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wp_mail return-path vs Simple 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
Simple SMTP

Simple SMTP

5(11)

2.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 7 months ago
View Simple 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 Simple SMTP has 31K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
5/5wp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP5/5
Total Reviews
9wp_mail return-path
►
Simple SMTP11
Active Installs
5.0K+wp_mail return-path
◄
Simple SMTP2.0K+
Total Downloads
33K+wp_mail return-path
◄
Simple SMTP31K+
Support Resolution
N/Awp_mail return-path
Simple SMTPN/A
Last Updated
2 years agowp_mail return-path
►
Simple SMTP7 months ago
First Released
2015wp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP2020
Age
11 yearswp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP6 years
WP Requires
3.0.1+wp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP5.0+
PHP Requires
false+wp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP7.0+
Business Model
Freewp_mail return-path
Simple SMTPFree
Latest Version
1.1.1wp_mail return-path
Simple SMTP1.3.4.1

Rating Breakdown

wp_mail return-path

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

Simple SMTP

5/5(11 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

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.

Simple SMTP Reviews

by guguan123

Clean, No Ads！！！

Perfectly and elegantly meets my needs, the best STMP plugin I’ve used so far.

by alexmigf

Perfect for local Email solution

The Simple SMTP plugin truly lives up to its name, offering a straightforward and effective solution for managing email communications, especially when paired with MailPit. I’ve been using it locally

by Dan Claudiu G.

Simple and effective

Thank you for developing this module, it works great and currently it doesn’t include many other things that could bloat the site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is wp_mail return-path or Simple SMTP more popular?
wp_mail return-path has 5.0K+ active installations while Simple 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 Simple SMTP?
wp_mail return-path has a 5/5 rating from 9 reviews, while Simple SMTP has a 5/5 rating from 11 reviews.
Are wp_mail return-path and Simple SMTP free?
wp_mail return-path is free and Simple SMTP is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — wp_mail return-path or Simple 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 Simple SMTP was last updated 7 months ago.

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