What is SPF Permerror?

SPF=Permerror indicates that there is a fundamental problem with the SPF record, making it impossible to determine if the sending server is authorized or not.

What is the 10 DNS lookup limit?

During SPF check, every time an email is sent from your domain, your recipient’s email server performs DNS query requests, also known as DNS lookups to check the presence of authorized IP addresses in your DNS and match them to the ones in the received email’s return-path header. However, RFC limits the number of DNS lookups to 10. This is known as the 10 DNS lookup limit.

Am I exceeding SPF Too Many DNS Lookups limit?

If you are worried about exceeding the lookup limit for SPF, you can check your record instantly using our SPF record checker tool.

How to fix SPF Permerror?

A more effective way to avoid SPF errors is to deploy an SPF flattening tool that is automatic and hassle-free – like PowerSPF!

Proofpoint Alternatives and Competitors: Find the Best

Ayan Bhuiya

3 days ago

Reading Time: 6 min

PowerDMARC
Valimail
dmarcian
EasyDMARC
Sendmarc
DMARCLY
Simple DMARC
DMARC Report
Mimecast DMARC Analyzer
MxToolbox

Proofpoint is a reputed name in the email and domain security industry. However, many individuals and businesses are looking into substitutes that provide more or better features at more convenient prices. Currently, there are so many Proofpoint competitors that it is often hard to choose the software that best suits your objectives and needs.

Given the large variety of substitutes and the difficulty of choice, we’ve put together some of the best market alternatives, along with detailed comparisons with Proofpoint.

About Proofpoint

Proofpoint is an American enterprise cybersecurity company that protects employees, data, and brands from different types of cyberattacks. Along with email security, its services include identity threat defense, data loss prevention, electronic discovery, as well as email archiving. While Proopoint’s compliance solutions have helped thousands of businesses over the years, Proofpoint has some lacking features that push people to find corresponding alternatives. Here are some pros and cons of Proofpoint:

Proofpoint Pros

Hosted SPF & DMARC
Email header analysis
Offers aggregate reports visualization and Geomaps
Single Sign-On (SSO) is available
Comes with an AI-powered phishing URL checker

Proofpoint Cons

A lack of MTA-STS and TLS Reports
No hosted MTA-STS
Pricing is high and not as flexible
No email encryption and email archiving on the business pricing scheme, and no email archiving on the advanced pricing model

Proofpoint Pricing

Proofpoint comes at a starting price of $8000+, and may not be the best solution for small/mid-market businesses with tight budgets.

Things to Consider While Choosing a Proofpoint Alternative

When choosing the best Proofpoint alternative among many available options, there are several areas and aspects to which you need to pay particular attention. These include:

Budget: Make sure the software you choose fits your budget and has a flexible pricing model to fit your ever-changing needs and financial circumstances.
Company reputation: Reputation is the aggregate of all the experiences customers have had with a given company, product, or service. Thus, if you see a stark majority of users complaining about a particular software, think twice before collaborating with them. Online ratings and reviews will be of significant help when trying to figure out how reputable a given tool is.
Tech stack: Different Proofpoint competitors come with different tech features and functionalities. Some of these may be more relevant to your unique business needs than others. Do the necessary research to find exactly what you need.
Specific needs: Each business is unique, and so are the business’s needs and requirements. The one-size-fits-all approach is not effective when choosing an email authentication software. That being said, there are some companies that offer more encompassing and comprehensive solutions than others.

Top 10 Proofpoint Competitors

1. PowerDMARC

PowerDMARC is a DMARC analyzer, domain security, and reporting SaaS platform that helps organizations in their struggle against business email compromise (BEC) and email spoofing. Focusing on email security and authentication in the cybersecurity industry, PowerDMARC aims to protect businesses of all sizes, government entities as well as MSSPs from the growing threat of email-based cyber attacks making it our top choice as a Proofpoint alternative.

PowerDMARC Pros

Easy-to-use interface, ideal for beginners
Very affordable pricing, free trial available
Hosted SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS and BIMI authentication services
Enhanced reporting with GeoMaps, comprehensive PDF reports, and PGP-encrypted failure reports
Multi-language support
Instant SPF optimization with Macros
Extensive API endpoints
AI-powered Threat Intelligence

PowerDMARC Cons

May need initial assistance for using the advanced solutions

2. Valimail

Valimail is a DMARC vendor that provides complete solutions for not only inbound but also outbound email protection against cyberattacks. Operating since 2015, Valimail offers DMARC enforcement, email fraud protection, and monitoring.

Valimail Pros

Free version available
Easy-to-follow UI and simplified reporting
Patented SPF optimization with Macros
Guided DMARC enforcement

Valimail Cons

Comparatively limited offerings in the free version
Lack of MTA-STS management and TLS reporting
Some users feel that the price point is steep

3. dmarcian

dmarcian is an email authentication platform that may fit the needs of businesses of different sizes, it is best suited for those who are new to DMARC implementation. dmarcian offers easy setup and configuration. Some advanced features such as hosted MTA-STS are not available on the platform, which might deter organizations who are looking for advanced security from choosing dmarcian as their desired Proofpoint alternative.

dmarcian Pros

Thanks to its easily navigable GUI, even DMARC new-comers might find themselves at ease using dmarcian
Suitable for enterprises with relatively higher budgets
Free plan available

dmarcian Cons

Advanced functionalities are limited compared to some other alternatives
A pricing model upgrade is necessary to access more detailed reports
Lack of AI and Threat Intelligence features

4. EasyDMARC

EasyDMARC is an intuitive email authentication and deliverability platform. With its DMARC, SPF, DKIM, and BIMI solutions, EasyDMARC aims to protect businesses and employees from cyberattacks and establish security in virtual communication.

EasyDMARC Pros

Offers Phishing URL detection
Offers MTA-STS and TLS Reports
Features flexible pricing schemes for different user types

EasyDMARC Cons

Restrictive White Labeling with limitations
Lack of more AI-powered cybersecurity features
Hosted DKIM management is not available
Offers traditional SPF flattening with limitations

5. Sendmarc

Sendmarc is an email authentication platform and the next vendor on our list. Key features of this Proofpoint replacement include automated workflows, advanced, detailed reports, and threat intelligence. With DMARC, DKIM, and SPF control, the platform aims to protect businesses from fake emails and malicious attacks. Given the high number of advanced functionalities, non-technical users might find using this software challenging.

Sendmarc Pros

Offers advanced features like comprehensive domain security analysis
Offers Breach Detection services

Sendmarc Cons

May need some time and professional assistance to master some of the advanced functionalities
Unlimited domains and emails are available only on premium and enterprise plans
Single Sign-On (SSO) is available only on premium and enterprise plans

6. DMARCLY

DMARCLY is best suited for beginners in the realm of DMARC and email authentication subtleties. This SPF, DKIM, and DMARC monitoring platform come with easy-to-comprehend functionalities that can meet the basic requirements of email security and authentication.

DMARCLY Pros

Automated reports and useful insights
Email authentication Monitoring
MTA-STS implementation and TLS Reporting

DMARCLY Cons

Not sufficient training to get familiar with concepts and features
The free plan comes with limitations as compared to some other alternatives
Initial setup may be time-consuming for businesses with large email systems

7. Simple DMARC

Simple DMARC is a DMARC solution that has been aimed at safeguarding companies’ emails and domains since 2020. Founded by industry experts with 15+ years of experience, just as the name suggests the company aims to simplify DMARC implementation for organizations.

Simple DMARC Pros

Simple and easy to use
Dedicated support
Offers useful domain security features like Domain Discovery and Overview

Simple DMARC Cons

Limited feature set
A focus on mostly DMARC solutions rather than holistic email authentication
Pricing is not as flexible with only 1 monthly and 1 annual plan

8. DMARC Report

This is a DMARC solution for service providers, businesses, and managed service providers alike. One of the key features of this platform is that it enables to simultaneous control a large number of domains for DMARC compliance.

DMARC Report Pros

Extensive and flexible pricing schemes
Within each buyer category too, there are several pricing schemes
SMTP TLS Reporting
Restful API

DMARC Report Cons

Potentially complex for complete beginners
Some advanced hosted features may not be available
Limited Threat Intelligence capabilities

9. Mimecast DMARC Analyzer

Mimecast DMARC Analyzer is an email authentication platform founded by renowned cybersecurity company – Mimecast. Key Mimecast DMARC Analyzer features include comprehensive analysis, advanced and detailed reporting, and threat intelligence.

Mimecast DMARC Analyzer Pros

Detailed DMARC data and insightful analysis
Threat intelligence integration

Mimecast DMARC Analyzer Cons

Difficult for non-professionals
No free plan is available
Complexity of features and navigation during setup and configuration

10. MxToolbox

MxToolbox is a network diagnostic and lookup tool provider that helps troubleshoot email deliverability problems. MxToolbox might not be the best resource for DMARC-related matters but can be a valuable tool for quick and effective troubleshooting at no cost.

MxToolbox Pros

Includes several free tools for DNS lookups as well as blacklist checks
Easy-to-understand and navigate

MxToolbox Cons

Limited scalability
Lack of AI-powered advanced cybersecurity features
Paid plans start at $129 which might be quite expensive for small businesses

Why PowerDMARC is the Best Alternative

An easy-to-use interface, highly affordable pricing, and an AI-powered extensive feature suite make PowerDMARC a fantastic alternative to Proofpoint. PowerDMARC offers a wide range of managed solutions, simplified reporting for end users and MSPs, and multi-language support. With very detailed API endpoints, and hosted SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS, and BIMI authentication services, PowerDMARC has managed to become a top player in the email security industry.

Give it a try – start your free trial with PowerDMARC today!

Summing Up

In this article, we tried to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand which Proofpoint alternative to choose and how to best organize and ensure your security online. Given the multifold and complex nature of present-day cyber attacks, it is often necessary to implement more than one email security and protection measure.

Regardless of which option you choose, it is essential to make use of DMARC technologies (alongside other security measures) to maximize your safety in the digital world. If you would like to learn more about DMARC and email authentication, contact us today to get all your questions answered!

About
Latest Posts

Ayan Bhuiya

With over 13 years of experience in Cyber Security, Ayan Bhuiya specializes in Infrastructure, Business Continuity, Risk Management, and Email Security. Currently acting as Shift Lead at PowerDMARC. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Networking and Security and has a proven track record of leading strategic security initiatives to mitigate threats and ensure business resilience.