InboxGreen vs Mailchimp

Email marketing platform vs email authentication diagnostics - why your Mailchimp emails might still go to spam.

Short answer: Mailchimp is an email marketing platform - you use it to build lists and send campaigns. InboxGreen is an email authentication tool - you use it to check and fix the DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) that determine whether those campaigns reach the inbox. If your Mailchimp emails are going to spam, the problem is often in your domain's DNS setup, not Mailchimp itself. InboxGreen diagnoses and fixes that.

Mailchimp

Email marketing platform

Build email lists, design campaigns, automate sequences, and send to subscribers. Includes analytics, A/B testing, landing pages, and CRM features.

Free: Up to 500 contacts, 1,000 emails/month

Paid from $13/month

InboxGreen

Email authentication diagnostics

Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your sending domain. Get copy-paste DNS fix records. Works alongside Mailchimp and any other sending platform.

Free check - no account needed

FixKit $29 one-time - Monitor from $19/mo

Feature comparison

FeatureInboxGreenMailchimp
Send email campaigns to a list No Yes - full campaign builder
Check SPF / DKIM / DMARC in DNS Yes - free, instant, no account No DNS authentication check
Generate copy-paste DNS fix records Yes - formatted per DNS provider No
DKIM setup for your sending domain Check + generate DKIM records free Sets up DKIM via CNAME for custom domains
SPF record generator Free - try it No
DMARC record generator Free - try it No
Email list management and segmentation No Yes - full CRM and segmentation
Campaign analytics (opens, clicks) No Yes - detailed reporting
Ongoing DNS monitoring + alerts Yes - from $19/mo No
Blacklist check Free - try it No
No account required Yes - free tools work without signup Account required

Why Mailchimp emails go to spam - and what actually fixes it

Mailchimp sends your email using its own infrastructure, but the authentication records for your domain still live in your DNS. The most common reasons Mailchimp campaigns land in spam are all DNS problems, not Mailchimp problems:

  • SPF not set up - Your SPF record may not include Mailchimp's servers (include:servers.mcsv.net), or you may have no SPF record at all.
  • DKIM not authenticated - Mailchimp asks you to add a CNAME record for DKIM, but many users skip this step or publish it incorrectly.
  • No DMARC record - Without DMARC, receiving mail servers have no policy to follow when authentication fails. Gmail now requires DMARC for bulk senders.
  • Sending from a free email address - Sending Mailchimp campaigns from a @gmail.com or @yahoo.com address breaks DMARC alignment. Use a custom domain.

A free InboxGreen check identifies all of these in seconds.

search Check My Domain Free

When you only need Mailchimp

  • You need to send newsletters, promotional campaigns, or automated email sequences.
  • Your domain authentication is already set up correctly and emails are reaching the inbox.
  • You need list management, segmentation, A/B testing, and marketing analytics.

When to use InboxGreen alongside Mailchimp

  • Your Mailchimp campaigns are landing in spam or have low open rates.
  • You need to verify that SPF includes Mailchimp's servers and DKIM CNAME records are live.
  • You want to set up DMARC so your domain is protected and Gmail accepts your mail.
  • You want ongoing monitoring that alerts you if DNS records change or break.
Mailchimp campaigns going to spam? Check your domain authentication first.
A free InboxGreen check will show whether SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured for your sending domain.
search Run Free Domain Check tune SPF Generator

Frequently asked questions

Why are my Mailchimp emails going to spam?

The most common causes are SPF not including Mailchimp's servers, DKIM not set up (missing CNAME record), no DMARC policy, or sending from a free email domain like Gmail or Yahoo. Run a free InboxGreen check on your sending domain to identify exactly what is misconfigured. Mailchimp's own authentication check only covers DKIM - it does not tell you whether SPF or DMARC are correctly configured.

Does Mailchimp set up SPF and DKIM for me?

Mailchimp sets up DKIM via a CNAME record you need to publish in your DNS. It does not manage SPF for you - you need to add include:servers.mcsv.net to your SPF record manually. DMARC is entirely your responsibility. Use the DMARC Generator to create the right record.

What SPF record do I need for Mailchimp?

Add include:servers.mcsv.net to your SPF record. A basic record looks like:
v=spf1 include:servers.mcsv.net ~all
If you send from other services too (Google Workspace, etc.), add their includes as well. Use the SPF Generator to build it correctly.

Can I use Mailchimp with a Gmail or Yahoo address?

Technically yes, but it will hurt deliverability. Gmail and Yahoo enforce DMARC, which requires the From address domain to match the authenticated sending domain. When you send from [email protected] via Mailchimp, the DMARC alignment fails and emails are more likely to go to spam. Use a custom domain (e.g. [email protected]) for best results.