How to Configure SMTP Email in Django

Django SMTP settings

Step-by-step setup

1. Buy an SMTP package on the Bulko SMTP Relay page and copy the username and password from Dashboard -> SMTP Access.
2. Export them as environment variables on the server, for example SMTP_USERNAME and SMTP_PASSWORD, so the password never lands in your repository.
3. In settings.py set EMAIL_BACKEND, EMAIL_HOST = "smtp.bulko.io", EMAIL_PORT = 587 and EMAIL_USE_TLS = True, and read EMAIL_HOST_USER and EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD from os.environ.
4. Pick exactly one encryption flag. EMAIL_USE_TLS means STARTTLS (explicit TLS) on 587 or 2525. EMAIL_USE_SSL means implicit TLS on 465. Django refuses to start sending if both are True.
5. Set DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL (used when from_email is None) and SERVER_EMAIL (used for error mails to ADMINS) to addresses on your own domain. Verify the domain under Sending Domains in the Bulko dashboard for aligned SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
6. Add EMAIL_TIMEOUT = 30 so a blocked port fails with an error instead of hanging a web request.
7. On Django 6.1 or newer, optionally move the same values into MAILERS["default"]["OPTIONS"] (keys host, port, use_tls, use_ssl, username, password, timeout) and remove the old EMAIL_* settings.

EMAIL_* settings vs MAILERS in Django 6.1

Django 6.1 added a MAILERS setting and deprecated EMAIL_BACKEND, EMAIL_HOST, EMAIL_PORT, EMAIL_HOST_USER, EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD, EMAIL_USE_TLS, EMAIL_USE_SSL and EMAIL_TIMEOUT. The old settings keep working with deprecation warnings until Django 7.0. Both forms are shown in the code block; use one, not both. For more on port choice see the SMTP ports guide.

settings.py

# settings.py
import os

# Django 6.0 and earlier (still works in 6.1 with deprecation warnings)
EMAIL_BACKEND = "django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend"
EMAIL_HOST = "smtp.bulko.io"
EMAIL_PORT = 587
EMAIL_USE_TLS = True      # STARTTLS on 587 or 2525
EMAIL_USE_SSL = False     # for port 465 set EMAIL_USE_SSL = True, EMAIL_USE_TLS = False
EMAIL_HOST_USER = os.environ["SMTP_USERNAME"]
EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = os.environ["SMTP_PASSWORD"]
EMAIL_TIMEOUT = 30
DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL = "Your App <[email protected]>"
SERVER_EMAIL = "[email protected]"

# Django 6.1+: the same settings as a MAILERS entry (replaces EMAIL_* above)
# MAILERS = {
#     "default": {
#         "BACKEND": "django.core.mail.backends.smtp.EmailBackend",
#         "OPTIONS": {
#             "host": "smtp.bulko.io",
#             "port": 587,
#             "use_tls": True,
#             "username": os.environ["SMTP_USERNAME"],
#             "password": os.environ["SMTP_PASSWORD"],
#             "timeout": 30,
#         },
#     },
# }

# Test:
# python manage.py shell
# >>> from django.core.mail import send_mail
# >>> send_mail("Django SMTP test", "It works.", None, ["[email protected]"], fail_silently=False)
# 1

Send a test email

Run python manage.py shell and call send_mail("Django SMTP test", "It works.", None, ["[email protected]"], fail_silently=False) after from django.core.mail import send_mail. A return value of 1 means one message was accepted by the relay. Check the inbox and the message headers to confirm it came through smtp.bulko.io.

Keep fail_silently=False while testing (pass it as a keyword: Django 6.0 deprecated passing it positionally), so any SMTP error is raised as an exception with the server reply code.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Should Django use EMAIL_USE_TLS or EMAIL_USE_SSL?

Use EMAIL_USE_TLS = True with port 587 (STARTTLS). EMAIL_USE_SSL = True is only for port 465. Never set both.

Are EMAIL_HOST and EMAIL_PORT deprecated?

In Django 6.1 they are deprecated in favor of the MAILERS setting, but they still work with warnings until Django 7.0. On Django 6.0 and earlier they are the only option.

Can Django receive replies through this SMTP server?

No. Bulko SMTP is outgoing only, with no IMAP or inbox. Replies go to the From or Reply-To address you set.

What is the daily sending limit?

2,000 emails per day per SMTP account by default. Contact [email protected] to raise it.

How much does it cost?

One-time packages: $5 for 5,000 emails, $15 for 20,000, $30 for 50,000, $60 for 150,000. Unused emails never expire. There is no free SMTP trial.

Does this work with django-allauth password resets and error emails?

Yes. Anything that uses django.core.mail (password resets, allauth, mail_admins) goes through the configured SMTP backend.