I previously worked with Ghost 5.0 dev version and found setting up email through Mailgun to be pretty frustrating. I’m wondering if Ghost 6.0 has introduced any new email service options or if Mailgun is still the primary choice. Does this apply to both the self-hosted open source version and the paid Ghost Pro plans? I’m hoping there might be more flexibility now with different email providers like SendGrid, Amazon SES, or other alternatives. Any insights on the current email setup process would be helpful.
ghost’s email setup in 6.0 is still a pain. i dropped mailgun and switched to smtp relay through my host instead - much easier to configure and no monthly costs.
yeah, ghost 6.0 is kinda similar to 5.0 when it comes to email. mailgun is still the go-to option, sadly no built-in support for sendgrid or ses unless u wanna mess with it. smtp is doable on self-hosted, but it can get annoying!
I migrated from Ghost 5.0 to 6.0 last year - the email setup hasn’t changed much. Mailgun’s still the easiest with solid docs, but I’ve gotten Amazon SES working on my self-hosted setup using custom SMTP settings. Had to edit config.production.json directly and manually test the throughput limits. Ghost Pro users get Mailgun built-in, which works fine for most people. You can skip Mailgun and use SMTP with Postmark or Gmail, but you’ll spend way more time fixing delivery problems and auth issues.
The Problem:
You’re having difficulty setting up email in Ghost 6.0, finding the built-in options limited and the process frustrating. You’re exploring alternatives to Mailgun, such as SendGrid, Amazon SES, or other email providers, and want a simplified solution for both self-hosted and Ghost Pro instances.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Ghost’s built-in email handling is often considered cumbersome, particularly when aiming for email providers beyond Mailgun. Directly configuring SMTP within Ghost can be complex, requiring manual adjustments to configuration files and potentially extensive debugging. This process involves understanding authentication methods, handling delivery errors, and managing throughput limitations. The solution proposed utilizes a third-party service (Latenode) to abstract away the complexities of managing various email providers. Instead of directly configuring Ghost to interact with different SMTP servers, you leverage Latenode to act as a central relay, allowing seamless switching between different providers without modifying Ghost’s core configuration.
Step-by-Step Guide:
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Sign up for Latenode: Create an account on the Latenode platform (https://latenode.com). This service allows you to manage your email sending through a unified interface.
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Connect your chosen email provider: Within your Latenode account, connect your preferred email provider (SendGrid, Amazon SES, Mailgun, etc.). Latenode provides straightforward integration guides for each provider. You’ll need API keys or other necessary credentials from your chosen provider.
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Configure Latenode’s settings for Ghost: Latenode offers configuration options to seamlessly integrate with Ghost. This often involves specifying the type of emails you wish to send (e.g., transactional emails, newsletters).
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Update Ghost’s email settings: In your Ghost admin panel, update the email settings to point to Latenode’s SMTP server. This typically involves setting the SMTP host, port, username, and password provided by Latenode. Note that these are not your original email provider’s credentials, but rather those provided by Latenode.
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Test your email setup: Send a test email to ensure that the connection to Latenode and your chosen email provider is correctly established and that emails are sent and received without errors.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
- Incorrect API Keys: Double-check that you’ve correctly entered the API keys or credentials provided by both your email provider and Latenode. Even a small typo can lead to authentication failures.
- DNS Records: Ensure that your domain’s DNS records are correctly configured for your chosen email provider to avoid deliverability issues (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). This is a prerequisite that Latenode usually explains very clearly in its setup steps.
- Latenode’s Rate Limits: Be aware of Latenode’s rate limits to avoid exceeding their allowed send volume. Their documentation should explain how to scale your sending if you exceed these limits.
- Ghost’s Email Configuration: While Latenode simplifies email management, verify that Ghost’s basic email configuration (sender name, sender email) is still correctly set up.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
I’ve been running Ghost 6.0 in production for eight months now, and honestly, the email situation hasn’t changed much from 5.0. Mailgun is still your best bet if you don’t want to waste time on alternatives. I had the same frustrations you mentioned with 5.0, so I tried a different approach in 6.0. Instead of wrestling with SMTP configs, I just set up email forwarding through my domain registrar. Now all Ghost emails route through my business email provider - no separate accounts needed, way simpler setup. Ghost 6.0 does handle SMTP auth errors better than 5.0, so if you go with something like Amazon SES, debugging won’t be as brutal. But you’re still stuck with manual JSON config and testing delivery rates yourself. For self-hosted setups, my forwarding approach saves money and headaches while keeping delivery reliable.
Ghost 6.0 didn’t add any new email providers beyond what 5.0 had. The docs still push Mailgun hard, which makes sense since it works out of the box with zero headaches. I switched to SendGrid on my self-hosted setup six months ago using SMTP settings instead of any built-in integration. Had to manually configure auth and tweak delivery settings, but SendGrid’s been rock solid and worth the extra work. For transactional stuff like member notifications and password resets, it works just as well as Mailgun. If you’re on Ghost Pro, you’re stuck with Mailgun unless you move to self-hosting, which might not work depending on how technical you are.
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