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wp_mail return-path vs SAR Friendly SMTP (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

wp_mail return-path

wp_mail return-path

5(9)

5.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 years ago
View wp_mail return-path
VS
SAR Friendly SMTP

SAR Friendly SMTP

4.6(46)

2.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 10 months ago
View SAR Friendly SMTP

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, wp_mail return-path has a higher user rating (5/5 from 9 reviews) and leads in active installations (5.0K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. wp_mail return-path has accumulated 33K+ total downloads while SAR Friendly SMTP has 35K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
5/5wp_mail return-path
◄
SAR Friendly SMTP4.6/5
Total Reviews
9wp_mail return-path
►
SAR Friendly SMTP46
Active Installs
5.0K+wp_mail return-path
◄
SAR Friendly SMTP2.0K+
Total Downloads
33K+wp_mail return-path
►
SAR Friendly SMTP35K+
Support Resolution
N/Awp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTPN/A
Last Updated
2 years agowp_mail return-path
►
SAR Friendly SMTP10 months ago
First Released
2015wp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTP2015
Age
11 yearswp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTP11 years
WP Requires
3.0.1+wp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTP4.9+
PHP Requires
false+wp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTP7.0+
Business Model
Freewp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTPFree
Latest Version
1.1.1wp_mail return-path
SAR Friendly SMTP1.2.6

Rating Breakdown

wp_mail return-path

5/5(9 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

SAR Friendly SMTP

4.6/5(46 reviews)
5
89%
4
0%
3
2%
2
2%
1
7%

Recent Reviews

wp_mail return-path Reviews

by nigelpentland

Just what the doctor ordered

Works a treat and fixes an otherwise troublesome issue. Many thanks.

by Em

Works as expected

Needed to be able to set return-path email header in my WordPress emails so that they don’t get flagged as spam. This plugin does the trick.

by Anonymous User 9018418

Thanks for the plugin. To be honest, this should be part of WP.

It works, and it fixes a major flaw of WP.

SAR Friendly SMTP Reviews

by sayginer

Simple and Clean

It is clean and simple plugin. It does what is needed without annoying ads. Thanks!

by mahyulan

Super leightweight. Just does the job!

I used to use PostMan SMTP – now Post SMTP plugin, but this has become very annoying. Because it has become a bulky plugin that almost forces you to go to a paid subscription. The Post SMTP zip fil

by Qorege

Works fine

Thank you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is wp_mail return-path or SAR Friendly SMTP more popular?
wp_mail return-path has 5.0K+ active installations while SAR Friendly SMTP has 2.0K+. wp_mail return-path is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — wp_mail return-path or SAR Friendly SMTP?
wp_mail return-path has a 5/5 rating from 9 reviews, while SAR Friendly SMTP has a 4.6/5 rating from 46 reviews.
Are wp_mail return-path and SAR Friendly SMTP free?
wp_mail return-path is free and SAR Friendly SMTP is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — wp_mail return-path or SAR Friendly SMTP?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
wp_mail return-path was last updated 2 years ago and SAR Friendly SMTP was last updated 10 months ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.