SPF Checker
Parse and validate a domain's SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record.
About the SPF Checker
The SPF Checker looks up and parses the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record for any domain, showing every mechanism (include, ip4, ip6, a, mx, ptr, exists), every qualifier (+, -, ~, ?) and the final all-policy. It also counts the total number of DNS lookups the record consumes, which is critical because SPF is capped at 10 DNS lookups per RFC 7208 — exceed the limit and receivers must return `permerror`, effectively ignoring your record.
Anyone responsible for email deliverability — DevOps, IT admins, security engineers, marketing operators — needs SPF configured correctly. SPF tells receiving mail servers which IPs are authorized to send mail using your domain in the envelope-from address. A missing or broken SPF record is the number-one reason legitimate mail lands in spam, and a too-loose SPF (+all, or missing -all) invites spoofing.
Use this tool to validate SPF before switching ESPs, adding a new transactional mail provider, or auditing a domain acquired through M&A. Pair it with the DKIM Checker and DMARC Checker for a full outbound authentication audit, and read our SPF guide for a step-by-step rollout that avoids breaking legitimate mail.
How to use this tool
- 1Enter the required value in the input field above (domain, IP, URL, or text depending on the tool).
- 2Click the action button to run the check — results are computed instantly from our edge network.
- 3Review the parsed output, key fields and any warnings shown in the result card.
- 4Copy the result, share the page URL, or jump to a related tool from the sidebar to continue debugging.
Key features
- Full mechanism-by-mechanism breakdown
- Counts DNS lookups against the 10-lookup limit
- Flags common mistakes (multiple SPF records, +all, missing -all)
- Standards-based parsing per RFC 7208