Is paying for IP certification worth it for email deliverability?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 2 May 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
6 min read
The question of whether to invest in IP certification for email deliverability is one I've encountered frequently. On the surface, the idea of paying to get your sending IP (Internet Protocol) address recognized as trustworthy by various internet service providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers sounds like a straightforward path to better inbox placement. After all, if your IP is certified, shouldn't your emails consistently reach the inbox?
However, the reality of email deliverability is far more complex than a simple certification. While IP certification programs aim to signal good sender behavior, their effectiveness can vary significantly depending on your specific sending practices, audience, and the ever-evolving filtering algorithms of major mailbox providers.
In this discussion, I'll break down what IP certification entails, its potential benefits, and the situations where it might, or might not, be a worthwhile investment for your email strategy.
What is IP certification?
IP certification programs are offered by third-party organizations that evaluate an email sender's practices against a set of strict criteria. These criteria typically include adherence to industry best practices, low complaint rates, proper email authentication, and consistent sending volume. If a sender meets these standards, their IP address may be added to a whitelist maintained by the certification body.
The core idea is that participating mailbox providers can then consult these whitelists and, theoretically, grant preferential treatment to emails originating from certified IPs. This preferential treatment can include bypassing some spam filters, faster delivery, and improved inbox placement. Notable certification bodies include Validity (with its Sender Certified program) and the Certified Senders Alliance (CSA).
It's important to understand that certification is not a substitute for maintaining a good sender reputation. Your sender reputation is built over time based on numerous factors, including how recipients interact with your emails, your complaint rates, spam trap hits, and adherence to email authentication standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Certification can complement a strong reputation, but it rarely fixes underlying issues.
The perceived benefits of IP certification
The primary allure of IP certification is the promise of enhanced email deliverability. For organizations that send high volumes of legitimate email, even a slight improvement in inbox placement can translate to significant returns on investment. Here are some of the potential benefits touted by certification providers:
Whitelisting: Access to whitelists means your IP (or domain) is pre-approved by participating mailbox providers, potentially allowing your emails to bypass some spam filters that might otherwise flag your mail.
Improved Inbox Placement: Certification can help achieve better inbox placement, particularly for senders who have historically struggled with delivery to certain providers due to IP reputation challenges.
Faster Delivery: Certified IPs may experience less throttling or deferral by mailbox providers, leading to quicker delivery times.
Enhanced Monitoring and Data: Some certification programs provide senders with unique data and insights into their email performance, including specific feedback from participating ISPs, which can be invaluable for troubleshooting deliverability issues. This can include data not typically available elsewhere, such as Microsoft SRD data.
For organizations heavily reliant on email for critical communications or revenue, these advantages can appear very attractive, prompting consideration of the investment.
When IP certification might not be worth it
While the benefits sound compelling, it's crucial to acknowledge that IP certification is not a panacea for all deliverability challenges. Many in the industry, including myself, advocate for a strong foundation of best practices over reliance on certification alone. The simple truth is, you can achieve excellent deliverability without paying for certification if your sending practices are sound.
One significant limitation is that not all major mailbox providers participate equally in every certification program. For instance, Google (Gmail) is not a direct certification partner for many programs, meaning certification may not provide a distinct advantage for emails sent to Gmail users. Their filtering systems rely heavily on sender reputation signals built directly from user engagement and compliance with their sender requirements.
Moreover, if your sending practices are poor, no certification will save you from getting blocklisted or blacklisted. Conversely, if your practices are exemplary, you likely don't need the extra boost that certification might offer. It's often the senders in the middle, those with decent but not perfect practices, who might see the most marginal benefit.
The return on investment (ROI) for IP certification is highly individual. Consider what you gain versus the financial cost, time commitment, and effort required to maintain certification. Often, resources might be better allocated to improving core deliverability factors.
Key considerations before paying for IP certification
Before committing to a paid IP certification, it’s essential to assess your current email program thoroughly. Here are key factors to consider:
Scenario 1: High volume, struggling deliverability
If you send a large volume of emails and consistently face deliverability issues, particularly with specific mailbox providers that are known certification partners, then certification could provide an uplift. However, this is only true if your foundational sending practices are already good, and you're not on various email blocklists.
Focus
Supplement existing efforts: Use certification to enhance an already strong email program.
Targeted improvement: Seek certification recognized by your key recipient mailbox providers.
Scenario 2: Fundamental issues or low volume
If you have persistent issues with spam complaints, poor list hygiene, or a lack of proper email authentication like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, certification will not fix these. Similarly, for lower-volume senders, the benefits may not justify the cost, as manual reputation building is often sufficient.
Cost-effectiveness: Invest in improving content, list quality, and sender engagement instead.
It's also worth noting the ongoing debate between using dedicated versus shared IP addresses. Most certification programs are designed for senders using dedicated IPs, where your sending reputation is entirely your own. If you're using a shared IP, your deliverability is influenced by others on that IP, making certification less relevant for your direct control.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Maintain impeccable list hygiene and only send to engaged subscribers.
Implement and monitor all email authentication protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Consistently send emails that recipients want to receive, providing clear value.
Monitor your sender reputation using Google Postmaster Tools or similar services.
Actively manage bounce rates and spam complaints to keep them low.
Common pitfalls
Expecting certification to fix fundamental deliverability issues or bad sending practices.
Not thoroughly researching which mailbox providers recognize a specific certification.
Failing to maintain the strict standards required by certification programs after enrollment.
Overlooking the financial and time investment required for certification versus other deliverability efforts.
Assuming a dedicated IP alone will guarantee good deliverability without proper management.
Expert tips
Before considering certification, ensure your opt-in processes are robust and explicit.
Regularly segment your email list based on engagement to target active subscribers.
Utilize a sunset policy for inactive subscribers to prevent reputation decay.
Pay close attention to user feedback loops and swiftly remove complainers.
Diversify your sending strategy if you have a wide range of content types and audiences.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that they do not pay for IP certification and do not believe it is worth the cost.
March 9, 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they have seen mixed results with certifications like Validity, IAPP Surety Mail, and CSA, noting that success varies depending on the sender's existing practices. They advise that some senders' practices are too poor for certification to help, while others are already excellent and don't need it. The marketer notes that for those in the middle, certification can be beneficial, but it's crucial to evaluate objectives, needs, and alternatives to ensure the solution genuinely addresses a problem.
March 9, 2022 - Email Geeks
Making the decision
Ultimately, whether paying for IP certification is worth it for your email deliverability comes down to a nuanced assessment of your specific needs and current email ecosystem. It is not a magic bullet, nor is it a universal requirement for excellent deliverability. For most senders, prioritizing and consistently applying email best practices related to sender reputation, authentication, list hygiene, and content quality will yield greater and more sustainable results.
For very large organizations with complex sending environments or those targeting specific mailbox providers that actively participate in certification programs, it can be a valuable complement to an already robust deliverability strategy. However, always start with the fundamentals, as they form the bedrock of successful email delivery.
