Artículo de blog

  • 8 minutos leídos
Perfil del/a autor/a
  • Kiara Saloojee
  • DMARC Enthusiast

DMARC alternatives: What actually works (and what doesn’t)

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Not every team is ready to enforce Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) immediately. Many still look for “DMARC alternatives” to reduce spoofing, phishing, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) while they prepare for full enforcement.

This hesitation is common, especially in environments with older or complex email infrastructure. Many teams want to ensure internal comfort and alignment before enforcing DMARC. As a result, some look at DMARC alternatives or complementary controls as they build toward a reject policy.

It also reflects a broader challenge: Many organizations don’t have complete visibility into every system sending email on their behalf. Without that clarity, enforcement can feel risky. As a result, teams often explore DMARC alternatives that can provide short-term protection, improve detection, or strengthen transport security while DMARC remains in monitoring mode.

In this blog, we break down whether there are truly DMARC alternatives, which complementary controls can strengthen your email defense, and how to choose a safe, realistic option. Get clear guidance on DMARC alternatives to help you protect your company and your customers before you move to full enforcement.

Quick answer: Are there real DMARC alternatives?

There are no true DMARC alternatives. DMARC checks if Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) align with the “From” domain and, if not, gives receiving systems a clear policy to follow: none, quarantine, or reject.
When teams search for DMARC alternatives, they typically need controls that reduce risk while DMARC is still at p=none (monitoring), or they need a managed, low-risk path to reach enforcement without disrupting legitimate email.

Although we’re going to take you through some protection protocols, we highly recommend you book a demo with Sendmarc, as these aren’t going to stop impersonation entirely. We not only guarantee full compliance in 90 days* but also that there will be no downtime during this period.

*Para clientes con Plan Premium de Sendmarc, sujeto a la cantidad de dominios.

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DMARC alternatives: AKA initial and complementary controls

SPF and DKIM (baseline authentication)

  • Helps with: Authentication that supports deliverability and sender reputation.
  1. Best for: Foundational hygiene; small teams starting their authentication journey.

Secure email gateway (SEG)

  • Helps with: Spam, malware, phishing.
  • Does not solve: Abuse of your domain at the SMTP level.
  1. Best for: Businesses that need filtering.

Brand monitoring

  • Helps with: Typosquats, phishing sites, and social impersonation.
  • Does not solve: Email-based threats.
  1. Best for: Consumer brands and high-profile domains that are frequent targets.

Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI)

  • Helps with: Inbox trust and brand recognition after authentication is in place.
  • Does not solve: Cyberthreats; however, BIMI does require a DMARC policy of quarantine or reject.
  1. Best for: Marketing-focused senders improving recognition and trust.

Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security (MTA-STS) and Transport Layer Security Reporting (TLS-RPT)

  • Helps with: Enforcing TLS in transit, preventing downgrade attacks, and reporting on TLS issues.
  • Does not solve: Spoofing or domain impersonation.
  1. Best for: Security-mature teams focused on transport integrity.

Authenticated Received Chain (ARC)

  • Helps with: Forwarding and mailing-list scenarios that can break DMARC authentication.
  • Does not solve: Initial spoofing.
  1. Best for: Companies with substantial forwarding or list-based traffic.

Why DMARC alternatives aren’t advisable as your only solution

  • Global cybercrime damages are projected to reach about $13.82 trillion by 2028, making cybercrime one of the world’s largest “economies” – far beyond what DMARC alternatives can realistically mitigate.
  • In 2025, the U.S., Ukraine, Israel, Japan, and the UK were the top global targets for cyberattacks, when threat actors can impersonate domains and reach inboxes worldwide, DMARC “alternatives” aren’t enough. 
  • The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) recorded over 1 million phishing attacks globally in Q1 2025, which was the highest number since 2023, reinforcing why DMARC alternatives don’t offer real protection.

This data highlights the growing need for strong domain authentication to safeguard against the rise in cyberattacks, and that DMARC alternatives aren’t the answer.

A managed DMARC platform like Sendmarc ensures safe SPF/DKIM updates and moves businesses from monitoring to enforcement with guardrails. For example, we provide a phased approach and alerts.

“DMARC alternatives” shouldn’t be entirely ignored; each offers benefits and should be used alongside DMARC to achieve full protection.  

Sendmarc also simplifies the setup and ongoing management for SPF, DKIM, BIMI, MTA-STS, and TLS-RPT, so your authentication controls stay accurate and aligned.

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Mejora la seguridad de tu correo electrónico con Sendmarc

There are many complementary controls, but there are no true DMARC alternatives. If your priority is to prevent attackers from sending email using your domain, DMARC remains the only protocol that provides domain alignment and an enforceable reject policy across receivers.

The challenge isn’t whether to enforce DMARC, but how organizations can get there without disrupting legitimate email. That is where the choice of provider matters.

If you’re comparing DMARC management platforms or researching DMARC alternatives, Sendmarc focuses on guided, risk-free enforcement – helping multi-sender companies reach reject without breakage, confusion, or guesswork. The platform provides: 

  • Safe sequencing and guardrails: Applies SPF, DKIM, and DMARC changes in the right order with correct configuration to prevent misalignment.
  • Policy progression with rollback: Enables a controlled move from none → quarantine → reject, with rollback options if issues arise.
  • Real-time alerts and monitoring: Detects failures, new senders, and configuration changes before they cause delivery problems.
  • Clear reporting and insights: Converts raw DMARC data into understandable trends and actionable insights.
  • Multi-sender and enterprise support: Handles complex environments with multiple domains, departments, and third-party platforms.
  • DNS management support: Ensures SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records stay valid, aligned, and up to date.
  • Ongoing maintenance: Continuously monitors for changes that could weaken your protection.

The result is a predictable, low-risk path to the strongest available defense against domain spoofing – full DMARC enforcement – with advanced guardrails to keep your legitimate email flowing.

Reaching full DMARC enforcement isn’t just about selecting a tool. It is about choosing a provider with the right process, clear communication, and a team you can rely on as your email environment evolves. DMARC works when enforcement is approached methodically – discovering all senders, sequencing changes safely, and monitoring for issues before they impact your customers.

The provider you choose should offer a predictable, transparent path to enforcement. That means no hidden onboarding fees, no surprise charges for support, and no unclear limitations that slow your progress. Consistency matters, especially if you manage multiple domains, rely on several third-party platforms, or support different teams that send email across your business.

Just as important are the people behind the platform. DMARC enforcement requires expertise, quick responses, and clear guidance when something changes – whether a new tool starts sending email, a DNS record is updated, or a critical system fails alignment. A knowledgeable team helps you interpret what the data means, make safe adjustments, and prevent avoidable breakage.

DMARC alternatives might offer temporary layers of security, but the provider you choose determines whether you reach durable, policy-backed protection. A clear process, transparent pricing, and a team you can trust are what make DMARC work at scale.

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