SPF
SPF Record Checker
Enter a domain. We pull its SPF record from DNS, count lookups against the 10-lookup limit, name the services authorised to send, and flag the common ways an SPF record breaks.
New to SPF? Read What is SPF in the Email Almanac.
How this tool works
What the checker is actually doing
An SPF record is a single TXT record on your root domain that starts withv=spf1. It is a list of who is allowed to send mail using your domain. The checker queries DNS for that record, then walks everyinclude:,a,mx, andredirect=mechanism to count how many DNS lookups your record actually triggers during evaluation. RFC 7208 caps that count at 10. Anything above 10 returns permerror, and most receivers treat permerror as a failure regardless of the sending IP.
Lookups run on our server through Node's DNS resolver, so the result does not depend on your laptop's resolver or a captive portal. The checker also flags the qualifier onall(the-all,~all, or+allat the end), names every well-known sender it can identify from the includes, and flags duplicate records when there is more than onev=spf1TXT on the domain.
When to use it
Reach for it in these moments
If a campaign suddenly bounces with an SPF permerror or temperror, the checker tells you which mechanism pushed you over the lookup limit so you know what to flatten or remove. If you have added a new sending service (a CRM, a support desk, a transactional ESP), it confirms the service's include is actually in your record and not shadowed by another mechanism.
It is also useful when you are auditing a vendor or a domain you just acquired. A loose+allor a missing record on a brand asset is a fast signal that spoofing risk is wide open. Run the checker before you write the DMARC policy, because DMARC alignment only works when SPF is publishing a clean answer in the first place.
Email Almanac
Related questions to read next
The checker tells you what your record looks like. The Almanac explains why each mechanism behaves the way it does so the next change you make sticks.
Want a full deliverability audit?
SPF is one signal. We read every signal that affects whether your mail reaches the inbox and hand you a plain-English report.
Try it deeper with RME