Brevo Emails Going to Spam? The Deliverability Fix Order

Short answer: Brevo mail lands in spam most often because the sending domain has not been authenticated, or because you are on a shared IP pool at volume where a dedicated IP would serve you better. Both are diagnosable in minutes.

If you knew the platform as Sendinblue, the deliverability model is unchanged — the name moved, the DNS requirements did not.

The quick diagnosis

• Authentication: The domain does not publish records authorising Brevo to send for it.
• Reputation: A blacklist listing, or a shared pool with poor neighbours.
• List quality: Imported contacts who never opted in and never engage.
• Volume pattern: A sudden send spike with no warm-up behind it.

Step 1: authenticate the sending domain

Brevo asks you to add DNS records that authorise it to send for your domain and publish a DKIM key. Until those exist and resolve, every campaign arrives without provable authorisation, and modern filters treat that as a strong negative signal.

Add the records at your DNS host, then confirm they resolve publicly rather than trusting the dashboard. Use the DKIM checker and the SPF checker. If you have just added them, give propagation time and re-check with the DNS propagation checker before assuming something is wrong.

Step 2: do not publish a second SPF record

A domain may publish exactly one SPF record. If your mailbox provider already publishes one and you add another for Brevo, they do not merge — both become invalid and SPF fails for all your mail, including business correspondence that was previously fine.

Merge the mechanisms into a single record. Our guide on multiple SPF records and how to merge them walks through it safely.

Step 3: publish DMARC and read the reports

Add DMARC at p=none with a reporting address. This changes nothing about delivery but starts a feed of who is sending as your domain — which is the only reliable way to discover forgotten senders before you enforce a stricter policy.

Once reports confirm your legitimate senders pass, tighten toward quarantine. See how to read DMARC reports and choosing the right DMARC policy.

Step 4: check reputation before rewriting campaigns

If placement fell across providers at once, suspect reputation rather than content. Run a blacklist check first. A listing can put mail in spam regardless of how good your authentication is, and no amount of subject-line testing works around it.

Step 5: treat shared IPs as a real variable

Brevo's lower tiers place you on shared IP pools. At modest volume that is usually the right trade — you inherit an established reputation instead of building one from zero.

It becomes a problem when your volume grows enough that you would benefit from controlling your own reputation, or when pool neighbours behave badly. A dedicated IP only pays off with consistent volume; at low volume it will make placement worse. If you move, ramp gradually using the warm-up guide.

Step 6: fix consent, not just content

Brevo enforces its own sending policies, and imported lists without clear consent are the fastest way to trigger both filter penalties and account review. Use confirmed opt-in for new contacts, suppress anyone who has not engaged in six months, and never import a purchased list onto a domain you rely on.

A Brevo deliverability checklist

• Sending domain authenticated, records resolving publicly.
• Exactly one SPF record, under ten DNS lookups.
• DMARC published at p=none with reporting enabled.
• No blacklist listings.
• Shared versus dedicated IP matched to real volume.
• Unengaged contacts suppressed rather than mailed.
• Authentication re-verified after any DNS change.

FAQ

Why are my Brevo emails going to spam?

Usually an unauthenticated sending domain, a broken SPF record, or a reputation problem on a shared IP pool. Check authentication and blacklist status before changing campaign content.

Is Brevo the same as Sendinblue for deliverability?

Yes. The rebrand did not change the DNS requirements or the sending model. Guides written for Sendinblue still apply.

Do I need a dedicated IP on Brevo?

Only at consistent volume. Below that, a shared pool typically performs better, because a fresh dedicated IP has no reputation and must be warmed up before it delivers reliably.

Can I use Brevo alongside Google Workspace?

Yes, provided both are represented in one combined SPF record. Two separate records will invalidate each other.

What to do next

Authenticate the domain, verify the records resolve publicly, publish DMARC at p=none, then check reputation. Only once those are clean is campaign content worth revisiting.

Run your domain through the free deliverability checker to see SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX, and blacklist status in a single report.