordPress.org plugin directory API for version 1.2.3.22, not from us. Check them yourself on the WordPress.org listing. Our own editorial score is 4.4/5.
Where Gmail SMTP ranks elsewhere
Gmail SMTP does not appear in the published "best of" lists we track from WPBeginner, TechRadar, Kinsta, Themeisle and similar sites. That is not a mark against it - those roundups are short and skew towards the biggest names.
What changed in the latest version
- Fixed an issue which caused empty XOAUTH2 bearer.
- Updated Google API Client library to v2.19.4.
- Fixed an issue with sending a test email.
Release notes are the developer's own words, published on WordPress.org. Read the full changelog
Pros and cons
- Free for low-volume Google users
- Free with no licence to renew
- Actively maintained and used on production sites we test
- Google's daily sending limits apply
- Support is community-led rather than guaranteed
How to use it
- 1Choose a sending provider and verify your sending domain.
- 2Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC records at your DNS host.
- 3Connect the plugin with an API key rather than a password where possible.
- 4Send a test email and check the headers for a pass on all three records.
- 5Enable logging so you can prove delivery later.
How it compares
Other email delivery plugins we recommend, with their rating and pricing model.
| Plugin | Our rating | WordPress.org | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail SMTP | 4.4 | 4.1 (103) | Free | Free for low-volume Google users |
| Easy WP SMTP | 4.5 | 4.6 (707) | Freemium | Fast, minimal setup |
| FluentSMTP | 4.8 | 4.8 (404) | Free | Logging and multi-provider routing at no cost |
| Post SMTP | 4.6 | 4.7 (525) | Freemium | Strong logging and failure alerting |
| WP Mail SMTP | 4.8 | 4.8 (5,191) | Freemium | Most provider integrations, clear setup wizard |
Guides that cover Gmail SMTP
Alternatives
Other email delivery plugins
Easy WP SMTP
SendLayer
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FluentSMTP
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A completely free SMTP plugin with routing rules, logging and support for the major sending APIs.
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Post SMTP
Post SMTP
SMTP delivery with a detailed email log, failure alerts and a mobile app for delivery notifications.
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