Is it bad practice to send email from a domain without an MX record?

Summary

Experts, marketers, and technical documentation across the email ecosystem largely agree that sending email from a domain without a valid MX record is a bad practice. While technically feasible in some cases, it negatively impacts deliverability, sender reputation, and the ability to manage role-based email addresses. Many ISPs and spam filters use the absence of an MX record as a spam indicator, potentially leading to emails being blocked or downgraded. The lack of MX records can also make the sender appear incompetent or malicious. It’s also important to note that while the official documentation concentrates on using MX records for receiving email, the message is clear that any well-configured domain should have them.

Key findings

  • Deliverability Issues: The absence of MX records can lead to significant deliverability problems, as many mail servers use them as a trust signal.
  • Damaged Sender Reputation: Sending from a domain without MX records damages the sender's reputation and can make emails look suspicious, incompetent, or even malicious.
  • Role-Based Email Management: Managing role-based email addresses (e.g., abuse@, postmaster@) becomes challenging without proper MX record configuration.
  • Technical Non-Compliance: While technically permissible in some cases, sending without MX records goes against established internet standards and best practices.

Key considerations

  • ESP Policies: ESPs should consider implementing policies that require valid MX records for sending domains to ensure good email practices.
  • Best Practices: Adhering to industry best practices, including proper DNS configuration with MX records, is crucial for maintaining a healthy email ecosystem.
  • Long-Term Impact: Even if immediate negative impacts are not apparent, the absence of MX records can lead to long-term deliverability issues and reputational damage.
  • Alternative Solutions: Even for sending-only domains, consider implementing MX records, even a simple record, to improve perceived domain validity and legitimacy.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

While technically possible, sending email from a domain without a valid MX record is generally considered a bad practice by email marketers and deliverability experts. It can negatively impact email deliverability, sender reputation, and the ability to manage role-based email addresses. Many ISPs and spam filters use the absence of an MX record as a spam indicator. Although some senders may not have experienced immediate negative impacts, it's still not recommended due to potential long-term deliverability issues.

Key opinions

  • Deliverability Impact: Absence of MX records can lead to deliverability issues, as many ISPs use this as a spam indicator.
  • Reputation Damage: Sending from a domain without MX records can damage sender reputation and make emails look suspicious.
  • Role Address Management: It's difficult to manage role addresses (e.g., abuse@, postmaster@) without properly configured MX records.
  • Bounce Processing: Without MX records, processing bounce messages becomes ineffective.

Key considerations

  • Technical Possibility vs. Best Practice: While technically possible to send without MX, it's a widely discouraged practice.
  • Potential for Future Issues: Even without immediate negative impact, sending without MX records increases the risk of future deliverability problems.
  • Alternative Solutions: Consider setting up MX records, even if only for handling role-based addresses or bounce processing.
  • ESP Recommendations: Many ESPs strongly recommend against sending from domains without MX records.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that sending email without MX records is generally a bad idea. It can negatively impact deliverability as many email providers use MX records as a trust signal.

April 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares they don't recommend sending from a 5322 domain that doesn't have MX, but have customers who do. He is sure it's not ideal, but haven't seen any outsized negative impact.

November 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares it is not mandatory for sending an email from the domain, BUT they don't see how you can honor and manage the role addresses such as abuse@ or postmaster@ if you don't have a MX record properly set for it. He would really prefer to see a MX record there.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from SocketLabs shares the importance of using MX records, it is crucial to have these set up to enable proper mail flow, if it isn't set up your email deliverability will be harmed.

November 2023 - SocketLabs
Marketer view

Email marketer from DNS Made Easy explains that sending mail from domains without MX records is not recommended, and will cause you deliverability issues. They also note this can be used by malicious parties.

December 2022 - DNS Made Easy
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that while technically you *can* send from a domain with no MX record, it is a terrible idea. Many spam filters will automatically flag your mail as spam, because it's a common tactic for spammers. It also means that bounce messages can't be processed effectively.

March 2022 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailhardener shares that MX records need to be present to receive email, if they aren't present then mail servers will likely refuse to deliver email to the specific domain.

May 2022 - Mailhardener
Marketer view

Email marketer from Webmaster World shares that not having an MX record can lead to deliverability issues. Many ISPs use the absence of an MX record as a spam indicator. Also it indicates to some degree that the domain is just for spam so should be avoided.

May 2022 - Webmaster World
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection shares that while sending email from a domain without MX records is possible, it's highly discouraged. It affects deliverability, sender reputation, and makes your email look suspicious.

April 2023 - EmailVendorSelection

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Experts across various platforms agree that sending email from a domain without a valid MX record is a detrimental practice. It can result in deliverability issues, damage to the sender's reputation, and can be perceived as incompetent or malicious. The absence of MX records is seen as a failure in email authentication and can lead to emails being blocked or downgraded. Experts also emphasize the role of ESPs in enforcing stricter policies regarding MX records to promote good email practices.

Key opinions

  • Negative Impact on Deliverability: Sending email without a valid MX record can lead to deliverability issues.
  • Reputation Damage: Lacking MX records can damage the sender's reputation and make the sender appear incompetent or malicious.
  • Authentication Failure: Absence of MX records hinders email authentication, impacting domain reputation.
  • Blocking and Downgrading: Emails from domains without MX records may be blocked or downgraded by receiving mail servers.

Key considerations

  • Strict ESP Policies: ESPs should enforce stricter policies requiring valid MX records for sending domains.
  • Industry Best Practices: Adhering to email industry best practices includes having valid MX records for sending domains.
  • Sender Perception: Consider how the absence of MX records may affect the perception of your organization by recipients and mail servers.
  • Proactive Measures: Take proactive measures to ensure valid MX records are in place to avoid deliverability issues.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states the only reason folks will stop doing bad things is that their spam doesn’t get through and ESPs just don’t do enough to make their customers actually be good netizens. “We don’t allow you to send mail without a valid MX for both the 5321 and the 5322 from address” is a perfectly valid policy for an ESP to have.

May 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that sending email from a domain without a valid MX record is a bad practice. They highlight that this practice can lead to deliverability issues and damage the sender's reputation, as many mail servers use MX records as a trust signal.

December 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains it’s bad practice to send mail with no active MX for the 5321 and the 5322 from domain, because some places will block or downgrade reputation for that. There is no good reason to do it and makes the sender look either incompetent or malicious.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise discusses how email authentication relies heavily on DNS records, including MX records, to establish domain reputation and ensure legitimate email delivery. Sending without a properly configured MX record can harm your reputation.

September 2021 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

Technical documentation from RFC Editor, Google, and Microsoft indicates that while technically a domain *could* function without explicit MX records, it is strongly discouraged. RFC 5321 states the domain is treated *as if* it had an MX record pointing to itself, but it's not recommended. Both Google and Microsoft explicitly state that MX records are *required* for *receiving* email; without them, mail will not be delivered to the domain. The emphasis on MX records for receiving email underscores the understanding and expectation that valid domains should have them, which indirectly suggests it's bad practice to omit them even if only sending email.

Key findings

  • MX Records for Receiving: MX records are essential for receiving email at a domain.
  • RFC Recommendation: RFC 5321 advises against operating without MX records, even if technically possible.
  • Implicit Expectation: The need for MX records for receiving implies they are a fundamental component of a properly configured domain.

Key considerations

  • Receiving vs Sending: Although documentation focuses on *receiving* email, the absence of MX records could have negative consequences for sending reputation and deliverability.
  • Standards Adherence: Adhering to internet standards, including proper DNS configuration with MX records, is crucial for email ecosystem health.
  • Domain Validity: The absence of MX records may raise questions about the validity and legitimacy of a domain.
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that MX records are required for receiving emails. Without MX records, others can't send emails to your domain. While technically related to *receiving* email, this highlights the expectation that a valid email domain *should* have MX records.

June 2024 - Google
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that if a domain has no MX records, the address is resolved as if it had an MX record pointing to that host with a preference of 0, but this is not recommended and real hosts should have MX records.

August 2023 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains that MX records are required to receive emails. If you do not have any MX records, people will not be able to send you email, and it will not get delivered.

August 2023 - Microsoft