DMARCguard vs Valimail
Valimail — now a DigiCert company since September 2025 — is the enterprise DMARC leader, but Enforce starts at $5,000/year (annual-only) and Align has been retired post-acquisition, leaving a $0-to-$5,000 cliff. DMARCguard delivers broader protocol coverage including ARC and DANE at a fraction of the cost, with full data portability and no DNS delegation lock-in.
ARC + DANE Where Valimail Has Neither
Valimail co-authored RFC 8617 (ARC) but does not productize ARC at any tier, and DANE remains unsupported. DMARCguard covers 9 protocols — 7 free, all 9 including ARC, DANE, and ARF from Pro.
Accessible Pricing With No $5K Cliff
Valimail Enforce starts at $5,000/year (annual-only billing). After the Align tier was retired post-DigiCert, free Monitor users have a single paid upgrade path. DMARCguard Pro starts at $3.9/domain/mo with volume discounts and no per-domain ($1,500), per-100K-email ($1,000), or per-sending-service ($500) overage charges.
No DNS Delegation Lock-In
Valimail's hosted MTA-STS uses CNAME delegation (NS delegation deferred to a future release), and customers report concerns about exporting Instant SPF macros if they switch later. DMARCguard monitors and advises — you keep full control of your DNS and can export all data via CSV, JSON, or API at any time.
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side breakdown of capabilities across both platforms.
| Feature | DMARCguard | Valimail |
|---|---|---|
| DMARC Monitoring | ||
| SPF Validation | ||
| DKIM Validation | ||
| BIMI Support Valimail BIMI via Amplify add-on only | ||
| MTA-STS Validation Hosted via CNAME delegation only (NS delegation deferred); shipped Q1 2026 post-DigiCert | ||
| TLS-RPT Support TLS-RPT ingestion shipped Q1 2026 post-DigiCert | ||
| ARC Chain Support Valimail co-authored RFC 8617 but does not productize ARC at any tier | ||
| Sender Identification | ||
| GeoIP Enrichment | ||
| Compliance Health Score | ||
| Alerting (Email + Webhook) | ||
| Manual Report Upload | ||
| CSV/JSON Export | ||
| Dark Mode | ||
| AI / MCP Integration | ||
| Automated DNS Enforcement Valimail Enforce ($5,000+/yr) | ||
| Zero-Touch SPF/DKIM Alignment Enterprise feature |
Pricing Comparison
Valimail's enterprise-first pricing makes it inaccessible for most SMBs. DMARCguard gives you 7 protocols free and all 9 from Pro.
| Tier | DMARCguard | Valimail |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2 domains, 30 days history | Monitor — 1 primary domain, ~6-month retention, 5 user seats, no enforcement |
| Pro / Enforce Starter | $3.9/domain/mo — up to 10 domains at this rate, 1 year history (founding price) | Enforce Starter from $5,000/year (annual-only). The Align tier was silently retired post-DigiCert. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Enforce Premium / Enterprise — contact sales (AWS Marketplace shows ~$60K/yr estimate); $1,500/extra domain, $1,000/extra 100K emails, $500/extra sending service overages |
Why choose DMARCguard over Valimail?
ARC + DANE included from Pro
Valimail co-authored the ARC standard (RFC 8617) but does not ship ARC validation, sealing, or aggregate reporting at any tier. DANE has zero documented support across valimail.com or support.valimail.com. DMARCguard includes both protocols from Pro.
No CNAME or DNS delegation lock-in
Valimail's automated DNS management uses CNAME delegation (Hosted MTA-STS launched Q1 2026 supports CNAME only — NS delegation deferred to a future release). DMARCguard keeps you in control — your data and DNS are always yours. Export everything via CSV, JSON, or API at any time.
No $0-to-$5,000 cliff
Valimail's Align tier was silently retired after the DigiCert acquisition, leaving free Monitor users with a single paid upgrade path: Enforce Starter at $5,000/year (annual-only). DMARCguard serves solo admins and enterprises equally, starting free and scaling continuously with per-domain Pro pricing.
AI-native with MCP
Bring email security intelligence into your existing AI workflow. DMARCguard exposes 17 MCP tools that let enterprise teams query compliance scores, DNS records, and trend data from any MCP-compatible client — no custom API integration required.
Who is each best for?
Who's best for Valimail?
Enterprise organizations with a $5,000+/year budget that need automated DMARC enforcement and FedRAMP-authorized service (Valimail is the only FedRAMP-authorized DMARC provider). Teams comfortable with CNAME-based DNS delegation and brands needing fully automated BIMI with VMC/CMC issuance via DigiCert as Mark Verifying Authority. Their G2 reputation — 13 consecutive quarters as a DMARC Grid leader and 100,000+ customers — reflects genuine strength on automation, sender intelligence, and named-service identification.
Who's best for DMARCguard?
Organizations that have outgrown free Monitor but cannot justify the $5,000/year Enforce Starter floor (especially since the Align tier was silently retired post-DigiCert). Teams that want full data portability with no CNAME or NS delegation lock-in. Buyers who need ARC and DANE support — protocols Valimail still does not productize, despite co-authoring RFC 8617. SMBs and mid-market teams that want continuous, transparent per-domain pricing rather than annual-only contracts with $1,500/extra-domain, $1,000/extra-100K-emails, and $500/extra-sending-service overage charges.
Migrating from Valimail
Migrating from Valimail keeps your DNS records exactly where they are. DMARCguard reads standard DMARC aggregate (RUA) reports, so your sending sources keep flowing while you validate.
- Add your domains to DMARCguard
Sign up free, add your domains. No DNS changes yet — we'll work in parallel with Valimail during validation.
- Append DMARCguard's reporting address to your DMARC record
Add our
rua=mailto:address alongside Valimail's existing one. Valimail keeps receiving reports during the validation window; DMARCguard begins receiving them within 24-48 hours. - Validate parity for 14-30 days
Compare DMARCguard's dashboard against your Valimail Monitor or Enforce view. Confirm sender identification, alignment counts, and policy posture match.
- Remove Valimail's CNAME delegation
If you used Valimail Enforce or Hosted MTA-STS, remove the CNAME records that delegated SPF, DKIM, MTA-STS, or BIMI to Valimail. Replace with your own records (DMARCguard provides the exact values to publish).
- Cancel Valimail (note their annual-only billing terms)
Valimail Enforce uses annual-only billing on AWS Marketplace with 12-, 24-, and 36-month contract durations and no public refund policy. Time your cancellation against your renewal date.
Estimated time: ~60 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
Is DMARCguard a good alternative to Valimail?
Yes. DMARCguard covers 9 email authentication protocols (DMARC, SPF, DKIM, BIMI, MTA-STS, TLS-RPT, ARC, DANE, ARF) at every pricing tier. Valimail focuses primarily on DMARC enforcement and gates BIMI behind an add-on. DMARCguard Pro starts at $3.9/domain/mo, compared to Valimail Enforce at $5,000+/year.
Can I migrate from Valimail to DMARCguard?
Yes. DMARCguard monitors your existing DNS records — there's no migration needed for your email infrastructure. Simply add your domains to DMARCguard, and reports will start flowing within 24-48 hours. Your DNS records, SPF includes, and DKIM keys stay exactly where they are.
Does DMARCguard offer automated DNS enforcement like Valimail Enforce?
DMARCguard takes a monitoring-and-guidance approach rather than automated DNS management. This means you maintain full control of your DNS records and avoid vendor lock-in. DMARCguard provides step-by-step enforcement guidance to help you reach p=reject safely.
Is Valimail free?
Valimail offers a limited free Monitor plan for 1 domain with basic DMARC monitoring only. Their Enforce product, which provides automated DMARC enforcement, starts at $5,000+/year. DMARCguard's free tier gives you 2 domains and 30 days of history with 7 protocols included.
How much does Valimail cost?
Valimail's pricing is not publicly listed. Their Align plan starts around $19/mo for basic monitoring, but their Enforce product (automated DMARC enforcement) starts at $5,000+/year with sales-led pricing. DMARCguard Pro starts at $3.9/domain/mo with transparent per-domain pricing.
What are the best Valimail alternatives?
The best Valimail alternatives include DMARCguard (9 protocols, from $3.9/domain/mo, no lock-in), EasyDMARC (6 protocols, $35.99/mo), PowerDMARC (broad protocol support, $15/mo), and dmarcian (DMARC-focused, $24/mo). DMARCguard offers the broadest protocol coverage with full data portability.
What is Valimail Enforce?
Valimail Enforce is Valimail's automated DMARC enforcement product that manages your DNS records to align SPF and DKIM automatically. It starts at $5,000+/year. DMARCguard takes a monitoring approach that keeps you in control of your DNS while providing step-by-step guidance.
Does Microsoft have a DMARC analyzer?
Microsoft does not offer a dedicated DMARC analyzer. Microsoft 365 includes basic DMARC reporting via Exchange Online Protection, but it lacks the analysis, visualization, and protocol coverage that dedicated tools like DMARCguard provide. DMARCguard works seamlessly with Microsoft 365 environments.
Does Valimail have a free DMARC checker?
Yes. Valimail offers a free DMARC checker at their domain checker page that shows your DMARC, SPF, and DKIM status. DMARCguard also offers free checkers for DMARC, SPF, DKIM, BIMI, MTA-STS, TLS-RPT, and ARC — covering all 9 email authentication protocols in one place.
What is Valimail Align?
Valimail Align is Valimail's entry-level DMARC monitoring product, starting around $19/mo. It provides basic DMARC visibility and reporting but does not include automated enforcement (that requires Valimail Enforce at $5,000+/yr). DMARCguard Pro at $3.9/domain/mo includes broader protocol coverage with all 9 protocols.
Is Valimail worth it for small businesses?
Valimail's Enforce product is enterprise-focused and starts at $5,000/year with annual-only billing, which is typically out of reach for small businesses. The Align tier (~$19/mo entry-level) was retired post-DigiCert, so free Monitor users now have a single paid upgrade path. DMARCguard is designed to serve teams of all sizes — starting free with 2 domains and scaling to Pro at $3.9/domain/mo with all 9 protocols.
Does Valimail support MTA-STS or TLS-RPT?
Yes, as of Q1 2026 (post-DigiCert acquisition). Valimail Enforce now hosts MTA-STS via CNAME delegation — NS delegation is deferred to a future release per their help center — and ingests TLS-RPT in the REPORTS panel. ARC validation and DANE/TLSA support remain unavailable at any tier despite Valimail co-authoring RFC 8617. DMARCguard covers all 9 protocols including ARC and DANE. See our 2026 email authentication research for adoption data.
What changed at Valimail after the DigiCert acquisition?
DigiCert closed its acquisition of Valimail on September 16, 2025. Since then: (1) the affordable Align tier was silently retired, leaving a $0-to-$5,000/year cliff between free Monitor and paid Enforce Starter; (2) Hosted MTA-STS and TLS-RPT shipped (Q1 2026); (3) three new "NEW" features were added to Enforce Enterprise only (Privacy-safe RUF+, DKIM Continuous Protection, Senders Continuous Protection); (4) BIMI Amplify now issues VMC/CMC via DigiCert as MVA. There is no "DigiCert-bundle" SKU yet — Valimail still operates independently per DigiCert's own FAQ.
Other Comparisons
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