how to detect disposable email addresses
How to detect disposable email addresses
Detect disposable inboxes by combining provider lists, DNS signals, and risk scoring.
Provider lists catch known throwaway services fast.
Live checks help confirm domains that are newly registered or suspicious.
A layered approach keeps false positives lower.
curl -X POST "https://your-domain.com/api/v1/[email protected]" \
-H "X-Api-Key: ev_your_key_here"What is the main signal?
The provider domain is usually the strongest indicator.
Can this be bypassed?
Yes, which is why you should combine multiple checks and update the list often.
Why disposable detection matters
Disposable inboxes distort activation metrics, increase support noise, and make abuse easier. A disposable detector is most useful when it runs before account creation, not after the user has already entered your system.
What makes a strong detector
A useful implementation combines a maintained domain list, DNS lookups, and risk scoring. That reduces the chance of relying on one stale signal and gives you a cleaner block-or-warn decision.
FAQ
How do I use this page?
Use it as a quickstart reference and link it from your docs, onboarding flow, or marketing page.
What should I do next?
Create an account, try the demo, and move the integration into your backend with a real API key.
Should disposable always mean invalid?
For most public signup flows, yes. In some low-friction products you may only warn.
How often should the list update?
As often as possible, because throwaway providers change quickly.