Email verification statuses: what each result means
Every verifier uses slightly different words, but the categories are the same. Here is a translation table and what to do with each group.
Send to valid addresses. Remove invalid, disposable and spam-trap results. Re-check unknown results later. Send to catch-all and role addresses only in small, careful batches, because they cannot be fully confirmed and tend to cause more bounces and complaints.
Free tool: check an address or a list right now with the EmailNa email checker. It catches typos, throwaway domains and domains with no mail server.
What "verified email" means on your own account
If an app or website shows your email as verified (or "confirmed"), it means you proved the address is yours, usually by clicking a link or typing a code the site sent you. Unverified means that step was never finished, so password resets and alerts may not reach you. To fix it, find the "resend verification email" option in the site's account settings, then check your Spam and Promotions folders. See why activation emails do not arrive.
The rest of this page covers the other meaning: the result a verification tool gives each address on a mailing list.
The statuses, translated
| Meaning | NeverBounce | ZeroBounce | MillionVerifier | Veml |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailbox exists | valid | valid | Ok | Passed |
| Will bounce | invalid | invalid | Invalid | Invalid |
| Server accepts everything | catchall | catch-all | Catch-All | Risky (catch-all) |
| No clear answer | unknown | unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Throwaway inbox | disposable | do_not_mail (disposable) | Disposable | Risky (throwaway) |
| Spam trap | not a separate status | spamtrap | not a separate status | not a separate status |
What each status means, and what to do
Valid
The mail server accepted the mailbox when checked. Safe to send.
Invalid
The mailbox or domain does not exist, or the address is broken. It will hard-bounce. Remove it.
Catch-all (accept-all)
The domain's server says yes to every address, real or not, so no tool can confirm the individual. Many company domains are set up this way. Send in small batches and watch bounces, or keep them for a separate, careful campaign.
Unknown
The server did not answer clearly: a timeout, a temporary block, or "greylisting" (deliberately delaying unknown senders). Re-check in a few hours or days before deciding.
Disposable
A temporary address from a throwaway-email site. It will stop working soon. Remove it. See how to spot disposable emails.
Role-based
A shared inbox such as info@, sales@ or support@. It often goes to several people, and recipients are more likely to report mail as spam. Fine for business-to-business replies; risky for marketing.
Spam trap
An address used by mailbox providers or blocklists to catch senders with poor list habits. Sending to one can damage your reputation quickly. Remove it. No tool detects every trap, which is why list hygiene matters.
A simple rule for your next send
- Send to valid.
- Delete invalid, disposable and spam trap.
- Re-check unknown.
- Test catch-all and role in small batches.
Then keep your total bounce rate at or under about 2%.
Questions people ask
- Should I email catch-all addresses?
- You can, carefully. Send to a small batch first and only continue if bounces stay low.
- What does "accept all" mean?
- It is another name for catch-all: the receiving server accepts mail for any address at that domain.
- What does "email verified" mean on an account?
- It means the site sent a link or code to your address and you used it, so the site knows the address works and belongs to you.