Email marketing can bring you $42 for every dollar you spend. The catch? AWS SES Sandbox Mode restricts new users to 200 emails daily with a limit of 1 email per second.

AWS uses these sandbox restrictions to protect against fraud and spam. The biggest problem comes for businesses that need to launch legitimate email campaigns right away. Your reach stays limited because you can only send emails to verified addresses while in sandbox mode.

The good news is you can move from sandbox to production status. This upgrade lets you send up to 50,000 messages daily at 14 messages per second. You’ll need to verify your email or domain first. Then submit a detailed use case and explain your plan to handle bounces and complaints.

CampaignHQ makes the AWS SES setup process simple. We help you create a strong production access request that usually gets approved in 1-2 business days. Our system will give a reliable way to keep your sender reputation strong after approval.

What is the SES sandbox?

AWS SES sandbox works as a protective testing environment for all new Simple Email Service users. Standard production accounts differ from sandbox accounts that come with strict restrictions to stop email abuse and misuse.

AWS automatically puts your SES account in sandbox mode right after creation. This isn’t a penalty – it’s a security measure that protects AWS’s email reputation while you build a strong email setup.

Limitations of sandbox email sending

The sandbox environment sets several restrictions that affect how you can send emails:

Daily sending quota: You can send up to 200 emails every 24 hours. This limit stops mass mailing until you show valid use cases.

Sending rate: Your sending speed stays at 1 email per second. This control helps spread out email distribution instead of sending them all at once.

Recipient restrictions: The biggest limit is that you can only send emails to verified addresses and domains. Each recipient must:

• Be an email address you’ve verified through AWS
• Belong to a domain you’ve verified with specific DNS records
• Be the AWS SES mailbox simulator that helps you test

You’ll need to submit a production access request to remove these limits. This request should show why you need to send more emails. Meanwhile, the sandbox gives you a safe place to perfect your email strategy without risking anyone’s sender reputation.

How CampaignHQ Simplifies the SES Setup Process?

AWS SES account setup can eat up your time, especially with sandbox restrictions. CampaignHQ solves this by creating an optimized connection between your campaigns and AWS’s email infrastructure.

Automated SES AWS setup with CampaignHQ

CampaignHQ makes SES configuration simple through its connection interface. You can link your AWS SES account with CampaignHQ in just minutes instead of dealing with the multi-step AWS console process. This integration brings several key benefits:

• Complete setup in minutes with a user-friendly interface
• Your own AWS SES account runs without email limits
• Multiple domains help broaden your sending reputation

CampaignHQ takes care of all communication between its platform and your AWS infrastructure automatically. This creates a smooth bridge for your email campaigns.

Verifying sandbox domain and identities

Domain verification plays a crucial role in AWS SES setup. Sandbox accounts need extra attention since they only work with verified addresses and domains. CampaignHQ helps you through each step:

1. Email address verification to start sending
2. Domain verification using properly formatted TXT records
3. DKIM signature setup to boost deliverability

The platform directs you through verification requirements where sandbox accounts must verify all senders and recipients in the same AWS Region. CampaignHQ also helps create SPF records – the vital “v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all” DNS TXT record that lets email providers know which servers can send from your domain.

Using Terraform SES modules for faster deployment

Teams that use infrastructure as code will find CampaignHQ’s Terraform SES modules integration valuable. This approach brings major advantages:

• Domain verification happens automatically
• DKIM records configure without manual DNS entries
• SES setup stays version-controlled and reproducible
• Global campaigns get multi-regional deployment support

These modules handle the entire process from creating SES domain identities to setting up custom MAIL FROM domains. Complex console interactions become a straightforward, code-defined process that delivers consistent results every time.

Crafting a Strong Production Access Request

You need approval from the AWS Trust & Safety team to move from sandbox to production status. Your success depends on how you present your case. Here’s how to craft a request that AWS typically approves.

What AWS looks for in a use case

The AWS team reviews each production access request to protect their sender reputation. We assessed:

• Clear description of your business and email communication purpose
• Specific estimates of your daily and weekly email volumes
• Details about email content types (marketing vs. transactional)
• Website URL that matches your sending domain
• Previous denial reasons (if applicable)

Simple statements like “Please remove from sandbox” won’t work. AWS wants detailed information about your legitimate email practices.

How to describe your email list and opt-in process

AWS needs to know you follow email best practices:

1. Tell them exactly where your email addresses come from (web signups, purchases, etc.)
2. Show your verification process – double opt-in approaches work better
3. Add screenshots of your signup forms or checkout pages that show clear consent
4. Tell them about your list maintenance and how often you clean your lists

To cite an instance, saying “customers enter their email addresses during purchase” helps, but visual proof makes your case stronger.

Explaining bounce and complaint handling

This section is crucial to get approval. You must show:

• How you track bounces and complaints (preferably through SNS notifications)
• Your process to remove hard bounced addresses from your lists right away
• Your system to track and manage temporary bounces
• Your unsubscription handling procedure

Your use case might not need unsubscriptions, like one-time transaction emails. Still, explain how you’ll stop sending to addresses that bounce or complain.

Sample use case description that works

“Our company sends purchase confirmations to customers who buy products on our website. We’ll send approximately 100 emails daily to addresses collected during checkout with clear consent (screenshot attached). All recipients are paying customers who expect these communications.

We’ve configured SNS notifications for bounces and complaints. Any hard bounced address or complaint will be automatically removed from our sending list through our processing code. We anticipate a bounce rate below 2% as these are confirmed customer addresses.

Our emails contain order details and tracking information only, with no marketing content.”

What to Do After Approval

Congratulations! You’ve moved out of the AWS SES sandbox mode, but there’s still work to be done. You need to monitor your progress, scale up slowly, and keep your email sending reputation strong to succeed.

Monitoring your SES test sends

Getting production access means tracking becomes vital. AWS gives you several tools to check your sending performance:

• SES Console Dashboard – Shows account health, emails sent, and quota usage across your AWS account
• Reputation Metrics Page – Displays current bounce and complaint rates that affect your reputation
• CloudWatch Console – Monitors sends, deliveries, opens, clicks, bounces, and complaint rates

You should set up event publishing to track sending events in detail. This lets you push email data to CloudWatch and create dashboards that show campaign performance. You should also configure SES to alert you right away when bounces or complaints happen, since these metrics affect your sender reputation.

Scaling email volume gradually

After getting approved, don’t rush to send at full capacity. Your account usually starts with a 50,000 emails per day limit. Email providers don’t trust new IP addresses that suddenly send large volumes.

Here’s how to warm up your sending:

1. Start with your most engaged users
2. Boost volume by 20-30% each week
3. Send about 1,000 emails daily to each major email provider

This steady approach helps you build trust with major email providers over 2-6 weeks.

Maintaining a healthy sender reputation

Your sender reputation can make or break email deliverability. AWS SES tracks metrics that might hurt your reputation. You must keep bounce rates under 5% and complaint rates below 0.1% to avoid AWS monitoring flags.

Focus on these key areas:

• Authenticate your domain with SPF and DKIM
• Use a double opt-in strategy for new subscribers
• Keep email lists clean by removing inactive recipients
• Remove addresses that bounce or complain quickly

Note that sending quotas count recipients, not messages. An email to 10 people counts as 10 against your quota. You can ask for higher quotas through AWS Support Center as your sending needs grow.

Conclusion

AWS SES Sandbox Mode creates big challenges for businesses ready to launch email campaigns. The process from restricted sending to full production access can be simple and quick. In this piece, we show you how to overcome these limitations with the right tools.

CampaignHQ proves to be a great way to get help during this experience. The platform improves AWS SES setup by a lot. It automates domain verification and helps create compelling production access requests. Most requests receive approval within 1-2 business days. This partnership saves hours of technical work and boosts your approval chances.

Your focus needs to change to reputation management after getting production access. You can ensure long-term success by scaling email volume gradually and tracking performance metrics. Note that you need constant alertness to keep a healthy sender reputation, not just a one-time setup.

FAQs

Q1. What are the limitations of AWS SES sandbox mode?

In sandbox mode, you can only send 200 emails per 24-hour period at a rate of 1 email per second. Additionally, you can only send to verified email addresses or domains.

Q2. How can I move my AWS SES account out of sandbox mode?

To move out of sandbox mode, you need to submit a production access request to AWS. This involves describing your use case, explaining your email practices, and demonstrating compliance with AWS policies.

Q3. What should I include in my AWS SES production access request?

Your request should include details about your business, email sending purpose, estimated daily volume, content types, website URL, and how you’ll handle bounces and complaints. Be specific and comprehensive in your description.

Q4. How long does it take to get AWS SES production access approved?

Typically, AWS reviews and responds to production access requests within 1-2 business days. However, the exact time can vary based on the completeness of your request and current AWS workload.

Q5. What should I do after getting AWS SES production access?

After approval, gradually increase your email volume, closely monitor your sending metrics, and maintain a healthy sender reputation. Start by sending to your most engaged users and aim to keep bounce rates below 5% and complaint rates below 0.1%.