MailSentinel vs MXToolbox: DMARC Monitoring Comparison

MXToolbox: The Swiss Army Knife of Email

MXToolbox has been a staple in the email administrator's toolkit for years. Their free lookup tools are used by millions, and their paid products cover a wide range of email and DNS monitoring needs.

What MXToolbox Offers

• Free Tools: MX lookup, SPF check, blacklist check, DMARC lookup, etc.
• Delivery Center: DMARC monitoring and reporting
• Monitor: Domain and server monitoring
• Investigate: Security and deliverability analysis

MXToolbox is a generalist—they do many things adequately rather than one thing excellently.

The Generalist vs. Specialist Question

MXToolbox: Jack of All Trades

MXToolbox monitors:

• DMARC reports
• Blacklist status
• DNS records
• SMTP servers
• SSL certificates
• Website uptime
• And more...

This breadth is valuable if you need all these capabilities. However, no single feature gets the focused development attention of a dedicated tool.

MailSentinel: DMARC Specialist

We focus exclusively on:

• DMARC aggregate and forensic reports
• SPF record monitoring and validation
• DKIM key verification
• Email authentication trends
• Real-time authentication alerts

This focus means every feature is designed specifically for DMARC success.

Feature Comparison

Free Tools

Note: MXToolbox's free tools are genuinely useful. We recommend using them alongside any DMARC monitoring platform.

Paid Monitoring

Pricing Analysis

MXToolbox Pricing

MXToolbox offers several products:

Delivery Center (DMARC):

• Starts at ~$129/month
• Higher tiers for more domains

Full Monitor Suite:

• $99-399+/month depending on monitors

Bundled Products:

• Various combinations available

MailSentinel Pricing

Focused on DMARC only:

• Starter: $14/month (5 domains)
• Professional: $49/month (unlimited domains)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Cost Comparison for DMARC

If you only need DMARC monitoring:

Potential savings: $960+/year

Interface Comparison

MXToolbox Dashboard

MXToolbox's interface reflects its history:

• Functional but dated design
• Dense information presentation
• Multiple products create navigation complexity
• Desktop-first approach

MailSentinel Dashboard

Built with modern standards:

• Clean, contemporary design
• Mobile-responsive
• Focused navigation
• Dark mode support
• At-a-glance status

"Switching from MXToolbox to MailSentinel felt like upgrading from Windows XP to modern macOS. The functionality is there, but the experience is completely different."

The Blacklist Question

MXToolbox is known for blacklist monitoring. If your primary concern is:

• Are my sending IPs blacklisted?
• Are my domains on blocklists?
• How quickly can I detect blacklisting?

MXToolbox may be the better choice—blacklist monitoring is their strength.

However, if your primary concern is DMARC authentication, you might:

1. Use MailSentinel for DMARC monitoring
2. Use MXToolbox's free blacklist lookup occasionally
3. Save money overall

When to Use Which

Choose MXToolbox If:

• ✅ You need blacklist monitoring as a primary feature
• ✅ You want one tool for all email diagnostics
• ✅ You frequently use their free lookup tools
• ✅ You need SMTP server monitoring
• ✅ Interface aesthetics aren't important

Choose MailSentinel If:

• ✅ DMARC monitoring is your primary need
• ✅ You want modern, intuitive interface
• ✅ You're focused on authentication vs. deliverability
• ✅ You want focused features without bloat
• ✅ Budget efficiency matters

Use Both If:

Many organizations use both tools for different purposes:

• MailSentinel: Day-to-day DMARC monitoring and alerts
• MXToolbox Free Tools: Occasional DNS lookups and blacklist checks

This combination provides comprehensive coverage without overpaying.

Migration Path

From MXToolbox to MailSentinel

If you're using MXToolbox Delivery Center for DMARC:

1. Sign up for MailSentinel (14-day trial)
2. Update your DMARC record to include both RUA addresses
3. Compare the interfaces and feature sets
4. Cancel MXToolbox Delivery Center if MailSentinel meets your needs
5. Keep using free tools regardless of decision

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:youraddr@rua.mxtoolbox.com, mailto:yourid@reports.mailsentinel.io

What You Might Miss

• Blacklist monitoring (use free tools instead)
• SMTP diagnostics (if you used them)
• Bundled certificate monitoring

What You Gain

• Better DMARC visualization
• Modern, cleaner interface
• Lower cost
• Focused feature development

Real User Feedback

On MXToolbox

"I've used MXToolbox free tools for years. They're reliable and everyone knows them."

"The paid monitoring interface feels stuck in 2010."

On Switching to MailSentinel

"MXToolbox tried to do everything. MailSentinel does DMARC right."

"Saved money by using MailSentinel for DMARC and MXToolbox free tools for occasional lookups."

Summary

Start Your Focused DMARC Monitoring

MailSentinel does one thing exceptionally well: DMARC monitoring. Experience the difference with our free 14-day trial.

Start Free Trial →