SAR Friendly SMTP

76 Quality Score

Active Installs

15/30

With around 2,000 active installs, this is a niche plugin that has not gained broad traction compared to category leaders like WP Mail SMTP, which sits at 4 million installs.

Update Freshness

25/25

The plugin was last updated on May 16, 2025, and is tested against WordPress 6.8.5, showing active compatibility upkeep, though the overall maintenance score is moderate given limited public activity.

User Rating

14/15

A 92 out of 100 rating from 46 reviewers is genuinely strong and suggests high satisfaction among its small user base.

Support Health

8/15

Zero support threads and zero resolutions on the WordPress.org forum means there is essentially no public track record of the developer helping users, which is a real concern for troubleshooting.

WP Compatibility

15/15

Tested with WordPress 6.8.5 and requiring only WordPress 4.9 and PHP 7.0, the plugin has wide compatibility, though PHP 7.0 is well past end of life and worth noting.

Scores higher than 50% of indexed plugins

About

A friendly SMTP plugin for WordPress. No third-party, simply using WordPress native possibilities.

Active Installs 2k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.6/5

Last Updated 2026-07-15 3:11pm GMT

Requires WordPress 4.9+

Tested Up To 7.0.4

Requires PHP 7.0+

✓ No known vulnerabilities

What It Does

SAR Friendly SMTP configures WordPress to send outgoing emails through a user-defined SMTP server rather than relying on the default PHP mail function or external mailer services. It provides a straightforward settings panel for entering SMTP credentials, host, port, and encryption details. The plugin focuses on simplicity and avoids third-party API integrations or logging features found in more complex alternatives.

Who It's For

This plugin suits site owners who want a minimal, no-frills SMTP solution without connecting to cloud-based email APIs or dealing with extensive logging dashboards. It is a reasonable fit for small business sites, self-hosted WordPress installations without a mail server, and users comfortable editing basic SMTP credentials manually. Agencies managing dozens of client sites may find it appealing due to its lightweight footprint.

Who Should Skip It

Users who need email logging, open and click tracking, backup SMTP failover, or native integrations with providers like SendGrid, Mailgun, or Amazon SES should look elsewhere. Anyone running a high-volume transactional email operation or who values detailed deliverability reporting will outgrow this plugin quickly.

The Bottom Line

SAR Friendly SMTP delivers exactly what it promises: a simple SMTP configuration layer with no third-party dependencies, earning strong marks from its small user base. However, the complete absence of public support threads, a tiny install count, and a lack of logging or deliverability features make it a risky choice for anyone beyond a basic personal or hobby site. The overall quality score of 61 out of 100 reflects these gaps and the dominance of more feature-rich alternatives.

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MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 89/100

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