MXtoolbox provides a very broad suite of tools extending far beyond DMARC. Its strength lies in its comprehensive diagnostics for various email and DNS issues, including MX lookups, DNS checks, and active blacklist (or blocklist) monitoring. We've used its free tools extensively for quick checks.
When it comes to DMARC, MXtoolbox integrates it into its larger Delivery Center, offering DMARC deployment assistance, analytics, and impersonation protection alongside broader deliverability diagnostics and SPF/DKIM monitoring. It's a Swiss Army knife for email health, but DMARC is one blade among many.
EmailAuth.io, as its name suggests, appears to be a more dedicated platform focused on email authentication protocols, primarily DMARC. While specific feature details are not publicly exhaustive, such specialized tools typically excel in in-depth DMARC reporting, policy management, and forensic analysis.
We would expect EmailAuth.io to offer robust capabilities for source detection, spoof identification, and potentially advanced features like BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) and MTA-STS (Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security), which are critical for maximizing email security and branding. Its focus is likely on deep DMARC functionality.
How easy is each product to use
User experience
MXtoolbox's free tools are remarkably easy to use for individual lookups, offering quick, actionable data. However, navigating the paid Delivery Center dashboard can feel a bit less intuitive. We've found it sometimes requires multiple clicks to drill down into specific reports.
The interface, while functional, hasn't seen significant modern updates and can appear somewhat utilitarian. It prioritizes data presentation for those who know what they're looking for, which is great for experienced administrators, but might have a steeper learning curve for DMARC novices.
Without direct hands-on experience, we anticipate EmailAuth.io likely offers a more modern and streamlined user experience, typical of platforms built with a singular focus. Its dashboards are probably designed to make DMARC data digestible and actionable quickly.
We expect a user-friendly setup for DMARC record configuration and clear visual representations of DMARC aggregate reports, making it easier to identify senders and policy compliance. This would cater well to users whose primary concern is DMARC management.
Which product has the best support
Support
MXtoolbox offers support for its paid plans, and for general technical queries, it is typically responsive. However, some user reviews highlight issues specifically around billing and cancellation processes, where transparency and resolution can be frustratingly slow or challenging.
For core technical assistance with their diagnostic tools or DMARC setup, we've found their knowledge base helpful. The main support concern revolves around financial matters rather than product functionality.
Given EmailAuth.io's likely focus on larger clients and its 'contact for pricing' model, we would expect a higher tier of personalized support. This typically includes dedicated onboarding, account managers, and more direct technical assistance for complex DMARC deployments.
While we don't have user reviews to confirm this, enterprise-grade DMARC solutions usually provide comprehensive support to ensure smooth implementation and ongoing policy adjustments, which is crucial for maintaining email security at scale.
Who should use each product
Suitability
MXtoolbox is highly suitable for Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs) due to its accessible free tools for quick email diagnostics and its affordable entry-level paid plans. Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can leverage its toolset for initial client assessments and ongoing monitoring of basic email health.
For Enterprise clients, MXtoolbox serves as an excellent diagnostic utility for specific issues, but its DMARC reporting features, while functional, might not offer the deep, scalable DMARC management required by very large, complex organizations with extensive sending infrastructures.
EmailAuth.io is likely best suited for Enterprise organizations and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who require a dedicated, robust DMARC management platform. Its probable advanced features and 'contact for pricing' model suggest it caters to clients with complex email ecosystems and higher demands for authentication enforcement.
For Small to Medium Businesses (SMBs), EmailAuth.io might be less ideal, especially if they are looking for a more generalized email health tool or a transparent, lower-cost entry point. Its specialization points towards a solution for organizations where DMARC compliance is a critical, large-scale security initiative.
How does MXtoolbox compare with EmailAuth.io?
DMARC report analysis
Provides insights from DMARC aggregate and forensic reports.
Source detection
Identifies all sending sources for your domain.
Forward detection
Helps distinguish legitimate forwards from spoofing attempts.
Spoof detection
Detects unauthorized use of your domain.
Notifications and alerts
Sends alerts for DMARC non-compliance or issues.
Reporting
Generates various DMARC compliance and deliverability reports.
API
Offers an API for programmatic access to data and features.
Not explicitly advertised, often found in broader platforms.
Multi-tenancy
Supports managing multiple client domains under one account.
Not a primary feature or focus for their DMARC offering.
Common for dedicated DMARC providers catering to MSPs.
SPF flattening
Helps manage SPF records to avoid lookup limits.
Included in Delivery Center Plus.
A standard feature for advanced DMARC tools.
Hosted DMARC
Hosts your DMARC record to simplify management.
They assist with configuration, not direct hosting.
Often provided by dedicated DMARC platforms.
BIMI
Supports Brand Indicators for Message Identification.
Not mentioned as a feature.
Commonly offered by DMARC-focused solutions.
MTA-STS/TLS-RPT
Provides monitoring and management for MTA-STS and TLS-RPT.
Not mentioned as a feature.
Important for enhanced email transport security and reporting.
Blocklists and reputation
Monitors IP and domain reputation on various blocklists.
Not a primary DMARC-specific feature, but general email health.
AI copilot
Uses AI for assisted DMARC policy management and insights.
DNS monitoring
Monitors various DNS records for changes and issues.
Not a core DMARC feature, more general email health.
Self hostable
Option to host the DMARC solution on your own infrastructure.
Free trial/free tier
Offers a free way to test or use basic features.
Includes a free tier and a 30-day trial for paid plans.
Offers a free demo for evaluation.
Drawbacks and what to watch out for
MXtoolbox faces criticism mainly regarding its paid plan's billing practices and the perceived inflexibility of its "risk-free" trials. Users have reported difficulties in obtaining refunds or cancelling subscriptions, casting a shadow on its otherwise useful suite of tools. EmailAuth.io, on the other hand, lacks public reviews, making it difficult to pinpoint specific drawbacks from user experiences. The primary concern is its opaque pricing structure, which can be a hurdle for potential users seeking transparent cost analysis before engaging.
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.
4.1 / 5(29)
0 / 5(0)
Business Practices are scammy
0.0 / 5
What do you like best about MXToolbox? It helped us solve the small issue we had with our emails going to customers spam folder. What do you dislike about MXToolbox? I initially signed up online for a month-to-month contract, but then a salesperson got a hold of me and sent me a quote. The quote he sent me was for a year contract which I did not want, so I signed up for the month to month. Once the problem was fixed I tried to cancel and I couldn't do it online. I emailed them and they told me I had to call them. After lots of back and fourth they told me I signed a year contract and I couldn't cancel. I would have never signed up for a year. It was a very scammy business practice. Eventually they stopped responding so I had to stop the payments from my credit card. Recommendations to others considering MXToolbox: I don't recommend them because of their shady business practices. What problems is MXToolbox solving and how is that benefiting you? fixing a problem with emails going to spam
Sam B.
IT Director Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
No G2 reviews
G2 is the most popular review platform for DMARC products, so this is a strong signal that this product is not popular.
Think twice before doing their paid plans. Deceptive "risk-free" 30 day trial
0.0 / 5
What do you like best about MXToolbox? I suspect many of the people responding favorably on this forum are using their free tools. Their free tools are very useful -- but think twice before upgrading to their paid plans. What do you dislike about MXToolbox? Like many other software vendors - they make an offer of a risk-free one-month trial. However, they don't actually refund you your money if you cancel before 30 days. Here is my example: I signed up for their delivery center option on November 10, 2018 and was promptly billed $99. I used the service for 2 days, realized the paid features were overkill for my own and customers' needs, so called to cancel November 12 (two days after signup.) They acknowledged my cancellation by email but never credited back my account for the $99. On December 17th I called their toll-free line. Matt on the phone said ("getting a refund would require managers approval and it's not a certain thing.") No sign of any refund as-yet, no confirmation from the company following the call of what to expect on refund. On December 15 I emailed. Their response to my email was "Sorry, we can't process that sort of thing by email. Either call or create a support ticket." Unfortunately, the support ticket option is available only for active subscribers -- so you are left with calling their phone system and having no record of exchange. Attached is an image from their website taken December 2018 in which they describe their "risk-free" offer. https://postimg.cc/mhgzm197 In summary -- Be aware that their free trial is not like how most other software vendors manage their trial promotions. They are opportunistic about billing you and (in my experience) don't honor the refund they promise as part of their risk-free trial. Recommendations to others considering MXToolbox: Use their free tools (they are good.) Their paid tools are overpriced, and they have a misleading "risk-free" plan that will end up costing you $99. What problems is MXToolbox solving and how is that benefiting you? Their free tools will help you diagnose MX configuration issues.
jon b.
Jon Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Beware their "30 day free trial" of the Delivery Center!
0.5 / 5
What do you like best about MXToolbox? The free tools are good, and one wouldn't mind paying something for them, but one does object to being defrauded - see below. What do you dislike about MXToolbox? Tried to cancel free trial only a couple of days in, but $99 had been taken from my card and they have not responded to repeated requests to end it and refund the money. It looks like attempted fraud. What problems is MXToolbox solving and how is that benefiting you? Simple things like reverse DNS lookup helped us to check our email setup.
Alexander S.
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Makes email management easy
3.5 / 5
What do you like best about MXToolbox? -Affordable pricing -Setting up is very easy -Useful dashboards -Makes email reputation checks easier What do you dislike about MXToolbox? -This tool covers everything required for email management, there is nothing to dislike about. What problems is MXToolbox solving and how is that benefiting you? I have used this tool for domain reputation checking for phising mail analysis also I am using this for some of my projects to check mail deliverability and reputation of the domain to make sure the domain is not being blacklisted due to sending loads of emails.
Nitin R.
Software dev Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
MXToolBox is great for blacklist testing
3.5 / 5
What do you like best about MXToolbox? MXToolBox is suitable for Blacklists, DMARC, Diagnostics, Email Health, and DNS Lookup checks. What do you dislike about MXToolbox? For a free tool, I'd say MXToolBox is pretty top-notch. What problems is MXToolbox solving and how is that benefiting you? I used MXToolBox for DNS look-ups and blacklist checks.
Verified User in Marketing and Advertising
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
Pricing
MXtoolbox offers transparent pricing with a free tier and tiered paid plans, whereas EmailAuth.io opts for a 'contact for pricing' model, indicating customized solutions and potentially higher costs.
Small
Up to 10k emails / month
$0/month (1 domain, weekly blocklist)
Contact for pricing
Medium
Up to 100k emails / month
$129/month (up to 500k emails)
Contact for pricing
Large
Up to 1 million emails / month
$129/month (up to 500k emails), $399/month (up to 5M emails)
Contact for pricing
Enterprise
Over 1 million emails / month
$399/month (up to 5M emails)
Contact for pricing
Suped hard sell incoming!
Still not satisfied with MXtoolbox or EmailAuth.io?
4.1 / 5(29)
