How we check, and what we don't promise
Every vendor claims 97 to 99% accuracy with no method attached. Here is ours, field by field, with the limits.
What each state means
Every field comes back with one of three states. They decide what you're charged and what you should do with it.
| State | What we checked | Charged? | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verified | The address resolved at lookup time, or the number passed a carrier and line-type check | Yes | Send or call |
| Risky (catch-all) | The mail server accepts every address, so the pattern is probably right but can't be proven | Yes, labelled | Send in smaller batches, watch bounces |
| Not found | Nothing on file | No | Try another input, or move on |
The check per field
- 01
Work email
Syntax, the domain's MX records, and whether the server accepts the mailbox. Three passes, then verified. Catch-all servers get risky.
- 02
Personal email
Syntax and MX, plus mailbox acceptance where the provider allows it. Gmail does; some don't. We never send mail to test an address.
- 03
Mobile
Carrier and line-type lookup monthly, so a ported or disconnected number gets dropped or relabelled. We don't call numbers to test them.
What we measure on our own sending
Recomputed monthly. The refund terms are on /pricing.
bounce rate on verified work emails, last 90 days
bounce refund window per credit
job-wide bounce threshold for a full refund
What we promise, and what we don't
- ✓A state and a check date on every value.
- ✓Nothing charged on a miss.
- ✓A refund for verified addresses that bounce within 30 days.
- ✓Coverage numbers you can budget from, on /data/coverage.
- ×That a verified address belongs to the person you meant. Name collisions happen; the title and company are there so you can tell.
- ×That a risky address will deliver.
- ×Accuracy on a list that doesn't look like ours. Check coverage by country before you budget.
Questions, answered.
Why not just publish one accuracy percentage?
Because it hides the method. 98% of what, checked how, measured when? A state and a date on each value tells you more than any single number.
Do you re-check old records?
Work emails are re-checked at lookup time, so you always get a fresh result. Mobiles are re-checked monthly. Personal emails are checked at lookup where the provider allows.
How do bounce refunds work?
Email the bounce within 30 days and the credit comes back. Over 5% bounces on verified addresses in one bulk job refunds the whole job.