Configure MailWizz Cron Jobs

The Problem

MailWizz relies entirely on cron to send mail, process bounces and run its internal maintenance — if the cron setup is wrong or missing, campaigns just sit in "sending" forever with no obvious error.

About this problem

MailWizz doesn't send anything in real time — every queued campaign, bounce check, and internal maintenance task depends entirely on cron running at the correct intervals, and if even one required cron entry is missing or misconfigured, campaigns can sit in "sending" status indefinitely with no error message anywhere obvious.

This typically comes up right after a fresh MailWizz install, or when campaigns that used to send fine suddenly stop processing.

What's Included

• Setting up every cron job MailWizz requires, at the correct intervals
• Verifying each cron task actually runs (not just scheduled, but executing)
• Checking for overlapping/duplicate cron entries from a previous attempt
• Confirming a real campaign sends through to completion

What's NOT Included

• Installing MailWizz itself (separate service)
• Cron jobs unrelated to MailWizz
• Server-level cron daemon issues outside of MailWizz's own tasks

How It Works

1. Review MailWizz's documentation for the exact cron jobs it requires and their correct intervals.
2. Set up each required cron entry with the correct PHP CLI path and command.
3. Verify each cron task actually executes (checking logs or output), not just that it's scheduled.
4. Check for duplicate or overlapping entries left over from a previous setup attempt.
5. Send a real campaign and confirm it processes through to completion via cron alone.

In practice: you buy the service, send over whatever access or details the job needs, I investigate and do the work, and you confirm it's resolved before we call it done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my MailWizz campaign stuck in 'sending' status?

Almost always because a required cron job isn't actually running — MailWizz relies on cron to process the sending queue, so without it, campaigns queue up but never progress.

How many cron jobs does MailWizz need?

Several — covering campaign sending, bounce handling, and various maintenance tasks — all with their own recommended intervals, which is easy to get only partially right on a first attempt.

Can I check if my MailWizz cron jobs are working?

Checking that a cron entry exists isn't enough — it needs to actually be executing successfully, which is verified by watching for real queue processing or checking server-side cron logs.

Does shared hosting support MailWizz's cron requirements?

Often with restrictions — many shared hosts limit cron frequency or don't allow the precise intervals MailWizz recommends, which is why a VPS is generally preferred.

What happens if two MailWizz cron jobs overlap?

Overlapping or duplicate cron entries can cause the same task to run multiple times simultaneously, sometimes leading to duplicate sends or database locking issues.

How do I know the cron setup actually fixed sending?

By running a real test campaign through to completion and confirming it sends and updates status correctly — not just by checking that cron entries exist in the crontab.