What are the advantages and disadvantages of using specialized mailing list servers versus PHP for mass email distribution?

Specialized mailing list servers offer advantages such as better deliverability rates, advanced tracking and analytics, and scalability for large email campaigns. However, they can be costly and require technical expertise to set up and maintain. On the other hand, using PHP for mass email distribution is cost-effective and gives you full control over your email campaigns. However, it may have limitations in terms of deliverability and tracking compared to specialized mailing list servers.

<?php
// PHP code for mass email distribution
$to = 'recipient@example.com';
$subject = 'Subject line';
$message = 'Email content';

$headers = 'From: sender@example.com' . "\r\n" .
    'Reply-To: sender@example.com' . "\r\n" .
    'X-Mailer: PHP/' . phpversion();

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
?>