Any downsides to using Google Apps with PHPMailer for website emails?

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1

I’m getting ready to go live with my website and I’m thinking about setting up Google Apps (the free plan) to handle automated emails like user signups and password resets. This would let me use something like [email protected] instead of a regular Gmail address.

I know there’s a daily sending limit of 500 emails, but I’m wondering if there are other issues I should be aware of. Has anyone run into problems using Google’s SMTP servers for this kind of thing? I want to make sure I’m not missing any obvious drawbacks before I commit to this setup.

Any advice or experience with this approach would be really helpful.

2

I’ve used Google’s SMTP with PHPMailer for two years - there are gotchas beyond just sending limits. Biggest problem? Reliability during peak hours. Emails sometimes took 10-15 minutes to deliver, which sucks for password resets. Google also throttles you if you send too many emails too fast, separate from the daily limit. If Google flags your account for whatever reason, you’re basically screwed with no real way to appeal. I switched to a dedicated email service once I hit 200 emails/day because consistency mattered more than saving cash. Works fine for low volume, but plan your exit strategy early.

3

totally agree! i had an experience where my emails went to spam and that was a headache. like u said, it’s good for small volume but once u go big, the delivery issues pop up. just keep an eye on it!

4

Google Apps SMTP has some weird authentication quirks that caught me off guard last year. You’ll need 2FA enabled plus an app-specific password - adds extra complexity. Connection times out way more than other SMTP providers, so make sure your PHPMailer has proper timeout handling and retry logic built in. Fair warning - Google dumps all outgoing emails into your sent folder, so automated messages will clutter your mailbox fast. IP reputation’s usually solid since you’re on Google’s servers, but if other users get spam-flagged, it hits everyone’s deliverability. Works fine for launch, just keep an eye on your delivery rates.