What deliverability monitoring tools are good alternatives to Return Path, Everest and Sparkpost?

Summary

A variety of tools and approaches are recommended for monitoring email deliverability as alternatives to Return Path, Everest, and SparkPost. These include specific tools like Send Forensics, Email Consul, GlockApps, Mail-Tester, Litmus, Sender Score, and 250ok (now Validity). Platforms like Mailjet, Microsoft SNDS, Google Postmaster Tools, SendGrid, and SparkPost offer built-in features. Setting up feedback loops with major ISPs is advised. The consensus is that a combination of tools provides a more comprehensive view, and the effectiveness hinges on understanding and acting upon the data.

Key findings

  • Tool Diversity: A wide array of tools, each with distinct features, cater to different aspects of deliverability monitoring.
  • Holistic Approach: Combining multiple tools and strategies provides a more complete picture of deliverability performance.
  • Actionable Insights: The value of any tool is directly tied to the ability to interpret and act upon the data it provides.
  • Platform Integration: Many ESPs (Mailjet, SendGrid, SparkPost) offer built-in deliverability tools.
  • Reputation Management: Microsoft SNDS and Google Postmaster Tools are important for monitoring sender reputation with specific ISPs.

Key considerations

  • Tool Selection: Choose tools that align with your specific needs and email sending practices, considering factors like target audience (Gmail, Outlook users).
  • Data Analysis: Develop a strong understanding of deliverability metrics and how to interpret data from various tools.
  • Action Planning: Establish clear processes for addressing deliverability issues based on the insights gained from monitoring tools.
  • Cost-Benefit: Evaluate the cost and complexity of each tool relative to the value it provides in improving deliverability.
  • Feedback Loops: Setting up and monitoring feedback loops is critical for maintaining a good sender reputation

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Several deliverability monitoring tools are suggested as alternatives to Return Path, Everest, and Sparkpost. These include Send Forensics, Email Consul, GlockApps, Mail-Tester, Litmus, Sender Score, 250ok (now Validity), SendGrid, and feedback loops setup with major ISPs. A combination of tools is recommended for a comprehensive view of deliverability, and analyzing data is as important as using the tools themselves.

Key opinions

  • Tool Variety: A wide range of tools exists, each offering different features and insights into deliverability.
  • Combination Approach: Using a combination of tools provides a more comprehensive view of deliverability than relying on a single platform.
  • Data Interpretation: The effectiveness of deliverability monitoring tools depends on understanding and acting upon the data they provide.
  • ISPs feedback loops: Setting up feedback loops with major ISPs to help improve sender reputation and deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Feature Set: Consider the specific features offered by each tool and how they align with your deliverability monitoring needs (e.g., inbox placement testing, reputation monitoring, spam trigger identification).
  • Integration: Assess how well each tool integrates with your existing email marketing platform and workflow.
  • Actionable Insights: Evaluate whether the tool provides actionable insights and recommendations for improving deliverability based on the data it collects.
  • Comprehensive View: No single tool provides all the answers, hence combining tools or using a platform with a wide feature set is preferable.
Marketer view

Email marketer from G2 shares that users highlight Sender Score as a good tool as it offers reputation monitoring and provides insights into sender reputation, helping to identify and address deliverability issues.

September 2022 - G2
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that Litmus' email testing tools include features for previewing emails across different devices and email clients, as well as deliverability testing that identifies potential spam triggers and authentication issues.

May 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Vendor Selection Guide suggests considering 250ok (now Validity) as an alternative and highlighting its ability to provide detailed insights into inbox placement, spam filtering, and authentication issues.

December 2021 - Email Vendor Selection Guide
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel Blog recommends using a combination of tools like GlockApps, Mail-Tester, and Litmus for comprehensive deliverability monitoring, suggesting that relying on a single tool might not provide a complete picture.

November 2022 - Neil Patel Blog
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares Send Forensics as a potential deliverability monitoring tool.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid shares that SendGrid's platform offers features such as deliverability monitoring, dedicated IPs, and expert support to help improve email deliverability rates, serving as a comprehensive alternative.

February 2023 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit (u/EmailPro) mentions that using a seed list testing service like GlockApps or MailMonitor, combined with analyzing bounce codes and feedback loops, provides a comprehensive view of deliverability performance beyond what Return Path offered.

May 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mail-Tester states their tool analyzes email content, server configuration, and authentication settings to identify potential deliverability issues and provides a detailed report with recommendations for improvement.

October 2021 - Mail-Tester
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps explains that GlockApps offers inbox placement testing across various ISPs, providing insights into where emails are landing (inbox, spam folder, or missing) and identifies deliverability issues.

November 2022 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow (EmailGuru) recommends setting up feedback loops (FBLs) with major ISPs and using a service like Return Path's Certification (now Validity) to improve sender reputation and deliverability.

February 2022 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests Email Consul as another option for deliverability tools and monitoring.

June 2023 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

The responses highlight two key aspects of deliverability monitoring. One response points to emailresourc.es as a resource for finding deliverability suites. The other emphasizes that the value of any deliverability monitoring tool hinges on the user's ability to understand and act upon the data provided; the tool's effectiveness is directly tied to the actions taken based on its insights.

Key opinions

  • Resource List: emailresourc.es offers a compilation of deliverability suites.
  • Actionable Data: The true value of deliverability monitoring tools lies in the ability to interpret and act upon the data they provide.

Key considerations

  • Suite Selection: When choosing a deliverability suite, consider the specific features and resources offered by each option listed on emailresourc.es.
  • Data Utilization: Focus on developing the skills and processes necessary to effectively analyze and respond to the data generated by deliverability monitoring tools.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares a link to emailresourc.es for deliverability suites.

April 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, responds by highlighting the importance of understanding the data provided by deliverability monitoring tools and acting on it, suggesting that tools are only as effective as the actions taken based on their insights.

February 2022 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

The responses highlight several platforms and tools for monitoring email deliverability. Mailjet offers dedicated IPs, detailed analytics, and support. Microsoft's SNDS monitors IP reputation for Microsoft email services. Google Postmaster Tools provides data for Gmail users. SparkPost includes analytics, bounce tracking, and engagement metrics. Each platform provides distinct features for identifying and addressing deliverability issues.

Key findings

  • Platform Specific: Each platform (Mailjet, Microsoft, Google, SparkPost) offers its own set of tools and features for monitoring deliverability.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Microsoft SNDS and Google Postmaster Tools focus on monitoring IP and domain reputation, crucial for deliverability.
  • Analytics and Metrics: Mailjet and SparkPost provide analytics, bounce tracking, and engagement metrics to assess email performance.

Key considerations

  • Platform Relevance: Choose the tools relevant to your email sending practices (e.g., use Google Postmaster Tools if sending primarily to Gmail users).
  • Feature Overlap: Consider the overlap and differences in features between platforms to create a comprehensive monitoring strategy.
  • Data Integration: Evaluate how easily the data from each platform can be integrated into a central dashboard for comprehensive analysis.
Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet explains that Mailjet's deliverability tools offer features such as dedicated IPs, detailed analytics, and expert support to help monitor and improve email deliverability, positioning it as an alternative for monitoring deliverability.

January 2025 - Mailjet
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that Google Postmaster Tools provides domain reputation data, spam rate information, and feedback loops for senders who send a significant volume of email to Gmail users, helping them monitor and troubleshoot deliverability issues specifically related to Gmail.

March 2021 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that using the Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) program can help monitor your IP reputation with Microsoft services, providing data on spam complaints and potential deliverability issues when sending to Outlook.com, Hotmail, and other Microsoft-hosted email services.

March 2024 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains that SparkPost's platform includes deliverability analytics, bounce tracking, and engagement metrics, offering comprehensive insights into email performance and potential deliverability issues.

May 2022 - SparkPost