# Bulk DNS Records Lookup - A, MX, TXT, SPF & DMARC (`scrapesage/dns-lookup`) Actor

Look up DNS records for a list of domains: A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, SOA and CAA, plus derived SPF and DMARC and the email provider inferred from the MX host. Node native resolver, no browser, no anti-bot. Fast, cents per domain.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/scrapesage/dns-lookup.md
- **Developed by:** [Scrape Sage](https://apify.com/scrapesage) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Agents, Integrations
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.55 / 1,000 domain looked ups

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Bulk DNS Records Lookup - A, MX, TXT, SPF & DMARC

Resolve the DNS records for a whole list of domains in one run. For each domain you get its
**A** / **AAAA** addresses, **MX** mail servers, **TXT** records, **NS** name servers, **CNAME**,
**SOA** and **CAA** - plus the **SPF** and **DMARC** records pulled out for you and the **mail
provider** inferred from the MX host (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho, Proton, and more).

Runs on Node's native DNS resolver - no browser, no anti-bot target, no proxy needed - so it is fast
and costs a fraction of a cent per domain. Ideal for email-deliverability audits, domain due diligence,
security/attack-surface checks and enriching a lead list with the domain's mail stack.

### What you get per domain

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `a` / `aaaa` | IPv4 and IPv6 addresses |
| `mx` | Mail servers, sorted by priority (`exchange` + `priority`) |
| `txt` | All TXT records (as strings) |
| `ns` | Authoritative name servers |
| `cname` / `soa` / `caa` | Canonical name, start-of-authority, and certificate-authority records |
| `spf` | The `v=spf1...` record, lifted out of TXT |
| `dmarc` | The `v=DMARC1...` record from `_dmarc.<domain>` |
| `mailProvider` | Email host inferred from the MX record (e.g. `Google Workspace`, `Microsoft 365`) |
| `resolved` | `true` if the domain resolves to anything (A/AAAA/MX/NS/CNAME) |

A missing record is a `null` field, not an error - a domain that does not exist comes back with
`resolved: false` and a short `error`, and is still one row so your list stays aligned.

### Input

```json
{
  "domains": ["google.com", "apify.com", "github.com"],
  "recordTypes": ["A", "MX", "TXT", "DMARC"]
}
```

- **Domains** - one per line. A full URL or an email address is fine too; only the host is used
  (`https://www.example.com/path` and `joe@example.com` both become `example.com`).
- **Import from a file** - paste a whole list, or link a public `.txt`/`.csv`, a Google Sheet/Drive
  link, or an Apify key-value-store record.
- **Record types** - leave empty for all, or pick just the ones you need (`SPF` comes with `TXT`).
- **Output fields** - tick only the columns you want for a lean export.

Leave the domain list empty and the run returns a small free sample so you can see the shape first.

### Use with AI assistants (MCP)

Available through the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp) - an agent can
resolve the mail stack for a batch of domains before deciding where to route a message or whether a
domain is set up for email at all.

### Agent-ready: autonomous payments (x402 & Skyfire)

This actor is **agent-ready** - AI agents can discover it, run it, and **pay for it autonomously**, with no Apify account and no human in the loop. It uses [pay-per-event](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/publishing/monetize/pay-per-event) pricing and [limited permissions](https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/development/permissions), so it qualifies for Apify's agentic-payment standards:

- **[x402](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/x402)** - an open, HTTP-native payment protocol. Agents pay per run in USDC on the Base network directly through the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp) - no account, no API key.
- **[Skyfire](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/skyfire)** - agent-to-service payments for fully autonomous AI-agent workflows.

Building an AI agent, MCP tool, or autonomous data pipeline? This scraper is ready to plug in and pay as it goes.

# Actor input Schema

## `domains` (type: `array`):

Domains to look up, one per line - e.g. <code>example.com</code>. A full URL or an email address is accepted too; only the registrable host is used (<code>https://www.example.com/path</code> and <code>joe@example.com</code> both become <code>example.com</code>). <b>Leave empty and the run returns a small free sample.</b>

## `domainsFromFile` (type: `string`):

Bulk-load domains. Either <b>paste the whole list</b> (one per line or comma-separated), or give <b>a single link</b> to a public <code>.txt</code>/<code>.csv</code>, a Google Sheet/Drive link, or an Apify key-value-store record. Blank lines, <code>#</code> comments, quotes and extra CSV columns all parse. A file that cannot be read says so and charges nothing.

## `recordTypes` (type: `array`):

Which DNS record types to resolve. Leave empty to resolve them all. <code>SPF</code> is derived from <code>TXT</code>, so include <code>TXT</code> to get it.

## `outputFields` (type: `array`):

Pick the fields you want and every record is trimmed to exactly those - handy for lean CSV/Sheets exports. Open the dropdown and tick, or type to filter (<code>a</code>, <code>mx</code>, <code>spf</code>).

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum domains to look up in one run (after de-duplication).

## `concurrency` (type: `integer`):

How many domains to resolve in parallel. Higher is faster; the ceiling is 50.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "google.com",
    "apify.com"
  ],
  "maxItems": 5000,
  "concurrency": 20
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Each scraped record - domains with their DNS records - as a JSON item in the default dataset.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "domains": [
        "google.com",
        "apify.com"
    ],
    "domainsFromFile": ""
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("scrapesage/dns-lookup").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "domains": [
        "google.com",
        "apify.com",
    ],
    "domainsFromFile": "",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("scrapesage/dns-lookup").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "domains": [
    "google.com",
    "apify.com"
  ],
  "domainsFromFile": ""
}' |
apify call scrapesage/dns-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,scrapesage/dns-lookup"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/S9yzDItk3GmfQODBT/builds/0xxWNhBnGEs0WhSl9/openapi.json