SMTP Mailer 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 SMTP Mailer at #591. Over the last 7 days WP Mail SMTP held its place and SMTP Mailer climbed 1 place. WP Mail SMTP has the largest install base, roughly 57× the next: 4M+ active installs against 70K+ for SMTP Mailer. Downloads this week: WP Mail SMTP 119,440 and SMTP Mailer 20,855. Ratings: SMTP Mailer 4.6★ from 67 and WP Mail SMTP 4.8★ from 5,193 reviews.
| Metric | SMTP Mailer | WP Mail SMTP |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #591 ▲ 1 | #12 ▬ |
| Active installs | 70K+ | 4M+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 20,855 | 119,440 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (67) | 4.8★ (5,193) |
| Last updated | Sep 7, 2026 | Jun 25, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.28 | 4.9.0 |
| Best rank on record | #591 | #12 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 51 |
| On WordPress.org since | Dec 2015 | 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, SMTP Mailer or WP Mail SMTP?
By active installs, WP Mail SMTP: 4M+ sites run it against 70K+ for SMTP Mailer, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 13, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, SMTP Mailer or WP Mail SMTP?
WP Mail SMTP, at #12 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with SMTP Mailer at #591. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are SMTP Mailer 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.