Neuctra MailerGmail SMTP settings, ports and App Password setup
To send email through Gmail from an app, website or plugin, use the server smtp.gmail.com, port 465 with SSL (or 587 with STARTTLS), your full Gmail address as the username, and a Google App Password, not your normal password. This guide shows each setting, how to get the App Password, and how to fix the usual errors.
Gmail SMTP settings
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| SMTP server | smtp.gmail.com |
| Port | 465 (SSL from the start) or 587 (STARTTLS) |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS on 465; off at first, then STARTTLS, on 587 |
| Username | Your full Gmail or Google Workspace address |
| Password | A 16-character Google App Password |
| Authentication | Required |
How do I create a Gmail App Password for SMTP?
Google doesn't accept your normal account password for SMTP. You need an App Password, which only works once 2-Step Verification is on.
- 1Open your Google Account and go to Security.
- 2Turn on 2-Step Verification if it isn't on yet.
- 3Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords.
- 4Enter a name such as "Neuctra Mailer" and press Create.
- 5Copy the 16-character password and use it as the SMTP password. Google shows it only once.
Common Gmail SMTP errors and fixes
| Error | What it means and how to fix it |
|---|---|
| 534-5.7.9 Application-specific password required | You used your normal password. Create an App Password and use that. |
| 535-5.7.8 Username and Password not accepted | The username or App Password is wrong. Use your full address and paste the App Password without spaces. |
| Connection timed out | Your network or host blocks ports 465 and 587. Try another network, or ask your host to allow outgoing SMTP. |
| Wrong version number / SSL error | SSL setting doesn't match the port. Use SSL on 465, and STARTTLS (SSL off) on 587. |
| App Passwords option is missing | 2-Step Verification is off, or your Google Workspace admin has turned App Passwords off. |
How many emails can I send with Gmail SMTP?
A personal Gmail account can send to about 500 recipients a day, and Google Workspace accounts to about 2,000. Going over locks sending for up to a day. For newsletters and bulk email, connect a sending service such as Amazon SES, Brevo or Mailgun as a second account, and keep Gmail for everyday messages.
Also send from your own Gmail address, or from an alias added under Gmail's "Send mail as" setting. Gmail replaces other From addresses with your account's address.
Send through Gmail from your app with Neuctra Mailer
Pick Gmail as your provider in Neuctra Mailer and the server and port fill in for you. Paste your App Password and press Check these settings: it logs in without sending anything, and if Google refuses, it says exactly why and what to do. Then your website or app sends through Gmail with one SDK call.
- Explanations written for Gmail's own error messages
- Rate limits so you stay under Gmail's daily limit
- Add a second account (like Brevo) and fail over to it automatically on paid plans
Frequently asked questions
- Should I use port 465 or 587 for Gmail?
- Either works. Port 465 uses SSL from the start and is the simplest. Port 587 starts unencrypted and switches to TLS with STARTTLS. If one port is blocked on your network, try the other.
- Can I use Gmail SMTP without an App Password?
- Not with a username and password. Google turned off "less secure app" access, so plain SMTP sign-in needs an App Password, which requires 2-Step Verification.
- Is Gmail SMTP free?
- Yes, it comes with your Gmail or Google Workspace account. It is meant for normal personal and business email, within Google's daily sending limits.
- Why do my Gmail SMTP emails go to spam?
- Usually because of sudden bursts, links that look like spam, or a From address that isn't your Gmail address. Send at a steady pace, include a plain-text version, and for your own domain set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Send your first email today
Create a service, add your SMTP login and send a test. It takes about two minutes.