How to Check if a Work Email Address Is Real
To check that a work email is real, answer four questions: is it on a company domain, who receives the domain's mail, is it a shared inbox, and does the mail server accept the mailbox. The business email checker answers all four for one address, and sends nothing. Valid means the server accepted the mailbox and rejected a made-up one.
Step 1: type the address
Enter one address, such as jane@acme.example. Press Check. The domain is matched against a list of free and ISP domains, its MX record is looked up and the mail server is asked about the mailbox.
Step 2: read the address type
By hand this is a glance at the domain after the @. A public provider (gmail.com, outlook.com, yahoo.com) is personal. A domain the company owns is a work address. The Mail host line then shows who handles its mail, such as Google or Microsoft. A company's mail host is not a free service: addresses on its own domain are still work addresses.
Step 3: read the verdict
| Result | Reason | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | Mailbox exists | The server accepted it and rejected a made-up address |
| Invalid | Mailbox not found | The server said the account does not exist |
| Risky | Accepts all addresses | Catch-all or a gateway; the yes proves nothing |
| Risky | Role-based address | A shared inbox such as sales@ |
Risky is not a failure of the tool. A company that accepts mail for any address cannot be confirmed by anyone. See what is a catch-all domain and send to catch-all emails. The gap between work and free addresses is covered in business email vs personal email.
What this check cannot do
- Work or personal comes from the domain alone. It does not prove the business is real or the person still there. See valid email but the person left the company.
- Catch-all domains and domains behind a security gateway come back risky.
- Consumer Microsoft addresses (outlook.com, hotmail.com) are not probed while Microsoft refuses checks from our server's network; they return risky with "Provider hides mailbox status".
- One address at a time, five a minute.
If you have a list
Split free from company addresses with the free vs business email filter, then check the mailboxes on the verify page: the first 100 email checks are free with a Google sign-in, no card. See bulk email verification and pricing.
Check a work address now
Paste it into the business email checker.
Common questions
What is the difference between a business and a personal email?
A business email is on a domain the organisation owns, like jane@acme.example. A personal email is on a public service anyone can sign up to, like gmail.com, outlook.com or yahoo.com, or on an internet provider's domain.
Is a Gmail address ever a business email?
Not by its domain. Some sole traders run a business from Gmail, but anyone can open one, so the checker labels gmail.com personal. A company on Google Workspace sends from its own domain, which counts as a work address.
Why is a company address marked risky?
Usually because the domain accepts mail for any address (catch-all), or a security gateway answers in front of the real mail server, so the mailbox cannot be confirmed. It can also be a role inbox or a temporary reply.
Does a work address prove the person still works there?
No. It shows the domain, the mail host and what the server said about the mailbox, not employment.
Can I check a whole list?
Yes. The business email filter splits a list into company and free addresses in your browser, and the verify page checks every mailbox.
Check your list before you send
Real mailbox checks over SMTP, and nothing is sent to the address. Sign in with Google and your first 100 email checks are free, no card. Plans for bigger lists are on the pricing page.