For any WordPress site, whether it’s an online store, a membership platform, or a blog, email is a critical communication channel. Order confirmations, password resets, contact form replies, and marketing updates all rely on one thing: reliable email deliverability. If emails don’t land in inboxes, businesses risk lost sales, frustrated users, and missed opportunities.
To solve this, many site owners turn to SMTP plugins that bypass default WordPress mailing functions and ensure messages are sent through secure, authenticated servers.
Two such tools are Icegram Mailer and Post SMTP.
While both are designed to improve deliverability, their visibility, features, and suitability for real-world use differ greatly.
In this blog, we’ll take a close look at Icegram Mailer and Post SMTP, exploring what they offer, how they compare, and ultimately, which plugin is the practical choice for WordPress users looking for reliable, professional email delivery.
Overview of Icegram Mailer and Post SMTP
When it comes to WordPress email deliverability tools, not all plugins carry the same weight in terms of adoption, reliability, and community trust. Let’s examine the current status of Icegram Mailer and Post SMTP.
Icegram Mailer
When it comes to ensuring reliable email delivery on WordPress, Icegram Mailer is built with simplicity and effectiveness in mind. Unlike complex SMTP tools that often require manual server setups or third-party configurations, Icegram Mailer handles the heavy lifting in the background, so your focus stays on running your site, not troubleshooting emails.
Icegram Mailer stands out as a reliable, WordPress-first email delivery solution with several strengths tailored to website owners. It’s incredibly easy to get started, requiring no advanced technical expertise, just a quick setup, and you’re ready to send emails that reach the inbox. Deliverability is optimized from the ground up, with Icegram’s servers handling authentication like SPF and DKIM automatically, minimizing spam risks and ensuring consistent inbox placement.
For businesses conscious of costs, Icegram Mailer offers a free plan with 200 emails per month, along with affordable upgrade paths as your site traffic and email needs grow. It’s designed to work seamlessly with WordPress and WooCommerce, so critical messages like password resets, user registrations, and order confirmations are always delivered reliably.
Scalability is built in, making it just as effective for small blogs as it is for growing e-commerce stores. Plus, being part of the Icegram Suite, it integrates smoothly with tools like Icegram Engage and Icegram Express, giving you a complete customer engagement and email marketing toolkit, all without leaving WordPress.
In short, Icegram Mailer is designed for WordPress users who want dependable, no-fuss email delivery without the complexity of configuring third-party SMTP services. It’s the practical choice for businesses that value both reliability and simplicity.
Post SMTP
In contrast, Post SMTP has established itself as one of the most reputable and widely recognized plugins in this space. Known for its reliability and advanced functionality, it is often listed alongside industry standards like WP Mail SMTP and Easy WP SMTP.
Its extensive documentation, active user base, and frequent coverage on review platforms make it a trusted choice for developers and businesses alike. With Post SMTP, site owners get not just an email plugin, but a robust tool tailored for secure, consistent, and professional email delivery.
Post SMTP: Features and suitability
Post SMTP is widely regarded as one of the most reliable and feature-rich SMTP plugins for WordPress. It goes beyond simple mail delivery to offer tools that make diagnosing, monitoring, and securing email communication far easier. Here’s a closer look at what it brings to the table:
- Set up and ease of use
Getting started is straightforward thanks to a built-in setup wizard. Post SMTP also supports OAuth 2.0, allowing secure authentication with major providers like Gmail and Microsoft without the need to store passwords directly on your site. - Advanced features
Post SMTP isn’t just about sending emails; it helps you understand and troubleshoot delivery. With detailed email logging, diagnostic tools, and connectivity tests, you can quickly pinpoint issues and ensure your messages are reaching inboxes. - Integration capabilities
The plugin connects seamlessly with a wide range of email providers and APIs, including Gmail API, Mailgun, SendGrid, Amazon SES, and more. This flexibility makes it suitable for both small businesses and enterprise-level operations. - Notifications and alerts
If an email fails to send, you’ll know right away. Post SMTP offers real-time notifications via Slack, Chrome extensions, and even mobile apps, keeping administrators informed no matter where they are. - Fallback support
One of its standout features is built-in fallback mailing. If the primary mail server goes down, Post SMTP automatically switches to an alternative, ensuring critical emails like order confirmations or password resets are never missed. - Free vs. paid plans
The free version is powerful enough for most users, offering a complete feature set for standard needs. For larger sites, premium plans extend log retention, add integrations, and provide scalability for more complex workflows. - Ideal users
Post SMTP is best suited for high-volume websites, eCommerce businesses, membership platforms, and any organization that needs advanced diagnostics, troubleshooting tools, and guaranteed email reliability.
Icegram Mailer: Features and suitability
Icegram Mailer works as an end-to-end email delivery platform. Check out what Icegram Mailer assists businesses with:
- WordPress-native email delivery
Built specifically for WordPress, ensuring smooth integration and zero conflicts with themes, plugins, and core updates. - Quick and easy setup
No need for complicated SMTP server configurations. Install, connect, and start sending emails in just a few clicks. - Free sending tier
Send up to 200 emails per month for free, perfect for small sites or new businesses. - Scalable email sending
Upgrade plans are available for higher volumes, allowing businesses to send thousands of emails without relying on external SMTP providers. - Optimized deliverability
Emails are authenticated and routed through optimized servers to minimize bounces, improve inbox placement, and prevent spam flagging. - Transactional email support
Ensures important WordPress and WooCommerce notifications (order confirmations, password resets, signup alerts, etc.) are reliably delivered. - Automatic authentication
Handles technical aspects like SPF, DKIM, and domain verification in the background, without requiring manual setup. - Performance tracking (if enabled)
Monitor delivery statistics to understand how many emails are sent successfully, giving confidence in system performance. - Seamless WooCommerce compatibility
Designed to work flawlessly with WooCommerce, ensuring all store-related notifications reach customers on time. - Lightweight and fast
Minimal impact on site speed, built with optimized code to keep WordPress performance intact. - Upgrade options for growing needs
Flexible pricing plans that scale with business growth, no need to switch to expensive third-party solutions as email volume increases. - Part of the Icegram suite
Works seamlessly with Icegram Engage (onsite engagement) and Icegram Express (email marketing/newsletters), enabling a complete communication ecosystem inside WordPress.
Recommendations and use cases
Both Icegram Mailer and Post SMTP are built to solve a critical challenge, ensuring WordPress emails get delivered. Post SMTP is a trusted option for connecting to third-party SMTP services like Gmail, Amazon SES, or SendGrid, giving users the flexibility to integrate with providers of their choice. It works well for businesses already committed to a specific email infrastructure.
However, if you want a dedicated WordPress-first solution that eliminates external dependencies, Icegram Mailer is the smarter choice. By offering built-in email delivery, Icegram Mailer removes the need for complex setups, API keys, and ongoing troubleshooting with external SMTP providers.
When Icegram Mailer is recommended:
- E-commerce businesses (WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads): Transactional emails like order confirmations and shipping updates are mission-critical. Icegram Mailer ensures they’re delivered reliably without being throttled by SMTP limits.
- Agencies and freelancers: Manage multiple client websites without juggling different SMTP accounts or dealing with third-party downtime.
Membership, LMS, and community sites: Keep onboarding smooth with reliable sign-up emails, password resets, and course updates. - Small to mid-sized businesses: For those who want an affordable, plug-and-play solution with no hidden costs, Icegram Mailer offers simplicity and predictability.
When Post SMTP works best:
- If you’re tied to a specific email provider (like Gmail or Amazon SES) and want to keep using it.
- If you have in-house teams managing advanced SMTP configurations and want granular control.
Bottom line: Post SMTP is a good choice if you’re already invested in third-party email providers. But for most businesses that want a hassle-free, scalable, and reliable WordPress-native solution, Icegram Mailer offers the best balance of simplicity, deliverability, and cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion
Reliable email delivery isn’t just a technical detail; it’s the backbone of how your WordPress site communicates. From customer orders and password resets to important updates, you need an SMTP plugin that is dependable, secure, and backed by community trust. Choosing a well-documented tool ensures you don’t lose critical messages or waste time troubleshooting preventable issues.
In this comparison, Post SMTP stands out as the practical, trustworthy option for advanced users who need deep diagnostics, integrations, and fallback mechanisms.
That said, not every site owner needs the complexity of Post SMTP. If you’re looking for something simpler, more user-friendly, and designed to “just work” inside WordPress, Icegram Mailer is worth considering. It offers reliable deliverability without the heavy setup, making it a strong alternative for businesses that want dependable results without technical overhead.
FAQ
Does Post SMTP support multiple email providers at the same time?
Yes. Post SMTP can integrate with multiple providers (Gmail, Mailgun, SendGrid, Amazon SES, etc.), allowing site owners to use fallback providers or route emails differently based on volume or type of email. This is particularly useful for high-traffic sites.
Is OAuth 2.0 necessary for WordPress SMTP plugins?
OAuth 2.0 is not strictly required but is highly recommended for secure authentication, especially with Gmail or Microsoft accounts. It eliminates the need to store passwords on your server, reducing security risks. Post SMTP supports OAuth 2.0, while Icegram Mailer’s support is unknown.
Is there a free alternative to Post SMTP?
Yes. While Post SMTP offers a robust free version suitable for many websites, other plugins like WP Mail SMTP and Icegram Mailer provide simple, cost-effective alternatives for smaller sites or users who prefer a lightweight solution without advanced diagnostics.
Should small websites consider Post SMTP, or is it overkill?
For small sites sending only occasional emails, Post SMTP might be more complex than needed. Lightweight options like Icegram Mailer can provide reliable email delivery with minimal configuration, making them better suited for smaller or less technical sites.