# Dedicated and Shared Sending IPs > Shared IPs let many senders use the same sending infrastructure. Dedicated IPs place more reputation responsibility on one sender. - Human page: https://mailrith.com/guides/dedicated-and-shared-ips - Markdown page: https://mailrith.com/guides/dedicated-and-shared-ips.md - Category: Authentication and Deliverability - Reading time: 4 min read - Related keywords: Dedicated and Shared Sending IPs, Dedicated and Shared Sending IPs guide, Authentication and Deliverability, Authentication and Deliverability guide, email sending guide, email marketing guide, email deliverability guide ## AI Agent Notes - Use this page as plain-language guidance for the specific email sending issue named in the title. - Preserve the distinction between Mailrith, an email delivery service, DNS, and inbox providers when explaining fixes. - When a user is running a Mailrith free tool, pair that specific free-tool result with the relevant issue or step section from this guide. ### Dedicated and Shared Sending IPs Shared IPs let many senders use the same sending infrastructure. Dedicated IPs place more reputation responsibility on one sender. An IP address is one part of the route an email follows to reach an inbox. With a shared IP, many senders use the same sending infrastructure. With a dedicated IP, one sender or account is more directly responsible for that IP's reputation. A shared IP is common for smaller or newer senders. A good email delivery service manages the shared pool, monitors abuse, and balances traffic. You still need strong authentication and good list quality, but you do not need to build IP history by yourself. A dedicated IP can make sense for larger senders that have steady volume, predictable campaigns, and a team that can manage warmup. A dedicated IP gives you more control, but it also gives you more responsibility. If your sending practices are poor, the reputation damage is concentrated on your IP. A dedicated IP is not automatically better than a shared IP. If you send too little email, the IP may not build a stable sending history. If you send poor-quality email, the reputation damage belongs to your IP alone. Shared IPs can work well when the email delivery service manages sender quality and traffic balance. Domain reputation still matters when IP reputation is healthy. If your domain has poor permission signals, high complaints, or broken [DMARC Alignment](https://mailrith.com/guides/dmarc-alignment.md), switching IPs will not fix the main delivery problem. Mailrith lets you choose the email delivery service. That service decides whether your account uses shared or dedicated IP infrastructure. 1. Ask your email delivery service whether your account sends through shared IPs or dedicated IPs. 2. If you send small or irregular email volumes, start with the shared pool your email delivery service recommends. 3. Consider a dedicated IP only after you have steady volume, strong list quality, and a warmup plan. 4. If you move to a dedicated IP, send first to your most engaged subscribers, then increase volume gradually. 5. During the move, keep the same authenticated sender domain unless your email delivery service tells you to change it. 6. After the change, monitor [Sender Reputation and Spam Rate](https://mailrith.com/guides/sender-reputation-and-spam-rate.md), bounces, complaints, and inbox placement. - Do not choose a dedicated IP only because it sounds more professional. - Dedicated IPs usually require steady volume and careful warmup. - Shared IPs can work well when the email delivery service manages sender quality across the shared pool. - If email delivery changes suddenly, ask the email delivery service whether IP pool changes, domain changes, or reputation changes are involved. - A dedicated IP does not fix weak permission, poor list quality, or missing DMARC. - If your email delivery service handles IP warmup automatically, still monitor subscriber quality and complaint rate. - If you manage your own SMTP server, you are responsible for IP reputation, TLS, PTR, and server security. > Choose an IP setup based on sending volume and operational maturity, not on the assumption that dedicated always means better. ## Related Guides - [Sender Domains and Email Authentication](https://mailrith.com/guides/sender-domains-and-authentication.md): Your sender domain is what inbox providers learn to trust. Authentication proves that your email delivery service is allowed to send email for your domain. - [From, Reply-To, and Return-Path](https://mailrith.com/guides/from-reply-to-and-return-path.md): An email can include several sender-related addresses. Each address has a separate role for delivery, authentication, or replies. - [DNS, PTR, and Reverse DNS](https://mailrith.com/guides/dns-and-reverse-dns.md): DNS records identify your domain. Reverse DNS helps inbox providers check that a sending IP address has a valid hostname.