SMTP servers are a great method of sending email, but knowing the best solution for your business can be tricky. Is it better to create an on-premises solution? Or is it better to use a hosted SMTP relay service provider? In this article, we cover how to get started with SMTP servers, what you need to consider when buying or DIY an SMTP server, and how to set up an SMTP server for free with Twilio SendGrid. The basics of creating an SMTP server A simple mail transfer protocol or SMTP server is an application that helps senders receive and send outgoing emails. When you send your messages, the SMTP servers determine which servers will receive your relay messages.
Then the inbox providers on the recipient side download your email content and deliver it to the inbox. When setting up an SMTP server, you have the choice of creating an on-premises solution or using a hosted SMTP relay server service provider. Although you can set up a simple SMTP server on Windows 10, macOS, or Linux, these servers are generally only used for testing purposes, as the servers are not easily scalable and often result in low delivery job title email list rates. Other solutions for on-premises mail servers include building services such as Postfix. But, is it worth the time and effort? Should you create your own SMTP server? Much like deciding to DIY all of your wedding decorations or DIY your home's renovations, there are significant pros and cons to tinkering with your SMTP
server. Cost, scalability, and support are all factors you'll need to consider when determining if it's worth the time and effort to build an SMTP server. To help you decide whether or not to build an SMTP mail server, we've compiled a list of the pros and cons of an on-premises SMTP server (and we go into more detail below). Advantages and disadvantages of an on-premises SMTP server Benefits: You have full control over your system and its configuration. You can monitor and manually change your sending practices to improve your deliverability. You can configure your authentication protocols.