Outbound SMTP server

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maffey

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#317637 1-Nov-2024 07:26

Hi There

I am reviewing our outbound email approach.

At the moment we are using a combination of sendmail (from the web server), AWS SES, Brevo (formally Send in Blue), Mailchimp.

I have scene a couple of recommendations for smtp2go.

Doing it yourself, from your own servers, is not a good option too much work, you really need to pay someone to manage your outbound email.

AWS seams to be the go to me, messages are about 10cents per thousand, where as the others are closer to $1 per thousand.

Any opinions welcome

Cheers

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#3303966 1-Nov-2024 07:29

We use SMTP2GO extensively for business clients, but it's all low volume stuff. We can highly recommend it for that. I don't have any close association with high volume mailing lists.

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#3303969 1-Nov-2024 08:02

Another vote for SMTP2GO! - well priced, has been rock solid and no issues with delivery (touch wood) - was previously using SendGrid which was dreadful.

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nztim

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#3303975 1-Nov-2024 08:31

Office 365 with an authenticated SMTP using an Exchange Online P1 license, with DMARC and DKIM requirements these days I found anything else not reliable

yes, it costs but yes it works without fail

The only gotcha is the sender needs to be able to support STARTTLS on port 587

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3303979 1-Nov-2024 08:46

maffey:

AWS seams to be the go to me, messages are about 10cents per thousand, where as the others are closer to $1 per thousand.

I have a couple of SMTP-related products and have tested a lot of services, some of which have been downright terrible. I am currently recommending three providers to users, SMTP2Go, Aha Send and Interserver. These services all perform well and have responsive support.

I've got a brief summary here: https://www.inveigle.net/recommended-smtp-providers

I host my own outgoing mail server, but I am presently using Interserver for e-mail from my Webserver (contact page and mailing lists).

idler

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#3303983 1-Nov-2024 08:47

SMTP2GO is good for low volume stuff and it's good to support local businesses.

Linux

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#3303992 1-Nov-2024 09:17

smtp2go

CamH

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#3304000 1-Nov-2024 09:55

Another +1 here for SMTP2Go, we use it for everything from client printers to website transactional emails and send about 10k messages a month. Never had a single issue.

maffey

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#3304006 1-Nov-2024 10:30

Wow this group is magnificent, thanks for your help, I will look into smtp2go.

BlakJak

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#3304073 1-Nov-2024 12:22

Just want to note that SMX offer an outbound mail relay service option that could work as well. Auckland based company.

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muppet

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#3304418 2-Nov-2024 19:01

I tend to try and find/use open relays. There's heaps of them, they're free PLUS they offer plausible deniability.

There's not a much better feeling than knowing you just sent out 20,000+ "Business" emails, it didn't cost you a cent and that you don't even have to worry about the bouncebacks because you borrowed someone else's email for the Envelope From address!

Sorry Po-Po, not this time!

Audiophiles are such twits! They buy such pointless stuff: Gold plated cables, $2000 power cords. Idiots.

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3304465 2-Nov-2024 19:16

muppet:

There's not a much better feeling than knowing you just sent out 20,000+ "Business" emails, it didn't cost you a cent and that you don't even have to worry about the bouncebacks because you borrowed someone else's email for the Envelope From address!

I've heard if you make the subject of your business e-mails something like "Invoice attached" and rename your script invoice.pdf.exe, you can reach even more people by harnessing the power of the interweb.

But I wouldn't know about such things* :)

*Unfortunately, I do... I know my own software has been distributed with malware at least once (and likely many more times I don't know about)

maffey

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#3371940 10-May-2025 09:57

A wee update, we have switched our own outbound mail, plus many of our customers to smtp2go. Service seams good and reliable so far.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#3372005 10-May-2025 11:03

nztim:

Office 365 with an authenticated SMTP using an Exchange Online P1 license, with DMARC and DKIM requirements these days I found anything else not reliable

yes, it costs but yes it works without fail

The only gotcha is the sender needs to be able to support STARTTLS on port 587

I use the Office 365 Connector to send emails out. It is great and reliable. But if the volume is too large then it may trigger some anti-spam or security rules.

Alternatively I have two Geekzone IP addresses that are correctly configured (DKIM/SPF/DMARC,PTR), have not changed in more than 15 years and are not in a residential ASN. This is the low cost version.

I looked at smtp2go and it would cost more than I would want to pay.

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3372062 10-May-2025 12:09

freitasm:

I looked at smtp2go and it would cost more than I would want to pay.

Out of curiosity, how much e-mail does Geekzone send out? I periodically delete my post notifications en masse, a few thousand at a time. They would easily make up more than 10% of my incoming e-mail.

There is now significantly more competition in the market and SMTP2Go hasn't brought their prices down in line with competitors. I still recommend them because they provide a reliable service and have unique features other providers don't offer. I steer advanced users towards other services, which for most users would still be cheaper, but they seem to prefer APIs these days and don't mind giving a third-party control over DKIM keys, which I simply won't do.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#3372063 10-May-2025 12:19

A few thousand email notifications a day.

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