Sending IP Configuration and Selection

Overview of sending IP configurations, including shared and dedicated IPs, and their impact on sender reputation and deliverability.

Understanding Sending IPs

A sending IP is the machine from which your emails are dispatched to inbox providers such as Gmail or Outlook. Every sending machine has a unique IP address that identifies it on the internet. When you send campaigns through Batch, your messages are routed through a sending infrastructure that connects your domain to inbox providers using this IP address.

Inbox providers continuously evaluate senders to protect recipients from spam and unwanted messages. To do so, they rely on reputation scoring systems built on multiple parameters, which may vary from one provider to another. Reputation is typically associated with a combination of your sending domain (e.g., hello.domain.com and its root domain) and the sending IP.

This reputation takes into account factors such as email authentication, sending volume and frequency, historical performance, content quality, and recipient engagement, and other relevant signals. Maintaining a strong reputation across both your domain and sending IP is essential to ensure optimal deliverability.

Shared vs. Dedicated IPs

→ IP Setup Options

Shared IP

A shared IP is recommended for small to mid-sized senders with moderate or irregular volumes. Your emails are sent from your own domain through an IP also used by other Batch customers. Because shared IPs are pre-warmed, they benefit from an existing sending history, making onboarding easier and reducing the risk of early deliverability issues. However, reputation is shared, meaning your performance can be influenced by the practices of other senders.

Dedicated IP

A dedicated IP is designed for high-volume senders with consistent sending patterns. It is exclusively assigned to your account, giving you full control over reputation and performance. However, it starts without any history and requires a structured warm-up, as well as sufficient and regular volume to maintain strong deliverability over time.

→ Qualification Criteria

When sending email at scale, the choice between a dedicated IP and a shared IP can significantly impact deliverability. The decision depends on your sending volume, business type, and email performance indicators.

Key Criteria for Choosing Between Dedicated and Shared IPs

1. Sending Volume

• High Volume: Dedicated IPs are ideal for businesses sending tens of thousands of emails per month. This allows consistent reputation building.

• Low to Medium Volume: Shared IPs are suitable for smaller volumes. The shared reputation of other senders can help maintain inbox placement.

2. Email Performance Indicators

• Poor deliverability metrics (high bounce rates, spam complaints) may benefit from a dedicated IP to isolate and manage reputation.

• Strong positive metrics can continue on shared IPs without impacting performance.

3. Type of Business

• Enterprise-Level Companies: Businesses that rely heavily on email for revenue, such as e-commerce or financial services, may require a dedicated IP to control reputation.

• Smaller Businesses: Companies with irregular sending patterns can leverage shared IPs to benefit from established reputation.

4. Sending Regularity

• Consistent sending schedules favor dedicated IPs, as reputation is gradually built.

• Sporadic or seasonal sending is better suited for shared IPs, as the shared reputation reduces the impact of inactivity.

→ Summary Table

Qualification Criteria	Dedicated IP	Shared IP
Sending Volume	> 500k emails/month min. 5-10k emails/day consistently	< 500k emails/month Irregular or low daily volume
Performance Indicators	Full control (your reputation only)	Shared reputation across multiple senders
Business Type	Enterprise-level companies Revenue-critical email flows (e.g. fintech)	SMBs, startups, early-stage email programs
Sending Pattern	Regular, predictable sending cadence	Less regular campaign-based sending

Final Recommendation

• Use dedicated IPs for high-volume, enterprise-level email programs requiring strict reputation control.

• Use shared IPs for smaller, less regular campaigns, or when immediate volume and reputation management are secondary.