SMTP Setup Requirements
Learn how to set up your own SMTP server. Discover requirements, sending limits, and cost breakdown for scalable email campaigns.
Setting Up Your Own SMTP Server
Requirements, Sending Limits, and Cost Breakdown
When it comes to sending large volumes of emails, creating your own SMTP server can provide greater control and flexibility. With the right setup, you can scale your email sending capacity, ensuring your emails reach your recipients’ inboxes. Here's a detailed guide on the requirements, sending limits, and cost breakdown for setting up your own SMTP server.
Requirements for Setting Up Your Own SMTP Server
To set up your own SMTP server, you'll need the following:
VPS or Dedicated Server: This will be the foundation of your SMTP server. You'll need a reliable server with adequate resources (such as CPU, RAM, and storage) to handle the volume of emails you plan to send.
Additional IP Addresses and Domains: To scale your email sending capacity, you’ll need multiple IP addresses and domains. The total volume you can send depends on how many IPs and domains you use.
Each IP can send approximately 5 emails per minute, which equals 300 emails per hour or 7,200 emails per day.
Below is an example table illustrating the estimated sending capacity:
1
1
300
7,200
5
5
1,500
36,000
10
10
3,000
72,000
15
15
4,500
108,000
20
20
6,000
144,000
42
42
12,600
302,400
70
70
21,000
504,000
139
139
41,700
1,000,800
Note: For optimal deliverability, it's important to follow a proper warm-up process and rotate IPs and domains to avoid blacklisting.
Where to Get a VPS/Dedicated Server and Additional IPs
You can use any server provider that allows mailing (with enabled mailing ports). For SMTP creation, we recommend starting with a 2 GB RAM VPS server.
Recommendation:
You can use OVH as they provide open mailing ports, allowing you to send bulk emails. With OVH, you can purchase up to 16 IPs with their VPS servers and up to 256 IPs with dedicated servers. Additionally, OVH offers competitive pricing, making it a cost-effective option compared to other server providers.
To use bulk email services, Port 25 (SMTP) must be open. Please note that many providers, such as Amazon EC2 and DigitalOcean, disable Port 25 by default to prevent spam and bulk mailing activities. If Port 25 is blocked, you can contact the provider for port unblocking.
Additionally, many hosting providers do not allow the use of additional IPs or may limit IP purchases. In such cases, you can still send emails using the default IP of your server. Each server typically comes with one default IP.
Be sure to check with your provider to confirm the available options for email sending.
How to Purchase a VPS or Dedicated Server and Additional IPs
Purchasing a VPS or Dedicated Server:
Go to the OVH website (or your preferred provider).
Select the VPS or dedicated server plan that fits your requirements.
You can choose a VPS with 2GB RAM for low-cost solutions or opt for a dedicated server for more robust performance and high volume.
Purchasing Additional IPs:
After purchasing your VPS or dedicated server, you can request additional IP addresses from the same server provider.
For OVH, you can add IPs through their control panel after logging into your account.
Purchasing Additional Domains:
You can purchase additional domains from any domain registrars like GoDaddy, etc.
OVH VPS Server Cost Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of the typical costs involved when purchasing a VPS, or a dedicated server, and additional IPs and domains:
Service
Cost
VPS with 2GB RAM (OVH)
$5/month
Additional IPs (per IP)
$2/month
Additional Domains (per domain)
$10/year
Dedicated Server (OVH)
$70/month
Note:
You have the option to purchase either a VPS or a dedicated server.
You can purchase up to 16 IPs with a single VPS.
If you opt for a dedicated server, you can buy up to 256 IPs with a single server.
A dedicated server starts at $70/month and is recommended for higher volume sending and better scalability.
Emails Sending Limit via Your Own SMTP Server
When using your own SMTP server, the sending limits depend on the number of IP addresses and domains you configure. To maintain optimal email delivery rates and avoid blacklisting, it is generally recommended to send no more than 5 emails per minute per IP.
Let’s break it down with an example:
Example:
You have 10 IPs and 10 domains.
Each IP can send up to 5 emails per minute.
That means each IP can send 300 emails per hour (5 emails × 60 minutes).
With 10 IPs, your total hourly sending capacity is 3,000 emails/hour (10 IPs × 300 emails/hour).
Over 24 hours, you can send up to 72,000 emails/day (3,000 emails/hour × 24 hours).
Increasing the number of IPs and domains in your setup can scale your sending capacity while ensuring reliable email delivery.
Conclusion:
Setting up your own SMTP server can be a cost-effective solution for sending large volumes of emails while retaining full control over your email infrastructure. With the right setup of VPS, IPs, and domains, you can scale your sending limits based on your needs. By following best practices for IP warming, list management, and content optimisation, you can ensure that your emails are delivered reliably and effectively.
By choosing the right configuring your SMTP server accordingly, you'll have the capacity to send thousands of emails per day. With providers like OVH, you can get started with an affordable VPS or dedicated server, while adding IPs and domains to suit your sending requirements.
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