returnpath

Return Path is a company that specializes in email deliverability and sender reputation, providing software and services to help marketers improve inbox placement, protect sender reputation, and optimize email campaigns. Core offerings include inbox placement monitoring across major mailbox providers, deliverability analytics, list hygiene and suppression management, and guidance on authentication practices such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. The company also operates a certification program designed to establish trust with ISPs by demonstrating consistent sending quality.

A key feature of Return Path is its Certification program, which many senders use to signal to mailbox providers that their emails meet certain standards for sending reputation and engagement. This program is intended to help improve deliverability and achieve favorable inbox placement for approved campaigns. In addition to monitoring and certification, Return Path offers deliverability consulting, reporting, and optimization services to help organizations maintain healthy mail streams and respond to changes in mailbox provider filtering.

Historically, Return Path grew as a prominent player in the email deliverability space and expanded its reach through partnerships with advertisers, agencies, and email service providers. In 2019, Return Path was acquired by Validity, a data quality and customer insights company, and its capabilities were integrated into Validity’s broader Email Experience Cloud. This integration positioned Return Path’s deliverability expertise within a wider suite of customer data and engagement tools.

Note: Return Path the company should not be confused with the Return-Path header used in email envelopes, which indicates the address to which bounce messages are returned.