WordPress plugin comparison
Pro Mail SMTP vs wp_mail return-path
At a glance
- wp_mail return-path has more active installs: 4K+, against 300+ for Pro Mail SMTP.
- On a typical day, wp_mail return-path is downloaded about 21 times, Pro Mail SMTP about 11.
- wp_mail return-path is rated higher: 5.0 out of 5 from 9 reviews, against 4.4 from 5 reviews.
- Pro Mail SMTP was updated more recently: May 18, 2026, against Dec 11, 2023 for wp_mail return-path.
- Pro Mail SMTP is tested with a newer WordPress: 6.9.11, against 6.3.14 for wp_mail return-path.
- wp_mail return-path has been around longer: since 2015, against 2025 for Pro Mail SMTP.
Line by line
wp_mail return-path leads on 4 of 7 comparable lines.
| Metric |  Pro Mail SMTP |  wp_mail return-path |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank | #10,836 | #3,256 |
| Active installs | 300+ | 4K+ |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 296 | 340 |
| Rating | 4.4(5) | 5.0(9) |
| Support threads resolved | – | – |
| Tested up to | 6.9.11 | 6.3.14 |
| Search multiplier | ×0.42 | ×0.06 |
| Last release | 5 months ago | 2 years ago |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
From WordPress.org's public data, refreshed every night. Downloads are WordPress.org's official daily figures for the last 30 days.
Tags they share
More comparisons
Is one of these yours?
Track your plugin against its rivals every day: rank, installs, downloads, ratings and their releases, with alerts when anything moves.
Start free