Software Alternatives & Startups

WP Mail SMTP VS CloudLinux

Compare WP Mail SMTP VS CloudLinux and see what are their differences

WP Mail SMTP

WP Mail SMTP is an online platform that facilitates users with multiple facilitation.

Rating
0 reviews
CloudLinux

Making Linux secure, stable, and profitable for thousands of hosting providers and data centers worldwide.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, WP Mail SMTP seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 15 times since March 2021.

social mentions
15 vs 0
Development popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

WP Mail SMTP
CloudLinux
Website wordpress.org cloudlinux.com
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

WP Mail SMTP 5 features
CloudLinux 5 features
  • Improved Email Deliverability
    WP Mail SMTP helps improve email deliverability by configuring WordPress to send emails using a proper SMTP server, reducing the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.
  • Easy Configuration
    The plugin provides a user-friendly setup wizard and clear instructions, making it easy for users to configure the SMTP settings without technical expertise.
  • Broad Integration
    WP Mail SMTP supports integration with multiple popular email services, such as Gmail, SendGrid, and Mailgun, offering flexibility and choice for users based on their needs and existing services.
  • Email Logs
    Paid versions of WP Mail SMTP offer an email logging feature, which helps users keep track of all the emails sent from their WordPress site, aiding in debugging and record-keeping.
  • Support for Attachments
    The plugin supports the sending of emails with attachments, which is useful for users needing to send receipts, invoices, or other documents directly from their site.

Possible disadvantages

  • Premium Features Locked
    Many advanced features, such as detailed email logs and the ability to resend or forward emails, are only available in the paid version of the plugin.
  • Complex for Beginners
    Despite the setup wizard, users who are unfamiliar with SMTP configuration or do not have access to necessary credentials (like API keys or SMTP server details) might find the initial setup challenging.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Services
    WP Mail SMTP relies on third-party email services to function, which means that any downtime or issues with these services can affect email delivery from your WordPress site.
  • Performance Impact
    While generally lightweight, adding another plugin to WordPress can incrementally impact the site's performance, especially if the server resources are already limited.
  • Limited Free Support
    Users of the free version might face limited support options, potentially requiring them to troubleshoot issues independently or seek solutions through community forums.
  • Enhanced Server Stability
    CloudLinux uses its lightweight virtualization technology (LVE) to isolate each tenant on a shared hosting server, preventing any single user from consuming excessive resources and crashing the server for everyone else. This ensures consistent uptime and performance.
  • Improved Security with HardenedPHP and KernelCare
    CloudLinux offers HardenedPHP, which patches old and unsupported PHP versions against known vulnerabilities, and KernelCare, which provides live kernel patching without requiring server reboots. These features significantly enhance server security posture.
  • Resource Limit Management
    Administrators can set granular resource limits (CPU, memory, I/O, number of processes, etc.) per user account using LVE Manager. This makes it easy to manage shared hosting environments and ensure fair resource distribution among tenants.
  • CageFS File System Virtualization
    CageFS creates a virtualized file system for each user, preventing them from seeing other users on the server, viewing sensitive configuration files, or exploiting server vulnerabilities. This adds an important layer of isolation and security.
  • Wide Compatibility with Hosting Panels
    CloudLinux integrates seamlessly with popular hosting control panels such as cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, making it straightforward for hosting providers to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure or workflows.

Possible disadvantages

  • Additional Licensing Cost
    CloudLinux requires a paid monthly or annual license on top of the base server cost. For smaller hosting providers or individual server owners, this additional expense can add up and may not always be justifiable compared to free alternatives.
  • Limited to CentOS/RHEL-Based Systems
    CloudLinux is built on top of RHEL/CentOS and does not support other Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Debian. This limits its adoption for hosting providers who prefer or already run non-RHEL-based environments.
  • Learning Curve for Configuration
    While CloudLinux provides powerful resource management tools, properly configuring LVE limits, CageFS, PHP Selector, and other features requires a solid understanding of the platform. Misconfiguration can lead to users being unnecessarily restricted or resources being poorly allocated.
  • Potential Performance Overhead
    The additional layers of virtualization, resource monitoring, and file system isolation introduced by CloudLinux can impose a slight performance overhead on the server compared to running a bare, unmodified Linux distribution without these controls.
  • Dependency on CloudLinux Ecosystem
    Adopting CloudLinux means relying on their ecosystem for kernel updates, PHP patches, and security fixes. If the company experiences delays in releasing patches or changes its pricing/licensing model, hosting providers may find themselves locked into a dependency that is difficult to migrate away from.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

WP Mail SMTP
CloudLinux

No analysis of WP Mail SMTP yet.

Overall verdict

  • CloudLinux is a well-regarded, mature Linux OS distribution and toolset specifically designed for shared hosting and multi-tenant server environments, offering strong isolation, resource management, and security features that make it a solid choice for hosting providers.

Why this product is good

  • Provides LVE (Lightweight Virtual Environment) technology for per-tenant resource isolation, preventing 'bad neighbor' effects on shared servers
  • Enhances server stability and security by isolating users so that one account's issues (crashes, resource spikes) don't affect others
  • Offers extended lifecycle support (longer than standard CentOS/RHEL support windows), which is valuable for legacy systems
  • Includes tools like CloudLinux OS Shield, Imunify360 integration, and hardened kernel options for improved security
  • Compatible with popular control panels like cPanel and Plesk, making it easy to integrate into existing hosting stacks
  • Backed by an established company with a long track record in the hosting industry and responsive support
  • Offers granular control over CPU, memory, I/O, and other resources per user account
  • Provides PHP Selector and multiple PHP version support, useful for hosting providers serving diverse client needs

Recommended for

  • Web hosting companies running shared or reseller hosting environments
  • Hosting providers needing to isolate customer accounts on the same physical server
  • Businesses requiring extended OS support lifecycles beyond standard RHEL/CentOS EOL dates
  • Enterprises using cPanel or Plesk that want tighter security and resource control
  • Hosting companies looking to reduce support tickets caused by noisy-neighbor resource contention
  • IT teams managing multi-tenant infrastructure who need governance and monitoring tools built into the OS layer

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

WP Mail SMTP 1 video + Add
CloudLinux 3 videos + Add

WP Mail SMTP v3.4 Announcement - Introducing SendLayer

When To Use Cloudlinux On Your Virtual Private Server (VPS)

More videos

  • - CloudLinux OS+ in a minute: Explore Features
  • - How CloudLinux Plans to Keep CentOS 6 Alive

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
WP Mail SMTP
CloudLinux
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using WP Mail SMTP and CloudLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

WP Mail SMTP no reviews yet
CloudLinux no reviews yet

We have no reviews of CloudLinux yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

WP Mail SMTP 15 mentions
CloudLinux 0 mentions
  • Ask HN: What is the best WordPress plugin for transactional email service?
    Are you looking to send emails through the server directly ? You should never do that. Instead, you first need to choose an SMTP provider (mailgun, postmark etc) and then use a WOrdPress plugin that can use that SMTP. I highly suggest... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Google tells me I have 3k+ WP form entries, but I don't see any in my mailbox. All spam?
    I suggest a plugin like WP Mail SMTP (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-mail-smtp/) and set up the website to send email using SMTP. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Problem with system mail going to junk / spam. Outlook cannot verify identity of sender.
    Typically you'd need to be making sure your site is configured to send email through your actual mail server, using something like WP Mail SMTP. Source: almost 4 years ago

View more

Tracking CloudLinux since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to WP Mail SMTP and CloudLinux

When comparing WP Mail SMTP and CloudLinux, you can also consider the following products.