TL;DR
Pre-warmed domains are always .info. Branded domains are always .com. Both come with Google Workspace inboxes.
Pre-warmed inboxes are usually ready within minutes and skip warmup. Branded inboxes take up to 72 hours to set up, then 14 days of warmup.
Both ramp up the same way after that, to 25 emails a day per inbox.
Pre-warmed is the default and what we recommend for most people. Choose branded if a domain that looks like your brand matters more to you than starting fast.
You choose once per Bundle. After setup starts, you can't switch that Bundle to the other option.
When you'd use this
Read this before you set up a Bundle's domains and inboxes, or if you're surprised your pre-warmed domains end in .info.
How the two options compare
Pre-warmed domains | Branded domains | |
Domain ending | .info | .com |
Inboxes | Google Workspace | Google Workspace |
Domain names | Assigned from our ready pool. You can pick from the available domains, but the names are not based on your brand. | Generated from your company domain, so they look like your brand. |
Ready to send | Usually within minutes (occasionally up to 72 hours) | Up to 72 hours to set up, then 14 days of warmup |
Warmup | Already done | 14 days, automatic |
Ramp-up | Same for both: 1 email a day, plus 4 each sending weekday, 25 a day on the 7th sending day | Same |
Availability | Limited stock, refilled every few days | Always available |
Branded inboxes take up to 72 hours to set up, then warm up for 14 days (about 2 to 3 weeks from signup). Pre-warmed inboxes skip warmup. After that, every inbox ramps up: it starts at 1 email a day and adds 4 on each weekday it sends in a live campaign (1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25), so it reaches 25 a day on its 7th sending day, about 9 calendar days.
Domains, DNS (SPF, DKIM and DMARC), Google Workspace inboxes and warmup are included in your Bundle either way. ListKit pays for the Google Workspace inboxes.
Which should I choose?
Pre-warmed if you want to start sending this week. Your prospects see your sender name and the email address. The .info ending is the trade-off. Our infrastructure partner hasn't seen .info hurt deliverability, and every pre-warmed customer sends from .info domains.
Branded if you want .com domains that look like your company and you can wait about 2 to 3 weeks before your first campaign.
Prefer to use inboxes you already own? You can connect them as well. See How do I connect my own inboxes to Email Engine?
Expected outcome
You know which option fits your timeline, and you can start setup. See What are pre-warmed inboxes, how do I set them up, and what if they're out of stock? or How do I set up new branded domains and inboxes for my Bundle?
FAQ
Is .info worse for deliverability?
Our infrastructure partner hasn't seen .info hurt deliverability, and every pre-warmed customer sends from .info domains. What decides your results is your list, your offer and your copy. Judge a campaign by its replies.
Can I get pre-warmed .com domains?
No. Pre-warmed domains are always .info. If you want .com, choose branded domains.
I already chose branded domains. Can I switch to pre-warmed?
Not on that Bundle. Pre-warmed is only offered when you set up a Bundle's domains. To use pre-warmed, add another Bundle and choose pre-warmed when you set it up. See How do I add more sending volume (another Bundle)?
Can I pick my own pre-warmed domain names?
You can choose from the pre-warmed domains that are available, or let ListKit auto-select them, but you can't request specific names. They aren't based on your company name. Prospects mostly see your sender name and the email address.
Can I log in to the inboxes ListKit gives me?
No. ListKit sets up and manages the Google Workspace inboxes it provides, so there's no password access. Replies from your leads come into Master Inbox, where you read and answer them.
Can I use Microsoft or Outlook inboxes?
The inboxes ListKit provides are always Google Workspace. You can connect Outlook or Microsoft 365 mailboxes you already own from the Inboxes page. See How do I connect my own inboxes to Email Engine?