What this tool actually does
Plenty of “email checkers” only look at the spelling of an address. That catches
typos like gamil.com, but it can't tell you the one thing you came here to
find out: will mail to this address actually arrive? To check if an
email is valid, you have to ask the server that owns the mailbox. That's what this tool
does.
- Syntax. The address is parsed against the rules of RFC 5322. Bad format → instant answer, no server contact needed.
- DNS / MX. We look up the domain's MX records to find the servers that accept its mail. A domain with no mail servers can't receive anything.
- Live SMTP handshake. We connect to the real mail server and ask, in its own protocol, whether the exact mailbox exists — then disconnect before any message is sent. The owner never knows a check happened.
- Catch-all resolution. Some domains claim to accept every address. Where most tools give up and say “risky”, we run provider-level identity checks on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace domains to resolve whether the specific mailbox is real.
Reading your result
- Deliverable
- The mailbox exists and is accepting mail. Safe to send.
- Undeliverable
- The server says this mailbox doesn't exist. Mail would hard-bounce — don't send.
- Risky
- Mail is accepted, with caveats — a catch-all domain, disposable address, or role account such as info@. It may work, but bounce odds are higher.
- Unknown
- The server refused to give a definitive answer (greylisting, strict firewalls). Unknown results are never charged.
Each result also carries flags — catch-all, disposable, role-based, free provider — and the detected mail provider, so you know why an address was scored the way it was.
Why bother checking?
Every email you send to a dead address bounces, and mailbox providers keep score. Senders whose bounce rate creeps past 2% start landing in spam; past 5%, the damage compounds and entire domains get throttled or blocklisted. One quick check before you hit send — or a bulk clean before a campaign — keeps your good mail out of the spam folder. If you have a whole list to clean, the same engine powers our bulk verifier (CSV in, clean CSV out) and a REST API with simple key auth for checking addresses at the point of signup.
Pricing
One credit = one verification. 100 free credits when you create an account — no card required. Unknown results are never charged on single checks and refunded automatically on bulk jobs. Credits never expire.
| Plan | Credits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 | $0 — no card |
| Starter | 1,000 | $10 |
| Growth most popular | 5,000 | $40 |
| Pro | 10,000 | $70 |
| Scale | 50,000 | $300 |
| Enterprise | 100,000 | $500 |
FAQ
How do you check if an email is valid?
Three layers: we validate the syntax, look up the domain's MX records to find its mail servers, then open a live SMTP handshake and ask the server whether the exact mailbox exists. No message is ever sent and the owner is never notified.
Why does the check sometimes take 30 seconds?
Because it's a real conversation with the recipient's mail server, not a database lookup. Some servers respond instantly; others greylist, throttle or deliberately answer slowly. A slow answer is still a real answer.
What's the difference between invalid and risky?
Invalid (undeliverable) means the server told us the mailbox doesn't exist — mail would bounce. Risky means the address accepts mail but with caveats: a catch-all domain, a disposable address, or a role account like info@. Risky addresses may work, but they bounce or go unread more often.
Is this email checker free?
Yes — 5 checks a day on this page, no signup. A free account adds 100 credits (no card required) and unlocks bulk CSV checking and the API. Paid packs start at $10 for 1,000 checks.
Do you send an email to the address being checked?
No. The SMTP conversation stops before any message is transmitted. The mailbox owner receives nothing and sees nothing.