WP PureSMTP

Replace the WordPress default wp_mail() with a pure SMTP connection. No third-party APIs, no bloat — just SMTP.

Description

WP PureSMTP replaces the WordPress default wp_mail() / PHP mail() function with a clean, pure SMTP connection using PHPMailer (bundled with WordPress).

Unlike other SMTP plugins, WP PureSMTP offers only SMTP as the sending method — no third-party API services, no feature bloat, no upsells.

Features:

• Pure SMTP sending via PHPMailer (no extra dependencies)
• Supports None / SSL / TLS encryption with auto-port suggestion
• SMTP authentication with encrypted password storage
• Force From Email / From Name across all plugins
• Email log – every wp_mail() attempt logged with status, error, and SMTP trace
• Mail queue – rate limiting and SMTP-failure retry with WP-Cron
• Kill switch – instantly stop all outgoing email
• Test Email tab – verify your SMTP config in one click
• Debug mode – capture full SMTP conversation
• Log retention – auto-cleanup after N days
• Clean uninstall – optionally removes all data on delete
• Translations-ready (.pot file included)

Installation

1. Upload the wp-puresmtp folder to /wp-content/plugins/.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress.
3. Go to Settings → WP PureSMTP and enter your SMTP credentials.
4. Send a test email via the Test Email tab to confirm everything works.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this plugin support third-party email services like Mailgun or SendGrid?

No. WP PureSMTP is intentionally SMTP-only. If you need API-based sending, please use a different plugin.

Where is the SMTP password stored?

The password is encrypted with AES-256-CBC using a key derived from your WordPress AUTH_KEY before being saved to wp_options. It is never stored in plain text.

Can I stop all outgoing email for testing?

Yes. Enable Stop sending all emails in the Queue tab. A prominent admin notice will remind you that mail is blocked.

Does the retry queue keep emails if my SMTP server is temporarily down?

Yes. When SMTP sending fails, the email is saved to the queue table and retried automatically via WP-Cron at your configured interval.

What happens to queued emails if I uninstall the plugin?

If Remove data on uninstall is enabled in the Misc tab, all settings, the email log, and the queue are permanently deleted on uninstall. If disabled (default), your data is preserved.

Screenshots

1. General settings tab – SMTP configuration
2. Email Log tab – all sent/failed emails with status
3. Queue tab – rate limiting and retry queue
4. Test Email tab
5. Misc tab

Changelog

1.0.0

• Initial release
• SMTP mailer, admin settings (General, Email Log, Queue, Test Email, Misc)
• Email log with detail view and error hints
• Rate limiting + SMTP retry queue with WP-Cron
• Kill switch with admin notice
• Debug mode, log retention, clean uninstall

Upgrade Notice

1.0.0

Initial release.