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OptinMonster5.1/10WP Mail SMTP8.1/10

OptinMonster vs WP Mail SMTP

WP Mail SMTP wins 3 of the 3 points we can measure. Here's how they compare on price, features, ratings and deals.

At a glance

FeatureOptinMonsterWP Mail SMTP
Our score5.1/108.1/10 (better)
Starts at$210/year$49/year (better)
Free versionNoYes (better)
Refund window14 days14 days
BillingSubscriptionSubscription
Active installs–4M+
Last Black Friday60% off–
CategoryEmail marketingEmail marketing
VendorOptinMonsterWP Mail SMTP
Black Friday 2026Not announcedNot announced

Which should you choose?

Choose OptinMonster if…

  • Marketers growing email lists from existing traffic
  • Online stores reducing cart abandonment
OptinMonster reviewVisit OptinMonster (opens in a new tab)

Choose WP Mail SMTP if…

  • WordPress sites with email delivery problems
  • Agencies managing many client sites
  • You want to start free
  • You want the lower starting price
WP Mail SMTP reviewVisit WP Mail SMTP (opens in a new tab)

Features

OptinMonster

  • Exit-intent popups
  • Template library
  • Page and behavior targeting
  • A/B testing
  • Coupon wheel campaigns
  • eCommerce integrations
  • Email and CRM integrations

WP Mail SMTP

  • Many mail services
  • Email logging
  • Email reports
  • Failure alerts
  • Backup connections
  • Smart email routing

Pros and cons

OptinMonster

  • 14-day money-back guarantee on every plan
  • 700+ templates included on all plans
  • Impression-based pricing that does not charge for page views
  • OptinMonster University training included with subscriptions
  • No free plan, only a trial with 500 impression credits
  • Renewals are billed at full price after the first year
  • Basic plan includes only simple analytics

WP Mail SMTP

  • Free version on WordPress.org
  • Pro plan starts at 49 per year for one site
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • Works with many transactional mail services
  • Email logging, tracking and reports need the Pro plan
  • Setup done by the vendor costs extra on the Elite plan

Pricing plans

OptinMonster

  • BasicStarts here

    $210/year

    1 site

    • 2,500 impressions per month
    • 700+ templates
    • Introductory first year at $108

  • Plus

    $570/year

    2 sites

    • 10,000 impressions per month
    • A/B testing and full analytics
    • Introductory first year at $324

  • Pro

    $870/year

    3 sites

    • 25,000 impressions per month
    • Exit-intent technology and webhooks
    • Introductory first year at $444

WP Mail SMTP

  • ProStarts here

    $49/year

    1 site sites

    • Email logging, tracking and reports
    • Email failure alerts
    • Standard support

  • Elite

    $99/year

    Not stated sites

    • Everything in Pro
    • White glove setup by the vendor's experts
    • Priority support

  • Developer

    $199/year

    20 sites sites

    • Everything in Pro
    • Priority support
    • Backup connections

What Reddit says

OptinMonster

Reddit mentions of OptinMonster are negative, with users reporting it showing up on sites where they did not install it. One post links it to compromised sites through bundled plugins, and another says it was hard to remove once installed.

WP Mail SMTP

Reddit users mention WP Mail SMTP mostly in setup and troubleshooting threads. Users praise its simple setup with Gmail, while others report failed sends when paired with Brevo and confusion over SMTP login details.

OptinMonster vs WP Mail SMTP questions

Is OptinMonster better than WP Mail SMTP?

On our comparison WP Mail SMTP comes out ahead on 3 of 3 measurable points. The right pick still depends on what you build.

Which is cheaper, OptinMonster or WP Mail SMTP?

OptinMonster starts at $210/year and WP Mail SMTP starts at $49/year.

Can I get OptinMonster or WP Mail SMTP cheaper on Black Friday?

Both are on our Black Friday tracker. OptinMonster was 60% off last year.

Both products

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