Sending Emails to Multiple Recipients Using PHP: Best Practices and Examples

PHP offers several ways to send emails, including the built-in mail() function and the more robust PHPMailer library. Both methods have their own advantages and use cases, making PHP a versatile choice for sending emails to multiple recipients.

1. Using the mail() Function

To send emails to multiple recipients using the mail() function, the to parameter requires the recipients' email addresses separated by commas.

Example Code

$to  'recipient1@,recipient2@,recipient3@';
$subject  'Test Email';
$message  'This is a test email sent to multiple recipients.';
$headers  'From: sender@';
if(mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers)) {
    echo 'Email has been sent successfully.';
} else {
    echo 'Failed to send email.';
}

2. Using PHPMailer

PHPMailer is a popular and powerful library that provides advanced features and enhanced security. It supports SMTP for sending emails, making it more flexible and secure. To use PHPMailer, you need to install it via Composer:

Installation

composer require phpmailer/phpmailer

Below is an example of how to use PHPMailer to send emails to multiple recipients:

Example Code

use PHPMailerPHPMailerPHPMailer;
use PHPMailerPHPMailerException;
require '';
$mail  new PHPMailer(true);
try {
    //Server settings
    $mail->isSMTP();
    $mail->Host  '';
    $mail->SMTPAuth  true;
    $mail->Username  'your_email@';
    $mail->Password  'your_password';
    $mail->SMTPSecure  PHPMailer::ENCRYPTION_STARTTLS;
    $mail->Port  587;
    //Recipients
    $mail->setFrom('from@', 'Mailer');
    $mail->addAddress('recipient1@');
    $mail->addAddress('recipient2@');
    $mail->addAddress('recipient3@');
    // Content
    $mail->isHTML(true);
    $mail->Subject  'Test Email';
    $mail->Body     'This is a test email sent to multiple recipients.';
    $mail->AltBody  'This is a test email sent to multiple recipients.';
    $mail->send();
    echo 'Email has been sent successfully.';
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo "Message could not be sent. Mailer Error: {$mail->ErrorInfo}";
}

Notes

SMTP Configuration: Replace the SMTP server settings with your actual email provider's settings. Security: Always handle email addresses and sensitive data carefully to avoid exposure. Email Limits: Be aware of the email sending limits imposed by your hosting provider or email service.

PHPMailer is generally recommended for production applications due to its flexibility and robust error handling capabilities. It also supports email templates, attachments, and more, making it a popular choice for developers and businesses.

Conclusion

PHP offers multiple methods to send emails to multiple recipients, from the built-in mail() function to the advanced and secure PHPMailer library. Depending on your needs, both methods have their own advantages. For security and reliability, PHPMailer is often the preferred choice for production applications.