Donaldson R F
Email & SMTP
Install MailWizz
Get MailWizz installed and properly configured on your server, ready to send your first campaign.
The Problem
MailWizz isn't a one-click install — it needs the right PHP version, cron jobs, a correctly configured sending server and a database, and getting any one of those wrong leaves you with a half-working install.
About this problem
MailWizz has real server requirements — a specific PHP version range, particular PHP extensions, correctly configured cron, and a properly set up database — and getting any single one wrong doesn't stop the installer outright, it just leaves you with a MailWizz install that half-works in confusing ways.
This gets requested by businesses moving off expensive SaaS email marketing platforms toward a self-hosted tool they fully control, often after a first DIY install attempt hits an unclear error.
What's Included
- Server requirements check and installation of MailWizz itself
- Database setup and initial configuration
- Connecting your first sending server (SMTP or API-based)
- Verifying a test campaign sends and tracks correctly
What's NOT Included
- MailWizz license purchase — that's bought directly from the developer
- Ongoing campaign management or list building
- Cron job setup (see "Configure MailWizz Cron Jobs" if not bundled)
How It Works
- Check server requirements (PHP version, required extensions, database) against what MailWizz needs.
- Install MailWizz and run through its setup wizard, resolving any environment issues as they appear.
- Configure the database connection and initial application settings.
- Connect a first sending server (SMTP or API-based) so campaigns can actually go out.
- Send a real test campaign and confirm it sends and tracks (opens/clicks) correctly.
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
- What are the server requirements for MailWizz?
- A specific PHP version range, several required PHP extensions, and a MySQL/MariaDB database are the core requirements — exact versions matter, since too new or too old a PHP version causes installation failures.
- Can I install MailWizz on shared hosting?
- Technically sometimes, but MailWizz relies heavily on cron for sending, which shared hosting often restricts — a VPS with full cron and server control is the more reliable choice.
- Do I need to buy a MailWizz licence before installation?
- Yes, the licence is purchased directly from the MailWizz developer separately — installation handles getting it running on your server, not the licensing itself.
- Why did my MailWizz installation fail?
- The most common causes are an incompatible PHP version, a missing required extension, or incorrect database credentials during setup.
- Does installing MailWizz include setting up cron jobs?
- Not necessarily — cron setup for sending and bounce processing is a related but separate step, since MailWizz won't actually send anything without it configured correctly.
- How long does a MailWizz installation take?
- Typically completed within a few hours once server access is available, assuming no unusual server configuration issues come up.