What are the alternatives to Return Path for deliverability certification?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Litmus responds by recommending focusing on proactive email testing and monitoring, using tools within Litmus to analyze email placement across different inboxes, and optimizing content and code to improve deliverability.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection.com suggests exploring options like Validity (formerly Return Path), 250ok (now part of Validity), and Inbox Tracker for deliverability monitoring and certification-related services.
Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that utilizing their built-in deliverability tools, alongside implementing authentication protocols like SPF and DKIM, and practicing good list hygiene, serves as an alternative approach to Return Path for ensuring emails reach the inbox.
Email marketer from SendGrid suggests that carefully managing your sender reputation by following best practices such as warming up IPs, authenticating email, and segmenting lists will help to ensure high deliverability without the need for Return Path.
Email marketer from Validity explains that while they acquired Return Path, their platform offers a range of solutions including Everest, which helps monitor and improve deliverability, serving as a comprehensive alternative.
Email marketer from StackOverflow mentions that engaging with feedback loops provided by ISPs and actively managing suppression lists are practical, cost-effective ways to maintain high deliverability without relying solely on Return Path.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum recommends using a combination of SenderScore.org to check IP reputation, along with setting up and monitoring feedback loops from major ISPs to maintain good deliverability without Return Path.
Email marketer from G2 lists several alternatives to Return Path, including GlockApps, MailMonitor, and Sender Score, emphasizing their varying features and capabilities in email deliverability monitoring and reputation management.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares there's the CSA certification if you're into Germany a lot (or Yahoo, although I'm not clear if they do use the whitelist or not)
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares ItaliaOnline also has a pay to play model but I believe it's still in "beta". And only valid for the Italian ISP's under their corporate umbrella
Email marketer from EmailToolTester suggests leveraging a combination of tools like GlockApps and Mail-Tester.com to gain insights into deliverability issues and sender reputation, effectively replacing Return Path's functionalities.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that while Return Path was a leading solution, alternatives now exist, such as using a combination of tools like Litmus for testing and dedicated IP warming strategies to achieve similar deliverability insights.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise responds by recommending the use of seedlist testing and inbox placement monitoring using tools like 250ok (now part of Validity) and GlockApps. These provide data on inbox placement across various ISPs, offering insight similar to Return Path’s certification.
Expert from Email Geeks explains there aren’t any alternatives to Return Path for deliverability certification. ISPs aren’t offering their own version of whitelisting any more, either. You pay RP or nothing.
Expert from Email Geeks confirms about CSA.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that focusing on sender reputation management through consistent sending practices, proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and active list hygiene can serve as a viable alternative to relying solely on Return Path for deliverability.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that while they don't offer a direct replacement for Return Path's certification, they provide comprehensive deliverability tools and analytics within their platform to help users monitor and improve their sending reputation.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools shares that using their platform to monitor domain reputation, spam rates, and feedback loops is a free alternative to understand and improve deliverability to Gmail users, replacing some functions of Return Path.
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS responds by utilizing Microsoft's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) to monitor IP reputation and identify potential issues affecting deliverability to Outlook.com and Hotmail users.
Documentation from Mailjet suggests that focusing on best practices like maintaining clean lists, authenticating email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and actively monitoring bounce rates can serve as a substitute for Return Path's certification.