Whether you're cleaning an existing email list or validating addresses at signup, email verification services help you reduce bounces, protect your sender reputation, and ensure your emails actually reach real inboxes. These services check whether an email address is valid, deliverable, and safe to send to.
Common use cases include:
- Cleaning your subscriber list before a big campaign to improve your deliverability
- Validating emails at signup to prevent typos and fake addresses
- Detecting disposable email addresses that users create just to grab a freebie
Most of these services work similarly: they check syntax, verify the domain has valid MX records, and attempt to verify whether the mailbox actually exists without sending an email. The main differences come down to pricing, accuracy claims, and integration options.
Which one should I use?
For budget-conscious users: DeBounce and EmailListVerify offer the best value at $15 per 10K verifications. MillionVerifier is also competitive at scale, dropping to $0.39 per 1K for million-email batches.
For developers: Most services offer REST APIs, but Kickbox, ZeroBounce, and Verifalia stand out with SDKs in multiple languages and webhook support. Verifalia also integrates with 6,000+ apps via Zapier.
For one-time list cleaning: NeverBounce has the most generous free tier at 1,000 credits, making it a good choice if you just need to clean a list once before importing to Buttondown.
Tool details
Bouncer offers a REST API and Zapier integration. Credits never expire. Pricing is straightforward but on the higher end at $60 per 10K verifications.
Clearout integrates with HubSpot and Zapier in addition to their REST API. At $21 per 10K, it's reasonably priced with credits that never expire.
DeBounce is one of the most affordable options at $15 per 10K. They offer WordPress and Zapier integrations alongside their API. Credits never expire.
Emailable provides a REST API, Zapier integration, and an embeddable widget for real-time form validation. Priced at $40 per 10K with non-expiring credits.
EmailListVerify matches DeBounce's pricing at $15 per 10K and offers a Chrome extension for quick lookups. Credits never expire.
Hunter is unique in using a subscription model rather than credit packs. They're primarily known for email finding, but verification is included. Credits reset monthly, so it's better for ongoing use than one-time cleaning. Integrates with Google Sheets and has a browser extension.
Kickbox is developer-focused with SDKs and webhook support. Premium pricing at $80 per 10K, but credits never expire.
MillionVerifier shines at scale with pricing dropping to $389 per million verifications. They integrate with 17+ ESPs directly. Free trial available instead of a fixed credit allotment.
NeverBounce has the most generous free tier at 1,000 credits. They integrate with popular CRMs and price at $50 per 10K. Credits never expire.
Verifalia uses a unique daily free tier (25 verifications per day) and credit packs for larger volumes. Their standout feature is integration with 6,000+ apps via Zapier, plus SDKs in multiple languages.
ZeroBounce offers 100 free verifications per month (recurring). They provide SDKs and webhooks for developers, priced at $65 per 10K.
Any other noteworthy alternatives?
- Abstract offers a simple API-first approach with a generous free tier of 100 verifications per month.
- Mailfloss is designed specifically for automated list cleaning with direct integrations to major ESPs like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign.
- Truemail provides both real-time verification and bulk list cleaning with competitive pricing for high-volume users.
- If you're already using an email service provider like Mailchimp or SendGrid, check whether they offer built-in list cleaning tools before adding another service.
Why does this matter for newsletter authors?
High bounce rates hurt your sender reputation, which means more of your emails end up in spam folders. If you're migrating an old list to Buttondown or haven't emailed your subscribers in a while, running your list through a verification service first can save you headaches down the road.
For more on deliverability, make sure you've set up a custom sending domain with proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
Gee, it sure is awfully nice of you to compile this resource and keep it up to date. What can I ever do to thank you?
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