APPS: How to Configure an External SMTP Server

1. What is an SMTP server?

SMTP are the acronyms of Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Basically, it is the protocol used to send emails over the Internet. Think of it as the “digital postman” that collects your emails and delivers them to the destination mailbox.

When your App sends emails (such as notifications, passwords, newsletters, etc.), it needs an SMTP server to manage and distribute those messages.

If you do not configure your own SMTP, the system's default server will be used and this is not recommended at all since it is a generic system email. noreply@nocode-builder.com You run the risk that the different email managers (hotmail, gmail, outlook, etc.) can block the emails or cause them to fall into Spam or junk mail trays.

Without a doubt, it is recommended that you customize your own SMTP server.

2. Advantages of using your own SMTP server

Greater credibility and trust
When using your own email, recipients will see an email that matches the customer's domain (for example, notifications@yourdomain.com) instead of a generic address. This projects a professional and trustworthy image.
Better delivery rate (deliverability)
Setting up SMTP with a verified and well-configured domain helps prevent emails from falling into the spam folder as easily, because email providers (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) recognize that the email comes from a legitimate source.
Full control over email settings
Each customer can choose the sending frequency, email limits, security and authentication policies, and other aspects that can improve the performance and security of their communication.
Customizing the Reply Address
By having your own SMTP, it is also possible to configure a response address (Reply-To) that redirects incoming emails to a specific mailbox, facilitating interaction with App users.

3. How to configure your own SMTP

To configure your own SMTP mail server, access the left side menu section of the builder Settings > Domain

4. How to fill out the SMTP configuration fields

Example: If we were configuring SMTP for the Scoreapps App, the fields would be completed as follows:

1- First of all you must check the Enable custom SMTP box

2- Sender name: Here you must enter the name that you want to appear as the sender.

3- Send email: Here you must enter the sender's email address.

4- Auth: Here choose the option "Log in"

5- Server: Here you must place the hostname or SMTP server address.

It usually has a format similar to smtp.yourdomain.com, smtp.gmail.com, smtp.mail.yahoo.com, etc.

The exact data is usually provided by the email provider (Gmail, Outlook, web hosting, etc.).

6- Username:

Normally it is the full email address that is being used to send emails, or the username that your provider assigns you.

For example: user@yourdomain.com either yourname@gmail.com.

7- Password

Here you must enter the password used to access the email account indicated above. It is important that it is the real password for that email.

In the case of email providers such as Gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc... two-step authentication must be configured and an application password

8- SSL: Default (none) / SSL / TLS

Here you choose the type of encryption or security protocol to send the emails.
SSL and TLS They protect communication between your server and the destination server, preventing others from reading or modifying emails in transit.
If nothing is configured (or “insecure” is chosen), the traffic is not encrypted, which is not recommended in most cases.

9- Port:

The port determines where the mail data travels. The most common are:
- 587 (with TLS)
- 465 (with SSL)
- 25 (without encryption or with STARTTLS encryption, although it is used less and less).
The email provider usually specifies which one to use.

5. Where is the information for each field obtained from?

Server (hostname) and port:
It is usually given by the email provider. In Gmail, for example, it is smtp.gmail.com and the port is usually 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS). On your hosting, it can be mail.yourdomain.com or something similar.
Username and password:
It is the email and password with which you log in to your email account. Be careful with providers like Google, if you use two-step verification, you will have to create a specific application password from the Google account.
Security type (SSL/TLS):
It is also something that your email provider will tell you. In Gmail and Outlook, it is common to use TLS (port 587) or SSL (port 465).

6. Additional Tips

Proof of shipping: After configuring SMTP, it is very useful to send a test email from the platform to check that everything is working correctly.
Verify your domain: If you use your own domain, consider setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. This helps emails reach your inbox and not be marked as spam.
Strong passwords: Make sure you use strong passwords and, if your provider allows it, enable two-step authentication.