How reliable is Junkemailfilter.com for identifying email deliverability issues?

Summary

The overwhelming consensus is that Junkemailfilter.com is not a reliable indicator of email deliverability issues. Many sources suggest that it is either unmaintained, contains inaccurate data, is too easy to get delisted from, or is simply not well-known or respected within the email community. Experts recommend focusing on well-established and actively used blocklists like Spamhaus, BarracudaCentral, and Proofpoint, and considering the specific email providers of your recipients. Monitoring multiple blocklists, understanding delisting procedures, and ensuring blocklists have up-to-date information are also crucial for maintaining good email deliverability.

Key findings

  • Junkemailfilter.com Unreliability: Multiple sources indicate that Junkemailfilter.com is not a reliable source of information regarding email deliverability issues due to various factors, including being unmaintained, inaccurate, and easy to delist from.
  • Focus on Reputable Blocklists: Reputable and well-respected blocklists such as Spamhaus, BarracudaCentral, and Proofpoint are considered much more reliable indicators of email deliverability issues.
  • Recipient-Specific Relevance: The relevance of any blocklist is dependent on whether the recipient's email provider utilizes that specific blocklist; thus, focusing on the blocklists used by the majority of recipients is crucial.
  • Multiple Blocklist Monitoring: It is essential to monitor multiple blocklists instead of relying on a single one to gain a comprehensive understanding of potential deliverability issues.
  • Importance of Data Freshness: Blocklists should have automatically expiring data and old entries purged to maintain accuracy and relevance.

Key considerations

  • Prioritize Monitoring Reputable Blocklists: Actively monitor reputable blocklists to identify and address potential email deliverability problems promptly.
  • Understand Delisting Procedures: Familiarize yourself with the delisting procedures for various blocklists to efficiently remove your IP or domain if listed.
  • Consider Recipient's Email Providers: Take into account the email providers used by your recipients and prioritize monitoring the blocklists that those providers utilize.
  • Maintain Blocklist Hygiene: Ensure that the blocklists you rely on are well-maintained, with outdated data purged regularly.
  • Utilize Aggregation Tools: Leverage blocklist aggregation tools like MultiRBL to streamline the process of checking your IP or domain against multiple databases.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

The consensus is that Junkemailfilter.com is not a reliable indicator of email deliverability issues. Multiple sources suggest it's either unmaintained, contains inaccurate data, or is too easy to get delisted from. Experts recommend focusing on well-known and respected blocklists like Spamhaus, Spamcop, and Barracuda, querying multiple DNSBLs, and monitoring blocklists in general to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

Key opinions

  • Unreliable Data: Junkemailfilter.com is considered unreliable due to potentially unmaintained or badly configured spam traps, leading to inaccurate listings.
  • Easy Delisting: The delisting process from Junkemailfilter.com is reportedly easy, reducing the weight and credibility of its listings.
  • Better Alternatives: Reputable blocklists like Spamhaus, Spamcop, and Barracuda are recommended as more reliable alternatives for assessing email deliverability.
  • Single list unreliability: Relying on a single blocklist is not enough - EmailDeliverability.com recommends checking a range of blocklists.

Key considerations

  • Blocklist Monitoring: Proactively monitor reputable blocklists to identify and address potential email deliverability issues.
  • Blocklist Removal Processes: Understand and follow the specific delisting processes for each blocklist if you find your IP or domain listed.
  • RBLs Key to Anti-Spam: Blocklists are a fundamental tool for the identification of IP addresses or domains known for spam.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests to consider Junkemailfilter.com a rogue/unmaintained RBL that nobody sensible uses, so don't stress about it.

November 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailDeliverability.com shares that querying multiple DNSBLs can help you detect if your mail server IP is listed on any of them. They suggest not relying on only one list.

August 2024 - EmailDeliverability.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares it's possible to be removed from a blocklist. First, identify the blocklist you're on, then follow their specific delisting process, which often involves filling out a form or contacting their support.

January 2023 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailhardener explains that blocklists, also called DNSBLs or RBLs, are a crucial part of the anti-spam infrastructure. They maintain lists of IP addresses or domains known for sending spam or exhibiting malicious behavior.

June 2022 - Mailhardener
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit responds that Junkemailfilter.com is basically useless as their spamtraps are badly configured or not maintained. It is also really easy to get delisted.

November 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks responds that Junkemailfilter.com original operator passed away a few years ago and suggests to ignore it unless seeing actual significant blocks claiming it as the reason.

October 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit responds that it is easy to get delisted from Junkemailfilter.com, so they don't have much weight.

February 2025 - Reddit
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says that if domains are getting listed on Junkemailfilter.com and nowhere else, then we shouldn't worry about this list. They also note the de-listing process is easy and they rarely see more than a bounce or two due to these listings.

March 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Debounce explains that monitoring blocklists helps to proactively identify and address potential email deliverability issues, maintaining a healthy sender reputation.

February 2024 - Debounce
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stack Overflow shares that they've never heard of Junkemailfilter.com and suggests using well-known lists like Spamhaus, Spamcop, or Barracuda instead.

December 2024 - Stack Overflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from WebHostingTalk responds that they believe Junkemailfilter.com is not a reliable source for reputation information. They further state that a good test is to lookup your own IP address, and you'll likely find it listed even if it's clean, diminishing the list's credibility.

July 2023 - WebHostingTalk

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

The reliability of Junkemailfilter.com as an indicator of email deliverability issues is questionable. While it might provide an early warning of potential problems, its impact on deliverability to important recipients is likely limited. The relevance of any blocklist depends on whether the recipient's email provider uses it. It is important that blocklist data is up to date, and old/expired entries should be purged regularly.

Key opinions

  • Limited Impact: Junkemailfilter.com's impact on deliverability is limited to specific situations and may not affect deliverability to the most important recipients.
  • Recipient-Specific Relevance: The relevance of any blocklist depends on the recipient's email provider and whether they utilize that specific blocklist.
  • Importance of Updated Data: Blocklists should have automatically expiring data and old entries purged to ensure they provide fresh and accurate data.

Key considerations

  • Focus on Relevant Blocklists: Prioritize monitoring and addressing listings on blocklists that are actively used by the majority of your recipients' email providers.
  • Consider Early Warnings: While not definitive, a listing on Junkemailfilter.com could indicate underlying issues that warrant investigation.
  • Maintain Blocklist Hygiene: Ensure blocklists are well-maintained, with outdated data purged, to enhance their accuracy and reliability.
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource, referring to MXToolbox's information, emphasizes that the relevance of a specific blocklist depends on the recipient's email provider; a listing only matters if the recipient uses that specific blocklist. They advise focusing on the blocklists used by the majority of your recipients.

February 2022 - Spamresource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that Junkemailfilter.com is an indicator of some issues (maybe an early warning), but it likely won't cause a ton of delivery issues at places you care about.

May 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that IP addresses should be released immediately after use if they exhibit bad behavior. She highlights the importance of automatically expiring data and purging old entries from blocklists so fresh, accurate data is all that's used in filtering.

January 2025 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

This documentation highlights the reliability and value of various established blocklists and reputation services. Spamhaus is noted for its thoroughness, BarracudaCentral for its real-time threat intelligence, Proofpoint for its impact on enterprise users, and Talos for its reputation scoring based on Cisco's data. MultiRBL simplifies checking against multiple blocklists by aggregating results.

Key findings

  • Spamhaus Reliability: Spamhaus is a highly reliable DNSBL due to its thorough and careful listing process.
  • BarracudaCentral's Threat Intelligence: BarracudaCentral provides real-time threat intelligence for email security, making its blocklists a strong indicator of sender reputation.
  • Proofpoint's Enterprise Focus: A listing on Proofpoint signifies potential blocking by large organizations due to its focus on enterprise users.
  • Talos's Reputation Scoring: Talos provides reputation scoring and blocklisting services based on Cisco's comprehensive threat intelligence data.
  • MultiRBL Aggregation: MultiRBL simplifies blocklist checking by aggregating results from multiple RBLs into a single query.

Key considerations

  • Prioritize Reputable Blocklists: Focus on monitoring and addressing listings on well-respected blocklists like Spamhaus and BarracudaCentral.
  • Understand Audience Impact: Recognize that being listed on Proofpoint may disproportionately affect deliverability to enterprise users.
  • Leverage Aggregation Tools: Utilize tools like MultiRBL to efficiently check your IP or domain against multiple blocklists.
  • Monitor Reputation Scores: Consider using reputation scoring services like Talos to proactively manage your sender reputation.
Technical article

Documentation from Talos shares they provide reputation scoring and blocklisting services, offering insights into IP and domain reputation based on Cisco's threat intelligence data.

April 2021 - Talos Intelligence
Technical article

Documentation from MultiRBL details they aggregate results from multiple RBLs (Realtime Blackhole Lists) into a single query, it simplifies the process of checking an IP address against multiple spam databases.

July 2022 - MultiRBL
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that they are a well-respected DNSBL, and they are extremely thorough and careful about their listings, which makes them very reliable.

December 2023 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from BarracudaCentral shares that they provide real-time threat intelligence for email security, which makes their block lists a strong indicator of sender reputation.

December 2024 - BarracudaCentral
Technical article

Documentation from Proofpoint explains that it is a commercial anti-spam service that is focused on enterprise users, so their listing means your emails are likely to be blocked by large organizations.

December 2024 - Proofpoint