Running a Mail Server Is Cool. Until SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and blocklists remind you what it really costs.

I want to back up my opinion with some context. Well over a decade ago, I fondly remember setting up Exim4 mail servers and sending hundreds of thousands of transactional emails daily. Since then, I’ve spent several years working full-time with email systems and infrastructure. Even with that experience, I still consider myself a rookie. In both cases, one thing was clear: setting up the infrastructure is a fun and rewarding exercise, but deliverability and inbox placement are a grind.

You’re constantly just one noisy neighbor away from having part of your system blacklisted, and every receiving email platform enforces its own set of rules and policies. On top of that, many people treat the “mark as spam” button like an unsubscribe feature, just as one example. I could list every way running an email platform drains the fun out of what was once an enjoyable infrastructure project, but that would be a tome in itself.

The point is, whether you’re self hosting email for a single user or managing millions of inboxes, ensuring that every message actually arrives at its destination is a 24/7 job. I don’t know anyone who would call this a hobby.

And this is why I use an email provider like FastMail. Their onboarding is smooth and straightforward, requiring only a few DNS records to get SPF, DKIM, and DMARC fully validated. They provide reliable email infrastructure and handle all the maintenance and support, making email virtually hassle free. All of this and much more comes at a modest, reasonable sum.

Conclusion

Email deliverability is complex because it’s governed by evolving algorithms, authentication protocols, reputation systems, and provider specific rules. A service like FastMail can simplify all of this by offering dedicated infrastructure, automated best practices, monitoring, and support designed to maximize inbox placement.