How to Tell if a Company Uses Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
To tell which suite a company uses, read its MX record. The email provider lookup does it for any domain, email address or URL: Google Workspace hosts end in google.com or smtp.goog, Microsoft 365 hosts end in mail.protection.outlook.com, and Zoho's end in zoho.com. It names the provider and any security gateway in front of it.
Step 1: enter the domain
Type the domain, an address or a website URL. acme.com, jane@acme.com and https://acme.com all look up acme.com. The tool queries the MX and SPF records and nothing else.
Step 2: read the headline
The result names the mailbox provider, a gateway, a forwarding service, or no mail at all. Below it, the MX table shows each host and its priority. The host with the lowest number is the one senders try first. A domain can list several for backup, which is covered in MX priorities explained.
Step 3: use the manual rules if you want to double-check
| MX host ends in | Provider |
|---|---|
google.com or smtp.goog |
Google Workspace |
mail.protection.outlook.com |
Microsoft 365 |
zoho.com |
Zoho Mail |
On the command line it is dig MX acme.com. For Microsoft specifically, checking whether a domain uses Microsoft 365 shows other signals too.
Step 4: when the answer is a gateway
If the MX names Proofpoint, Mimecast or similar, the SPF record fills the gap. An include of _spf.google.com points to Google Workspace, and spf.protection.outlook.com to Microsoft 365. It is strong evidence rather than proof, so the tool says "most likely". See finding the real provider behind a security gateway.
Step 5: do a whole list in one go
Upload the CSV to the bulk email provider lookup. Up to 5,000 rows and 1,000 unique domains a run, split into Google, Microsoft and other, with provider columns added to your rows. That is the quick way to build separate sequences, as in Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for cold email.
Why the website host is a different answer
Websites and mail run in different places. A company's site can be on Webflow while its mail is on Microsoft 365. To see the site's platform, use the website host checker; the two tools answer different questions.
What this check cannot do
- It cannot say whether a particular mailbox exists.
- Behind a gateway the provider is an inference from SPF.
- A domain with no MX record shows no provider.
- A company can run a mix of providers across subdomains; the lookup reads the domain you enter.
Check the addresses before you send
Look up a company now
Enter its domain in the email provider lookup.
For a Google-specific answer on one domain, use the free Google Workspace email checker.
Common questions
How can I tell if a company uses Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
Look at its MX records. Hosts ending in google.com or smtp.goog mean Google Workspace. Hosts ending in mail.protection.outlook.com mean Microsoft 365.
What if the MX points at Proofpoint or Mimecast?
A security gateway sits in front. Check the SPF record: include:_spf.google.com points to Google Workspace and include:spf.protection.outlook.com to Microsoft 365.
Is the email host the same as the website host?
Often not. A site on Shopify or Vercel with mail on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is a normal setup. Mail follows the MX records.
Can I check a whole list of domains?
Yes. The bulk email provider lookup takes up to 5,000 rows and 1,000 unique domains a run and adds provider columns to your rows.
Does the lookup contact the company?
No. It reads two DNS records, MX and TXT, and sends nothing to the mail servers.
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.