Delivery
Did the receiving system accept the message?
SEED-LIST EMAIL TESTING
Inbox Placement Test: See Where Your Emails Land
Run a seed-list email deliverability test from your usual sending platform. Send your message to the supplied seed addresses, then review where it was observed—in an inbox folder, in spam, or not yet observed.
Check placement before an important campaign and compare results after changes to your message or sending setup.
Test through the platform you already use
PLACEMENT REPORTIllustrative exampleTEST SUMMARY
Inbox Placement Report
Inbox
Spam
Not observed
Seed mailboxObserved placement
Mailbox AInbox
Mailbox BSpam
Mailbox CNot observed
Results reflect the tested seed mailboxes.
A clearer view of what happened after send.
FIRST, THE DISTINCTION
What is an inbox placement test?
An inbox placement test checks where a message is observed in a controlled set of seed mailboxes. It helps you assess inbox and spam placement for the message and sending setup you tested.
InboxPlacement.io gives you a test token and seed-address list. Send through your usual email platform, then review the recorded mailbox and folder results.
A sending platform may report that a receiving server accepted your message. That does not tell you which folder received it.
Placement
Was the message observed in an inbox folder or a spam folder?
Diagnosis
What authentication, content, or sending-infrastructure findings deserve further investigation?
Inbox placement measures observed folder results. A diagnostic score summarizes checks. They answer different questions.
Your sending platformMessage sent
accepted for delivery
Receiving mailboxFolder decision
✓Inbox
Spam
A PRACTICAL FOUR-STEP FLOW
How to run an inbox placement test
Use the sending account, message, and platform you want to evaluate. Follow the instructions provided for your test.
Create your test
Start an Inbox Placement Test in your dashboard to receive a unique test token and the seed-address list.
Prepare and send your message
Add the token to your message as instructed. Send the test through your usual email platform to the supplied seed addresses.
Review observed placement
Open the report to see the recorded mailbox and folder results. Identify inbox placements, spam placements, and messages that were not observed.
Make a change and test again
Investigate the findings, adjust your setup or message, and run another test. Comparing results can help you assess whether a change affected placement in the tested mailboxes.
01
Create a test
Receive your unique token and seed list.
02
Add token + send
Send from your usual platform to the seeds.
03
Review the report
Read observed mailbox and folder results.
04
Retest after changes
Compare another test after you adjust.
READ THE EVIDENCE
Understand your inbox placement results
A summary helps you orient yourself. Mailbox-level results help you understand where the differences occurred.
Mailbox-level placement
Review the folder in which each received seed message was observed.
Differences across tested mailboxes
Identify whether an issue appears across several mailboxes or is concentrated in part of the seed list.
Related diagnostic findings
Use the report’s available authentication, content, domain, and sending-infrastructure findings to guide your investigation.
A starting point for your next test
Use the findings to decide what to investigate and what to change before testing again.
Illustrative example
See What Our Test Reveals
Inbox Placement
94/100
EXCELLENT DELIVERABILITY
Your emails are performing excellently across all major providers. Keep maintaining best practices.
Improvement Tips
Maintain List Hygiene
Continue removing inactive subscribers regularly to preserve your sender reputation.
Monitor DMARC Reports
Review aggregate reports weekly to catch any unauthorized senders early.
Review Content Regularly
Run periodic spam tests as you update email templates to stay at peak performance.
Inbox Placement Analysis
Distribution of placement across global mailbox providers.
Inbox 94% Spam 6% Other 0% Unknown 0%
Delivery Rate
100%
Optimal
Inbox Rate
94%
Excellent
Spam Rate
6%
Optimal
BEFORE THE SEND
Test email deliverability before an important campaign
Before a launch, promotion, newsletter, or outreach campaign, test the message through the sending account and platform you intend to use.
Check before sending
Review observed seed-mailbox placement before sending to your audience.
Find placement differences
See whether the recorded results differ between the tested mailboxes.
Investigate the findings
Review available diagnostic information alongside your sending platform’s delivery data.
Retest after changes
Run another test after adjusting your message or sending setup. Keep other conditions similar where practical to make the comparison more useful.
WHAT THE TEST CAN TELL YOU
Seed-list coverage and testing limitations
A seed test measures the mailboxes included in that test. It provides evidence about your test message’s observed placement, rather than a guarantee for every recipient in your audience.
Placement can differ because of recipient engagement, mailbox settings, filtering decisions, message content, and sending conditions.
- Review the seed list supplied with your test to see its mailbox coverage.
- Mailbox counts and provider counts describe different things.
- A message that has not been observed should not automatically be treated as spam.
- Compare test results with your campaign metrics and other available diagnostics.
- Where the report provides inbox tabs or specific folder names, review those labels alongside the summary.
Illustrative mailbox grid—not coverage counts
PLANS FOR YOUR TESTING
Inbox placement testing plans
Inbox Placement Test is available on Starter and Pro.
Starter
US$9.99/month
Includes 3 inbox placement test credits.
View Starter DetailsPro
US$29.99/month
Includes 10 inbox placement test credits, plus access to additional diagnostic tools.
View Pro DetailsSee the pricing page for full plan inclusions and credit terms.
GOOD QUESTIONS
Inbox placement testing FAQs
Clear answers about the test, the report, and what seed-mailbox evidence can—and cannot—tell you.
01What is an inbox placement test?
An inbox placement test sends a message to a controlled seed list and records where it is observed in those mailboxes. It helps you assess inbox and spam placement for the tested message and sending setup.
02How do I run a test with InboxPlacement.io?
Create a test in your dashboard, add the provided token to your message as instructed, and send it from your normal sending platform to the supplied seed addresses. Then open the report to review the observed results.
03How can I check whether my emails land in spam?
Send a test message to the supplied seed list through the platform you normally use. Review the recorded folder results to see whether the message was observed in an inbox or spam folder. Results describe those seed mailboxes rather than every recipient in your audience.
04Is an email deliverability test the same as an inbox placement test?
“Email deliverability test” is a broader term that can include authentication, infrastructure, content, and placement checks. An inbox placement test specifically records where a message is observed in seed mailboxes.
05Is this the same as Email Spam Test?
No. Inbox Placement Test measures observed placement in seed mailboxes. Email Spam Test examines message authentication, content, headers, and other diagnostic signals. The tools provide complementary information.
06Which mailboxes are included?
Review the seed list supplied with your test for its mailbox coverage. The number of seed mailboxes is different from the number of mailbox providers.
07Can I test from my existing email platform?
Send the test through the platform or sending account you want to evaluate, provided it can send to the supplied seed addresses and include the required token. Follow your platform’s sending rules.
08Does a successful test guarantee inbox delivery?
No. The results describe the tested seed mailboxes. Your audience’s placement may differ because of recipient behavior, mailbox settings, filtering, and sending conditions.
09What does “not observed” mean?
It means the test has not recorded the message in that seed mailbox. It is not, by itself, confirmation that the message landed in spam. Review the test status and the sending platform’s delivery information.
10How do I test inbox placement before a campaign?
Create a test, add the supplied token as instructed, and send your campaign message to the provided seed addresses through your intended sending account. Review placement and available diagnostic findings before deciding what to investigate or change.
11Can I test again after making changes?
Yes. Run another test after making changes and compare the recorded results. Use the same sending conditions where practical so the comparison is useful.
12How much does it cost?
Starter is US$9.99/month with 3 inbox placement test credits. Pro is US$29.99/month with 10 inbox placement test credits. Visit the pricing page for current plan details and credit terms. See plan details.
BEFORE YOUR NEXT SEND
Know where your next test email lands
Send through your usual platform, review observed seed-mailbox placement, and use the findings to guide your next change.