Merox offers a comprehensive suite of DMARC reporting features designed for ease of use and deep insight. We find its interface provides clear visualizations of DMARC data, making it straightforward to identify trends and potential issues with email authentication. The platform focuses on simplifying the complex world of DMARC.
Beyond basic reporting, Merox includes advanced features like proactive alerts, detailed forensic reports, and tools to help achieve DMARC enforcement. It aims to guide users through their DMARC journey, from monitoring to a reject policy, ensuring a secure email ecosystem.
The Splunk TA-DMARC add-on integrates DMARC reporting directly into your existing Splunk environment, leveraging Splunk's powerful data analysis capabilities. It allows users to ingest DMARC aggregate reports into Splunk, where they can then build custom dashboards and alerts.
While the add-on itself provides the parsing and data model for DMARC reports, the actual features, such as advanced visualizations or specific DMARC-centric tools, depend heavily on the user's Splunk expertise and the custom dashboards they build. It's less of an out-of-the-box solution and more of a framework.
How easy is each product to use
User experience
Merox boasts a user-friendly interface designed for clarity and efficiency. We found the dashboards to be intuitive, presenting complex DMARC data in an easily digestible format. Onboarding is generally smooth, with guided setups to help users quickly get started with DMARC monitoring.
The platform prioritizes a streamlined workflow, allowing users to quickly navigate between different report types, analyze authentication results, and implement changes. It caters to users who prefer a dedicated, purpose-built solution that doesn't require extensive technical configuration for DMARC.
The Splunk TA-DMARC add-on's user experience is inextricably linked to the user's familiarity with Splunk. For seasoned Splunk administrators, it's a natural extension of their existing toolkit. For those new to Splunk, there's a significant learning curve involved in setting up, configuring, and analyzing the DMARC data.
The add-on provides the raw data, but the creation of compelling dashboards and effective alerts requires manual effort and a good understanding of Splunk Query Language (SPL). It offers immense flexibility but demands a higher level of technical proficiency compared to a dedicated DMARC platform.
Which product has the best support
Support
Merox typically offers structured support channels, including documentation, email support, and potentially in-app chat or dedicated account managers depending on the plan. We expect a responsive team that can assist with DMARC-specific queries and platform usage.
Given its nature as a specialized DMARC service, Merox's support staff are usually well-versed in email authentication protocols, providing expert guidance throughout the DMARC implementation and monitoring process. This can be a significant advantage for organizations less familiar with DMARC nuances.
The Splunk TA-DMARC add-on is listed as "Not Supported" and "archived." This means there is no official support provided by the developer, and the add-on may not receive further updates or active development. Users are essentially on their own when it comes to troubleshooting or maintenance.
Support for the Splunk add-on relies entirely on community forums, personal Splunk expertise, or internal IT resources. While the broader Splunk community is vast, finding specific help for an archived add-on can be challenging. This implies a higher burden on internal teams for its upkeep.
Who should use each product
Suitability
Merox is best suited for organizations of all sizes, from SMBs to large enterprises, that seek a dedicated, user-friendly DMARC reporting and enforcement platform. It's particularly beneficial for those who want an out-of-the-box solution with clear reporting and guided steps to DMARC implementation.
For MSPs (managed service providers), Merox's multi-domain management capabilities would likely be a strong point, allowing them to oversee DMARC for multiple clients efficiently. Its specialized focus means less internal expertise is required to manage DMARC effectively.
The Splunk TA-DMARC add-on is ideal for organizations already heavily invested in Splunk and possessing strong in-house Splunk administration expertise. It appeals to enterprises that prefer to consolidate all their security and operational data within a single Splunk instance, leveraging existing infrastructure.
It is less suitable for SMBs or MSPs looking for a simple, ready-to-use DMARC solution, especially given its lack of official support and archived status. While free in terms of direct cost, the hidden costs of customization and maintenance make it a fit primarily for organizations with specific Splunk-centric requirements.
How does Merox compare with Splunk TA-DMARC add-on?
DMARC report analysis
Provides aggregate and forensic DMARC report analysis.
Requires custom Splunk dashboards.
Source detection
Identifies legitimate and illegitimate email sending sources.
Based on custom Splunk queries.
Forward detection
Helps distinguish legitimate email forwarding from spoofing.
Requires configuration within Splunk.
Spoof detection
Detects unauthorized use of your domain in email 'From' addresses.
Custom alerts in Splunk.
Notifications and alerts
Provides real-time alerts for DMARC issues.
Configurable within Splunk.
Reporting
Offers various reports for DMARC compliance and email health.
Custom reports built in Splunk.
API
Allows programmatic access to DMARC data.
Splunk's API can access data, but not specific to this add-on's functionality.
Multi-tenancy
Ability to manage multiple domains or clients from one account.
Requires separate Splunk instances or complex configurations.
SPF flattening
Helps overcome the 10-lookup SPF limit.
Not directly offered by the add-on.
Hosted DMARC
Manages DMARC records automatically.
Not a DMARC record management solution.
BIMI
Supports Brand Indicators for Message Identification.
No direct BIMI support.
MTA-STS/TLS-RPT
Tools for secure email transport.
No direct support.
Blocklists and reputation
Monitors domain and IP reputation on email blacklists (blocklists).
Not a native feature, though Splunk could integrate external feeds.
AI copilot
Utilizes AI for advanced insights or automation.
Available in certain plans.
No AI capabilities.
DNS monitoring
Monitors changes to critical DNS records.
Not a DNS monitoring solution.
Self hostable
Can be hosted on your own servers.
As a Splunk add-on, it runs on your Splunk instance.
Free trial/free tier
Offers a free trial or a permanently free tier.
The add-on itself is free, but requires a Splunk license.
Drawbacks and what to watch out for
Merox aims to provide an all-encompassing DMARC management experience, but like any dedicated platform, it may require users to adapt to its specific workflows. The Splunk TA-DMARC add-on, while free, presents notable challenges. Its "Not Supported" and "archived" status mean no official updates or assistance, placing the full burden of maintenance and troubleshooting on the user. Furthermore, the reliance on a separate Splunk instance introduces additional licensing and operational costs not directly tied to the add-on itself.
We have pulled the average ratings from G2 for each product, and also included the most recent negative reviews for each product in full. Positive reviews tend to have less detail and have a higher chance of being fraudulent, so negative reviews are a better signal for your decision.
0 / 5(0)
0 / 5(0)
Pricing
Merox offers tiered pricing with discounts for annual plans, whereas the Splunk TA-DMARC add-on is technically free but requires a paid Splunk instance and offers no official support.
Small
Up to 10k emails / month
Lite tier available
Free, but requires Splunk
Medium
Up to 100k emails / month
Standard tier available
Free, but requires Splunk
Large
Up to 1 million emails / month
Pro tier available
Free, but requires Splunk
Enterprise
Over 1 million emails / month
Contact for pricing
Free, but requires Splunk
Suped hard sell incoming!
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