What platform should I use to test if my emails are good quality and will land in the inbox?

Summary

Testing email deliverability involves a combination of tools and practices. Platforms like GlockApps, MailMonitor, Inbox Monster, Validity (Everest), SendForensics, and Return Path provide inbox placement testing, deliverability monitoring, and reputation management. Mailtrap allows for safe email inspection in staging environments. Mail-Tester assesses email quality based on SPF, DKIM, and spam filter analysis. Manual checks with seed lists and major email clients (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) are also useful. Tools like Mailosaur support automated testing, while Litmus offers previews across various clients. MXToolbox helps diagnose email server issues. Mailjet and ZeroBounce focus on email validation and list quality. Remember that technical compliance alone does not guarantee inbox placement; sender reputation, engagement, and content relevance are crucial.

Key findings

  • Variety of Tools: Numerous platforms offer different aspects of email deliverability testing, including inbox placement, spam analysis, and server diagnostics.
  • Technical vs. Reputation: Passing technical checks isn't enough; sender reputation and recipient engagement are critical.
  • Seed List Testing: GlockApps, MailMonitor, Validity, and similar tools are recommended for monitoring inbox placement.
  • Importance of Staging: Mailtrap allows for safe testing in a staging environment without affecting real users.
  • List Hygiene: Mailjet and ZeroBounce provide tools for email validation and cleaning to improve list quality.

Key considerations

  • Holistic Approach: Combine multiple testing methods (automated tools, manual checks) for a comprehensive assessment.
  • Content and Engagement: Focus on sending wanted mail and maintaining a good sender reputation.
  • Testing Regularly: Regularly test and monitor email performance to identify and fix deliverability issues.
  • No Single Solution: No single tool guarantees inbox placement, so a multi-faceted approach is necessary.
  • Ongoing Monitoring: Email deliverability is dynamic, requiring continuous monitoring and adjustments.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Various email testing platforms and methods can help determine email quality and inbox placement. Mailtrap allows safe testing in staging environments. GlockApps, Validity (Everest), SendForensics, and Return Path (now Validity) provide inbox placement testing and deliverability monitoring across different ISPs. Mail-Tester helps assess email quality using SPF, DKIM, and spam filter analysis. Manually checking deliverability to major email clients (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) and using seed lists is also beneficial. Mailinator offers disposable email addresses for testing sending functionality. Mailjet, ZeroBounce, provide email validation and deliverability tools to improve email list quality and reduce bounce rates.

Key opinions

  • Mailtrap: Ideal for safe email inspection and debugging in staging environments.
  • GlockApps & Competitors: Provides inbox placement testing across multiple ISPs.
  • Mail-Tester: Assesses email quality with SPF, DKIM, and spam filter analysis.
  • Manual Checks: Manually checking deliverability to Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook can be helpful.
  • Mailinator: Offers disposable email addresses for testing sending functionality.
  • Mailjet & ZeroBounce: Offers email validation to improve email list quality and reduce bounce rates.

Key considerations

  • Staging vs Production: Use staging environments for initial testing to avoid impacting real users.
  • Multiple Testing Methods: Combine automated testing tools with manual checks for a comprehensive assessment.
  • Deliverability Factors: Consider SPF, DKIM, and spam filter analysis when evaluating email quality.
  • List Quality: Ensure email lists are clean and validated to improve deliverability.
  • Tool Costs: Some tools are paid, factor in the costs when choosing tools.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that using a seed list and checking with multiple email clients is helpful. They suggest manually checking deliverability to Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook, as well as using a tool like GlockApps for more comprehensive testing.

January 2025 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Validity explains that Validity offers email deliverability tools like Everest, which help monitor inbox placement, sender reputation, and engagement metrics. It provides insights into factors affecting deliverability and helps optimize email campaigns.

June 2023 - Validity
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow answers that tools like Mailinator can be used to test email sending functionality. Mailinator provides disposable email addresses that allow you to capture and inspect emails sent from your application without using real email accounts.

September 2022 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendForensics explains that SendForensics provides deliverability monitoring and reputation management tools. They offer features like blacklist monitoring, spam filter testing, and inbox placement analysis to help improve email deliverability.

June 2024 - SendForensics
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that Mailjet offers email validation tools to verify email addresses and reduce bounce rates. They also provide deliverability monitoring and reporting to help track email performance and identify potential issues.

August 2023 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that tools like Mail-Tester help assess email quality by providing a score based on various checks, including SPF, DKIM, and spam filter analysis. It helps identify issues that might cause emails to land in the spam folder.

October 2023 - EmailToolTester
Marketer view

Email marketer from ZeroBounce shares that ZeroBounce offers email verification and deliverability tools to improve email list quality. They provide features like email scoring, spam trap detection, and inbox placement testing to help optimize email campaigns.

July 2023 - ZeroBounce
Marketer view

Email marketer from Return Path shares that Return Path (now part of Validity) offered email optimization and deliverability solutions. Their tools helped monitor sender reputation, inbox placement, and engagement metrics to improve email performance.

June 2021 - Return Path
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps explains that GlockApps provides inbox placement testing by sending your email to real email addresses at various ISPs and providing a report on where your email landed (inbox, spam, or missing). It also offers DMARC monitoring and blacklist checks.

October 2023 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailtrap Blog explains that Mailtrap Email Testing is a safe way to inspect and debug emails in staging environments. It allows you to test emails before sending them to real users, ensuring they look and function correctly.

October 2021 - Mailtrap Blog

What the experts say
7Expert opinions

Testing email deliverability involves more than just technical checks. While tools like aboutmy.email, GlockApps, MailMonitor, Inbox Monster, and Validity are useful for assessing authentication, compliance, and inbox placement, they don't guarantee inbox delivery. Sending mail that recipients want and maintaining a good sender reputation are crucial. Mailbox providers filter based on more than just technical compliance.

Key opinions

  • Technical Checks Aren't Enough: Passing technical checks (SPF, DKIM) doesn't guarantee inbox placement.
  • Reputation Matters: Sender reputation and engagement significantly impact deliverability.
  • Content Relevance: Sending wanted mail improves deliverability.
  • Seed List Testing: Tools like GlockApps, MailMonitor, Inbox Monster and Validity are suggested for monitoring inbox placement.

Key considerations

  • Holistic Approach: Focus on both technical setup and content relevance for better deliverability.
  • Regular Testing: Run tests regularly and monitor results to identify and fix deliverability issues.
  • No Guarantees: Understand that no single test can guarantee inbox placement at scale.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds, recommending using a variety of seed list testing tools like GlockApps, MailMonitor, and 250ok (now Validity) to assess inbox placement across different mailbox providers. They suggest running tests regularly and paying attention to the results to identify and fix any deliverability issues.

March 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that you can use aboutmy.email to test authentication and compliance with public standards, but email deliverability involves domain reputation and recipient engagement. No test guarantees inbox placement.

March 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that inbox placement testers, your options there are primarily Glock Apps, Inbox Monster, and Validity.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise Staff shares that testing tools like GlockApps or MailMonitor offer valuable insight regarding content and infrastructure configurations to get a clearer view on where your emails may be landing.

February 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that consistently sending mail people want tends to get delivered fairly well, even if it’s just barely above the basics technically. Consistently sending mail people don’t want will go to the spam folder, even though it’s technically perfect.

January 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that just because a message shows delivered to the inbox on a publicly available test, doesn't mean it's going to deliver to the inbox at scale. There isn't a checklist that guarantees inbox placement.

January 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says that just because you pass all the technical checks doesn't mean it's going to land in the inbox. Mailbox providers block millions of technically compliant messages every day.

January 2024 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Several platforms offer tools for testing email quality and deliverability. Mailosaur is designed for automated testing, allowing capture and assertion of emails in test environments. Litmus provides email previews across different clients, spam testing, and deliverability monitoring to identify rendering and deliverability issues. SendGrid offers email testing tools, including activity history and deliverability diagnostics. MXToolbox focuses on diagnosing email server issues with blacklist checks, DNS analysis, and SMTP diagnostics.

Key findings

  • Mailosaur: Supports automated email testing in test environments.
  • Litmus: Offers previews across clients, spam testing, and deliverability monitoring.
  • SendGrid: Provides email activity history and deliverability diagnostics.
  • MXToolbox: Diagnoses email server issues with blacklist checks and DNS analysis.

Key considerations

  • Testing Scope: Each platform offers different testing capabilities, so choose one that aligns with your specific needs.
  • Automation: Consider automated testing for continuous integration and delivery pipelines.
  • Server Diagnostics: Use server diagnostic tools to identify and resolve underlying infrastructure issues.
  • Email Previews: Use email preview testing to check the email looks good accross all clients.
Technical article

Documentation from Litmus shares that Litmus offers email previews across various email clients and devices, as well as spam testing and deliverability monitoring. This allows you to identify rendering issues and deliverability problems before sending to your audience.

August 2023 - Litmus
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid explains that SendGrid provides tools for email testing, including email activity history and deliverability diagnostics. It allows you to monitor email performance and identify potential issues affecting deliverability.

October 2023 - SendGrid
Technical article

Documentation from Mailosaur explains that Mailosaur is an email testing service designed for automated tests. It allows you to capture and assert on emails in a test environment, ensuring your application sends the correct emails with the correct content.

May 2023 - Mailosaur
Technical article

Documentation from MXToolbox shares that MXToolbox provides tools for diagnosing email server issues, including blacklist checks, DNS record analysis, and SMTP diagnostics. These tools can help identify technical issues affecting email deliverability.

May 2023 - MXToolbox