What are the alternatives to Return Path for deliverability certification?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 6 Jun 2025
Updated 15 Aug 2025
7 min read
For many years, Return Path (now part of Validity Everest) was synonymous with email deliverability certification. Their Certified Sender Program provided a perceived fast lane to the inbox for senders who met stringent criteria, offering a level of trust and predictability that was highly valued. It became a benchmark in the industry.
However, the email landscape is constantly evolving. Mailbox providers have increasingly shifted their focus to internal reputation systems, making broad third-party certifications less impactful than they once were. This shift has led many to question the current relevance and impact of such programs, and whether alternatives exist.
The short answer to finding direct, like-for-like alternatives to Return Path's historical certification is that they are very limited, or virtually non-existent, depending on how broadly you define "certification." The industry has moved beyond single, overarching whitelist programs. Instead, emphasis is now placed on direct sender reputation and adherence to a new set of best practices.
The evolving landscape of email certification
The email ecosystem has undergone significant changes over the past decade. Mailbox providers, such as Gmail, Yahoo Outlook, and AOL, now primarily rely on their own proprietary algorithms to determine sender reputation and inbox placement. These algorithms analyze a multitude of factors, including sending volume, complaint rates, spam trap hits, and user engagement, to dynamically assess whether an email should reach the inbox.
This means that while certifications like Return Path's once held significant sway, their influence has waned as mailbox providers prioritize direct behavioral signals. The focus has shifted from external badges to internal, continuous monitoring of sender behavior. Our own research indicates that the current value of Return Path certifications for email deliverability may be limited for many senders. For a deeper dive into this, you can check out whether Return Path certification is worth it.
Instead of seeking a singular, all-encompassing certification, senders should prioritize building and maintaining a strong sender reputation directly with each major mailbox provider. This involves consistently adhering to best practices and promptly addressing any deliverability issues. We have also explored if Return Path certification still improves email deliverability.
The old approach
Historically, a key focus was obtaining broad certifications from third-party services like Return Path to gain a general whitelist status across many ISPs. This was seen as a primary driver for inbox placement.
Challenges with the old approach
Limited Scope: Not all mailbox providers were part of these certification programs.
Costly: Certification often came with a significant financial investment.
Lagging Indicators: Compliance with program rules didn't always reflect real-time reputation with every ISP.
Regional and niche certification options
While a universal certification like Return Path's no longer dominates, some regional and niche programs continue to exist. These typically cater to specific geographic areas or specialized segments of the email market.
The Certified Senders Alliance (CSA), based in Germany, is a notable example. It aims to improve email deliverability for senders primarily targeting German-speaking countries. Achieving CSA certification can offer benefits for reaching inboxes in this specific region, but its impact is localized rather than global. Another specialized program is ISIPP SuretyMail, which focuses on email accreditation services.
Some mailbox providers, like ItaliaOnline in Italy, have explored or implemented their own pay-to-play models or beta programs for senders. These are highly specific to the ISP and its affiliated domains, offering no broader benefit. Such programs underscore the shift away from a centralized certification authority towards a more fragmented landscape where direct relationships and localized agreements might offer some benefit.
If your sending volume is heavily concentrated in specific regions or with certain providers, exploring these niche options might be worthwhile. However, they are not universal alternatives to the expansive reach Return Path once offered.
Certification Program
Scope
Primary Benefit
Current Impact
Certified Senders Alliance
Primarily German-speaking markets
Improved deliverability to regional ISPs
Relevant if a significant portion of your audience is in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
ISIPP SuretyMail
Global, but perceived impact varies significantly
Aims to provide a trust signal for smaller senders and ISPs
Less direct impact on major mailbox providers; more about establishing general accreditation.
ItaliaOnline pay-to-play
Specific to Italian ISPs under ItaliaOnline's umbrella
Potential for improved deliverability with affiliated Italian ISPs
Highly localized impact; not a general deliverability solution.
Prioritizing core deliverability best practices
Rather than chasing certifications that offer diminishing returns, the most effective strategy for email deliverability today is to double down on core best practices. These are the fundamentals that mailbox providers truly care about and which directly influence your sender reputation and inbox placement.
Authentication: Ensure your emails are properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Implement BIMI for enhanced brand visibility.
List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email lists to remove inactive users, bounces, and spam traps. Invalid addresses are a major cause of deliverability issues.
Engagement: Send relevant content that your subscribers want to receive. High open and click rates, combined with low complaint and unsubscribe rates, signal positive engagement to mailbox providers.
By focusing on these fundamental aspects, you build a sustainable and robust deliverability strategy that is recognized and rewarded by mailbox providers directly, rather than relying on a third-party intermediary whose influence may be dwindling.
Focus
External Validation: Reliance on broad third-party certifications.
Whitelist Entry: Aiming for a general whitelist status.
Key metrics
Program Compliance: Meeting specific rules of the certification body.
Certification Status: Maintaining a certified status.
Focus
Internal Reputation: Building trust directly with each mailbox provider.
Behavioral Signals: Optimizing for positive sender behavior.
Key metrics
Authentication: SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment and compliance.
Spam Trap Hits: Zero tolerance for hitting spam traps.
IP/Domain Reputation: Monitored via Postmaster Tools and blocklists.
Tools for comprehensive deliverability management
Since traditional broad certification is no longer the primary path to the inbox, senders need robust tools that provide real-time insights into their email performance and reputation. These tools go beyond simply checking a certification status, offering granular data to diagnose and resolve deliverability issues.
Many email service providers (ESPs) offer built-in deliverability features. However, for a comprehensive view, you might need to use third-party tools. These include platforms for inbox placement testing, blocklist monitoring, and DMARC reporting.
Additionally, leveraging Google Postmaster Tools and similar programs from other large mailbox providers (like Microsoft SNDS) is critical. These free resources provide direct feedback on your sending reputation, spam rates, and authentication errors as seen by the providers themselves. This direct feedback is far more valuable than any third-party certification could provide.
For example, monitoring your DMARC reports is essential to understand your email authentication performance and identify potential spoofing attempts or misconfigurations. Here is a simple DMARC record example:
Utilizing these tools and actively managing your email program based on their insights is the modern alternative to deliverability certification.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Actively manage your email sender reputation directly with major mailbox providers through their postmaster tools, as this is where real deliverability impact is made.
Implement and monitor email authentication protocols, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, ensuring strict alignment and error-free configuration.
Prioritize meticulous list hygiene by regularly cleaning your subscriber lists to remove inactive users and invalid addresses, which drastically reduces bounces and spam trap hits.
Common pitfalls
Over-relying on third-party certifications as a guaranteed path to the inbox, overlooking the dynamic nature of mailbox provider algorithms.
Neglecting direct feedback loops and postmaster tools offered by major mailbox providers, missing critical insights into your sender reputation.
Failing to regularly audit and update email authentication records, leading to alignment issues and reduced inbox placement.
Expert tips
Remember that true deliverability success comes from consistent, ethical sending practices and direct reputation management, not just a badge.
Invest in robust internal monitoring and analytics to track key deliverability metrics in real-time.
Build strong relationships with your ESP and understand their deliverability support capabilities.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says there isn't a direct alternative to Return Path's certification with the same broad influence. Mailbox providers are no longer offering their own whitelisting programs in the same way, so you essentially rely on Return Path or nothing for that specific type of accreditation.
2020-04-16 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that the CSA (Certified Senders Alliance) certification is a valid alternative if you send a significant volume of emails to recipients in Germany. They also noted that it's unclear if Yahoo still uses any such whitelists directly.
2020-04-16 - Email Geeks
The new path to inbox success
While the search for direct, one-to-one alternatives to Return Path's broad deliverability certification might prove elusive, it's important to recognize that the landscape of email deliverability has fundamentally shifted. The era of relying on a single, overarching third-party certification to guarantee inbox placement has largely passed.
Today, superior email deliverability hinges on a proactive approach built on robust technical configurations, diligent list management, and a deep understanding of recipient engagement. Focus your efforts on optimizing these core elements, and you will build a stronger, more resilient email program than any certification could offer on its own.
Gmail, 
Yahoo
Outlook, and 
AOL, now primarily rely on their own proprietary algorithms to determine sender reputation and inbox placement. These algorithms analyze a multitude of factors, including sending volume, complaint rates, spam trap hits, and user engagement, to dynamically assess whether an email should reach the inbox.
ItaliaOnline in Italy, have explored or implemented their own pay-to-play models or beta programs for senders. These are highly specific to the ISP and its affiliated domains, offering no broader benefit. Such programs underscore the shift away from a centralized certification authority towards a more fragmented landscape where direct relationships and localized agreements might offer some benefit.
Microsoft SNDS) is critical. These free resources provide direct feedback on your sending reputation, spam rates, and authentication errors as seen by the providers themselves. This direct feedback is far more valuable than any third-party certification could provide.
