---
title: Gravity Forms & SMTP Configuration
type: article
created: '2026-02-24'
updated: '2026-02-24'
source_docs:
- raw/2026-02-24-weekly-call-w-sebastian-124924068.md
tags:
- wordpress
- gravity-forms
- smtp
- forms
- email-delivery
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# Gravity Forms & SMTP Configuration

## Overview

WordPress sites frequently fail to deliver form notification emails because WordPress sends email natively via PHP — a method that is unreliable and commonly blocked by hosting environments. Resolving this requires two independent fixes: configuring a proper SMTP connection for outbound email, and ensuring the form plugin itself is set up correctly. Gravity Forms is the preferred form plugin at Asymmetric; WP Forms should be replaced when encountered.

## The Core Problem

WordPress's default email mechanism uses PHP's `mail()` function. Most modern hosting environments either block or deprioritize PHP-originated email, meaning:

- Admin notification emails from forms silently fail to deliver
- There is no obvious error in the WordPress admin
- The problem can appear to be a form plugin issue when it is actually a mail delivery issue

> "Email goes out of WordPress natively using PHP, and they almost never work."
> — Mark Hope, 2026-02-24 weekly call

## Recommended Stack

| Layer | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Form plugin | **Gravity Forms** | Preferred over WP Forms, Contact Form 7, etc. |
| Email delivery | **SMTP plugin** (e.g., WP Mail SMTP) | Required for reliable delivery |
| SMTP provider | Transactional email service | e.g., SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark |

## Troubleshooting Workflow

When a client reports that form submissions are not generating admin notifications:

1. **Check the SMTP configuration first.** The form plugin is rarely the root cause. If SMTP is not configured, no form plugin will reliably send email.
2. **Verify the form plugin.** If WP Forms is in use, replace it with Gravity Forms. WP Forms has shown recurring notification delivery issues on client sites.
3. **Test end-to-end.** After configuring SMTP, submit a test form entry and confirm the admin notification arrives. Check spam folders.
4. **Check Gravity Forms notification settings.** Confirm the "To" address, subject, and "From" address are correctly set. The "From" address should match the sending domain authenticated in SMTP.

## Why Gravity Forms Over WP Forms

- Gravity Forms has a more robust notification and conditional logic system
- It is the established standard in Asymmetric's WordPress workflow
- WP Forms has been observed switching away from Gravity Forms on client sites and then failing — suggesting the migration was attempted as a workaround rather than a fix

## Client Example

On the [[wiki/clients/cordwainer/_index|Cordwainer]] site, WP Forms was failing to send admin notifications. Investigation revealed the site had previously used Gravity Forms before being switched to WP Forms — likely in an attempt to resolve the same underlying issue. The correct resolution was to:

1. Revert to Gravity Forms (handled by Sebastian / Eshock)
2. Fix the SMTP configuration (handled by Mark)

See: [[wiki/meetings/2026-02-24-weekly-call-sebastian|2026-02-24 Weekly Call — Sebastian]] for original discussion.

## Related

- [[wiki/knowledge/wordpress/callrail-setup|CallRail Setup on WordPress]]
- [[wiki/clients/cordwainer/_index|Cordwainer Client Overview]]