SMTP Relay service

Our SMTP Relay service is an add-on service to improve your Matrix server hosting experience. While sending outgoing emails is not a core requirement for Matrix servers, there are some scenarios where it will be become valuable.

When You Need SMTP Relay¶

There are instances where your Matrix homeserver may need to send out emails:

• Email address confirmation: When users add email addresses to their accounts on Matrix clients, the server will send an address confirmation link with an email.
• Email notifications: Email notifications can optionally be enabled to let them know about unread messages.
• Postmoogle Email bridge: If they utilize the Postmoogle email bridge, your server can be optionally configured to send outgoing emails through it.

There are some situations where using an SMTP relay can help.

• Network restrictions: Some networks and VPS providers block outgoing port 25, hindering the direct delivery of emails.
• IP address reputation: If the IP address reputation of your server is less than optimal (for example, in case where it has been added to a spam list due to a previous owner of the IP address), it may affect email deliverability.
• Email deliverability: Big email providers may block or filter emails sent directly from your server, especially if the IP address is not recognized as a trusted sender. This can lead to important emails being marked as spam or not delivered at all. While we do everything possible to ensure that emails sent from your server are delivered (by setting up and utilizing SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and for hosting customers, rDNS), there is no guarantee that they will be delivered.

In such circumstances, opting for an SMTP relay offers a reliable solution.

How to Set Up SMTP Relay¶

If you find the need for your Matrix server to utilize an SMTP relay for sending outgoing emails, you have two options:

1. Provide your SMTP server details: You can provide us with the address and credentials of an SMTP server you manage, whether it’s on your infrastructure or a service like SendGrid among others.
2. Use our hosting service: Alternatively, you can leverage our Email Hosting service. If you choose this option, we’ll configure your Matrix server to use the SMTP relay through our email hosting service. In this case, SMTP Relay is included at no extra cost.

We aim to provide the flexibility and support you need to ensure that your Matrix server operates seamlessly, even when it comes to email functionality.