Understanding Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) Email Authentication
Brevo provides transactional email and SMS automation with dedicated DKIM signing and SPF authorization.
When Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) delivers outbound emails on your behalf, recipient mail transfer agents (MTAs) at Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and corporate mail gateways inspect the sender identity. Without a published SPF record explicitly permitting Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)'s IP ranges, these emails trigger SPF Softfail (~all) or Hardfail (-all), severely degrading domain reputation and inbox placement.
Required DNS Records for Brevo
Publish the following DNS records in your domain registrar or DNS management console (Cloudflare, AWS Route 53, GoDaddy, Namecheap):
| Type | Host / Name | Value / Target | TTL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:spf.sendinblue.com ~all | 3600 | Brevo SPF. |
Step-by-Step Setup Instructions
Log into Brevo > Senders & IP > Domains > Add domain.
Add TXT for mail._domainkey with DKIM key.
Add "include:spf.sendinblue.com" to root SPF.
Click Authenticate in Brevo.
Common Brevo SPF Configuration Mistakes
× Brevo Code Missing
Cause: Omitting brevo-code TXT validation record.
Fix: Add brevo-code TXT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sendinblue SPF the same as Brevo?
Yes, both use "include:spf.sendinblue.com".
What DKIM record does Brevo use?
Brevo provides a TXT-based DKIM record published at mail._domainkey.yourdomain.com. The selector name is "mail". The DKIM key is retrieved directly from Brevo > Senders & IP > Domains > Add Domain > DNS Records.
What is the brevo-code TXT record and why is it required?
Brevo requires a domain ownership verification TXT record (brevo-code:xxxxxxxx) before generating your DKIM key. Without adding this verification record, Brevo cannot confirm you control the domain and will not display DKIM keys.
Does Brevo support sending from a dedicated IP?
Yes. Brevo offers dedicated sending IPs on paid plans. If you use a dedicated IP, the SPF record changes — you add your IP directly with the ip4: mechanism instead of using include:spf.sendinblue.com, since your IP is not in Brevo's shared SPF range.
What happens if I send transactional emails from Brevo without DKIM authentication?
Without DKIM, your emails fail DMARC alignment if your DMARC policy is p=quarantine or p=reject. Gmail and Outlook may route unauthenticated bulk mail to spam or reject it outright. Brevo's dashboard will show a DKIM Not Verified warning.
Can I use Brevo with a subdomain for email sending?
Yes, using a dedicated subdomain (e.g. mail.yourdomain.com) is recommended if your root domain uses another email provider for corporate inbox. This separates transactional sender reputation from internal mail reputation.