Email usually goes to spam when receivers cannot trust it. The most common causes are missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC records, a blacklisted domain, or a sending pattern that looks like spam.
Check these first
- Authentication. Make sure your domain has SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. Support can add them for you.
- Cloudflare. If you use Cloudflare, your mail records must be DNS only (see the box below).
- Test your email. Send a real message to mail-tester.com. It gives you a score and shows what is wrong.
- Blacklists. Check your domain with a multi-blacklist lookup such as MXToolbox.
- Content. Do not put links in the subject line. In the body, use short link text (for example "View invoice") instead of long web addresses.
- Sending pattern. Many identical messages sent at the same moment to many people look like spam. Spread them out.
Are you sending bulk email?
Bulk and unsolicited email is not allowed on our services. All mailing lists need confirmed opt-in consent and a working unsubscribe link. For newsletters and marketing, use a specialist email marketing service such as SendGrid, Mailgun or Mailjet.
If your messages are blocked
- Sending limits apply to every mailbox (see the related article).
- New mailboxes can send only 50 messages per day for the first 7 days.
- If sending is blocked, stop testing for a while. Trying again and again can make a block last longer.
Important: If you get bounce messages (for example a "550" error), open a support ticket. Include the full error text, the time, and the address you sent to.
Important — using Cloudflare? Your domain can stay on Cloudflare. In your mail app, connect directly to the mail servers: imap.stackmail.com and smtp.stackmail.com for StackCP and Business Email, or your server hostname for cPanel (see Email Accounts > Connect Devices in cPanel). Do not use mail.yourdomain.com while the domain is behind the Cloudflare proxy. In Cloudflare DNS, set all mail records (the MX target, mail, imap, smtp, pop3, webmail and similar) to DNS only (grey cloud). Email does not work through the proxy (orange cloud).
Tip: Good authentication is the base. With valid SPF and DKIM, receiving servers have a reason to trust your mail.