Email Forwarding vs. SMTP Sending
Understanding the difference between receiving emails via forwarding and sending via SMTP.
ImprovMX offers two complementary services: email forwarding (receiving) and SMTP (sending).
Email Forwarding (Receiving)
Direct your domain's MX and SPF records to ImprovMX servers, which then deliver incoming mail to your actual inbox (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).
Example: Messages addressed to richard@piedpiper.com get forwarded to destinations like richard.hendricks@gmail.com
Key Features
- Configure forwarding using simple Aliases and Forwarding Rules
- ImprovMX doesn't host your inbox — you provide your own
- Available on all pricing plans with varying limits based on tier
ImprovMX SMTP Sending
SMTP represents the standard protocol for sending email. ImprovMX SMTP enables outgoing messages from your custom domain through the same inbox receiving forwarded mail.
Capability: Reply as richard@piedpiper.com directly from Gmail, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or other clients.
Key Features
- Available exclusively on paid plans with tiered limits
- Designed for standard business and personal correspondence, not bulk mailing
- Compatible with SMTP-capable applications and backend services
Gmail's "Send Mail As" Alternative
A complimentary workaround using legacy Gmail functionality to send from your domain.
Limitations
- Lacks proper email authentication (
SPF,DKIM,DMARC) - Yahoo and other providers may reject or spam-filter these messages
- Adds "via gmail.com" notation affecting professionalism
- Relies on older Google features subject to discontinuation
Recommendation: Switch to ImprovMX SMTP for improved reliability and authentication.
Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to our support team!