Email deliverability test
Will your next email reach the inbox? Send one message to a test address and see how a receiving server scores it, with the fix for every problem it finds.
The short version
- Click the button to get a one-off address, then send your email to it from the account or tool you really use.
- Score 8 to 10: authentication passes and nothing serious turned up. You're clear to send.
- Score 5 to 7: work through the findings before a big send, starting with any failed check.
- Under 5: a basic setting is broken, most often SPF, DKIM, DMARC or a blocklist listing. Fix it before you send again.
What the deliverability test checks
When your message lands, we read it the way a receiving server does. Each check below either passes or appears in your report as a finding, and the score drops for each finding. You see every one, so you're never guessing why the number is what it is.
| Check | What we read | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| SPF | Whether your sending IP is allowed by the domain's record | Receivers distrust mail from unlisted servers |
| DKIM | Whether the signature verifies against your public key | Proves the message wasn't changed in transit |
| DMARC | Whether SPF or DKIM aligns with your From: domain | Gmail and Yahoo require it for bulk senders |
| Reverse DNS | The host name behind your sending IP | A missing or generic name looks like a home connection |
| Blocklists | Your sending IP against public blocklists | One listing can send a whole campaign to spam |
| Content | Trigger phrases, link-to-text ratio, image-only body, unsubscribe link | Filters score the message itself as well as the sender |
The raw headers come with the report, too. Paste them into the header analyzer for the full hop-by-hop path your message took.
Fixing what the test finds
Start with authentication, because it's binary and it's cheap to fix. A failed SPF check usually means a sending service is missing from your record; the SPF checker shows what's there. A DKIM fail means the signing key or selector is wrong, and a DMARC fail means neither check lined up with your From: domain. Email going to spam walks through the order to fix them in.
Content findings come next. Then look at your list. A message that scores 10 still hurts your reputation if a slice of the list bounces, so check addresses with the bulk verifier before a large send. Unknowns are never billed.
Deliverability test questions
How do I test my email deliverability?
Send a real message to a test address and read how the receiving side judged it. ZapBounce gives you a one-off address; you send to it from your usual account or tool, and once it arrives you get SPF, DKIM and DMARC results, a blocklist check on your sending IP, content findings and a score out of 10.
What is a good email deliverability score?
8 or above out of 10 means authentication passes, the IP is clean and the content raises nothing serious. Between 5 and 7, fix the listed findings before a large send. Under 5, something basic is broken, usually authentication or a blocklist listing.
Does a perfect score guarantee the inbox?
No test can promise that. Gmail and Microsoft also weigh your sending history and how recipients treat your mail. A clean test removes the technical reasons for the spam folder, and a clean list removes the bounces that hurt your reputation.
Should I test from my email client or my sending platform?
Test from whatever sends the real campaign. Your ESP signs and routes mail differently from your mailbox, so a test from Gmail tells you little about a send from your marketing platform.
How long does the test address last?
The page waits five minutes for your message. If nothing arrives by then, start a new test to get a fresh address.
A clean message deserves a clean list
Verify your list before the send and remove the addresses that would bounce. Every account gets 100 free credits a month.