1-8 lookups: enough headroom
Your SPF record is within the limit with room for providers to add includes. Keep monitoring when you onboard new email services.
Free SPF Checker & SPF Lookup
Run an SPF record check on any domain. See the live SPF TXT record, the total DNS lookups your include chain uses, and whether you are within the RFC 7208 limit of 10, before a PermError hurts deliverability.
How this SPF record check works
The checker performs a live SPF lookup against public DNS and walks the mechanisms that consume lookups.
Fetch the SPF record
We query DNS for the domain's SPF TXT record (v=spf1 …) and show the exact string receivers evaluate today.
Count nested lookups
include, a, mx, exists, and ptr mechanisms that require DNS each add to the total. Nested includes are followed recursively so the count matches real SPF evaluation.
Map the include tree
A dependency graph shows which providers and domains contribute lookups, so you can see what pushes you toward (or over) the limit of 10.
What your SPF checker results mean
Use the lookup total as a status indicator for email authentication, not just a pass/fail badge.
9-10 lookups: near the limit
You are at or next to the hard limit. One extra include from a provider can push you into a PermError. Plan flattening or remove unused mechanisms soon.
Over 10 lookups: PermError risk
The SPF check may fail at receiving mail servers. That can reduce inbox placement and break DMARC alignment when SPF is required. Flatten or simplify the record.
0 lookups / no record
No SPF record was found, or nothing counted toward the lookup budget. Publish a correct v=spf1 record before relying on SPF or DMARC.
SPF checker FAQ
Answers about SPF lookup, SPF record checks, and the 10-lookup limit.
What is an SPF checker (SPF lookup / SPF record check)?
An SPF checker looks up your domain's published SPF TXT record and analyzes the mechanisms it uses. A useful SPF record check counts every DNS lookup (including nested include chains), so you can see whether you are approaching or exceeding the RFC 7208 limit of 10 lookups.
How does this free SPF lookup work?
Enter a domain name. We fetch the SPF record from DNS, then recursively follow include, a, mx, exists, and ptr mechanisms that consume lookups. You get the live record text, a total lookup count out of 10, and a dependency graph of nested includes.
What do the SPF checker results mean?
0 lookups usually means no SPF record was found. 1-8 is typically safe headroom. 9-10 is near the limit and risky if providers add includes. More than 10 means receivers may return a PermError and treat SPF as failed, which can hurt deliverability and DMARC alignment.
Why is there a 10-lookup limit in SPF?
RFC 7208 caps the number of DNS lookups an SPF evaluation may perform at 10 (excluding the initial TXT query for the record itself in common counting). Nested includes from Google, Microsoft, Mailgun, and similar providers add up quickly and often push domains over the limit without anyone noticing.
How is an SPF checker different from SPF flattening?
An SPF checker diagnoses your current record and lookup count. SPF flattening replaces nested includes with direct IP mechanisms so the published record stays within the limit. spFlat! monitors provider IP changes and keeps flattened records updated automatically after you fix an over-limit check.
Is this SPF record check free to use?
Yes. The public SPF checker and SPF lookup on this page are free, rate-limited for fair use, and do not require an account. Create an account only if you want automated flattening and continuous monitoring after an over-limit result.
Over the limit? Fix it with SPF flattening
spFlat! replaces nested includes with monitored IP mechanisms so your published record stays under 10 lookups, updated automatically when providers change ranges.