Use Bulk Email Deliverability & SMTP Verification with Python

Check email addresses for syntax, MX records, disposable and role-based domains, and optionally SMTP mailbox existence and catch-all behavior, with a verdict and confidence score per address.

1. Choose the data you need

Review the published README for supported collection modes, examples, and limits. The recipe below uses the current published input definition.

2. Prepare a source-based input

This JSON contains published prefills and required-field defaults. Review every value for your task before running it; it is not a promise of successful collection.

{
  "checkCatchAll": false,
  "checkSmtp": false,
  "concurrency": 10,
  "datasetEmailField": "email",
  "emails": [
    "test@gmail.com"
  ],
  "includeDomainHealth": true,
  "includeSourceFields": false,
  "maxEmails": 10000,
  "maxEmailsPerDomain": 100,
  "maxRetries": 2,
  "smtpTimeout": 10,
  "verificationDepth": "basic"
}

Download input.example.json and save your reviewed copy as input.json.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`emails`	array	optional	One email address per item. You can paste a list here or use the text box below; if both are filled, the actor verifies both. Duplicates are removed case-insensitively.
`emailsText`	string	optional	Paste a list separated by new lines, commas, semicolons or spaces. Useful for CSV exports and email lists.
`datasetId`	string	optional	Optional Apify dataset ID. The actor reads one email per item from datasetEmailField, verifies those addresses, and can carry the original columns into each record.
`datasetEmailField`	string	optional	Column name that holds the email address when datasetId is set.
`includeSourceFields`	boolean	optional	When reading from a dataset, include the original row in sourceData so you can join the verification result back to your CRM export.
`verificationDepth`	string	optional	Basic checks syntax, MX records and the A/AAAA fallback. Standard adds disposable, role-based, free-provider and domain-health checks. Deep adds a best-effort SMTP mailbox probe and catch-all detection.
`concurrency`	integer	optional	How many addresses are checked in parallel. Higher is faster, but mail servers may rate-limit SMTP probes.
`maxEmails`	integer	optional	Upper bound on unique addresses to verify in one run. Anything beyond this is skipped and reported in the run summary.
`maxEmailsPerDomain`	integer	optional	Cap on addresses verified for the same domain. Extra addresses get an 'unknown' record explaining the cap instead of hammering one mail server.
`smtpTimeout`	number	optional	Connect and response timeout for each SMTP probe. Use a lower value for fast scans and a higher value for slow mail servers.
`maxRetries`	integer	optional	Extra attempts for temporary DNS, connection and SMTP 4xx failures, using exponential backoff.
`checkSmtp`	boolean	optional	Run the best-effort SMTP mailbox probe even at basic or standard depth. Deep depth already includes it.
`checkCatchAll`	boolean	optional	Probe a random address to detect catch-all domains. Implies SMTP probing. Deep depth already includes it.
`includeDomainHealth`	boolean	optional	Add SPF, DMARC policy and common DKIM selector findings for each domain at standard or deep depth.

3. Start an Actor run

Set APIFY_TOKEN in your environment. Python 3.10 or newer is sufficient; this recipe uses no third-party packages.

Execution may incur charges. Review current pricing on Apify. The request asks for a 120-second timeout and a charge limit; these settings are subject to Apify’s pricing and do not guarantee an all-inclusive spending cap.

import json
import os
import urllib.request

# Save the schema-derived example as input.json; review and edit it first.
with open("input.json", encoding="utf-8") as stream:
    actor_input = json.load(stream)

token = os.environ["APIFY_TOKEN"]
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/9RiemV8vYMg3CcH3S/runs?timeout=120&maxTotalChargeUsd=0.50",
    data=json.dumps(actor_input).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + token, "Content-Type": "application/json"},
    method="POST",
)
# This starts a potentially billable run. Do not automatically retry this POST.
with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=40) as response:
    run = json.load(response)["data"]
print("Run ID:", run["id"])
print("Status:", run["status"])
# Inspect and download results in Apify Console once the run succeeds.

4. Inspect the actual results

Open the run in Apify Console and wait for a successful completion. Use the published output schema to locate results and the dataset schema to understand declared views. Missing or optional record fields must not be treated as guaranteed values.

One record per unique email address with verdict, confidence, checks that actually ran, MX and provider details, typo suggestion, alias flags, SMTP response details, catch-all confidence, domain health and a recommended next action.

Questions before you run

Which inputs are required?

No top-level fields are marked required in the published schema. Conditional requirements can still apply; check the README.

What does this guide verify?

The fields, prefills, and schema links are rendered from the published build. This is a usage recipe, not a paid live extraction test. Source availability and collection results can vary.

What if the run request times out?

Check Apify Console before retrying. The first request may already have created a run. Do not automatically repeat a run-creation POST.

Open on Apify Full Actor reference

Generated from source build 3Q4ZEsXfpGej1x96y and its README and schemas. Source changes regenerate this guide; no third-party editorial claims are inferred.