SMTP providers and experiences

[mnt_schred]

Normally I use Amazon Simple E-mail Service for e-maildelivery.
But, SES doesn't work with Civi due to the fact a random generated e-mailadres is incorperated in the body, and SES only sends op-in verified e-mailadresses. This is a known issue.

The alternative CiviSMTP is much to expensive for my customer, $ 3,- / 1000 e-mails versus $ 0,10 / 1000 e-mails for SES.
Has anyone tested alternatives and what are your experiences? I've used SMTP.com previously ($ 1,5 / 1000) and I know that SendGrid yields good results (€ 0,25/1000), but both haven't been tested in a Civi setup yet.

[mnt_schred]

Hm. No responses? Well, I've done my own research. I'm now using Mandrill, Mailchimp's Transactional E-mail Service.
It seems to work very well and let me send 12,000 e-mails for free monthly. It works trough SMTP and has been verified in CiviCRM 4.3.5

[planetwebb]

Are you using the Mandrill extension as well?  If not, does your bounce processing work through Mandrill?

-Keith

[mnt_schred]

No, I've just created an SMTP connector and set this up in Civi. Doesn't bounce processing work through an mailbox?

[sonicthoughts]

no - it will not work with Mandrill.

[jakecivi]

Sorry - can I ask for clarification? Is it that services like mandrill will not work with CiviCRM at all if you want bounce processing to work, or that it requires extra setup of a return channel? Does Sendgrid have the same limitation? Thanks.

[sonicthoughts]

It can send but no return channel. You want bounce processing to work, trust me.  The guys who built the mandrill extension can add it, but you will need to get funding.  several of us could chip in perhaps ... not too much work since they already built it for transactional email.

[jakecivi]

Yes - thanks for the clarification - I'm wondering if bounce processing with other services (postmark, authsmtp) would be as simple as setting up a return mailbox that CiviCRM can check, or if I'm missing something.

Thanks,
Jake

[Hershel]

Yes - thanks for the clarification - I'm wondering if bounce processing with other services (postmark, authsmtp) would be as simple as setting up a return mailbox that CiviCRM can check, or if I'm missing something.

Yes, it should be that easy. If your incoming mail server supports a "catch-all" mailbox then CiviCRM can handle bounces using that.

[jakecivi]

Hershel, while I have your "ear.." may I point you over here for some clarification about Civihosting's mail sending limits?

http://forum.civicrm.org/index.php/topic,34017.msg144192.html