GoDaddy SMTP Settings: How to Configure Email Sending Step by Step

GoDaddy is one of the largest domain registrars and web hosting providers in the world. Millions of people buy their domains there. But what many don't realize is that GoDaddy also offers its own email service, complete with outgoing SMTP support.

If you've registered a domain with GoDaddy and want to send emails from your domain, you'll need to configure your GoDaddy SMTP server settings correctly.

This guide walks you through every step from initial setup to connecting an email client while also covering POP3 and IMAP configuration for incoming mail.

We'll also look at some common issues, security practices, and the limitations you should know about before committing to GoDaddy for email sending.

What Is GoDaddy Mail Service?

GoDaddy's email service lets you create custom email addresses tied to your domain. Instead of using a generic Gmail or Yahoo address, you get an address that matches your brand — which matters if you're running a business.

Behind the scenes, GoDaddy uses an SMTP Relay Service to handle outgoing mail. The service isn't enabled by default, though. You have to purchase one of GoDaddy's email plans and manually toggle on SMTP authentication before you can start sending.

GoDaddy offers several email tiers:

Individual: A single domain-based email address with 10 GB of storage.
Team: Designed for small teams, with 30 GB storage and shared calendar functionality.
Microsoft 365 Email Essentials: Runs on the Microsoft backend with 10 GB storage and works with clients like Apple Mail and Outlook.
Microsoft 365 Online Business Essentials: The full package with 50 GB storage, Microsoft web apps, and collaboration features.

Pricing varies depending on the billing cycle and promotional discounts, so it's best to check GoDaddy's pricing page directly for the latest numbers.

Why Should You Use GoDaddy for Email?

There are a few practical reasons to set up email through GoDaddy.

You already host your domain there: If your domain is registered with GoDaddy, setting up email through their system is straightforward. Everything lives under one roof, including DNS, domain management, and email, so there's less jumping between dashboards.
The setup is simple: Configuring GoDaddy SMTP doesn't require deep technical knowledge. Once you've purchased an email plan, you're mostly copying and pasting server details into your email client or WordPress plugin.
It supports standard authentication protocols: GoDaddy features SSL/TLS encryption on its SMTP, POP3, and IMAP servers. It also supports SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which are now required by major providers like Gmail and Yahoo for inbox delivery.

That said, GoDaddy's email service comes with limitations that might matter depending on your use case. We'll cover those in a later section.

How to Configure GoDaddy SMTP Server Settings

This section assumes you already have a domain registered with GoDaddy but haven't set up email yet.

Step 1: Enable Email on Your GoDaddy Account

Log in to your GoDaddy account and click your account name in the top right corner. Select My Products from the dropdown.

Scroll down to find the domain you want to use, and click Set up an email account.

If you don't see a setup button, try this alternative route: click Manage next to your domain, then select Email from the left sidebar.

Choose the email plan that best fits your needs (Individual or Team), then follow the wizard to add the service.

Step 2: Create and Set Up Your Email Address

Once your email plan is active, head back to My Products and open the Email & Office section. Click Set up, pick the domain you want to use, and hit Continue.

Fill out the form with your desired email address and set a strong password. Add an alternative email address for account recovery. Click Create.

After that, log in to your new email account to make sure everything is working. The email and password created here will be used in the sections that follow.

Step 3: Turn On SMTP Authentication

This is the step most people miss. Without SMTP authentication enabled, you won't be able to send SMTP mail through external clients or plugins.

Go to Email & Office, click Manage all, and find your email address. Click Manage next to it, then scroll down to Account Information and expand Advanced settings.

Look for the SMTP Authentication toggle and make sure it's turned on. Save your changes.

Step 4: Connect to an Email Client (IMAP)

With authentication enabled, you can now connect your GoDaddy email to a desktop or mobile client. The process is similar across most apps, such as Thunderbird, Outlook, and Apple Mail, but the menu names may differ slightly.

Here's the general flow using Apple Mail as an example:

1. Open Apple Mail on your Mac. If this is your first time using the app, it will prompt you to add an account right away. If you already have an account configured, navigate to Mail -> Add Account…

2. Select Other Mail Account at the bottom and click Continue.

3. Enter your full name, your GoDaddy email address, and the password for that email account, as shown in the image below. Click Sign In.

4. Apple Mail will try to verify your credentials automatically, and it will fail. You'll see an error saying it's unable to verify your account name or password. This is expected. Apple Mail can't auto-detect GoDaddy's server settings, so you need to enter them manually. When the error appears, the window will expand to show fields for incoming and outgoing server details.

5. Enter the following:

Incoming Mail Server: imap.secureserver.net
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtpout.secureserver.net

Your username and password fields should already be filled in from the previous step. If not, re-enter your full GoDaddy email address and password.

6. Click Sign In again. Apple Mail will attempt to connect using the server details you provided.

7. On the next screen, select which apps you want to use with this account and click Done.

8. Send a quick test email to yourself to confirm everything is working. If it arrives in your inbox, the setup is complete.

If you run into connection issues after setup, go to Mail -> Settings -> Accounts, select your GoDaddy account, and click Server Settings. Confirm that the incoming IMAP mail port is set to 993 with SSL enabled, and the outgoing SMTP port is set to 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS). In most cases, Apple Mail configures these ports correctly once you provide the server addresses, but it's worth double-checking if emails aren't sending or arriving.

For WordPress users, if you're hosting a site on GoDaddy and want to send emails from it, avoid the built-in wp_mail() function, as it's quite unreliable. Install the WP Mail SMTP plugin instead, choose "Other SMTP" as your mailer, and enter the GoDaddy SMTP credentials as shown below:

*Setting*	*Value*
SMTP Server Address	smtpout.secureserver.net
Port	465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
Authentication	Required
Username	Your full GoDaddy email address
Password	Your email account password

A quick note on ports: using port 587 with TLS is the recommended option, especially if you're integrating with a WordPress plugin. Port 465 with SSL still works, but can be blocked on certain hosting configurations.

To learn more about installing the WP Mail SMTP plugin, check out our guide on How to Send Emails in WordPress.

How to Configure GoDaddy POP3 Server Settings

POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) downloads incoming emails from the server to your local device and, by default, removes them from the server afterward. It's an older protocol, but it still has its uses, particularly if you want offline access to your messages or you're working on a device with limited connectivity.

Setting Up POP3 in Your Email Client (Apple Mail)

In this section, we’ll be using Apple Mail as an example.

As outlined previously, Apple Mail defaults to IMAP when it detects your server settings, so you'll need to go through manual configuration to use POP3 instead. Here's how to do it step by step.

Follow steps 1 -> 3 in the Step 4: Connect to an Email Client section.
Apple Mail throws an error saying it's unable to verify your account name or password. That's normal; it happens because Apple Mail can't auto-detect GoDaddy's server settings. Don't close the window. Instead, you'll now see fields for manually entering your server settings. This is where you select POP as the account type.
Enter the following:

Incoming Mail Server: pop.secureserver.net
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtpout.secureserver.net

Your username and password fields should already be filled in from the previous step. If not, re-enter your full GoDaddy email address and password.

4. Click Sign In again. Apple Mail will attempt to connect using the server details you provided.

5. On the next screen, select which apps you want to use with this account and click Done.

6. Send a quick test email to yourself to confirm everything is working. If it arrives in your inbox, the setup is complete.

Security Best Practices When Using GoDaddy SMTP

Sending emails is one thing. Making sure they actually land in the recipient's inbox and not in their spam folder is another. The key is setting up email authentication. Since 2024, major providers like Gmail and Yahoo reject or flag messages from domains that lack proper authentication records.

Here's what you need to set up to improve email deliverability and protect your domain from spoofing.

Set Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

These three protocols work together to verify that emails sent from your domain are legitimate.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Tells receiving servers which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. You add an SPF record as a TXT entry in your domain's DNS settings. For GoDaddy Professional Email, SPF is usually added automatically if your domain and email are in the same GoDaddy account. If not, you'll need to add it manually.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Attaches a cryptographic signature to your outgoing emails. This signature lets the receiving server verify that the message wasn't altered in transit and that it genuinely came from your domain. For GoDaddy Professional Email, you'll need to add two CNAME records to your DNS:

secureserver1._domainkey
secureserver2._domainkey

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): This ties SPF and DKIM together. It tells receiving servers what to do when an email fails authentication, whether to monitor it, quarantine it, or reject it outright. You set it up by adding a TXT record with a _dmarc prefix to your DNS. Starting from April 2025, GoDaddy automatically adds a DMARC record for all newly purchased domains. If your domain is older, you'll want to add one manually.

A solid starting DMARC policy looks like this:

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com

Start with p=quarantine to monitor how your emails perform. Once you're confident everything is properly authenticated, switch to p=reject for maximum protection.

Use Strong Passwords and Enable Two-Factor Authentication

This sounds obvious, but weak passwords remain one of the most common reasons email accounts get compromised. Use a unique, complex password for your GoDaddy email account, not the same one you use for your hosting dashboard or domain management.

GoDaddy supports two-step verification (2SV) for account access. Turn it on. If someone ever gets hold of your password, 2SV adds a second barrier that's much harder to bypass.

Also, never share your SMTP credentials – not in emails, not in Slack messages, not in code repositories. If you're building an app that sends email through GoDaddy SMTP, store the credentials in environment variables, instead of hardcoding in your source files.

Common Pitfalls When Using GoDaddy SMTP

Most GoDaddy SMTP issues are straightforward to fix once you know where to look. Here are the ones that trip people up most often.

SMTP authentication isn't turned on: This is the number one issue. You can have every server detail entered correctly, but if the authentication toggle is off in your GoDaddy email settings, nothing will be sent. Go to Email & Office -> Manage -> Advanced Settings, and confirm the option is enabled.
Wrong port or encryption mismatch: If you use port 465, make sure your client is set to SSL. If you use port 587, set it to TLS. Mixing these up causes connection timeouts. When in doubt, start with port 587 and TLS, as it's the more widely supported option.
Firewall or ISP blocking outbound SMTP traffic: Some ISPs and firewalls block common SMTP ports to prevent spam. If your emails aren't going through and you've confirmed every setting is correct, check your firewall rules and whitelist the relevant port. You may also want to contact your ISP to confirm they aren't blocking SMTP traffic on their end.
GoDaddy blocks external SMTP servers on shared hosting. While not exactly a GoDaddy SMTP issue, this catches a lot of people off guard. On shared hosting plans, GoDaddy blocks direct connections to external SMTP providers like Gmail's SMTP or third-party transactional email services, so you cannot use anything except GoDaddy’s SMTP for outgoing mail. If you need to use an external SMTP server, you'll have to upgrade to a GoDaddy VPS hosting plan.

GoDaddy SMTP Limitations

GoDaddy's email service works well for basic, low-volume sending. But it has clear boundaries that you should factor into your decision.

Daily sending limits are strict: Standard GoDaddy email accounts are capped at 250 SMTP relays per day. Each recipient counts as one relay, so an email sent to 10 people uses 10 relays. You can buy additional relay packs in batches of 50, but even then, the absolute maximum is 500 relays per day per account. For any kind of email marketing, transactional email at scale, or automated notifications beyond a small user base, this ceiling will become a problem fast.
No built-in email analytics: GoDaddy doesn't offer open tracking, click tracking, or bounce reporting. You send an email and hope for the best. If deliverability drops or emails start bouncing, you won't be able to diagnose the problem.
No template support: There's no drag-and-drop email builder or template library. If you want to send HTML emails with a polished layout, you'll need to code them yourself or use a third-party tool.
External SMTP routing is restricted: As mentioned earlier, shared hosting plans block connections to external SMTP services. You need a VPS plan to route email through a provider other than GoDaddy's own servers.
Message size cap. Each outgoing email, including attachments, is limited to 30 MB. Attachments specifically are capped at 20 MB. This is reasonable for most emails, but large file transfers will need another solution.

For individuals and small teams sending a few dozen emails a day, these limitations are manageable. But if you're running an application that sends order confirmations, password resets, marketing campaigns, or notification emails to hundreds or thousands of users, GoDaddy SMTP will start to feel restrictive quickly.

UniOne as a Robust Alternative to GoDaddy SMTP

If you've hit GoDaddy's sending limits or need features like analytics, templates, and higher throughput, a dedicated email delivery platform is the natural next step. UniOne is purpose-built for exactly this kind of workload.

High-volume sending: UniOne's SMTP service offers enough capacity for any marketer’s need, with speeds up to 150,000 emails per hour. If you need even higher throughput, UniOne also offers a Web API that can push those numbers further. The volume limit is determined by your payment plan.
Detailed email analytics: UniOne provides visual dashboards that track delivery rates, opens, clicks, bounces, and complaints, with additional CSV data export option. You can drill down by email category, mailbox provider, or time period. When something goes wrong, you have the data to figure out why and fix it.
Template management: UniOne includes built-in email templates and a drag-and-drop builder. You can personalize messages with variable substitution and manage unsubscribe links directly from the platform.
Flexible integration: Beyond SMTP, UniOne offers a RESTful Email API and webhooks for real-time event tracking. You can group campaigns into independent projects and manage them separately. This is useful when you're handling both transactional and marketing emails from the same account.
Free trial to start: UniOne offers a 4-month free trial with 6,000 emails per month, which is enough to test the platform thoroughly before committing.

Conclusions

GoDaddy SMTP is a perfectly adequate solution for individuals and small teams who already host their domains with GoDaddy and need to send a modest number of emails each day. The setup is straightforward, it supports secure connections, and it works well with most popular email clients and WordPress plugins.

But the limitations are real. The 250–500 daily sending cap, the lack of analytics, the absence of template tools, and the restrictions on external SMTP routing all add up. If your email needs grow beyond basic correspondence, you'll likely need to look at a dedicated email delivery service.

Whichever direction you go, make sure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly configured. Email authentication isn't optional anymore; it's a requirement for reaching inboxes in 2026.

If you found this guide useful, you might also want to explore UniOne's SMTP Service, a scalable email delivery platform that handles both transactional and marketing emails. UniOne offers high throughput, built-in analytics, template management, and a RESTful API, making it a strong option for developers and businesses that need more than what a basic hosting email can provide.

FAQ

What is the GoDaddy SMTP server address?

The GoDaddy SMTP server address is smtpout.secureserver.net. You'll use it as the outgoing mail server in any email client or application that sends mail through your GoDaddy email account.

Can I use an external SMTP provider with GoDaddy hosting?

On shared hosting plans, GoDaddy blocks connections to external SMTP servers. You'll need to upgrade to a GoDaddy VPS hosting plan to route email through a third-party SMTP provider.

How many emails can I send per day with GoDaddy SMTP?

Standard GoDaddy email accounts allow 250 emails per day, each recipient counting as a separate email. You can purchase additional quotas to increase this to a maximum of 500 per day per account.

GoDaddy Email SMTP Settings: A Complete Guide to Setup and Configuration