Is BIMI Free to Implement?

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a free, open standard, and creating the required DNS records costs nothing. However, to display your logo in most major inboxes—especially Gmail and Apple Mail—you typically need a paid certificate to verify your brand.

Understanding the Costs of BIMI

• Publishing the BIMI DNS record and hosting your logo is free.

• Verified Mark Certificate (VMC): Required by Gmail and Apple Mail to display your logo.

  • Confirms trademark ownership

  • Typically costs $1,000–$2,000+ per year, depending on the provider and verification process.

• Common Mark Certificate (CMC): A newer, lower-cost alternative for organizations without a registered trademark.

  • Still involves a fee

  • Supported by a more limited set of mailbox providers

Free vs. Paid BIMI Support

• Free/self-certified BIMI: Works with some providers like Yahoo and Fastmail, but has limited inbox support.

• BIMI with VMC: Required for broad support across major inboxes, including Gmail and Apple.

While BIMI itself is free, most organizations will need a VMC (or CMC) to get consistent logo display across major email clients.