# Email Domain Authentication Checker (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) (`vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker`) Actor

Audit any list of domains for email deliverability: SPF (with DNS lookup count), DKIM keys on 45 common selectors, DMARC policy and reporting, MX, BIMI, MTA-STS and TLS-RPT. Each domain gets a 0-100 score, a grade and plain-English fixes.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker.md
- **Developed by:** [Ian McCann](https://apify.com/vex_workflow) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Lead generation, Automation
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per event

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

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

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

### What does Email Domain Authentication Checker do?

It checks the DNS records that decide whether a domain's email lands in the inbox, for **any number of domains at once**:

| Check | What it looks at |
|---|---|
| **SPF** | Record present, duplicates, `~all` / `-all` ending, and the **10 DNS lookup limit** (counted through nested includes) |
| **DKIM** | Public keys on about 45 common selectors (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, Zoho, Amazon SES and more), plus your own selectors |
| **DMARC** | Record present, policy (`none` / `quarantine` / `reject`), subdomain policy, `pct`, and `rua` reporting addresses |
| **MX** | Whether the domain can receive mail |
| **BIMI, MTA-STS, TLS-RPT** | Extra trust and transport security records |

Every domain gets a **0-100 score**, a **grade from A to F**, and a list of **issues written as fixes**.

### Who is it for?

- **Cold email and outbound teams** checking their own sending domains and inboxes before a campaign
- **Agencies and MSPs** auditing client domains in bulk, and finding prospects who need help (for example, no DMARC)
- **Email marketers** preparing for Gmail and Yahoo sender requirements (SPF or DKIM plus DMARC)
- **Security teams** spotting domains that can be spoofed

### How to use it

1. Enter domains, one per line. Website URLs and email addresses also work.
2. If you know your DKIM selector, add it under **Extra DKIM selectors**.
3. Run and sort by `score`.

#### Input example

```json
{ "domains": ["apify.com", "wordpress.org", "example.com"] }
```

#### Output example (shortened)

```json
{
  "domain": "example-shop.com",
  "grade": "C",
  "score": 65,
  "issues": [
    "DMARC policy is p=none: spoofed mail is still delivered. Move to quarantine or reject once reports look clean.",
    "SPF needs 12 DNS lookups (limit is 10): SPF will fail (permerror)."
  ],
  "spf": { "found": true, "allQualifier": "~all", "dnsLookups": 12, "multipleRecords": false },
  "dmarc": { "found": true, "policy": "none", "reportingAddresses": ["dmarc@example-shop.com"] },
  "dkim": { "checked": true, "selectorsFound": ["google", "k1"] }
}
```

### How much does it cost?

| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| Actor start | $0.001 per run |
| Domain checked | **$0.003** per domain |

1,000 domains cost about **$3**.

### Notes

- Only public DNS records are read. No email is sent.
- DKIM keys can only be found on selectors that are tried. If your provider uses a custom selector, add it to the input; otherwise a missing DKIM result means "not found on common selectors", not "definitely missing".
- Provider names are used only to describe results; this tool is not affiliated with any provider.

# Actor input Schema

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

Domains to check, one per line. Website URLs and email addresses are converted to their domain.

## `checkDkim` (type: `boolean`):

Probe about 45 common DKIM selectors (Google, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Mailchimp, Klaviyo and others).

## `dkimSelectors` (type: `array`):

Optional. Your own DKIM selectors to check in addition to the common ones.

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

How many domains to check at the same time.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "domains": [
    "apify.com",
    "wordpress.org",
    "example.com"
  ],
  "checkDkim": true,
  "concurrency": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

One row per domain with SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX, BIMI, MTA-STS and TLS-RPT findings, score, grade and issues.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Domains checked and grade counts.

# 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": [
        "apify.com",
        "wordpress.org",
        "example.com"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker").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": [
        "apify.com",
        "wordpress.org",
        "example.com",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker").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": [
    "apify.com",
    "wordpress.org",
    "example.com"
  ]
}' |
apify call vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,vex_workflow/email-domain-auth-checker"
        }
    }
}
```

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/ADMbRbwGKaf5WfqPB/builds/dxBhZyeouzCNKl4Fi/openapi.json