mailboxlayer vs MailboxValidator (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MailboxValidator grades higher than mailboxlayer: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MailboxValidator grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
mailboxlayer
Email validation API that returns a JSON quality score
MailboxValidator
Email validation by bulk list upload or API
Which one is for you
Pick mailboxlayer if
- Fits if you are a developer who wants to check addresses at sign-up
- Works for side projects that stay under 100 requests a month
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to upload a list, because there is only an API
- Tight if you stay free, with 100 non-commercial requests
- Pricey if you want bulk: it starts at $74.99 a month
- Watch out: the homepage text mentions 1,000 free requests and $9.99 plans that the pricing page does not show
- Watch out: every address counts as one request
Pick MailboxValidator if
- Fits if you want an API check in a signup form and can start on 300 free queries a month
- Works for one-off list cleaning with a bulk pack
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, as API-FREE is 300 queries a month
- Watch out: bulk queries are valid for 30 days, so unused ones lapse
- Not for you if you need Yahoo addresses checked, as that isn't supported at the moment
- Watch out: bigger bulk packs list support replies of up to 72 hours
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAmailboxlayerWeak | 2.2GPAMailboxValidatorFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CBasic is $14.99 a month for 5,000 requests, between the $10 cheaper quarter and the $17.99 middle. Professional Plus is $74.99 and Enterprise Plus $249.99, all billed monthly with yearly at a discount. | C$29.95 a month for 3,000 queries, or $19.95 for 1,000 bulk queries, around the category's $23 middle for far fewer checks. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree is 100 API requests, non-commercial, with no support and no catch-all detection. Commercial use needs Basic. | CAPI-FREE gives 300 queries a month, renewing, which a list will pass. Bulk has 100 free queries valid 30 days. |
| Features | CSyntax, SMTP, disposable and role checks with a score. No list upload exists, and catch-all detection and bulk need paid plans. | CBulk cleaning, an API, disposable and role detection and SDKs. But the plans page says Yahoo validation isn't supported at the moment. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It is an API only, so you need code to use it. | CNo store rating on record. You upload lists or call the API. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb API only. No apps and no integrations are listed. | BWeb with Mailchimp, SendGrid, AWeber, Mailgun and ActiveCampaign links, plus SDK modules. |
| Best for | an email check API for developers | email validation by list upload or API |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: mailboxlayer and MailboxValidator. How we grade
Price against what you get
mailboxlayer starts at $14.99 a month and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MailboxValidator starts at $29.95 a month and scores 2.3.
MailboxValidator scores higher, and starts $14.96 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other email verification and deliverability tools on the chart, 8 score higher than mailboxlayer for less, and 7 score higher than MailboxValidator for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| mailboxlayer | MailboxValidator | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $14.99 per month for 5,000 requests | $29.95 per month for 3,000 queries |
| Free plan | 100 API requests, for non-commercial use only. | API-FREE plan: 300 queries a month, auto-renewing. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | APILayer | MailboxValidator.com |
| Price read from | mailboxlayer.com | mailboxvalidator.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
mailboxlayer
- An API only: there is no list upload or bulk cleaning page, and the bulk endpoint starts at Professional Plus.
- The free plan is 100 requests and non-commercial; the homepage text mentions 1,000 free monthly requests and subscriptions from $9.99, which the pricing page does not show.
- Each address checked counts as one API request; overage is listed as a per-request charge on the pricing page.
- Yearly billing is discounted by 10% to 15% depending on the plan.
MailboxValidator
- The plans page says Yahoo email validation is not supported at the moment.
- Bulk plan queries are valid for 30 days, so unused queries lapse.
- Higher-volume bulk packs have longer stated support response times, up to 72 hours.
- Larger bulk packs above 100,000 queries are listed up to 1,000,000.
Key features
mailboxlayer
- Syntax and typo check
- Validates format and returns a did-you-mean suggestion for common typos.
- Real-time SMTP check
- Pings the address's mail server and tests it for catch-all configuration; catch-all detection is not in the free plan.
- Free and disposable filters
- A daily-updated provider database flags addresses at free providers such as Gmail and at disposable ones such as Mailinator.
- Role detection
- Flags role addresses that map to a function instead of a person.
- Quality score
- Each response includes a numeric score for the address's quality and deliverability.
- Usage statistics
- Daily and monthly request counts, with notifications when a plan's allowance runs low.
MailboxValidator
- Bulk list cleaning
- Buy a pack of queries with no setup fee or subscription and upload a list of emails to be validated.
- Email validation API
- Subscription API plans let a website or program check addresses on demand, with auto renewal and auto recharge.
- Disposable and role detection
- Separate validation pages cover disposable email, role email and domain checks alongside the main email check.
- SDK modules and extensions
- The site lists SDK modules and extensions for developers integrating the API.
- Listed integrations
- Integrations include Mailchimp, SendGrid, AWeber, Mailgun and ActiveCampaign, with a longer list on its integrations page.
Plans
mailboxlayer
Free$0
100 API requests, non-commercial use, no support, no catch-all detection.
Basic$14.99
per month for 5,000 requests, billed monthly
Commercial use, standard support and catch-all detection. Yearly billing is $161.99.
Professional Plus$74.99
per month for 50,000 requests, billed monthly
Adds a bulk endpoint that takes 25 emails at a time. Yearly billing is $787.99.
Enterprise Plus$249.99
per month for 250,000 requests, billed monthly
Bulk endpoint of 100 emails per call. Yearly billing is $2,549.99.
CustomCustom
Unlimited requests and dedicated support, quoted by the vendor.
MailboxValidator
API-FREE$0
300 queries per month with standard support.
API-3$29.95
per month for 3,000 queries
Auto renewal and recharge with email support. Next steps: $69.95 for 15,000, $139.95 for 75,000, $339.95 for 375,000.
BULK-1$19.95
one-time for 1,000 queries, valid 30 days
Upload a list to clean. Larger packs: $59.95 for 10,000, $199.95 for 100,000 and $699.95 for 1,000,000.
BULK-TRIAL$0
100 free queries, valid for 30 days, for trying the bulk upload.
Ways to pay less
mailboxlayer
- Annual discount
Save 10% to 15% with yearly billing
The pricing page shows yearly totals with discounts of 10% (Basic), 12.5% (Professional Plus) and 15% (Enterprise Plus).
MailboxValidator
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, mailboxlayer or MailboxValidator?
As of Nov 13, 2026, mailboxlayer is cheaper to start with: $14.99 a month, against $29.95 a month for MailboxValidator. mailboxlayer starts at $14.99 per month for 5,000 requests, and MailboxValidator starts at $29.95 per month for 3,000 queries.
Which has a free plan, mailboxlayer or MailboxValidator?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both mailboxlayer and MailboxValidator have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.