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Email Deliverability · Dedicated vs shared IPs

Dedicated IP addresses best practices for SaaS companies

Short answer

For SaaS companies, dedicated IP addresses should be approached knowing that transactional and lifecycle mail share a brand, so one bad campaign can degrade password-reset delivery. Estimate steady daily volume; below roughly 50,000 per day, shared pools usually perform better.

Transactional and lifecycle mail share a brand, so one bad campaign can degrade password-reset delivery.

What dedicated IP addresses are#

A dedicated IP is used only by your mail; a shared IP pool is used by many senders on the same platform. Dedicated IPs give control over reputation but require volume and warm-up; shared pools borrow the platform's reputation.

Why it matters#

Choosing wrong either exposes you to neighbors' behavior or leaves an IP too cold to build reputation.

Implementation plan for SaaS companies#

  1. Estimate steady daily volume; below roughly 50,000 per day, shared pools usually perform better.
  2. If dedicated, warm up over 4 to 6 weeks and keep volume consistent.
  3. Separate transactional and marketing onto different IPs or pools.
  4. Monitor SNDS and Postmaster Tools per IP.

Priorities specific to SaaS companies#

Transactional and lifecycle mail share a brand, so one bad campaign can degrade password-reset delivery. Weight your effort toward the steps above that address this constraint first, and measure with metrics that match how SaaS companies generate value from email.

Common mistakes#

  • Buying a dedicated IP for a small list and letting it go cold.
  • One dedicated IP for everything, so a promo blast delays receipts.

Frequently asked questions#

Do I need a dedicated IP for good deliverability?

No. Domain reputation dominates. Dedicated IPs are for high-volume senders who want isolation.

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