Post SMTP vs WP Mail SMTP
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
At a glance
WP Mail SMTP leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #12, ahead of Post SMTP at #162. WP Mail SMTP has the largest install base, roughly 13× the next: 4M+ active installs against 300K+ for Post SMTP. Downloads this week: WP Mail SMTP 119,440 and Post SMTP 23,619. Ratings: Post SMTP 4.7★ from 525 and WP Mail SMTP 4.8★ from 5,193 reviews.
| Metric | Post SMTP | WP Mail SMTP |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #162 ▬ | #12 ▬ |
| Active installs | 300K+ | 4M+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 23,619 | 119,440 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (525) | 4.8★ (5,193) |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Current version | 4.0.1 | 4.9.0 |
| Best rank on record | #161 | #12 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 51 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2017 | Sep 2007 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Post SMTP or WP Mail SMTP?
By active installs, WP Mail SMTP: 4M+ sites run it against 300K+ for Post SMTP, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 13, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Post SMTP or WP Mail SMTP?
WP Mail SMTP, at #12 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Post SMTP at #162. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Post SMTP or WP Mail SMTP alternatives to each other?
Yes. All of them are smtp & email delivery plugins, so a site would normally run one of them. The figures above show which one more WordPress sites choose and how that has changed over time.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.