Pricing a BIMI certificate looks simple until you notice that one seller’s „per year” is another’s three-year rate. Below are VMC and CMC prices by issuer and term, plus the trademark, DMARC and logo costs on top. SSL Dragon sells DigiCert VMCs and CMCs, so our prices sit next to issuers and resellers we don’t sell.
Short answer: BIMI certificate cost
- A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) costs $900–$1,608 for one year, depending on the issuer and the seller. On a three-year term, prices start at $780/yr.
- A Common Mark Certificate (CMC) costs $750–$1,100 for one year, and from $650/yr on a three-year term.
- At SSL Dragon, a DigiCert VMC is $1,249 for one year, or $1,049/yr on a three-year term ($3,147 total). A DigiCert CMC is $949, or $799/yr on three years ($2,397 total).
- A VMC also needs a registered trademark, and a USPTO filing starts at $350 per class. Both certificates need DMARC at enforcement and a logo in SVG Tiny P/S format.
Table of Contents
- VMC and CMC Prices by Issuer and Term
- Who Can Issue a BIMI Certificate
- VMC vs CMC: What the Extra Money Buys
- What BIMI Costs on Top of the Certificate
- Four Budget Scenarios
- Cost per Logo and per Domain
- Can a VMC Expire?
- Where to Find a Cheaper VMC
- Can You Get a BIMI Certificate for Free?
- Buying Direct or From a Reseller
- Is a BIMI Certificate Worth the Cost?
VMC and CMC Prices by Issuer and Term
VMC certificate prices depend on who issues the certificate, who sells it and how many years you buy. The tables keep one-year prices apart from multi-year rates, so you can compare like with like.
Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) prices
| Issuer | Seller | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | Extra domain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigiCert | SSL Dragon | $1,249 | $1,199/yr ($2,398 total) | $1,049/yr ($3,147 total) | Not listed |
| DigiCert | Other DigiCert resellers (2 checked) | $1,350–$1,608 | $1,300–$1,527.60/yr | $1,200–$1,474/yr | Not checked |
| GlobalSign | GlobalSign direct | $1,450 | Not listed | Not listed | +$1,160 per extra domain |
| SSL.com | SSL.com direct | $1,500 | $1,350/yr ($2,700 total) | $1,275/yr ($3,825 total) | Another VMC per sending domain |
| GlobalSign | Resellers of GlobalSign-chain VMCs | $900 | $840/yr | $780/yr | Not checked |
Common Mark Certificate (CMC) prices
| Issuer | Seller | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | Extra domain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigiCert | SSL Dragon | $949 | $889/yr ($1,778 total) | $799/yr ($2,397 total) | Not listed |
| DigiCert | Another DigiCert reseller | $1,100 | $1,050/yr | $950/yr | Not checked |
| GlobalSign | GlobalSign direct | $1,035 | Not listed | Not listed | +$828 per extra domain |
| SSL.com | SSL.com direct | Quote on request | Quote on request | Quote on request | Not listed |
| GlobalSign | Reseller of GlobalSign-chain CMCs | $750 | $705/yr | $650/yr | Not checked |
Read any „per year” figure with care. Our $1,049/yr VMC price is a three-year rate, billed as $3,147 for the term; the one-year price for the same certificate is $1,249. Some price lists online quote three-year rates as if they were annual prices.
Our DigiCert prices were below the other DigiCert resellers we checked, at every term. They aren’t the lowest VMC prices overall: resellers of GlobalSign-chain VMCs list $780–$900/yr. That’s a certificate from a different issuer, which is why the next section matters.
Who Can Issue a BIMI Certificate
Three companies are on the BIMI Group’s list of Mark Verifying Authorities: DigiCert, GlobalSign and SSL.com. A Mark Verifying Authority is a Certificate Authority (CA) that meets the BIMI Group’s requirements for issuing mark certificates.
The mailbox provider still decides what it trusts. Apple’s BIMI page says the provider must verify a BIMI evidence document, „for example, a VMC trusted by the mail provider”, before Apple Mail shows the logo.
Entrust no longer issues VMCs. Sectigo bought Entrust’s public certificate business in a deal announced January 29, 2025, yet at least one reseller still lists an Entrust VMC for sale.
Before you compare two quotes, check:
- Which CA issues the certificate.
- Whether that CA is on the BIMI Group list on the day you buy.
- Whether Gmail and Apple Mail, the two big providers that require a certificate, display it.
VMC vs CMC: What the Extra Money Buys
At SSL Dragon, a VMC costs $300 more than a CMC for one year, or $250/yr more on a three-year term. The extra buys the blue checkmark next to your sender name in Gmail. It also comes with a stricter requirement: a registered trademark.
A VMC needs a logo registered as a trademark, or a government mark. A CMC needs no trademark, but the logo must have been in documented use for at least 12 months. Gmail accepts either certificate and shows the checkmark only for VMC senders, according to Google Workspace help.
Apple Mail is less clear. Apple’s BIMI page names VMCs and „other forms of BIMI Evidence Documents”, but it doesn’t mention CMCs by name.
Our recommendation: if your logo is registered and Gmail users make up a large share of your list, buy the VMC. If it isn’t registered, a CMC gets your logo into Gmail now, and you can move to a VMC after the trademark registers. For the basics of both certificates, read what a VMC is and how it works.
What BIMI Costs on Top of the Certificate
BIMI itself is free. It’s a DNS record plus a logo file and the certificate file on your own HTTPS web server. The certificate is the main bill, and three prerequisites can add to it.
| Cost | What you pay | When it costs $0 |
|---|---|---|
| Trademark (VMC only) | USPTO: $350 per class. +$200 per class if you write your own description instead of using the ID Manual. +$150 per class for the statement of use on an intent-to-use filing | Your logo is already registered |
| DMARC at enforcement | Staff time, or a paid monitoring tool if many services send mail for you | You reach p=quarantine or p=reject using free aggregate reports |
| SVG Tiny P/S logo | Design time, or a designer’s fee | You convert the logo in-house with a free tool |
| Logo and certificate hosting | Nothing extra on an existing HTTPS site | Almost always |
| Renewal | The certificate price every year. USPTO trademark renewal: $650 per class at the 10-year mark | n/a |
Trademark fees are from the USPTO fee schedule. Issuers accept trademarks from a set of offices, such as the USPTO, EUIPO and UKIPO, and each office charges its own fees.
The trademark also costs time. In the first half of fiscal year 2026, the USPTO averaged 4.45 months to a first action and 10.03 months to finish an application, according to the USPTO.
DMARC has a strict rule. Gmail needs your policy set to p=quarantine or p=reject, with pct=100; a p=none policy doesn’t qualify (Google Workspace help).
Four Budget Scenarios
The certificate prices below are SSL Dragon’s DigiCert prices. They assume DMARC, the SVG logo and hosting are done in-house at no extra cost.
| Scenario | What you buy | First-year cost | Three-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Registered trademark, DMARC already at enforcement | One VMC | $1,249 | $3,147 |
| B. No trademark, logo in use for 12+ months | One CMC | $949 | $2,397 |
| C. No trademark, but you want the Gmail checkmark | A USPTO filing in one class, a CMC while you wait, then a VMC | $1,299 ($350 + $949), plus attorney fees if you use one | Depends on when the VMC replaces the CMC |
| D. Two logos | Two VMCs | $2,498 | $6,294 |
Scenario C is the slow one. With the USPTO averaging about 10 months to process an application, the VMC usually arrives in year two, and the CMC covers the gap.
Cost per Logo and per Domain
One certificate covers one logo, so two logos mean two certificates. Extra sending domains are where issuers differ. GlobalSign charges per extra domain, and SSL.com requires a separate VMC for each sending domain. For DigiCert certificates, it depends on the seller.
| Issuer | What one certificate covers | Extra domains |
|---|---|---|
| DigiCert | One logo | Depends on the seller; ask before you buy |
| GlobalSign | One logo on one domain | +$1,160 per extra domain (VMC), +$828 per extra domain (CMC) |
| SSL.com | One sending domain | Buy another VMC |
If you run several brands, count logos and sending domains before you compare quotes. The number of certificates often matters more than the price of one.
Can a VMC Expire?
Yes. A VMC or CMC is valid for at most 397 days, so it’s reissued at least once a year, even on a two- or three-year subscription. A multi-year term locks the price; it doesn’t give you a single certificate that lasts three years.
Gmail needs a VMC or CMC to show your logo, so plan the reissue before the current certificate’s end date. Allow for validation time: our estimate for a new order is 7–14 days for a VMC and 5–10 days for a CMC.
Where to Find a Cheaper VMC
The lowest VMC list prices we found were from resellers of GlobalSign-chain certificates: $900 for one year, or $780/yr on a three-year term. One reseller advertises VMCs „from $749/yr” without tying that price to a specific issuer or term. For a DigiCert VMC, our prices were below the other DigiCert resellers we checked.
Ways to pay less without getting less:
- Pick the term on purpose. A three-year DigiCert VMC at SSL Dragon costs $3,147, against $3,747 for three separate one-year terms at the one-year price.
- Buy a CMC if you don’t need the checkmark. It’s $300 less for one year.
- Use one logo where you can. Each extra logo is another certificate.
- File your trademark with ID Manual descriptions. Writing your own adds $200 per class at the USPTO.
- Reach DMARC enforcement with free aggregate reports before you pay for a monitoring tool.
- Compare quotes for the same issuer. A GlobalSign-chain VMC and a DigiCert VMC are different products.
Can You Get a BIMI Certificate for Free?
No. There’s no free VMC or CMC: the issuer validates every one by hand, checking your organization, your logo and, for a VMC, your trademark. At DigiCert, that includes a video call or notarized ID. That work is what the price pays for.
The BIMI record itself is free. Yahoo doesn’t currently require a VMC to show logos in its apps. It shows them for bulk mail with DMARC at enforcement and enough sender reputation and engagement (Yahoo Sender Hub). Gmail does: it needs a VMC or CMC.
Buying Direct or From a Reseller
The certificate is the same either way. The CA validates your organization and issues it. What changes is the price, the terms on offer and who you deal with.
| From the issuer | From a reseller such as SSL Dragon | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Issued by the CA | The same certificate, issued by the CA |
| Validation | Done by the CA | Done by the CA |
| Price | The issuer’s list price | Set by the reseller |
| Terms | Set by the issuer | 1, 2 or 3 years for DigiCert VMCs and CMCs at SSL Dragon |
| Support | The issuer’s support team | The reseller’s support team |
| Refunds | The issuer’s policy | SSL Dragon: 25-day money-back guarantee |
Is a BIMI Certificate Worth the Cost?
It is when the groundwork is done and your recipients use mailboxes that show the logo. Use this check before you buy.
Wait If
- Your DMARC policy is still p=none. No certificate will show a logo until it’s quarantine or reject.
- Most of your recipients use providers that don’t show BIMI logos. Check the domain breakdown in your email platform’s reports.
- You need the Gmail checkmark but have no trademark and no plan to file one.
- You send little email. Yahoo, for one, shows logos only for senders with enough reputation and engagement.
Buy Now If
- Your logo is registered, or has been in documented use for 12+ months.
- DMARC is at quarantine or reject for all of your mail.
- Gmail, Yahoo or Apple Mail users make up a large share of your list.
Get a DigiCert VMC or CMC
VMC: $1,249 for one year, or $3,147 for three years. CMC: $949 for one year, or $2,397 for three years. Both come with our 25-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ
A VMC certificate costs $900–$1,608 for one year, depending on the issuer and seller, and from $780/yr on a three-year term. At SSL Dragon, a DigiCert VMC is $1,249 for one year or $3,147 for three years. A registered trademark is an extra cost.
The lowest list prices we found were GlobalSign-chain VMCs from resellers: $900 for one year, or $780/yr over three years. Check which CA issues any low-priced VMC before you buy. For a DigiCert VMC, SSL Dragon’s three-year price works out to $1,049/yr.
A CMC costs $750–$1,100 for one year, and from $650/yr on a three-year term. At SSL Dragon, a DigiCert CMC is $949 for one year or $2,397 for three years. It needs no trademark, but you don’t get the Gmail checkmark.
A CMC on a multi-year term. The lowest CMC price we found was $650/yr on a three-year term, from a reseller of GlobalSign-chain certificates. Instead of a registered trademark, a CMC needs at least 12 months of documented logo use.
No. The issuer validates every VMC and CMC by hand, checking your organization, your logo and, for a VMC, your trademark. The BIMI record itself is free, and Yahoo can show logos without a VMC, but Gmail requires a VMC or CMC.
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