SPF Setup for Brevo (Sendinblue)

December 19, 2025 • InboxGreenEmail Team

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Introduction

Setting up SPF for your Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) account is crucial for ensuring your emails land in the inbox, not the spam folder. If you skip this step, you risk damaging your domain's reputation and facing bounced emails or warnings from providers like Gmail. This can become urgent when you notice that your emails are not reaching recipients or are being flagged as spam. In today's email landscape, proper authentication is a must.

At a glance

  • This problem affects SaaS founders, marketers, and technical teams managing email.
  • This article will guide you through setting up SPF for Brevo.
  • By following these steps, you will improve your inbox placement and protect your domain reputation.

When this problem shows up in real life

Imagine you send out a marketing campaign through Brevo, and a significant portion of your audience reports not receiving your emails. You check your logs and find entries like this:

2023-10-01 12:00:00 SMTP error: 550 5.7.1 : Recipient address rejected: Access denied. SPF fail

Or perhaps you look at the headers of a test email sent to Gmail and see:

Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=fail (google.com: domain of example.com does not designate 185.107.232.0 as permitted sender) [email protected]

These are clear signs that your SPF record is misconfigured or missing, leading to deliverability issues. You may even receive support tickets from frustrated users wondering why they are not receiving your emails.

Step-by-step: SPF Setup for Brevo

  1. Log in to your Brevo account.

    Navigate to the settings section where you manage your email sending domains.

  2. Identify your sending domain.

    Make sure you know which domain you are using to send emails. This is crucial for the SPF record.

  3. Access your DNS management console.

    This is usually provided by your domain registrar or hosting provider. Look for options like "DNS Settings" or "Zone File Editor."

  4. Add or update your SPF record.

    Your SPF record should include Brevo's sending IP addresses. Here is a sample record:

    v=spf1 include:sendinblue.com ~all

    This record indicates that Brevo is authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

  5. Save your changes.

    After adding the SPF record, make sure to save the changes in your DNS settings.

  6. Verify your SPF record.

    Use the SPF generator to ensure your record is correctly formatted. You can also check it using the InboxGreen checker.

Common mistakes

  • Missing SPF record.

    Symptom: Emails are bouncing back with SPF failures.

    Cause: You have not set up an SPF record at all.

    Fix: Create an SPF record as shown above.

  • Incorrect SPF syntax.

    Symptom: Your SPF record is accepted, but emails still fail.

    Cause: There are typos or formatting errors in the SPF record.

    Fix: Double-check the syntax using an SPF validator.

  • Multiple SPF records.

    Symptom: SPF validation fails with an error message.

    Cause: You have more than one SPF record for your domain.

    Fix: Combine the records into a single SPF record.

  • Not including Brevo's IPs.

    Symptom: Emails are landing in spam.

    Cause: Brevo's sending IPs are not included in your SPF record.

    Fix: Ensure you include include:sendinblue.com in your SPF record.

Troubleshooting when it still fails

  • SPF record looks correct → Emails still fail.

    Likely cause: DNS changes may not have propagated yet.

    What to try next: Wait up to 48 hours and check again.

  • Authentication-Results headers show SPF failure → Your SPF record is correct.

    Likely cause: The sending IP address is not recognized.

    What to try next: Check your email headers for the sending IP and ensure it matches your SPF record.

  • Support tickets from users about missing emails → SPF record is set.

    Likely cause: Your domain may be blacklisted.

    What to try next: Use the Blacklist Checker to see if your domain is listed.

Related checks you should run

  • Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are aligned.
  • Check DNS TTL and propagation delays.
  • Monitor your domain reputation for bounces and spam reports.
  • Review your list quality and engagement patterns to improve deliverability.

FAQ

Why is SPF still failing on Brevo after I added the record?

SPF failures can occur due to DNS propagation delays. It may take up to 48 hours for changes to take effect. Additionally, check if the sending IP address is included in your SPF record.

How long do DNS changes take to apply on Brevo?

DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate fully. It depends on the TTL settings of your DNS records.

Can I use more than one SPF include with this setup?

Yes, you can include multiple domains in your SPF record. Just ensure they are properly formatted and do not exceed the DNS lookup limit.

What should I do if my emails are still going to spam after setting up SPF?

Check your DKIM and DMARC settings, as they also play a significant role in email authentication. Use the InboxGreen checker to analyze your overall setup.

What to do next

Now that you have set up your SPF record for Brevo, take a moment to verify everything using the InboxGreen checker. This tool will help you identify any potential issues with your email authentication. Continue monitoring your email deliverability, and make adjustments as needed to ensure your emails reach the inbox reliably.

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