What are the best and most trustworthy URL RBLs?

Summary

Experts and marketers agree that Spamhaus is a highly reputable and accurate RBL for blocking spam. Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, and URIBL are often recommended together for comprehensive coverage. It's important to choose reputable RBLs to avoid false positives. URIBLs are especially useful for detecting malicious URLs in emails. Monitoring RBL listings is crucial for maintaining deliverability. To avoid being listed, ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintain clean lists, engage subscribers, use double opt-in, and segment lists. While testing RBLs is possible, it can harm sender reputation. PhishTank's trustworthiness is questioned due to potential manipulation.

Key findings

  • Spamhaus Recommendation: Spamhaus is consistently recommended as a highly accurate and trustworthy RBL.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: Combining Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, and URIBL provides comprehensive spam detection.
  • URIBL Specificity: URIBLs are particularly effective for identifying malicious URLs within emails.
  • Monitoring Importance: Regular monitoring of RBL listings is essential to prevent blacklisting.

Key considerations

  • False Positive Risk: Choosing reputable RBLs is important to avoid blocking legitimate emails.
  • Sender Reputation: Testing RBLs with spam-like emails can negatively impact your sender reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining clean and engaged subscriber lists is crucial for avoiding RBL listings.
  • Authentication Standards: Implementing proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is vital.
  • Data Integrity: Consider the management and influence on the data when selecting an RBL, as some may be more susceptible to manipulation than others.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Experts and marketers agree that Spamhaus is highly reputable and accurate for blocking spam. Using multiple RBLs like Spamhaus, SURBL, and URIBL can improve spam detection but choosing trustworthy RBLs is crucial to avoid false positives. URIBLs are beneficial for detecting malicious URLs. Monitoring RBL listings is essential to prevent blacklisting and using tools like MXToolbox and HetrixTools can aid in this. To avoid listing, send emails to engaged subscribers, use double opt-in, and segment lists. Testing RBLs can be done but carries a risk to reputation.

Key opinions

  • Spamhaus Reputation: Spamhaus is consistently recommended as a highly accurate and trustworthy RBL.
  • Multiple RBLs: Using multiple RBLs (e.g., Spamhaus, SURBL, URIBL) can improve spam detection rates.
  • URIBL Usefulness: URIBLs are particularly useful for detecting malicious URLs within emails.
  • Monitoring Importance: Regularly monitoring RBL listings is important to prevent your sending IP from being blacklisted.

Key considerations

  • Reputation Risk: Testing RBLs by sending spam-like emails can potentially damage your sender reputation.
  • False Positives: Choosing reputable RBLs is important to avoid false positives that could block legitimate emails.
  • Engagement: Maintaining engaged subscriber lists, using double opt-in, and list segmentation can help avoid RBL listings.
  • RBL Types: RBLs are divided into IP based, or URL based. Each targets different spamming activities.
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailChannels explains that Spamhaus is known for its accuracy and is widely respected, making it a reliable choice for blocking spam.

February 2025 - MailChannels
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange shares that one can test RBLs by intentionally sending spam-like emails to see if they are detected, but warns that this could potentially damage your reputation.

September 2022 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit responds that choosing RBLs depends on your specific needs, but Spamhaus is generally considered one of the most effective and trustworthy.

April 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from WordtotheWise shares that Spamhaus and SURBL are reputable for RBL, DBL, and URIBL coverage and accuracy.

May 2022 - WordtotheWise
Marketer view

Email marketer from Talos Intelligence shares that RBLs are divided into different categories based on the types of listings they track, such as IP-based or URL-based RBLs.

May 2022 - Talos Intelligence
Marketer view

Email marketer from DigitalOcean answers to avoid listing by only sending emails to engaged subscribers, use a double opt-in process, and segment your lists to send relevant content.

June 2023 - DigitalOcean
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that tools like MXToolbox and HetrixTools can be used to monitor if your IP addresses are listed on various RBLs.

January 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit answers that URIBLs are useful for detecting malicious URLs in emails, and URIBL.com is a commonly used option.

November 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange shares that using multiple RBLs can improve spam detection rates, but it's important to choose reputable RBLs to avoid false positives. Combining Spamhaus, SURBL, and URIBL can provide comprehensive coverage.

July 2023 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailSecurityBlog explains that monitoring RBL listings is important to ensure your sending IP is not blacklisted, as being listed on a major RBL can significantly impact email deliverability.

November 2021 - EmailSecurityBlog

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

Experts recommend Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, and URIBL as good URL RBLs, with Spamhaus being particularly well-respected for its accuracy. PhishTank is considered less trustworthy due to potential manipulation by community voters. Spamhaus and SURBL provide good coverage and accuracy.

Key opinions

  • Recommended RBLs: Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, and URIBL are recommended as effective URL RBLs.
  • Spamhaus Reputation: Spamhaus is highly regarded for its accuracy and is widely used.
  • PhishTank Concerns: PhishTank's reliability is questioned due to potential manipulation by community voting.

Key considerations

  • Data Trustworthiness: Consider the management and influence on the data when selecting an RBL.
  • Accuracy Focus: Prioritize RBLs known for their accuracy in identifying spam sources.
  • Coverage: Consider RBLs that offer comprehensive coverage, such as Spamhaus and SURBL.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that Spamhaus DBL, SURBL or URIBL are all good URL RBLs.

April 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from WordtotheWise shares that Spamhaus and SURBL are reputable for RBL, DBL, and URIBL coverage and accuracy.

March 2025 - WordtotheWise
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that Spamhaus is a well-respected and widely used RBL known for its accuracy in identifying and listing spam sources.

December 2021 - SpamResource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains he doesn't trust PhishTank as much because it can be manipulated by a community of voters, unlike the other RBLs discussed which are managed in a consistent way with little outside influence, providing more trustworthy data.

March 2021 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

The Spamhaus DBL is a real-time database blocking domains involved in malicious activities. SURBL lists websites appearing in unsolicited messages and detects those used for spam or phishing. URIBL identifies abusive URIs in unsolicited emails. Compliance with email best practices, including authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), clean lists, and addressing complaints, can help avoid listing.

Key findings

  • Spamhaus DBL: Blocks access to domains involved in spamming, phishing, and malware.
  • SURBL Function: Detects websites used for spam, phishing, or other fraudulent activities.
  • URIBL Identification: Identifies abusive URIs (links) present in unsolicited email.

Key considerations

  • Email Practices: Following best practices is vital to avoid being listed on RBLs.
  • Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining clean mailing lists is a key factor in deliverability.
  • Complaint Handling: Promptly addressing complaints helps in maintaining a good sending reputation.
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that the DBL (Domain Block List) is a real-time database of domains found to be involved in spamming or other malicious activities. It's designed to block access to these domains, protecting users from spam, phishing, and malware.

October 2021 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains to avoid listing by ensuring email practices are compliant with best practices, including proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining clean mailing lists, and promptly addressing complaints.

October 2024 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from SURBL answers it is a list of websites that have appeared in unsolicited messages. They detect websites that appear to be used for spam, phishing, or other fraudulent activities.

September 2024 - SURBL
Technical article

Documentation from URIBL shares that it detects abusive Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs), typically links to web pages, that appear in unsolicited email.

August 2022 - URIBL