About this tool
Inspect a domain's SPF TXT record before adding mail providers, launching a sender domain, or tightening DMARC so authorized senders and lookup limits are visible in one report.
SPF Record Checker inspects the TXT record that lists which mail servers are allowed to send email for a domain. It parses mechanisms, modifiers, include dependencies, redirect behavior, DNS lookup usage, and the final all policy so sender authorization problems are easier to catch before mail starts bouncing or failing authentication.
- Looks up SPF TXT records on the domain and flags missing or duplicate SPF records.
- Parses include, ip4, ip6, a, mx, exists, ptr, redirect, exp, and all terms into readable sections.
- Estimates SPF DNS lookup usage and highlights weak +all, ?all, or rollout-only ~all policies.
How to use SPF Checker
Enter a domain or URL, run the check, and review the detected SPF record with parsed mechanisms and modifiers. Start with duplicate record warnings, DNS lookup usage, include entries, redirect modifiers, and the all policy before changing DNS or connecting another email provider.
When this tool is useful
- Check a domain before connecting newsletters, support desks, CRMs, or transactional email platforms.
- Review include chains before adding another sender to avoid the SPF 10 DNS lookup limit.
- Audit SPF alongside DMARC when deliverability, spoofing, or brand trust issues appear.
Practical tips
- Keep one SPF record per domain and merge provider includes instead of publishing separate SPF TXT records.
- Watch the 10 lookup limit before adding another include because nested providers can push a valid-looking record over the edge.
- Use ~all during rollout, then consider -all after every legitimate sender is verified.
Examples you can test
These examples show the kind of real input and reviewed output this tool is designed to support. Use them as a starting point before pasting your own production content, then compare the output with the destination system that will use the result. The goal is not only to produce a value, but to make the input assumptions, output format, and review step clear enough that the result can be trusted in a real workflow.
Check a sender domain
Example input
example.com
Expected output
SPF record, mechanisms, modifiers, all policy, and lookup usage
Useful before connecting a new email service provider or support desk.
Review include growth
Example input
Domain with several include mechanisms
Expected output
Estimated DNS lookup count with warnings near the 10 lookup limit
SPF records can break after adding one more provider if lookup usage is already high.
Validation checklist
Run through these checks before copying the result into a CMS, codebase, spreadsheet, campaign, support ticket, or production document. Small formatting differences, unit assumptions, hidden whitespace, and platform-specific rules are common sources of mistakes in quick browser tools, so the final review should happen in the same context where the output will be used.
- Publish exactly one SPF TXT record on the domain.
- Keep estimated SPF DNS lookups under 10.
- Remove +all and avoid ?all for production sender domains.
- Review include and redirect dependencies before adding another provider.
- Pair SPF checks with DKIM and DMARC review before strict enforcement.
Why people use this tool
SPF is one of the base signals used with DKIM and DMARC to prove that email came from an authorized sender. A missing record can reduce trust, a record with too many DNS lookups can fail evaluation, and a loose +all or ?all policy can leave a domain easier to abuse.
Related search intents
spf record checker, spf checker, spf lookup, check spf record, spf dns lookup limit.