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Email Deliverability Score

Score your domain's email deliverability setup across 7 critical checks: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI, MX records, reverse DNS, and TLS. Get a letter grade (A+ to F) with actionable recommendations to improve inbox placement.

About this tool

Gmail and Yahoo changed the game in February 2024 by requiring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for bulk senders. If you're sending more than 5,000 emails per day without proper authentication, your messages are either going to spam or bouncing outright. This scoring tool evaluates your domain across 7 critical checks and gives you a letter grade from A+ to F, so you know exactly where you stand and what to fix first.

How the scoring breakdown works

The score is out of 100 points, distributed across seven areas based on their impact on deliverability. DKIM carries the most weight at 25 points — it's the strongest authentication signal because it survives email forwarding. SPF is worth 20 points and validates that your sending server is authorized by your domain. DMARC adds another 20 points by telling receiving servers what to do when SPF or DKIM fails. MX records count for 15 points (your domain needs to be able to receive mail). TLS gets 10 points for encrypting emails in transit. Reverse DNS (rDNS) is worth 5 points, and BIMI rounds it out with 5 points for brand display in inboxes.

What each letter grade means

An A+ (95-100) means everything is configured correctly — you have the full authentication stack plus extras like BIMI and proper rDNS. An A (85-94) means the core trio (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is solid with minor gaps in secondary checks. A B (70-84) typically means one major protocol is misconfigured or missing — you'll see deliverability issues with stricter providers. A C (55-69) signals serious problems — multiple authentication failures that are actively hurting your inbox placement. D (40-54) and F (below 40) mean critical infrastructure is missing and most bulk email will land in spam or get rejected.

Why this matters right now

Before 2024, you could get away with sloppy authentication and still reach most inboxes. That era is over. Gmail now blocks emails from domains without basic SPF and DKIM. Yahoo follows the same rules. Microsoft is tightening enforcement too. On top of that, properly authenticated domains see 10-15% better inbox placement even with providers that don't strictly enforce — authentication is a positive reputation signal, not just a pass/fail gate.

Fixing your score

Start with the highest-value fixes. If SPF is failing, use our SPF generator to create the right record. For DKIM issues, our DKIM generator walks you through key creation and DNS setup. DMARC problems? The DMARC generator helps you set an appropriate policy. After making changes, use the DNS propagation checker to verify records have propagated before re-testing. Run this score check after any platform migration, DNS change, or if you notice open rates dropping unexpectedly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good deliverability score?

Aim for 85+ (an A grade) at minimum, which means SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all properly configured. A score of 95+ (A+) means you've also nailed secondary factors like BIMI, rDNS, and TLS. Below 70 (B or lower), you likely have at least one critical authentication protocol missing or misconfigured, and you'll see real deliverability impact.

Which checks matter most for deliverability?

DKIM (25 points) is the single most important check — it's the authentication method that survives email forwarding and carries the strongest reputation signal. SPF (20 points) is second — it validates your sending servers. DMARC (20 points) ties them together with a policy for handling failures. These three make up 65% of the score and are required by Gmail and Yahoo for bulk senders as of February 2024.

How often should I check my deliverability score?

Run a check after any DNS changes, email platform migrations, adding a new sending service, or if you notice deliverability issues like declining open rates or emails going to spam. Beyond that, a quarterly check is smart — DNS records can break due to provider changes, expired DKIM keys, or accidental deletions. Think of it like a regular health checkup for your email infrastructure.

Can I get a perfect score without BIMI?

You can get 95/100 without BIMI, which is a solid A+. BIMI adds your brand logo to supporting inboxes (Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo) but requires a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) that costs $1,000-1,500 per year. It's a nice brand visibility boost, not a deliverability requirement. Get SPF, DKIM, and DMARC perfect first — that's where the real deliverability impact is.

What's the difference between a deliverability score and domain reputation?

Your deliverability score measures your technical authentication setup — whether your DNS records are correctly configured. Domain reputation is a separate concept based on your sending behavior — bounce rates, spam complaints, engagement metrics, and sending patterns. You need both to reach the inbox. A perfect deliverability score with terrible sending habits still lands you in spam.

My score dropped suddenly. What happened?

The most common causes are: someone accidentally deleted or modified a DNS record, a DKIM key expired without rotation, your ESP changed their sending infrastructure without updating SPF, or a domain migration broke existing records. Run each individual check (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to identify which one failed, then use the corresponding generator tool to fix it.

Do I need all 7 checks to pass to reach the inbox?

Not all 7, but the big three (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are essential for bulk senders. Missing any of those will cause deliverability problems with Gmail and Yahoo. MX records are also critical — without them, your domain can't receive bounce notifications. TLS, rDNS, and BIMI are beneficial but won't cause delivery failures on their own.

Does this check my actual sending reputation?

No — this tool checks your DNS-based authentication setup, not your behavioral reputation. For a complete picture, you'd also want to monitor your bounce rates, spam complaint rates, and engagement metrics. Use our blacklist checker to see if your domain or IP appears on any blocklists, which is a behavioral reputation signal.

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