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Live MX lookup via Cloudflare DoH (Google DoH fallback). Nothing stored or logged — completely passive check.
How it works
Free email checker — validate email address, detect free providers & verify deliverability
This free email checker runs three checks on any email address in sequence. First, it validates the syntax — confirming the address has the correct format with a local part, @ symbol, and a domain with at least one dot. Second, it checks the domain against a database of 50+ known free consumer email providers including Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, iCloud, ProtonMail, and regional providers worldwide. Third, it performs a live DNS MX record lookup via Cloudflare DNS over HTTPS to confirm the domain is actively configured to receive email.
For B2B sales, email marketing, and lead generation, the type of email domain is one of the strongest quality signals available before any engagement. A business domain address (name@company.com) indicates a professional context and real company affiliation. Free provider addresses score lower for B2B intent, and role-based addresses (info@, admin@, support@) carry additional risk — they are shared inboxes rarely associated with a single decision-maker and consistently produce lower open rates and higher complaint rates.
The lead quality score (0–100) combines all three signals into a single actionable number: 90 for a deliverable business personal address, 60 for a role-based business address, 40 for a free provider address, and 0 for any address without valid MX records. Use this score to prioritise outreach, segment email lists, or gate product features behind business email.
What this tool does
Syntax Validation
Checks that the email has a valid format: correct structure, no illegal characters, and a domain with a valid TLD. Catches obvious typos before the DNS lookup.
Free Provider Check
Matches the domain against 50+ known free consumer providers: Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, iCloud, ProtonMail, Fastmail, GMX, AOL, and many regional services.
Role-Based Detection
Identifies 30+ shared inbox prefixes: info, admin, support, sales, marketing, noreply, billing, hr, careers, legal, and more.
MX Record Lookup
Live DNS query confirms the domain has mail server records and can receive email. Catches invalid domains, expired domains, and typos at the domain level.
Lead Quality Score
Composite 0–100 score based on syntax, free provider status, role-based status, and MX validity — giving a single actionable quality signal.
Primary Mail Server
Shows the highest-priority MX record hostname, which often reveals which email platform the domain uses (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, etc.).
Examples
Email checker examples — how different addresses are classified
These examples show how the checker classifies different email address types and what each result means for your outreach or list quality.
| Email address | Verdict | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ceo@acmecorp.com | Business | 90/100 | Custom domain, personal address — highest lead quality |
| jane.smith@agency.io | Business | 90/100 | Business domain, personal name — ideal for outreach |
| info@company.com | Role-Based | 60/100 | Shared inbox — lower engagement expected |
| support@startup.co | Role-Based | 60/100 | Support alias — rarely a decision-maker |
| user@gmail.com | Free Provider | 40/100 | Gmail — valid but no B2B intent signal |
| alice@yahoo.com | Free Provider | 40/100 | Yahoo — free consumer provider |
| me@icloud.com | Free Provider | 40/100 | iCloud — Apple personal email |
| privacy@protonmail.com | Free Provider | 25/100 | Free provider + role prefix — lowest trusted score |
| user@notadomain.xyz | Invalid | 0/100 | No MX records — undeliverable |
| notanemail | Invalid | 0/100 | Fails syntax check — no @ symbol |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about email verification and validation
What is a free email checker?
A free email checker is a tool that validates an email address and classifies it by type — business domain, free provider (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook), or role-based inbox (info@, admin@). It also performs a live MX record lookup to confirm the domain can actually receive email, giving you a complete picture of address quality before you send. The checker combines provider type classification, role address detection, MX record verification, and disposable domain detection in a single request.
How does email validation work?
This tool runs three checks in sequence. First, it verifies the email syntax (correct format with @ and a valid domain). Second, it checks the domain against a database of 50+ known free email providers. Third, it performs a live DNS MX record lookup via Cloudflare DoH (with Google DoH as fallback) to confirm the domain is configured to receive email. The result is a verdict and a lead quality score from 0 to 100.
Why does it matter whether an email is free or business?
For B2B sales and marketing, free email providers are a strong signal of lower purchase intent. A professional using a company domain email (name@company.com) is far more likely to represent a real business decision-maker than someone using a personal Gmail or Yahoo address. Filtering free emails helps prioritise high-quality leads and improves campaign ROI. Business email addresses typically indicate higher purchase intent and engagement than free webmail addresses, making them more valuable for B2B outreach.
What is a role-based email address and why should I avoid it?
Role-based addresses like info@, admin@, support@, sales@, and noreply@ are shared inboxes not associated with a specific individual. They are often managed by multiple people, filtered by automation, or rarely monitored. Email marketing to role-based addresses consistently produces lower open rates, higher bounce rates, and more spam complaints — hurting your sender reputation. Filtering role addresses from your outreach list before sending is a simple way to improve open rates and reduce unsubscribe and complaint rates.
What does the MX record check tell me?
MX (Mail Exchanger) records are DNS entries that point to the mail server responsible for receiving email at a domain. If a domain has no MX records, it cannot receive email regardless of how well-formed the address looks. The MX check catches invalid domains, recently expired domains, typos, and temporary email domains that don't have real mail infrastructure. Addresses without MX records will always produce a hard bounce -- removing them before sending protects your sender score and list hygiene.
What is the lead quality score?
The lead quality score (0–100) is a simple composite signal based on three factors: whether the domain has valid MX records (required for any score above 0), whether the domain is a free consumer provider (reduces score), and whether the local part is a shared role address (reduces score further). A business domain personal address scores 90. A role-based business address scores 60. A free provider address scores 40. An undeliverable address scores 0.
Can this tool verify that a specific mailbox exists?
No — this tool validates the domain infrastructure (MX records) and classifies the address type, but it does not confirm whether the specific mailbox (the username part before the @) exists on the mail server. True mailbox verification requires an SMTP connection to the receiving server, which most servers block for privacy reasons. MX validation is the most reliable passive check available.
How accurate is the free provider detection?
The database covers 50+ of the most widely used free email providers globally, including all major platforms (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, iCloud, ProtonMail, Fastmail, Zoho, and more) and many regional providers. It covers the vast majority of free email traffic. Niche or very new providers may not yet be in the database, in which case they will be classified as business domains.
Does checking an email alert the owner?
No — this tool performs a passive DNS lookup only. DNS MX record queries are completely invisible to the domain owner and the email address holder. No email is sent, no connection is made to the mail server, and nothing is logged at the destination. The lookup is performed via Cloudflare's public DNS resolver. MX verification confirms the domain can receive email at the infrastructure level -- it does not guarantee the specific mailbox exists or is active.
What are common use cases for an email checker?
Lead qualification (filtering free and role-based addresses from CRM imports), email list hygiene (removing invalid addresses before campaigns to reduce bounce rates), sign-up form validation (catching typos and disposable addresses in real time), fraud detection (flagging suspicious sign-ups using free or temporary email providers), and data enrichment (classifying email lists by quality tier for segmented outreach). Segmenting by address type (business vs free vs role) lets you apply different messaging, frequency, and deliverability settings to each group.
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