Why you shouldn't send newsletters from hosting
Your WordPress hosting is for your website — not for sending thousands of emails. Servers that blast newsletters get flagged by spam engines within days, and shared hosting ISPs block bulk sending outright. The rules:
- Transactional mail (password resets, order notifications) → SMTP service. SMTP guide
- Bulk mail (newsletters) → an email marketing platform
For your business mailbox, see the domain email setup. Newsletters are a separate lane.
The best newsletter services for WordPress
| Service | Free tier | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | | MailerLite | 1,000 subs, 12k emails/mo | Best free tier, simple forms | | Brevo (Sendinblue) | 300 emails/day | High volume, good pricing | | Mailchimp | 500 contacts, 1k sends/mo | The familiar name, app ecosystem | | MailPoet | 500 subs (WordPress-native) | Everything inside WordPress |
For WordPress sites, MailerLite and Brevo offer the best free plans; MailPoet is the one that runs entirely inside your dashboard (it still sends via a delivery service, so deliverability stays good).
How to connect a newsletter service
1. Create the service account
Sign up at the provider, create your list, and confirm your sending domain (they'll give you SPF/DKIM records to publish — see deliverability).
2. Install the integration
- Mailchimp: the official Mailchimp plugin, or MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress (free, better forms)
- MailerLite: the official MailerLite plugin
- Brevo: the official Brevo (Sendinblue) plugin
- MailPoet: the plugin is the newsletter service — add your signup form as a block
3. Add opt-in forms
Place forms where readers actually subscribe:
- After content (the most effective spot)
- Sidebar and footer widgets
- A dedicated landing page
- Popup on exit intent (some services include this free)
4. Test the double opt-in
Enable double opt-in — a confirmation email protects your list quality and your sender reputation. Confirm the confirmation email lands in the inbox (not spam) before going live.
Deliverability for newsletters
Newsletter success is a deliverability game:
- Warm up — start with small sends to engaged subscribers, then scale. A cold new domain blasting 50k emails is a fast path to blocklists
- Clean your list — remove bounces and non-openers; engagement is the #1 spam filter signal
- Watch spam rate — above 0.1% triggers flags. Providers report this in your dashboard
- Publish SPF/DKIM/DMARC — the deliverability guide has the full setup
Frequently asked questions
Can I send newsletters from my WordPress hosting? Technically some shared hosts allow it, but don't — bulk sends from hosting servers get flagged as spam and hurt your domain reputation. Use a newsletter service.
What is the best free newsletter service for WordPress? MailerLite (1,000 subs free) and Brevo (300 emails/day free) lead. MailPoet if you want everything inside WordPress. Full guide above.
Mailchimp or Brevo for WordPress? Mailchimp for its ecosystem and plugin support; Brevo for cheaper high-volume sending. Both integrate cleanly with WordPress plugins.
How do I add a newsletter signup form to WordPress? Install the service's plugin (or MC4WP for Mailchimp) and add the form block to posts, widgets, or a landing page. The setup is in this guide.
Why is my newsletter going to spam? Usually missing SPF/DKIM/DMARC, a new domain sending too much too fast, or a dirty list. Fix the records (guide), warm up, and clean your list.