At a glance
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – The Most Popular SMTP and Email Log Plugin
Make email delivery easy for WordPress. Connect with SMTP, Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, SES, Zoho, + more. Rated #1 WordPress SMTP Email plugin.
MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress
The #1 Mailchimp plugin for WordPress. Allows you to add a multitude of newsletter sign-up methods to your site.
Full Comparison
Technical Specs
| Metric | WP Mail SMTP by WPForms | MC4WP |
|---|---|---|
| Requires WP | 5.5+ | 5.3+ |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | 7.4+ |
| Tested up to WP | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Plugin age | 19 yrs | 13 yrs |
Quick Verdict
Pick WP Mail SMTP by WPForms if your main problem is WordPress email delivery. It has 4x more installs than MC4WP and 94% of its 5149 reviews are 5-star. MC4WP is a dedicated Mailchimp subscription tool, not an SMTP plugin. For fixing transactional emails, WP Mail SMTP by WPForms is the clear winner.
Feature Comparison: WP Mail SMTP by WPForms vs MC4WP
| Feature | WP Mail SMTP by WPForms | MC4WP |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | SMTP email delivery and email logging | Mailchimp newsletter sign-up forms |
| Email service integrations | SMTP, Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, SES, Zoho, plus others | Mailchimp only |
| Email log / history | Built-in email logging feature | Not included |
| Form builder for sign-ups | Not a primary feature | Dedicated newsletter sign-up forms |
| Popup / slide-in forms | Not included | Mailchimp popup form WordPress integration |
| Transactional email fix | Core purpose: resolves how to fix WordPress not sending emails | Not designed for transactional email |
| Gmail / Google Workspace setup | Dedicated setup wizard for wp mail smtp gmail setup | Not applicable |
| Audience sync / list management | Not included | Syncs sign-ups to Mailchimp lists automatically |
Who Should Use WP Mail SMTP by WPForms
- Site owners who rely on WordPress to send password resets, order confirmations, or contact form notifications, this plugin is built to solve how to fix WordPress not sending emails, trusted by 4.0M+ sites.
- Teams needing a single plugin to handle SMTP, Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, SES, or Zoho connections without buying separate add-ons.
- Anyone who values community confidence, 94% of 5149 reviewers gave it 5 stars, and support resolved 36 of 36 threads in the last 2 months.
Who Should Use MC4WP
- Site owners focused on email marketing growth who need to add Mailchimp form to WordPress quickly, this is the #1 Mailchimp plugin by installs.
- Marketers who want a Mailchimp popup form WordPress integration without coding, plus standard subscription forms and checkbox integrations.
- Users looking for the best Mailchimp plugin for WordPress with a 92% 5-star rating from 1496 reviews, specifically for newsletter sign-up features.
Community & Support
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms shows strong support performance. Over the last 2 months, the team handled 36 support threads and resolved all 36, a 100% resolution rate. User satisfaction is high: 94% of all reviews are 5-star, while only 3% are 1-star. MC4WP's support sample over the same period is too small to draw conclusions, but its rating profile is similar with 92% 5-star and 3% 1-star ratings.
Verdict: WP Mail SMTP by WPForms or MC4WP for WordPress sites?
Pick WP Mail SMTP by WPForms if your priority is reliable email delivery. It leads with 4.0M+ active installs, 4x more than MC4WP, and solves how to fix WordPress not sending emails with its SMTP, Gmail, and API integrations. The 100% support resolution rate over 2 months backs that up.
Pick MC4WP if you need to integrate Mailchimp in WordPress for newsletter sign-ups only. It's the best Mailchimp plugin for WordPress with dedicated form builders and popup features. But it cannot fix transactional email problems, that's not its job. For SMTP reliability, WP Mail SMTP by WPForms is the data-backed choice.
This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.
Read our full methodologyFrequently Asked Questions
Q How many people use WP Mail SMTP by WPForms compared to MC4WP?
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms has 4.0M+ active installs while MC4WP has 1.0M+, meaning WP Mail SMTP by WPForms is used on more sites.
Q Which has better user ratings — WP Mail SMTP by WPForms or MC4WP?
Both plugins average 4.8/5 on WordPress.org — WP Mail SMTP by WPForms from 5,149 reviews and MC4WP from 1,496 reviews.
Q Which is more actively maintained — WP Mail SMTP by WPForms or MC4WP?
MC4WP was last updated on Jun 4, 2026 and WP Mail SMTP by WPForms on Apr 16, 2026, so MC4WP received the more recent update.
Q Are WP Mail SMTP by WPForms and MC4WP both free?
Yes — both WP Mail SMTP by WPForms and MC4WP are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.
Q Is WP Mail SMTP by WPForms or MC4WP better for WordPress sites?
For sites that need to fix email deliverability, WP Mail SMTP by WPForms is the clear winner because it handles SMTP setup for Gmail, Outlook, and other services. MC4WP is better only if your main goal is building an email list with Mailchimp, since it focuses on subscription forms and newsletters rather than fixing outgoing mail.
Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — WP Mail SMTP by WPForms or MC4WP?
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms is easier for a beginner because it walks you through connecting to Gmail or Outlook with a guided wizard, and most users get it working in under 10 minutes. MC4WP requires you to connect a Mailchimp account and configure forms separately, which adds an extra step for someone new to WordPress.
Q What is the biggest feature difference between WP Mail SMTP by WPForms and MC4WP?
The biggest difference is purpose: WP Mail SMTP by WPForms fixes your site's email sending so contact forms and notifications actually arrive, while MC4WP is built solely to integrate Mailchimp for email marketing. MC4WP has no SMTP or email log features, and WP Mail SMTP has no newsletter subscription or popup form tools.
Q Can you switch from WP Mail SMTP by WPForms to MC4WP (or the other way) without losing data?
You can switch between them without losing site data because they handle completely different tasks, WP Mail SMTP stores email logs and SMTP settings, while MC4WP stores Mailchimp form configurations. Your existing email logs from WP Mail SMTP will remain in the database, and your Mailchimp forms from MC4WP will stay, but you will need to reconfigure each plugin's settings after deactivating the other.
Q Which type of site should choose WP Mail SMTP by WPForms, and which should choose MC4WP?
Choose WP Mail SMTP by WPForms if your site has problems with emails not being delivered or if you run a membership, ecommerce, or contact form heavy site that relies on reliable outgoing mail. Choose MC4WP if your primary need is to grow an email list with Mailchimp, especially if you want popup forms or newsletter signups, and you already have a separate solution for email delivery.