Summary
Validity Certification (formerly Return Path) is widely recognized as a tool for enhancing email deliverability and sender reputation. It aims to improve inbox placement, particularly with major providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL. While some providers, such as AOL, Apple iCloud Mail, and Yahoo! Mail, are publicly acknowledged as participants, a complete list is not disclosed due to confidentiality agreements. ATT.net utilizes Validity's hosting, but email traffic is routed through ATT's proxies. Overall, Validity Certification is considered a beneficial practice for improved email deliverability, reduced false positives, and improved sender reputation.
Key findings
- Key Providers: AOL, Apple iCloud Mail, and Yahoo! Mail are publicly listed as participating providers.
- Improved Deliverability: Validity Certification helps ensure emails reach the inbox and improves overall deliverability.
- Reputation Enhancement: Certification improves sender reputation with participating mailbox providers.
- Limited Disclosure: A full list of participating email inbox providers is not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements.
- ATT.net Routing: ATT.net is hosted by Validity, but mail goes through ATT's proxies first.
Key considerations
- Incomplete List: The publicly available list of providers is not exhaustive, meaning more email providers could be included which are not publicly listed.
- Sender Responsibility: While certification can significantly aid deliverability, consistent adherence to email best practices and maintaining a healthy sender reputation are still essential.
- Proxy Considerations: While ATT.net is hosted by Validity, its routing of mail through its own proxies introduces another layer of complexity affecting deliverability outcomes.
- Confidential Agreements: The confidentiality agreements with inbox providers limits transparency of which ones exactly participate and benefit most from the certification
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
Validity Certification (formerly Return Path) is recognized as a way to improve email deliverability and sender reputation. While it's understood to positively influence inbox placement with major providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL, the full list of participating providers isn't publicly available, often due to confidentiality agreements. ATT.net utilizes Validity's hosting but routes email through its own proxies. Overall, obtaining Validity Certification ensures better email deliverability rates, reduced false positives and improved sender reputation but does not guarantee deliverability.
Key opinions
- Improved Deliverability: Validity Certification helps ensure emails reach the inbox and improves overall deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Certification enhances sender reputation with participating mailbox providers.
- Major Providers: Certification is beneficial for deliverability to major ISPs such as Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL.
- Confidentiality: The full list of participating providers is not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements.
- ATT.net Hosting: ATT.net is hosted by Validity, but mail goes through ATT's proxies.
Key considerations
- Limited Transparency: The lack of a complete public list of participating providers makes it difficult to assess the full scope of benefits.
- Sender Responsibilities: While certification improves deliverability, senders must still adhere to best practices and maintain good sending habits.
- Evolving Landscape: Email deliverability is an ever-changing landscape, and Validity Certification is only one piece of the puzzle.
- Proxy impact: While ATT.net is hosted by Validity, the use of ATT's proxies suggests that certification may not always guarantee deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Senderscore suggests that Validity Certification improves sender reputation, thereby influencing how mailbox providers handle email. However, the explicit list of involved providers isn't provided.
8 Nov 2024 - Senderscore
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection.com explains that Validity Certification (formerly Return Path Certification) helps improve email deliverability by ensuring emails reach the inbox, reduces false positives, and enhances sender reputation among participating mailbox providers.
31 Aug 2021 - EmailVendorSelection.com
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts from Spam Resource and Word to the Wise indicate that Validity Certification (formerly Return Path) is beneficial for improving inbox placement, especially with major providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL. However, due to confidentiality agreements, a complete list of participating providers is not publicly available.
Key opinions
- Major Providers: Validity Certification aims to improve inbox placement with major email providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL.
- Confidentiality: A full list of email inbox providers that participate in Validity Sender Certification is not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements.
Key considerations
- Limited Transparency: The lack of a comprehensive list of participating providers can make it difficult to fully assess the benefits of the certification.
- Evolving Factors: Deliverability is an evolving process. While Validity Certification may help it is not the only factor for ensuring emails reach the inbox.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Return Path Certification (now Validity Certification) aims to improve inbox placement, especially with major providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and AOL; however, a full public list isn't available due to confidentiality agreements.
23 Jul 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, notes Validity Certification (formerly Return Path) helps with deliverability to providers like Gmail, Yahoo and AOL. The exact list of participating providers is not public.
12 Feb 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Validity Certification, formerly Return Path, improves deliverability and sender reputation by giving preferential treatment to certified senders. Participating providers include AOL, Apple iCloud Mail, and Yahoo! Mail. However, documentation from Validity, SparkPost, and Oracle Responsys indicates that a complete list of participants is not publicly available due to confidentiality agreements.
Key findings
- Select Providers: AOL, Apple iCloud Mail, and Yahoo! Mail are listed as participating providers in Validity Certification.
- Improved Deliverability: Validity Certification aims to improve deliverability and sender reputation by giving preferential treatment to certified senders.
- Limited Disclosure: A complete list of participating email inbox providers is not fully disclosed due to confidentiality agreements.
Key considerations
- Incomplete List: The publicly available list may not be exhaustive, and other providers may participate without being explicitly named.
- Best Practices: While Validity Certification is a factor, adherence to email deliverability best practices remains crucial for successful inbox placement.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost mentions Return Path (now Validity) Certification as a method for improving deliverability but does not explicitly list all participating providers.
11 Jun 2025 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Oracle Responsys states Return Path Certification (now Validity) gives preferential treatment for certified senders. They highlight it improves deliverability and reputation, but not all participants are public.
26 Jul 2021 - Oracle
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