Are your emails not arriving? Do your messages end up in your customers' spam folder? With an email score test you can see exactly what is wrong with your email configuration. In this article we explain how to test and improve your email score.

Why testing your email matters

You can send the most beautiful email ever - if it lands in spam, nobody benefits. More and more email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) are getting stricter about what they let through. They check whether your email:

  • Comes from a real sender (authentication)
  • Does not come from a suspicious server (blacklists)
  • Has no spam characteristics (content analysis)
  • Is technically configured correctly (DNS records)

An email score test checks all of these points in one go and gives you concrete points for improvement.

Using the email score tester

There are several tools for testing your email. A handy free tool is the Email Score Tester from HostingRadar. This tool is in Dutch and gives a clear explanation for each item.

How does it work?

  1. Generate a test address - Go to the tool and click "Start Test". You'll get a unique email address.
  2. Send an email - From your regular email (business or hosting), send a message to that test address.
  3. View the results - Within a few seconds you get a detailed analysis.

You don't need to create an account and can use the tool as often as you like.

What gets tested?

A good email score tester checks at least these eight items:

1. SPF record

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) tells receiving servers which servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. Without SPF, anyone can pretend to be you.

What is checked:

  • Is there an SPF record?
  • Is the IP of the sending server included?
  • Is the record formatted correctly?

Common problem: You send through an external service (Mailchimp, SMTP2GO) but haven't included their servers in your SPF.

Learn more about setting up SPF records

2. DKIM signature

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to your email. This lets the recipient verify that the email was not altered along the way.

What is checked:

  • Does the email have a DKIM signature?
  • Is the signature valid?
  • Does the public key match?

Common problem: DKIM not activated with your hosting provider or external email service.

Learn more about setting up DKIM

3. DMARC policy

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) tells recipients what to do if SPF or DKIM fails. It also protects against spoofing.

What is checked:

  • Is there a DMARC record?
  • What is the policy (none, quarantine, reject)?
  • Are the reporting addresses correct?

Common problem: No DMARC record, or a policy set to "none", so it offers no real protection.

Learn more about setting up DMARC

4. MX records

MX (Mail Exchange) records determine which servers receive email for your domain. Without correct MX records, people can't email you.

What is checked:

  • Are there MX records?
  • Are there backup MX records (redundancy)?
  • Do they point to existing servers?

5. Blacklist check

If your IP address or domain is on a blacklist, many servers will reject your email. This can happen because of spam, a hacked account or a shared IP with bad neighbors.

What is checked:

  • Is the sending IP on known blacklists?
  • Is your domain on a blacklist?
  • Check against 25+ different blacklist databases

Common problem: Shared hosting where someone else has sent spam.

6. Spam analysis

The content of your email is analyzed for typical spam characteristics.

What is checked:

  • Suspicious words or phrases
  • Too many capital letters or exclamation marks
  • Text to image ratio
  • Suspicious attachments

7. Reverse DNS (PTR record)

Reverse DNS maps an IP address back to a hostname. Many mail servers check whether this is correct.

What is checked:

  • Does the sending IP have a PTR record?
  • Does the hostname match the HELO/EHLO?

Common problem: Missing PTR record - your hosting provider has to set this up.

Links in your email are checked for suspicious patterns.

What is checked:

  • Do links point to known phishing domains?
  • Are URL shorteners used (often suspicious)?
  • Are the links consistent with the sender?

Improving your email score

After the test you get an overview of what is fine and what needs improvement. Here are the most common points for improvement:

Score below 5: urgent action needed

Problem Solution
No SPF record Add an SPF record in DNS
No DKIM Activate DKIM with your provider
On a blacklist Request delisting from the blacklist
No PTR record Ask your hosting provider to set it up

Score 5-7: room for improvement

Problem Solution
No DMARC Add a DMARC record
SPF too broad Limit it to only the necessary servers
Spam triggers Adjust your email content

Score 8-10: nice work!

Your email configuration is in good shape. Keep testing regularly, especially after changes to your email setup.

Testing email with Theory7 hosting

With Theory7 web hosting, SPF and DKIM are automatically set up correctly when you use our mail servers. You only need to add a DMARC record yourself for the highest score.

Step-by-step plan for Theory7 customers

  1. Test your current score - Use the email score tester
  2. Check SPF - Correct by default when you use our mail servers
  3. Check DKIM - Automatically active for all domains
  4. Add DMARC - See our article on setting up DMARC
  5. Test again - Check whether your score has improved

Frequently asked questions

How often should I test my email?

Test at least at these moments:

  • After setting up a new domain or email
  • After changes to DNS records
  • When customers report that emails aren't arriving
  • After adding a new email service (newsletter tool, CRM)
  • Once a quarter as a routine check

My score is low but emails do arrive. Is that a problem?

Yes, that is a risk. It may work for now, but:

  • Gmail and Outlook keep getting stricter
  • Your emails can suddenly land in spam
  • Your domain reputation can be damaged

Setting up your email properly in advance prevents problems later.

I use Gmail/Outlook. Do I need to test too?

If you send through Gmail or Outlook with your own domain (@yourcompany.nl), then yes. Your domain still needs correctly configured DNS records. If you only use @gmail.com, Google takes care of the technical side.

What if I'm on a blacklist?

Most blacklists have a delisting procedure:

  1. Identify which blacklist(s) through the test
  2. Fix the underlying problem (hacked account, spam)
  3. Request delisting through the blacklist's website
  4. Wait 24-48 hours and test again

On shared hosting: contact your hosting provider.

Other handy email test tools

Besides the Email Score Tester, there are more tools you can use:

Still stuck? Our support team is ready to help! Submit a ticket through the customer portal and we'll usually get you sorted within a few hours.

Further reading