Hi, @jkejke.
Thank you for sharing your feedback – we genuinely understand the frustration here.
We want to be transparent about what changed: Microsoft 365 used to work via a standard SMTP connection (“Other SMTP” mailer), which was available for free. However, Microsoft deprecated SMTP Auth as part of their own security policy changes – that decision was on Microsoft’s end, not ours. An API-based connection is now the only reliable way to send through Microsoft 365.
It’s also worth noting that the free version of WP Mail SMTP includes many other API-based mailers – SendLayer, Brevo, Mailgun, and others, so API sending itself is not paywalled. The paid plan covers a lot of ground: advanced features, additional mailer integrations, priority support, and more. The Microsoft 365 integration is one part of that package.
We’re sorry this feels like an unexpected cost. If you’d like to explore alternatives or have questions, our support team is happy to help.
Kind regards.
