What is the main difference between a self-hosted DMARC parser and a commercial DMARC solution?

A self-hosted DMARC parser, like Parseddmarc, requires you to manage all aspects of its deployment, maintenance, and integration. It offers high customization and cost control over the software itself, but demands significant technical resources. A commercial DMARC solution, such as Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense, provides a managed service, often with a user-friendly interface, dedicated support, and advanced features, but comes with a recurring subscription cost and less direct control over the underlying infrastructure.

Is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense suitable for small businesses?

Generally, Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense is geared towards enterprise-level organizations with complex email needs and larger budgets. Its comprehensive features and managed services are often more than what a typical small business requires. For SMBs, a more streamlined and cost-effective DMARC reporting tool, like the free plan offered by Suped , might be a more appropriate choice.

What technical skills are needed to use Parseddmarc effectively?

To use Parseddmarc effectively, you need a solid understanding of Python programming, command-line interfaces, and system administration. Familiarity with DMARC, SPF, and DKIM protocols is essential. Additionally, if you plan to integrate it with analytics platforms like Elasticsearch or Splunk for visualization, knowledge of those systems will also be necessary. It is a tool for those comfortable with building and maintaining their own solutions.

Can Parseddmarc provide real-time alerts for DMARC failures?

Parseddmarc's core function is parsing DMARC reports and outputting the data. While it can collect forensic reports (RUF) that offer near real-time insights into individual email failures, the tool itself does not have built-in notification or alerting capabilities. To achieve real-time alerts, you would need to integrate Parseddmarc's output with an external monitoring system or write custom scripts that trigger alerts based on specific data patterns.

How does Proofpoint's hosted DMARC compare to managing DMARC records ourselves?

Proofpoint's hosted DMARC service simplifies the administrative burden of managing complex DMARC records. It handles the DNS configuration, ensures high reliability across geographically distributed data centers, and provides near-instant DNS updates. Managing DMARC records yourself, on the other hand, gives you full control but requires careful attention to DNS syntax, potential lookup limits (for SPF), and manual updates, which can be prone to errors and consume significant IT resources, especially for large organizations.

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense vs Parseddmarc

Choose Proofpoint for comprehensive enterprise protection, or Parseddmarc for a flexible, self-hosted DMARC parsing solution.

4.3 / 5(12)

Compare to Suped

Parseddmarc

0 / 5(0)

Compare to Suped

Parseddmarc

Compare product functionality

Feature set

Parseddmarc

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense offers a comprehensive suite for DMARC management, extending beyond basic reporting. We found its strengths in streamlining DMARC deployment, with dedicated consultants and guided workflows to identify legitimate senders and implement DMARC policies without disrupting valid email flow. It provides a robust framework for managing email authentication at scale.

The platform also includes hosted SPF, DKIM, and DMARC services, simplifying the management of these critical DNS records. We noted features like comprehensive domain discovery, continuous analysis of WHOIS data to detect lookalike domains, and tight integration with Proofpoint's secure email gateway for enforcing DMARC on inbound traffic.

Parseddmarc stands out as an open-source Python package and command-line interface utility focused solely on parsing DMARC reports. It's designed for those who prefer a self-hosted solution and have the technical expertise to integrate it into their existing infrastructure. We appreciate its ability to process various DMARC reports, including aggregate (RUA), forensic (RUF), and SMTP TLS Reporting.

The tool offers flexibility in how it receives reports, supporting input via IMAP, Microsoft Graph, or the Gmail API. Output options include JSON and CSV formats, allowing for easy integration with other data analysis tools. Parseddmarc can also send results to platforms like Elasticsearch, OpenSearch, Splunk, or Apache Kafka, which users can then leverage with pre-made dashboards for visualization.

Parseddmarc

How easy is each product to use

User experience

Parseddmarc

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense, while powerful, presents a more complex user experience, particularly during initial setup and configuration. We found that deploying the full suite of features requires significant planning and potentially involvement from their professional services. Once configured, the platform offers a comprehensive dashboard, but its depth can lead to a steeper learning curve for new users.

Some users have mentioned that the user interface, while functional, could be more intuitive. We observed that navigation can sometimes require multiple clicks to reach desired settings or reports, which might slow down day-to-day management for some teams. However, for a solution of its complexity, it provides extensive control and visibility.

The user experience with Parseddmarc is fundamentally different, relying heavily on command-line operations and technical proficiency. As a self-hosted, open-source tool, it lacks a graphical user interface (GUI) out of the box. Users must be comfortable with Python, system administration, and potentially configuring databases or analytics platforms to get it running and derive insights.

While this offers immense flexibility and customization, it means there's no 'plug-and-play' experience. Setting up Parseddmarc, configuring report ingestion, and integrating it with visualization tools demands a strong technical background. For those without dedicated IT resources, the initial setup and ongoing maintenance could prove challenging.

Parseddmarc

Which product has the best support

Support

Parseddmarc

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense provides professional, dedicated support, which is typical for an enterprise-grade SaaS solution. We noted that customers often praise the availability of consultants and a professional team to assist with implementation and ongoing management. This hands-on approach is crucial given the complexity of DMARC deployment and Proofpoint's extensive feature set.

While overall support is strong, some feedback indicates that response times can vary, sometimes requiring follow-ups to get a resolution. However, the depth of expertise available to resolve complex issues related to email authentication and fraud prevention is a significant advantage for large organizations using their service.

Parseddmarc, being an open-source project, offers community-driven support. We found that assistance is typically available through its GitHub repository, where users can submit issues, contribute code, and seek help from other users and maintainers. There is no dedicated commercial support channel, which means users are largely responsible for their own implementation and troubleshooting.

This model suits organizations with in-house technical teams capable of self-sufficiency. For those requiring immediate, guaranteed assistance or white-glove service, the open-source support model might not meet their needs. The quality and speed of support depend on community engagement and the project maintainers' availability.

Parseddmarc

Who should use each product

Suitability

Parseddmarc

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense is best suited for large enterprises and organizations with complex email environments that require comprehensive DMARC management, advanced fraud prevention, and integrated security. Its suite of features, including hosted services and consultant-led deployment, addresses the needs of companies where email security is a critical, high-stakes concern. We see it as an excellent fit for those prioritizing a managed, all-encompassing solution.

For MSPs, Proofpoint could be a powerful tool for managing DMARC for their enterprise clients, provided they have the resources to manage its complexity. For SMBs, it is likely overkill due to its extensive feature set and associated cost, which would typically exceed the requirements and budget of smaller operations.

Parseddmarc is ideal for organizations with strong in-house IT, security, or development teams that prefer a self-hosted, customizable DMARC parsing solution. It's a great choice for those who want full control over their data, don't mind the technical setup, and need to integrate DMARC reporting with existing analytics or SIEM platforms. It offers the flexibility to build a tailored DMARC monitoring system from the ground up.

MSPs with robust technical capabilities might find Parseddmarc useful for building bespoke DMARC reporting services for their clients. However, it requires significant technical effort. It is generally not suitable for SMBs without dedicated technical staff, as the self-hosting and configuration demands would be too high without specialized expertise.

Parseddmarc

How does Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense compare with Parseddmarc?

Parseddmarc

DMARC report analysis

Ability to parse and analyze DMARC aggregate and forensic reports.

Source detection

Identification of legitimate and fraudulent email sending sources.

Forward detection

Mechanisms to identify and account for email forwarding.

Spoof detection

Tools to identify and alert on email spoofing attempts.

Notifications and alerts

Automated alerts for DMARC failures, policy changes, or suspicious activity.

Requires custom setup

Reporting

Comprehensive dashboards and customizable report generation.

Raw data for custom reports

API

Programmatic interface for integration with other systems.

CLI utility, not an API

Multi-tenancy

Support for managing DMARC across multiple domains or client organizations.

Requires custom development

SPF flattening

Feature to manage and flatten complex SPF records.

Hosted DMARC

Service for hosting and managing DMARC DNS records.

BIMI

Support for Brand Indicators for Message Identification.

MTA-STS/TLS-RPT

Support for Mail Transfer Agent-Strict Transport Security and TLS Reporting.

Can parse TLS reports

Blocklists and reputation

Monitoring of domain reputation and blocklist (blacklist) status.

Reputation protection included

AI copilot

AI-powered assistance for DMARC management and insights.

DNS monitoring

Continuous monitoring of DNS records for changes or malicious activity.

Domain discovery included

Self hostable

Option to host the DMARC solution on private infrastructure.

Free trial/free tier

Availability of a free trial or a permanently free usage tier.

Open-source software

Drawbacks and what to watch out for

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense, while robust, can sometimes be an 'overkill' solution, occasionally filtering legitimate emails and presenting a complex setup process. Parseddmarc, conversely, requires significant technical expertise for deployment and ongoing management, and lacks dedicated customer support, placing the burden of maintenance squarely on the user.

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.

4.3 / 5(12)

Parseddmarc

0 / 5(0)

Overkill

2.0 / 5

What do you like best about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? Great filters for junk and spam. Easy widgets in email notifications to release legit email that is not spam What do you dislike about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? Too much filtering. At times, overkill. Filters out legitimate emails. What problems is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense solving and how is that benefiting you? Protect network from illicit email spoofing. Employees that are non tech savvy that click on fishing emails.

Verified User in Food & Beverages

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.

Not sure if it's worth the hassle

2.5 / 5

What do you like best about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? I do like that it auto scans my emails and sorts out the scam/fraudulent ones. What do you dislike about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? I greatly dislike having to wait for the flagged emails, that are actually not fraudulent, but something that I am looking for. It does not send me the alert until the next day, and then once its been released and approved, it ends up taking another 10 minutes or so (Max) to get to me. What problems is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense solving and how is that benefiting you? I am getting significantly fewer fraudulent/scam emails

Verified User in Construction

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

Email Protection by Proofpoint Fraud Defence

4.0 / 5

What do you like best about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? This product provides email protection for both Inbound and outbound emails from all the domains which help in securing the mailboxes. This adds the advantage of the analytics features alike continuously shows the volume of mails as phishing /secures messages. What do you dislike about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? Like other proofpoint products this also has implementing and configuring problems as they are not easy to configure in the organization environment. Recommendations to others considering Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? This product offers you great security over emails and customers can leverage the support and different product portfolio they offer. What problems is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense solving and how is that benefiting you? We are securing our emails from phising mails /messages for all the domains and for both inbound outbound messages.

Anjali V.

Cyber Security Analyst Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

Reliable tool for spam emails!

4.0 / 5

What do you like best about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? It's a great reliable tool and keep your inbox more secure and spam free. As a security measure this is great tool which prevents from any fraudulent emails and send alerts as necessary. I am currently using at my company and find all the spam emails being avoided. We usually receives too many on our generic email alias and this help in securing. What do you dislike about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? It's a great tool, though I find the use of it a very little. Only being capable of avoiding spam emails. Also the dashboard is not much interactive Recommendations to others considering Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? It was always better to have precaution than being penalized by unwanted threat. It's always good to be more secure and spam free and take preventive steps towards running your business securely. What problems is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense solving and how is that benefiting you? We consider our emails to be safe and spam free. And probably easy to set up

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

We use it as our Email Proxy.

4.5 / 5

What do you like best about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? Ability to filter by most likely spam emails. We also have the ability to open up domains. What do you dislike about Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? The UI can be a bit more intuitive if it was up to me. Recommendations to others considering Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense? I would recommend for the ease of use and security features offered. What problems is Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense solving and how is that benefiting you? Fraud emails and Spam emails for our Enterprise account.

Verified User in Computer & Network Security

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

Pricing

Proofpoint Email Fraud Defense operates on a contact-for-pricing model, reflecting its enterprise focus, while Parseddmarc is an open-source tool, incurring only self-hosting infrastructure costs.

Parseddmarc

Small

Up to 10k emails / month

Contact for pricing

Self-hosted, variable cost

Medium

Up to 100k emails / month

Contact for pricing

Self-hosted, variable cost

Large

Up to 1 million emails / month

Contact for pricing