Sending emails using simple PHP functions like mail() might seem like an easy solution for contact forms or website notifications. However, this method is very outdated and has severe limitations<\/b> when it comes to security and deliverability<\/b>.<\/p>
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Emails sent via php mail() often lack proper authentication headers<\/b>, which makes them more likely to be flagged as spam or rejected entirely<\/b> by the receiving server. <\/p>
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To address this and protect the integrity of our services, we have implemented specific limitations on unauthenticated mail sent via PHP.<\/p>
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To maintain high email deliverability standards and prevent abuse, Hostinger limits outgoing emails sent through unauthenticated methods like php mail(). These measures are in place to:<\/p>
Protect email reputation:<\/b> Emails sent this way often skip necessary authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) checks, making these messages more likely to be filtered as spam.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Ensure security:<\/b> Spammers often exploit basic PHP mail functions to send bulk emails. By requiring stronger authentication methods, we help protect you and your users.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> As a result, if you’re using php mail() or similar simple mail functions, you may find that some emails are not being delivered as expected if they exceed our limits of:<\/p> Per minute<\/b>: Max 10 emails<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Daily<\/b>: Max 100 emails<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> Instead of using basic PHP functions, we strongly recommend sending emails via SMTP — a more secure and authenticated method. There are two easy ways to do this:<\/p> PHPMailer<\/b> or similar libraries [How to use PHPMailer to send emails<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n SMTP plugins<\/b>, such as WP Mail SMTP [What Is WordPress SMTP<\/a>… or Mail for Laravel<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> Since SMTP includes proper authentication, it increases the chance your emails reach inboxes while adhering to the email plan’s outgoing limits. If you have our Business Starter or Business Premium email<\/a>, you will have at least a 10-times higher limit of daily outgoing messages, which means more prospects for inquiries on your website.<\/p> \n<\/p> If you’re sending emails through PHP scripts, it’s crucial to monitor the number of emails sent especially when hitting limits.<\/p> \n<\/p> To help with that, each hosting account now includes a Sendmail rate limit log<\/b>. This log lets you:<\/p> See which email addresses are sending the most<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Check when rate limits are triggered<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Track how fast the rate is dropping back toward normal<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul> The log is available in your File Manager<\/b> and is automatically updated hourly. Log path: <\/p> \n<\/p> Timestamp: <\/b>[2025-05-13 03:17:22]<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mailbox:<\/b> email@domain.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n\n
How to Improve Email Sending<\/b><\/h2>
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Monitor with the Sendmail Log<\/b><\/h2>
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\/home\/username\/.logs\/exim.log<\/code><\/pre>Example output<\/b>:<\/h4>
[2025-05-13 03:17:22] RATE LIMIT EXCEEDED - Mailbox: email@domain.com - Rate: 2935.7 (daily)
[2025-05-13 03:17:22] RATE LIMIT EXCEEDED - Mailbox: noreply@domain.com - Rate: 2936.7 (daily)
<\/code><\/pre>How to use the logs:<\/b><\/h4>
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