Email blacklist check across eight reputation sources
Check a domain or IP against Spamhaus SBL, XBL, PBL and DBL, Barracuda, SpamCop, SORBS and Invaluement.
A blacklist listing means some receivers will reject your mail outright and others will send it to spam. Which one you are on matters more than the fact of being listed: an SBL listing is about the sending IP and is usually your provider's problem, while a DBL listing is about a domain in your message content and is almost always yours.
| Source | Lists | Typical cause |
|---|---|---|
| Spamhaus SBL | IPs | Confirmed spam sources |
| Spamhaus XBL | IPs | Compromised machines, open proxies |
| Spamhaus PBL | IP ranges | Ranges that should not send directly |
| Spamhaus DBL | Domains | A domain in the message content |
| Barracuda BRBL | IPs | Spam volume seen by Barracuda customers |
| SpamCop | IPs | User-reported spam, expires automatically |
| SORBS | IPs | Open relays, proxies, spam sources |
| Invaluement | Domains | Snowshoe and low-volume spam patterns |
What is the difference between an IP blacklist and a domain blacklist?
An IP blacklist (SBL, XBL, PBL, Barracuda, SpamCop) lists the server that connected. On shared sending infrastructure that server is not yours, and the listing is your provider's to resolve. A domain blacklist (DBL, SURBL) lists a domain that appeared in the message — usually a link. If a link in your email points at a compromised site, your message gets filtered even though your own sending is clean.
How do I get delisted?
Fix the cause first, then request removal through that specific list's own form. Requesting delisting while the underlying problem is still live gets you relisted within days and, on some lists, makes the next removal slower. If you were listed after a bad send, the cause is usually a purchased list, a compromised mailbox, or a re-engagement campaign to addresses that have not opened in a year.
Why am I listed on PBL when I have never sent spam?
PBL is not a spam list. It is a list of IP ranges whose operators say should not be sending mail directly — typically residential and dynamic ranges. If you are sending from an office connection or a cheap VPS, you are probably in it by default. The fix is not delisting; it is sending through a proper relay.
How often should I check?
Continuously rather than occasionally, because the damage from a listing is done in the hours before you notice. We check every sending IP and every customer sending domain hourly, and alert within the hour with the delisting path attached.